Wow I'm finally updating! Sorry peps but sometimes I'm lazy and sometimes I'm not...but unfortunately most times I am...
I shall try harder I swear!
Please Read and Review...and forgive...always forgive...Love you loooonnngg time!
Maddie pushed her spoon through the nights dinner, it was mystery soup and so far it was living up to its name. Beside her Carl was already scraping at the bottom of his dish as if more was gonna appear and Sophia was gingerly downing hers looking less then impressed.
The three of them were huddled shoulder to shoulder on one side of the fire in their own exclusive group while Rick and Lori were sprawled out on the other side deep in conversation.
"Here trade ya" Madison quickly swiped the empty bowl from Carl's hand and swapped it with her own before he could cotton on.
"I can't eat yours!" He immediately held it back out to her but she shook her head stubbornly.
"I don't want it, it's gross" She made a face and Sophia nodded in agreement but still continued spooning the pale red liquid into her mouth.
"You gotta eat Maddie-"
"-Wha' are you my motha' now?" She glared at him "Cause I aint neva had one'a those before 'nd I don't need one now!" She rolled her eyes in a dramatic fashion.
Carl sighed and reluctantly gave in feeling a little guilty now, his eyes fell to the bowl of lukewarm soup in his lap which had barely been touched.
"Maaaan you're waaay too easy Grimes!" A bony elbow suddenly nudged his side and he jumped a little making its owner break out into giggles, on the other side of him Sophia was smirking at him.
The freckle faced boy quickly scooped up some soup before he could even think what he was doing and flicked it at Madison who put her hands up just in time and most of the red gluck missed her face. The giggles immediately ceased.
"You better not have got it in my hair GRIMES!" she immediately started patting at the two perfect french braids Amy had kindly spent half an hour plaiting. "You got balls i'll give you that, MOMMA'S BOY!" She launched herself at Carl who was looking quite smug and caught him completely off guard the two toppled backwards the bowl of soup flying about a meter behind them and striking the side of the RV with a clang.
"EAT IT GRIMES!" Maddie rubbed her splattered hands and arm into Carl's face who was laughing so hard tears were now streaming from his eyes.
The fiasco only lasted a few seconds longer before Madison was hauled off the ten year old boy by the back of her shirt and deposited swiftly back on the ground a good meter away.
"Ow that hurt" She readjusted her clothing and crossed her arms to glare up at her brother who was looking real unimpressed.
"Not as much as an ass whoop'n, i find ya mess'n round wit that boy 'gain"
"Merle we was jus' play'n" Maddies face flushed red with embarrassment.
"I-I'm sorry Mr Dixon" Carl mumbled offering up an apology from the ground and suddenly Merle was looking down at him making the kid shrink back.
"You will be boy" He growled fists clenching.
"Everything alright over there?" Ricks voice cut across the fire he was already up and Lori was making her way over to Carl.
"Ya might wanna keep ya kid unda control, pig" The oldest Dixon snared sizing the sheriff up with bloodshot eyes.
Rick raised his hands and threw a look to Lori that said please let it slide. The last thing he needed was something kicking off, especially in front of the kids.
"We aint looking for trouble tonight" His voice was a controlled sort of calm and Merle snorted.
"Fuckin' pussy" He turned to Madison who was staring daggers into the dirt wishing her stupid brother would leave her alone and go finish drinking his beer with his stupid friend.
"Git up ta bed" He growled and her head snapped up mouth open already to argue.
"Bu-"
"- ya giv'n me lip girly?" Merle cut in before she could even utter a word and the look on his face made her bite her tongue and high tail it.
She stomped through tent city and started up the hill out of earshot and getting more and more wound up with ever step. As they passed the old truck her rage had grown to big for her to contain and the words were spilling out her mouth 'fore she could stop them.
"He aint done nothin wrong ya know!" She kicked at a clump of dirt and before her foot landed on the ground Merle's hand was coming upside the back of her head with a whack that sent her stumbling a few paces forward.
"Oooowww" She spun round her big green eyes glistening with accusation "that hurt!" she rubbed at the spot a small lump already forming.
"Ya keep talkn' back at me s'gonna hurt more" Merle gestured for her to get moving "them tears aint gon' help none either" He added as he glared down at the back of her head, she was discreetly trying to wipe the moisture from her eyes without her brother noticing.
"I aint cry'n" She snapped and picked up her pace a little to avoid another whack.
"Yah a Dixon girly jus' rememba that" Merle stopped short of the tent, there was a bottle of brew that Ed was keeping for him and it was calling to him loud and clear.
Maddie yanked the flap open but hesitated before stepping through.
"When's Daryl coming back?"
Her other brother had gone out hunting in the morning and hadn't come back yet, which probably meant he was tracking something real big...well she hoped anyways.
"Hell I dunno I aint his dam Motha jus' git ta bed will ya" The older Dixon barked impatiently, the eight year old disappeared inside and the light quickly went on before her head popped back out.
"WAIT MERLE!" she squeaked, the man in question was already halfway down the hill and he reluctantly stopped his head turning slightly.
Madison opened her mouth but hesitation got the better of her and she quickly debated whether to ask him to stay or not, Daryl was always back by now and she didn't want to be all by herself.
"Umm n-nothing, night Merle" She quickly muttered she already knew what the answer would be and just like that the fleeting optimism evaporated into thin air, Merle non the wiser waved a hand above his head and continued on his way.
Madison watched him go until his hulking body disappeared into the darkness she then quickly zipped the tent flap up and retreated inside her sleeping bag pulling it completely over her head.
Outside the night seemed even louder now like someone had turned the volume button up, every cricket chirp sounded like it was right next to her ear and when the breeze stirred up the leaves she curled into a tight ball and squeezed her eyes closed wishing Daryl was lying next to her telling her to quit been a baby, if Carl saw her now he'd probably piss himself laughing.
The screams were the first thing that woke her, loud high pitch shrieks piercing through the night. Madison launched to her feet her head banging into the dangling torch which was still on and it swung from side to side making the shadows stretch long and short.
She quickly steadied the light her head pushing at the fabric of the tent and she crouched down and held her breath hoping the screams were just in her dream.
A few seconds later more screams were heard though followed by people shouting and she froze like a deer in the headlights, from down the hill she could hear tents unzipping, feet hitting the dirt and voices yelling. She couldn't make out what they were saying they were all shouting at once then suddenly there was a kids scream and gunfire it was loud and high pitch could of been Sophia. Madeline took in a few deep breaths trying to make the thoughts in her head make sense she inched her way towards the flap trying to make her arms and legs work properly, every shot that was fired made her whole body flinch, if her brothers saw her now they'd be telling her to quit pussy footing round and move her ass already.
"C'mon Madison Dixon don't be s-" She stopped mid sentence the courage she was trying to conjure up immediately disappeared when a low groaning sound broke through the screams and chaos outside. Maddies blood immediately ran ice cold as multiple groans punctured the night, during the day they weren't that scary, well they still looked gross and smelt gross but at least you could see them. At night though they turned into something different all together, they were more then just lame brains or walkers or biters or whatever they were called! At night they could smell you see you right through the darkness, and they were always hungry...
Crunch
Madison whirled round and fumbled with the torch her fingers missed the switch once twice before the light finally disappeared and she sat in complete darkness her legs pulled up to her chest, heart feeling like it was gonna pound right through it.
Groaning.
Close.
Too close.
Her eyes flicked sideways and something moved past the side of the tent, she could just make out the shape, it was stumbling it's arm dangling attached to its shoulder by what looked like a single thread. The eight year old squeezed her eyes closed and listened to it, all the other voices faded to the background and the hairs rose on the back of her neck as she heard it lurching round moaning for food, then suddenly a miracle in the way of a thud as it tripped on a rope and went down. Maddie's eyes shot open, in the back of her head she heard Daryl yelling at her to run this was her one chance.
She burst from the tent like a rocket not even looking behind her as she shot down the hill and past the truck, someone was lying on the ground but she didn't let her eyes look, instead she switched to autopilot jumping ropes and dodging shapes that could of been biters or people she didn't know all she knew was she had to get to the trees, away from the noise...from the screaming.
Something reached out and snagged her wrist and she whipped round her arm nearly wrenched from her body, the pain was only momentary though as Amy's face filled her vision. Amy was hurt though her shoulder was oozing blood from a gaping hole in her shoulder staining her shirt and Maddie knew instantly she'd been bit. Only a few hours earlier she was plaiting the eight year olds hair and telling her silly jokes...but now...now she was going to be one of them...
"A-Amy" Madison's voice was small barely a whisper and the blonde teen shook her head in shock tears spilling down her eyes over ashen skin.
"I-Im Sorry" Madison pulled her arm free and stumbled a few steps back, "I-I can't h-help you" She turned and managed to dodge the side of tent which had popped up out of nowhere, she jumped over a rope and darted around another dome structure landing a few steps away was the edge of camp. Freedom.
The small girl slipped between two bushes which tore the skin of her legs and something snapped and fell to the ground tangling itself round her feet.
She screamed and tried to run forward but it was caught on something and their was a hot pain as it cut into her ankles.
"GIT OFF ME!" She fell down and scrambled backwards kicking into the darkness there was a clanging and it took a few seconds before she realized it was the strung up cans they used as a warning alarm.
"Good one dip shit"
Merles voice echoed in her head as she fumbled with the string finally managing to get it loose enough to free her foot, barely a second later something moaned less then a meter away and she scrambled to her feet and set off again through the scrub and bush her bare feet barely touching the ground as she weaved in and out of the large dark statues which could only be trees, branches reached out and scratched at her face, arms and legs but she felt nothing as she flew along the ground lungs burning and heart pounding through her skin which was dripping with sweat.
She had to find Daryl. Had to keep moving.