Daryl jogged out into the open field where the group had collected around Maggie. She was on her knees with her hands in the dirt, her body convulsing with sobs. Glenn sat next to her, trying to pull her into a hug but she kept resisting. As Daryl got closer, he could hear Maggie whispering between her cries. She looked up and her eyes met his, and her face twisted into a snarl.
"Why did you let her be taken?" Maggie demanded, pushing herself off the ground and stalking towards him. She shoved him and asked again. Daryl fell a step back with every push, saying nothing.
"If Beth had got out with somebody else, she'd still be here." Maggie hissed. Daryl forced himself to meet her eyes, feeling like he deserved the hate in them.
"I know. I think about it all the time. It's the only fucking thing I can think about now." He started to shout. "If you had cared enough to look for her, she would still be here! Instead you ran off to Washington!"
Maggie's bottom lip trembled and she stepped away from him. Glenn moved forward and took her into his arms. She hid her face into his neck and Glenn shot an apologetic look over her face.
"Alright, let's keep moving." Abraham spoke up over the uncomfortable silence, gesturing across the field. The group started moving, except for Rick and Daryl. Rick walked up to Daryl and put a hand on his shoulder.
"She didn't mean any of that. It was nobody's fault." Rick told him, squeezing softly. Daryl kept his eyes on the ground.
"Yeah she did. Deep down, she means it. I could see it in her eyes." Daryl made a vague motion towards his own eyes. Rick sighed and shook his head.
"There wasn't anything we coulda done." He said, before following the group. Daryl slowly followed after him, intent on keeping his distance.
Nightfall came and went as Beth and Morgan traipsed through the woods. They were tired, but every time Morgan suggested that they make camp and rest, Beth resisted, saying that they should push forward and find her group.
"They're close, I know it." She insisted every time. Morgan felt the hope radiating off her and decided to indulge her. It was also contagious. He was a little hopeful too.
The reached a field and Beth pointed to the tree line on the other side.
"Let's get there and then we can sleep." She offered, a bright smile on her face. Morgan nodded in agreement, hitched his bag further up his chest and started across the field.
After ten minutes of walking, they breached the tree line.
"Hey," Morgan tapped her shoulder, "do you hear that?" Beth looked at him, tilting her head a little.
"Water." He grinned, pointing deeper into the woods. "I bet there's a stream back there."
Beth nodded, "I'll go collect water if you start setting up camp." Morgan agreed and showed her the direction that the water was probably coming from.
Beth walked through the woods, softly humming to herself. Stepping over logs and pushing back bush, a small pond came into view. It was topped with a little waterfall. Beth dipped her hand into the water and watched it trickle through her fingers. Biting her lip, she cupped her hands and bought some water to her lips to taste. A smile broke over her face and she started filling up the canteens.
The group had set up camp. Maggie was leaning against a tree, staring blankly into space. They had built a small fire and were cooking some squirrels over it. As portions were handed out, Abraham and Rosita came back through the trees.
"There's a small group a bit back, one guy and one girl. I didn't see them well, the girl was wearing a hood. They're well set up; don't look to be any trouble." Abraham explained. He nodded as he was passed his dinner.
"They have cans set up too." Rosita said, gesturing to the cans and hub caps wired through the trees.
"I guess it wasn't unique." Tara shrugged her shoulders. She was next to Maggie, trying to coax her into eating.
"I'm going for a walk." Maggie spoke, standing up. When Glenn made to follow her she shook her head.
"I wanna go alone. Clear my head." He sat back down. She gave the group a weak smile, kissed Glenn on the top of his head and walked off.
"Is it safe for her to be alone?" Sasha asked, watching her go.
Rick nodded. "Yeah, she's just gotta have some time alone. She'll be fine."
Maggie walked sluggishly through the trees. She felt so sad that her body itself was rebelling. She reached the foot of a tree and lifting her top. Wrapped through the belt loops of her pants and around her waist was a rope. Slowly, Maggie unravelled it from her hiding place. She eyed up the branch above her head, wondering how she was going to get up there. It was a foot above her head and she couldn't reach it with her hands. Her fingers could brush the branch but that was all.
With trembling fingers, she knotted the noose. She threw the other side of the rope up over the branch and tugged it down. Maggie looked around, scanning for something to step onto. She found a fallen branch and dragged it under the noose. Balancing on it proved difficult and took a few tries.
Sniffing, Maggie slipped the noose over her head and let her balance on the branch go.
As her vision went, Maggie swore she saw Beth. And heard screaming.
AN: Please review! (: