THE ROMANTICIST | C. GRIMES

03 | CHAPTER TWO

Mollie turned the knob, the steaming water cutting off quickly. She stepped out of the shower and onto the bath mat, looking up only to meet her own eyes in the mirror. For a moment, she almost didn't recognize herself. As she stared at the hollow girl the mirror, the hollow girl stared back, almost willing her to try and make any sort of moves. Mollie finally tore her eyes away and grabbed a towel, spending the rest of her time getting ready desperately avoiding the mirror. Her pack was sitting outside the bathroom, so she wouldn't have to go into her bedroom again. As she put it on her back and started down the hall, she saw the smattering of flowers and cards and letters surrounding his bedroom door.

She looked to the other wall, keeping her head turned until she'd reached the exit. The sunlight was harsh and stung her eyes, but she pressed on. The King, Carol, and the rest of the soldiers who were coming to Alexandria were already by the front gate. She spotted Jerry and Nabila talking, and almost cracked a smile, until they saw her. Then, the looks of pity began. Everywhere Mollie looked, it was all she saw. Pity, and him. So she kept her head down, walking closer to the gate.

"Mollie." Ezekiel's voice made her raise her head. "You and Carol have not been properly introduced yet." Mollie walked over, finally noticing the woman next to him. Carol wasn't what Mollie had imagined at all, not after how much...he had told her. "Mollie, this is Carol. She arrived with Morgan, and she once belonged to Rick Grimes' group. Carol, this is Mollie, the one I've told you about."

"Hi." Mollie mustered.

"Hello." Carol replied, and Mollie could hear the pity in her voice.

"When do we leave?" Mollie asked Ezekiel.

"Now, I suppose. We were waiting on you." Her face flushed as she looked down again. Ezekiel began calling attention, climbing up onto a truck nearby to address the crowd of soldiers and citizens alike. Most if not all of the Kingdom had come to see them all off, now all aware of the situation at hand. Ezekiel's speech was perfectly punctuated by Shiva's loud roar, and she was chained to a tree near the gate. Ezekiel untied the chain from the tree, and those carrying the banners took their places at the front as the gates were pulled open.

As they walked away from the Kingdom, Mollie's mind wandered. Where did it happen? Where did he die? Was it close? Had she been there before? Would she know if she had? She sighed, trying to shake the thoughts from her head. Nothing worked. They'd only been walking about ten minutes before a line of shopping carts came into view, and everyone went on the defensive.

"What is it?" Carol asked as everyone drew their guns.

"We've seen this before." Dianne answered.

"Same ones." A voice sounded, and everyone quickly turned. Mollie thought Morgan had left the area completely, so seeing him was a total surprise.

"Dude, you okay?" Jerry asked.

"You gonna ambush them on your own?" Carol asked, taking a few steps closer.

"Yeah." Morgan nodded.

"Going alone doesn't work for this." Carol insisted.

"It works for me." Morgan nodded.

"Have you killed any of them?" Carol asked after a few seconds of silence. "Because if you have and they've found out, they may think it was the Kingdom and we lose our advantage."

"It's from walkers." Morgan motioned with the blood-covered end of his stick.

"Can we move them aside?" Daniel spoke up, now standing next to the line of shopping carts. Morgan nodded once, and a few people got to work. Mollie leaned against one of the cars along the road, her hand moving down to rest against the holster on her leg. She knew how to shoot a gun, sure, but she'd never fired at anything but a target. Her hand rested against the brushed black metal, and her breath caught. She remembered that day, as he stood behind her and helped her steady her hand and get her grip right. His smile had been bigger than hers when she hit the target on her first try.

"And we start once more for the fallen..." Ezekiel called out as he moved away from Morgan. "For the Kingdom...for the glory of victory." They all began to move again, Morgan falling into step with them. Mollie glanced over, catching the tied twine that held together the body armor Morgan was wearing. She knew it well, because she'd been the one to tie the twine.

----

"We'll go in the front." Jesus spoke, his voice low but loud enough for everyone to hear.

"There's a tunnel, right there. It's a storm drain." Maggie explained. "Follow it until the fork, then take the left path until you reach the ladder. You'll be in the back of the community, in a field. You should be able to get into cover and move easily from there."

"What about Shiva?" Jerry asked.

"She'll fit." Maggie nodded. "The drain's big, so is the exit. It's not a big jump up for her." Ezekiel nodded.

"On your signal, Jesus." Ezekiel said. Jesus nodded, looking around at the gathered Hilltop and Kingdom fighters. There was roughly thirty people there, ready to go at Jesus' mark.

"Stay tight, everyone." Jesus said. "Find survivors, free them and supply them if you need to. Look for Rick, though I doubt he's been killed. And do not hesitate, because the Saviors won't." Everyone nodded. "Go!" Jerry led the Kingdom's people into the sewers, all moving quickly and quietly through the low water.

"Left at the fork." Jerry said as they reached it, taking the left path. Sure enough, after it sloped up a bit, there was a large opening with a metal ladder. Jerry climbed up, and after making sure it was clear, everyone else began moving quickly. The drain came out in a field, with a house close by so they could duck into cover. Down the field near the road was a large group. Saviors and the other group that was supposed to be helping Alexandria, the Scavengers, standing around two people on their knees. Mollie instantly knew who Negan was. The leather jacket, the bat, it was obvious.

"That's Rick." Carol breathed. "And Carl. Oh god." Negan walked behind the two men as Ezekiel surfaced, Shiva close after him. Maggie had been right, the jump was nothing to her.

"You said I could do it, Rick." Negan's voice echoed out as he took Carl's hat off and flung it into the grass. Mollie heard Shiva's chain jingle for a moment.

"Go, Shiva!" Ezekiel whispered. Before she had a chance to look back, Shiva darted out into the field. She moved fast and quick, and Mollie was reminded that she was in fact a very dangerous animal as she pounced on one of the Saviors. The screaming began, and then the gunfire, so Ezekiel stood.

"Let us go forth into battle!" He called out, and everyone got to their feet. As Mollie rounded the corner of the house, and saw the battle beginning to kick up, she pulled the pistol from the holster. It weighed heavy in her hand, and each step felt like taking a step into quicksand, but she willed herself forward.

"End these Saviors and their accomplices!" Ezekiel cried out, firing his pistol into a few Saviors who were still standing in shock at Shiva's attack. "Alexandria will not fall! Not on this day!" Mollie raised her hand, her arm shaking lightly under the weight of the pistol. There was a Savior directly in front of her, fumbling with his weapon as it jammed. He didn't even notice her standing there. Her hand shook but she kept it up, stabilizing her arm with her other hand. She let out a breath as flashes of laughter, and flowers and kisses moved across her brain. Her vision blurred from tears but she blinked profusely, his voice saying her name echoing in her mind. Her hand tightened around her gun and she let out a choked cry, finally willing her finger to pull back on the trigger.

The gun rocked her hand, and she let her arm fall to the side as the Savior fell to the ground in front of her-his head half exploded in the grass. Her feet began to move on their own now, her arm coming back up. Another Savior came into view, and her finger pulled back again. Another. And another. And another and another and another until the gunfire around her had stopped, as she realized it was over. There was smoke in the air, floating through the town. She could hear Shiva roaring in the distance so she followed the sound. Another roar, she was getting closer. Finally the smoke cleared enough to where Mollie could see Shiva. She was lying in the gazebo next to the pond, licking her bloody mouth with obvious pride.

Mollie shoved the heavy gun into the holster, her hands beginning to shake and her feet beginning to move more sluggishly as she approached Shiva. A purr rumbled from Shiva's mouth as Mollie walked up the two steps to the gazebo. As she sat down, leaning back against the large tiger, the tears finally started to come. Body now shaking, she pulled her knees up to her chest, and buried her face in her knees.