crooked heart → the walking dead ⁵

[ 013 ] can't live with it.

CROOKED HEART.

chapter thirteen, can't live with it.
[ season nine, episode eleven ]

"MY DAUGHTERS." THE WOMAN says.

There's many terms to describe what exactly Odessa is feeling. Confusion, terrified, disgusted, shocked, flabbergasted.

But the phrase, "what the fuck," is what slips past her lips as she stares down at the Skins.

Kelly comes rushing up the ladder, snatching the binoculars. She brings them to her eyes and begins to search the corn stalks for someone.

Odessa realizes then that Connie isn't here.

"Our community is more than capable of defending itself!" Tara calls down to them, eyes locked on Alpha.

"I show you my face because we mean you no harm." Alpha informs them. "I just want my daughters. I know you have them."

"Leave." Odessa speaks up, a dangerous tone licking into her voice. As soon as the word leaves her mouth, Brielle's eyes snap to her mother. She knows that voice, that tone. That's not her kind-hearted, peaceful mother speaking, that's the person she was all those years ago. That's the Grimes Daughter. "Leave now and no one has to get hurt."

"Wrong answer." Alpha says. She either hears the danger in Odessa's voice, deciding to ignore it, or she doesn't realize she's just made the most dangerous enemy possible.

She raises her arm into the air. As soon as she does, more Skins walk around the corner of the corn field.

A spark of rage passes through Cori's eyes. She wants to hurt them. She wants to make each and every one of the sick individuals below her suffer. She wants them to bleed. She wants to kill them like she killed the man that murdered Jesus.

"They lied," Flynn whispers to Cori and Odessa. "Those girls lied out their assess."

"I could have told you that," Odessa whispers back lowly, never once taking her eyes off of the bald woman below.

"They don't see her," Kelly speaks up as she finally finds her sister among the corn stalks. "Least not yet."

"Those girls told me what their mom does to them," Daryl says. Odessa glances over at Daryl. She knows what she's done to them, too. Abused them since they were only children. "We ain't sendin' them back to that."

"She might have Alden and Luke," Cori pipes. "Pissing that psycho off could get them killed. I'm not risking anyone else that I love."

"Did you kill our friends?" Magna questions. "We found their horses."

"No," Alpha responds. "Which one of you leads these people?"

All eyes move to Odessa, Cori, and Tara, who all stand beside each other. Cori curls her hands into fists in attempt to control the tremors.

"It don't matter," Odessa calls back.

"Then I'll address all of ya." Alpha announces. "Your people crossed into our land. There will be no conflict. Your people killed our people. There will be no conflict. I'm done talkin'. Bring me my daughters. Or there will be conflict."