HEART OF GLASS¹ ━━ the walking dead ✓

[ 038 ] save the last one

HEART OF GLASS
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT !

[ season three, episode six & seven ]

It felt good to be outside.

They had the courtyard back at the prison of course, but this was different ─ it didn't feel quite as sequestered. There was a sense of freedom. No fences, nothing holding them back, no tormenting memories circulating through the air like toxic chemicals. Here, Marley could breathe. And she liked it. She liked the feeling of the sun beating down against her neck, and the sound of the birds twittering wistfully overhead. She liked the smell of nature, even if it was slightly tainted by the repulsive scent of rotting flesh. She liked to hear the wind rushing through the spindly tree branches, the cicadas humming.

Just for a moment, Marley could relax.

She leaned up against the side of the truck, looking at the sky ─ a cluster of clouds resembling a duck had caught her attention. Then, the plume of white shifted, and the duck's neck elongated, forming a pretty swan. It glided elegantly through the sky.

And then her tranquillity was shattered by Glenn squeaking in terror.

"Jesus!"

Using a pair of plyers, he had busted the lock on the door to the convenience store. A flock of birds that had been trapped inside claimed their one chance at liberty, and in unison, the animals soared out of the door, their flapping wings almost colliding with Glenn. He ducked, hands instinctively curling over his head.

Maggie and Marley exchanged a look, and then they both started giggling, much to Glenn's embarrassment.

"You should have seen your face," Marley teased jestingly.

Glenn disappeared inside of the store in an attempt to hide his pink cheeks, muttering something incoherent under his breath. Maggie's flashlight trailed after him, illuminating the random objects that had fallen from the shelves. Amongst the crap, there were toys.

"Glenn, get that duck," Maggie requested, the beam of waxen light from her torch pooling over the little rubber duck.

He glanced at her incredulously from over his shoulder, "What?"

"Get that duck."

"Are you serious?" Glenn inquired with a noncommittal laugh. He picked up the duck, blew the away the dust that had collected on the yellow coat, and handed it to Maggie.