VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴109

"And you're painting my face because..?" I question.

"It's called makeup," Judith explains. "Tia Rosita taught me how to do it last week. Now close your eyes!"

I follow the young girl's order and she pokes at my eyelid with a brush for a minute or so.

"Hey, Jude!" Daryl calls from the other room. "Come get your costume off the drying rack so I can wash my work clothes!"

"Just a second, Uncle Daryl!" 

"That wasn't a question. I need to wash my clothes, now come on."

Judith sighs and puts the eyeshadow pallet on the table. She mutters a quick 'hang on' and rushes into the room where Daryl is.

I pick up the little mirror from the table and stare at my own reflection. I hadn't seen myself in a while. It was strange to look myself in the eyes in a clear mirror. The makeup that Judith painted on my face was a thing all on its own.

"Pretty," RJ comments, lowering his comic book. "She's getting better at it than when she did mine."

I couldn't look at RJ without seeing Rick and Michonne.

He had Rick's curls. Michonne's smile A blend of their eyes.

He had Carl's nose. I wasn't sure if that made me happy or sad.

An unnerving, gross feeling arises in me.

RJ was a sweet boy. Judith was a miniature Carl in every way possible.

Michonne left them?

She just.. packed her shit and left? Why?

Michonne told me about her first son. Then, I know how she loved Carl. I remember their bond.

She took responsibility for Judith as her own daughter when she and Rick settled and physically had RJ, yet she abandoned them?

"Hey, Daryl," I call and stand up. "I think I'm gonna head out."

"Send that blanket over to Carol and thank her for letting me borrow it!" he calls.

I pick up the blanket from the couch and pat RJ on the head. "Later, dude."

"You're coming to the fair tomorrow, right?" RJ asks, turning in his seat as I walk to the door.

"Oh.. Uh.." I pause.

"Wait!" Judith shouts and runs into the living room. "Ellie, are you coming to the fair?"

"I just said that!" RJ protests.

"I'm gonna dress as a kitty cat! I saw one for the first time last week and it was so soft!" Judith rambles. "You're gonna come, right?"

Daryl walks through the living room and into his bedroom. He returns with arms full of dirty clothes. He takes a second to look at me.

"I'll have to see if I have time," I deflect.

--

"Have a nice breakfast?" Carol asks after I handed her the blanket Daryl used.

"Why did you start story time?" I question and plop on the couch, ignoring the sting in my stomach.

"What?"

"At the prison," I clarify. "Why'd you stage training as story time?"

Carol tosses the blanket on the arm of the couch and huffs. "Because I knew that Rick wouldn't allow me to train you kids normally. I didn't want another kid to go through what Sophia went through."

"Your daughter?" I recall.

"She went missing early on. We all looked for her, but.."

"She was in our barn," I remember with a nod. "Otis put her there, but then he was killed."