Make it Till You Don't

Virgina

I couldn't hear anything as I stared down at Beth, everything around me being tuned out. I glanced back up as I saw Daryl pull out his gun, walking forward and shooting Dawn in the head.

The gunshot brought me back as I saw the officers bring their firearms up before Shepherd threw her arms out. "No! Hold your fire! It's over. It was just about her." I ignored them, dropping down onto my knees as I brushed hair out of Beth's face, biting my lip. "Stand down." I heard Shepherd tell them. "You can stay."

"We're surviving here." I heard another cop speak up. "It's better than out there."

"No." I heard Rick say, his voice wavering. "And I'm taking anyone back there who wants to leave. If you want to come with us... just step forward now."

"(Y/N)..." I felt a hand touch my shoulder as I heard Carol speak. "We have to go..." I can hear her voice crack, causing me to look up at her.

I gave her a small nod, slowly standing up as Daryl came over and picked up Beth's body. I told Carol I'd be fine as Tyreese told me he'd help her out as we began walking out of the building.

I turned my head to Noah, seeing the crushed look on his face and reached out, placing an arm around his shoulder as we walked. Rick opened the door as we filed outside, the two of us walking behind Daryl.

Hearing a cry of agony, I looked up, seeing the others were waiting for us, and the one crying was Maggie. She collapsed to the ground as Glenn crouched behind her, rubbing her back.

That was all it took for me to release the tears I've been holding back. I heard Noah sniffle as I brought him into a hug. "I'm sorry..." I whispered to him, knowing he cared for Beth just like the rest of us did.

———

"This is it?" I asked as we walked up to closed gates.

Noah ignored me, going up to the gates, pressing his head against it. "You hear that?"

"Just wait." Glenn said, putting his gun in his holster, climbing up the side of the fence.

Glancing up at Glenn, I could tell by the look on his face that Noah's home was gone. Seeming to catch on, Noah hurriedly climbed the fence, hopping over it.

Hanging my head down, I followed the others and climbed over. "Noah, hold up." Rick told him, glancing around at the burnt houses as Noah hobbled down the street. "Noah!"

Noah began to run, causing the rest of us to follow, not knowing what is waiting for us here. Noah stopped a few feet away, slowly losing it at the sight of corpses; dead and reanimated alike.

I watched as he slowly began breaking down, sobbing while clutching his head. I crouched down beside him as he collapsed to the ground, rubbing his back.

Tyreese came beside me as Noah moved into a sitting position, grabbing his shoulders. "Come on. It's alright. You're gonna be with us now."

I stood up, watching the walkers approach us. Michonne rubbed her forehead, letting out a sigh. "I'll get him."

"I'm sorry, Noah." Rick said, crouching down beside the boy. "I truly am." He then looked over to the rest of us." We should see if there's anything we can use and head back."

"Then what?" Michonne turned back to Rick as he stood up. "They see us." She said, walking over to the Walkers.

Glenn looked over to Rick. "We can make a quick sweep."

Tyreese nodded his head. "I'll stay with him."

"Me too." I told Rick, earning a nod.

Rick pulled out his walkie. "Carol, you copy?"

"We're here."

"We made it." Rick replied, looking around. "It's gone."

I stood back with Tyreese as the others began searching, letting Noah cry it out. "I wanted to die for what I lost. Who I had lost." Tyreese spoke up, looking over to Noah. "I stepped out into a crowd of those things just trying to... take it all out on them until they took me. Put them all in front of me so I didn't see anything. But I just kept going."

"Tyreese..." I trailed off.

"And then later, I was there for Judith when she needed me. I saved her. I brought her back to her dad. And that wouldn't have happened if I had just given up... if I hadn't chosen to live. Noah." Tyreese walked closer. "This isn't the end."

Noah contemplated for a moment, not knowing what he should do before he began to get up. "Where to?" I asked Noah, letting him decide.

Noah glanced at me before looking ahead, a look crossing his face as he began limping forward. "Hey, we should-"

"Tyreese..." I whispered, looking at him, shaking my head.

"Noah." He exclaimed as he began to take off again. "Noah. Noah!" Noah ran towards a house as Tyreese caught up, stopping him. "Hey, hey."

"This is my house." Noah told us, glancing at it.

Tyreese looked back at it before looking back at Noah. "You don't wanna go in there."

"Yes, I do." He went to go forward, Tyreese stopping him. "Let me see it."

Tyreese looked at me, to which I nodded before he took his knife out. "Me first."

As Tyreese pounded on the door, I took my knife out, following in after Noah. In the living room was a corpse, to what I assumed was Noah's mother.

Hearing a creak, Tyreese looked down the hall. "Go ahead, I'll stay with Noah."

As Noah went to cover the corpse up, I watched the door while Tyreese went into another room. "I tried to come back sooner." Noah whispered. "I tried."

"Tyreese!" I shouted as I heard him scream, Noah and I running into the room he went into. Noah stabbed a Walker that was in the room as I rushed over to Tyreese, seeing a chunk of his arm was missing and gushing out blood. "Oh my god..."

Noah turned to us as I helped Tyreese sit down. "You're okay. Just hold on. I'll get them."

Noah looked over to me in panic as I nodded at him. "Go, I'll stay here." I turned back around, placing my hands over his to slow the bleeding.

"I'll get- I'll get them!" Noah rushed out the room.

"Hey, hey, Tyreese." I cooed, trying to get him to look at me. "Listen to me, okay? I need you to focus on me and my voice. Can you do that for me?"

Tyreese looked at me, breathing heavily as he nodded. I glanced around the room, my eyes landing on the Walker, causing me to frown. He was just a little boy...

I stood up for a moment, grabbing a pillow case off a pillow, bundling it up and moving Tyreese's hand. "Here, press this on the wound." I mumbled out, laying his hand on top of it.

Hearing a growl behind me, I spun around just as a Walker lunged at me. "Damn it!" I exclaimed, falling back as it knocked me down, bringing my arms up to hold it back.

Shuffling about, I managed to push it over off me, going to stand up as it changed its course to Tyreese. He seemed to snap out of the daze he was in, using the chair as a shield as he crawled away from it.

As I stood up, Tyreese was holding the Walker back as he grabbed his hammer before dropping it, throwing the Walker on the bed. I went over to help him as another Walker came in, causing me to focus on it instead.

As I stabbed it in the head, I heard Tyreese scream again. Spinning around, I saw the Walker biting his arm where he was bitten as he grabbed something off the bookshelf, smashing its head.

"Tyreese!" I exclaimed as he fell to the ground, kneeling down beside him. "Let me see it."

I moved his hand away as he groaned out in pain, seeing the bit mark was much worse and the skin was torn to shreds. "Come on, where are you guys..." I muttered as Tyreese scooted underneath the table.

———
Published: 03/08/2025