Goodbye to a World | shane walsh

10 | the storm

"Shane Walsh, correct?"

He paced around the office, the pristine setting making him feel like he'd stepped into a surreal dream. Eventually, he sat down, still tense, his eyes darting around the room. He picked up an ornate statue from the side table, examining it closely. It was the kind of thing a wealthy politician might display in their study—out of place in this world, just like he felt.

"Yeah. That's me." 

"Would you mind looking into the camera? I'll be reviewing the tapes later." 

His eyes refrained from narrowing as he gave a glance to the camera next to the woman he was speaking with—Deanna Monroe was her name. He was uneasy, his mind wondering where Nola was, hoping she was okay.

"Where's Nola?" He questioned, looking at Deanna. Her expression was unreadable as she seemed to be studying him, every blink or slight movement he made, she was sure to see it.

"She's safe. I'll be speaking to her next. But for now, I'm interested in hearing what you have to say." She spoke with conviction, folding her hands atop the desk she sat in. 

"I understand you've been through a lot to get here. Why do you want to stay in Alexandria?"

Shane was quiet for a while, trying to find the right words to say and not say. "Place like this... it's a damn miracle it's still standing. After what I've seen out there, you don't pass up somethin' like this." Shane paused, considering his words carefully. "I've got skills. I can protect people, keep things in order. You need someone who's not afraid to do what's necessary."

"What exactly have you done, Shane? What's necessary?" Deanna questioned with little remorse.

He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "I've killed to protect my own. I've made decisions most people can't even stomach. You want details, I'll give 'em to you, but it ain't gonna change what I am and what I did."

"I'm not here to judge you, Shane. I'm here to see if you fit in with us." Deanna said with a blank expression, staring at him for a moment before she glanced down at her notepad. "How do you handle leadership? Could you follow someone else's orders?"

He couldn't help but smirk. "I've led before. Ain't easy, but I've done it. As for followin' orders... if they make sense, I'll follow. But I ain't afraid to speak up if I think there's a better way."

Deanna seemed to think on his words before responding. "You seem to have a strong personality. How do you think you'll fit in with a community like this, where we try to maintain some semblance of normalcy?"

"Normal's a fantasy. But if you want it, I can play along. Just know that when things go sideways—and they will—I'll do what I gotta do to keep Nola safe. Whether it fits into your 'normal' or not."

"Thank you, Shane. We'll see what happens next." Deanna said in a monotone voice, watching him closely, noting the tension beneath the surface.

- - - -

"Your name is Magnolia Vossen?"

Nola's eyes found Deanna's after getting lost in the discomfort she felt staring at the spotless office they were in. She had never seen something resemble the old world so much, it felt like a movie set—pretending to be real when it so obviously wasn't supposed to be.

"Yeah, Nola is fine, though." She replied, her posture tense as she sat on the sofa in front of Deanna's desk, her eyes still scanning the room. She noticed the camera, giving it a glance before finding Deanna's gaze.