𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 - The Walking Dead

ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ᴛᴡᴏ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ ᴛᴡᴏ || ꜰᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀɪsᴏɴ
4x08

𖧷

Aderlee walked aimlessly through the prison, her mind racing as she replayed what had just happened in Ottilie's cell. She had never seen her sister like that, so broken and terrified. It worried her deeply. Ottie was always the one who clung to her, who sought her out for comfort, but now she had pushed her away. The memory of Ottilie's small voice saying, "Please don't," echoed in her head, making her chest tighten with sadness.

She wiped a tear that slipped down her cheek as she wandered through Cell Block C. She felt lost, unsure of what to do, and scared. What if Daryl didn't want them anymore? What if he decided they were too much trouble, too broken to fix? The thought filled her with dread.

She needed Daryl, more than ever now. He had become the closest thing they had to family since everything fell apart. She didn't want him to give up on them, even if Ottilie was acting out. It was confusing and hard to understand, but she would wait for her sister to calm down. Then she would hug her, hold her tight, and tell her everything would be okay, the way she always did.

Addy decided she needed air. She couldn't stay inside the cold, dark walls of the prison anymore. Her feet carried her outside to the main courtyard, where the sun was shining brightly. The warmth on her skin was a relief, a welcome change from the gloom that had settled over the last few days. She hadn't been out here since before she had gotten sick, and the brightness of the day felt like a small slice of freedom amidst the weight she carried inside.

She wandered over to the flowers that lined the fences. They had been planted some time ago, a small attempt to bring life back into the dead world around them. Ottie would have liked to see how much they'd grown since last time. Most of the flowers were vibrant with color—reds, yellows, purples, and blues, all sprouting in different directions, trying to find the light.

Addy crouched down next to them, gently touching one of the petals. The flowers reminded her of the ones they used to see on the trail their mother would take them down. Those flowers had been so much brighter, so much more alive. They had been free, growing wild in a world that wasn't broken yet. Not like these flowers, caged inside the walls of a prison, struggling to survive in a world full of the dead.

That's when Addy noticed a single flower that was wilting, its once vibrant orange petals now browning and curling inward. She stared at it, feeling a pang of sadness. It reminded her of her dad.

The flowers in their garden back home had always seemed to wither in his presence, as if they could sense the darkness in him, as if they hated him too. The sight of the dying flower stirred up those old feelings, the fear, the sadness, the helplessness.

Addy sighed and stood back up, her mind wandering back to Ottilie. She wished she could make things better for her sister, that she could protect her from everything, Logan, their memories, the world. But right now, all she could do was wait. Wait for her sister to let her back in, to let her help. And as much as she wanted to find Daryl and apologize for Ottie's behavior, a part of her wasn't ready to face him yet. Not until she knew what to say, not until she felt like she could breathe again. So for now, she just stood there in the courtyard, letting the sun warm her face as she tried to gather the strength she needed to keep going.

Aderlee wandered over to the section of the courtyard where a few old benches were scattered near some makeshift stalls, where people used to gather and talk, share whatever supplies they had scavenged, or just try to find a moment of normalcy. It was quiet now, though, quieter than it had been in a long time. The sickness had swept through, leaving a trail of loss in its wake. People had died, others had almost died, and now everyone was left to pick up the pieces in their own way.