"Don't you ever tame your demons
But always keep 'em on a leash"
Arsonist's Lullabye
By Hozier
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Nelly
We wait in the woods, the night thick around us, cloaking us in darkness. Carol, Maggie, and I don't speak, all of us too on edge, knowing what's at stake. The rest of our group is out there, walking into danger, and this needs to go smoothly. It has to.
I lean against a tree, gripping my rifle, trying to keep my thoughts from spiraling. The quiet between us is unsettling, but in this moment, silence is a good thing.
Every now and then, I feel Maggie's eyes on me, her gaze soft with pity. She understands why I couldn't go with Rick, why I stayed behind. It's not judgment—it's more like empathy, like she gets the weight I'm carrying. But Carol... Carol gives me these strange side glances, like she's not sure what to make of me, of the choice I made to stay back. It unsettles me, but I brush it off.
The stillness around us is heavy, suffocating. The only sounds are the rustling of leaves, the distant chirp of crickets. But I can't shake this feeling in my gut, like something's about to go wrong. My chest tightens as I wait for the inevitable.
Then, it happens.
A blaring alarm pierces the silence, echoing through the trees, loud enough to shake the ground beneath us. The sharp, jarring noise jolts me, sends my heart racing in my chest. It's the kind of sound that'll alert everyone for miles—every walker, every person. My stomach drops.
Shit.
My grip tightens on the rifle, knuckles white, and I whip my head toward Carol. "They're in trouble," I say, my voice sharp, the panic creeping into my tone.
She nods, her face hardening as she yanks the rifle off her shoulder, holding it tightly, ready for whatever's coming. Her eyes flick to Maggie. "Stay here," she orders, already moving toward the satellite station.
I move with her, my body tense, but Maggie's voice cuts through the alarm.
"I'm going with you," Maggie says, stepping forward.
I'm about to object, to tell her to stay back but Carol beats me to it.
"I said stay here," Carol snaps, her voice firm, leaving no room for argument.
But Maggie's not backing down. "No," she says, keeping pace with us, determination etched across her face. "I'm going."
Carol's patience snaps, and before I can intervene, she grabs Maggie's arm, yanking her to a stop. Her voice is sharp, frustrated. "Damn it, Maggie." Carol's eyes are wild for a moment, like something is tearing through her, something more than just anger.
Maggie meets her with wide, worried eyes, but she doesn't falter. "I have to," she insists, her voice desperate.
"No, you don't. You don't have to," Carol counters, her voice suddenly softer, more pleading.
"She's right," I add, my tone calm but stern. "You shouldn't be here, Maggie. Go back to the RV." I can't help but look down at her stomach, the weight of the situation hanging between us. She's pregnant. She shouldn't be anywhere near this.
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Survivor - TWD (Daryl Dixon)
FanfictionSeason 3- 8 Nelly, a hardened survivor who has been on her own for a long time, must navigate newfound tensions and alliances when a group of survivors moves into a prison near her camp, forcing her to confront both her past and her future. As old t...
