Unbreakable threads

Chapter Eighty One: Journey To Richmond.

The group made their way back to the church in somber silence, Beth's lifeless body carried carefully by Daryl and Glenn. The air was thick with grief and tension, every step weighed down by the enormity of their loss. When they arrived, Tyreese and Daryl quietly began digging a grave in the churchyard, their shovels biting into the cold earth as the group gathered nearby.

Noah lingered at the edge of the group, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his eyes flickering between the others. He had joined them, but now, he didn't know what to do, where to go, or even how to process what had just happened. He was wracked with guilt, feeling like Beth's death was somehow his fault for leaving the hospital in the first place.

Inside the church, Rick sat on one of the pews, Alyssa still curled up in his lap. She clung to him like a small child, her once fierce and fearless demeanor gone, replaced by broken sobs and trembling limbs. Rick held her tightly, his arms wrapped around her as he gently rocked her, whispering words of comfort she could barely hear. The sight of her—so small, so vulnerable—unsettled everyone. Alyssa, who had been their bold, cocky fighter, now looked like a shadow of herself.

The group exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to say or do. It wasn't just Beth's death that had broken Alyssa—it was everything. The love she'd carried in silence, the weight of unspoken truths, the guilt of not being able to save Beth. And now, with her sexuality no longer a secret, everyone seemed to tiptoe around her, as if afraid to say the wrong thing.

Tara felt it the most. She watched Alyssa from across the room, her chest tightening with empathy. She knew exactly how it felt to love a woman who couldn't love her back, to carry that weight in silence. She knew how painful it was to see someone you cared about so deeply slip away, to feel helpless in the face of loss.

Tara hesitated for a moment before sitting down on the pew next to Rick and Alyssa. She didn't say anything at first, just leaned forward, her elbows on her knees as she looked at Alyssa with quiet understanding. "Hey," she said softly, her voice gentle but steady. "I know it doesn't feel like it now, but... you're gonna be okay. I've been there. I know how much it hurts."

Alyssa didn't respond, her face buried in Rick's chest, her shoulders still shaking. Tara didn't push her, but she stayed there, her presence a quiet reassurance. She hoped that, in time, Alyssa would find a way to heal, to hold on to the parts of herself that Beth had loved. But for now, all Tara could do was sit with her, sharing the weight of her grief in silence.

The quiet announcement from Daryl and Tyreese hung in the air, heavy and somber. "The hole's ready," Tyreese said softly, his voice breaking the silence.

Glenn nodded and, with gentle care, stepped forward to lift Beth's body. The group fell into a solemn procession as they walked toward the freshly dug grave in the churchyard. The evening light was dim, casting long shadows over the small group as they prepared to say their final goodbyes.

Alyssa emerged from the church with Rick, her face streaked with tears but her steps purposeful. The moment she saw Beth's lifeless body in Glenn's arms, she broke away from Rick, running to her. She reached out with trembling hands, brushing Beth's pale hair away from her face, her tears falling freely onto Beth's still skin.

With a trembling voice, Alyssa whispered, "I love you, Beth," before leaning down and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. The finality of it all hit her like a tidal wave, and her sobs broke through the silence, her body shaking as she stood there.

Maggie stepped forward next, her face soaked with tears. She reached out and touched Beth's cheek gently, her voice trembling as she whispered, "I'm so sorry, Bethy." Her grief poured out as she leaned down and kissed Beth's forehead, her sobs mingling with Alyssa's. Glenn stood beside her, his hand resting on her back as she cried.