Survive ( twd carlgrimes)

Chapter 59

MADISONS POV.

A whole day has passed and now we're finally close enough to the city, we presume this is where Daryl has gone. Nerves has settles into the pit of my stomach as I hold onto hope that Nick has found Daryl and the horrible thought of Abbie coming with us into the city.

The city was ridiculously overcrowded before the world ended, I don't think I'm ready to see it now. Getting through unnoticed seems almost impossible to me but Rick says he's done it before.

Abbie is still not talking much but she's stopped being angry at me which I'll settle for. I've been putting off the conversation about Nick but I think she's pieced it together by herself.

Carl was right yesterday when he said i bottled up my feelings and I've been trying to do better. He and Abbie spend more time together now and it's good. It's good that when things go south that she can talk to him. Because things always go South.

I am currently giving Abbie a piggy back because she was complaining about how her feet hurt although I know she just didn't want to walk.
And i'm a sucker for giving her what she wants.
"So how is target practice coming along?" Michonne asks Abbie.
"Okay, I guess. It would be better if Daryl would come back and teach me again."
"He will, don't worry." I say to her.

As I hold Abbie in place on my back I catch Maggie staring at my fathers ring.
She catches me looking back at her. She smiles. "Sorry, it's just a beautiful ring. I bet your dad would be really proud of you and happy to see you wearing it."

Carl pears over to look at it too.
"He gave that to you?" He asks.
"Yep, only thing I have left from him." I say.
"You have moms necklace too...." Abbie says.
I sigh, not knowing how to cheer her up and stop her thinking about family. She wriggles to slip off my back and I release her.

"Here..." Maggie speaks softly.
I watch as she unclasps a small thread woven bracelet from her wrist and places it around Abbies.
"Now you have something from me."
"Really?" Abbies face lights up.
"Really."
I lift Abbie onto my back again and we begin walking again.
Maggie smiles at me. Abbie starts twiddeling her wrist back and forth, looking at all the colors in the thread in her new bracelet.
"I love it, thank you." She smiles brightly.

Hours pass and Abbie is now walking on her own feet and playing with the ratty Barbie doll.
Rick speaks up.
"Okay, we're getting near to the city now. I have to say this before we get too close to it. This city is not safe. It's huge and it's covered by the dead. It's much more than you have ever seen. Those of you who were at the prison, more than what was outside the fence. At terminus, more than the amount that overrun it. More than you can ever imagine. So everyone stay close, tight together and we look out for eachother. Nobody gets left behind. Understood?"

Everyone nods in agreement.
We walk further and we reach the city. Its so clear of walkers at the minute that it's eerie. Everybody has their weapons at the ready. My bow is loaded and is ready to fire.

"Everyone be quiet, don't make noise because they will hear and they will come for us." Glenn explains.
My head hurts and my stomach is still filled with nerves. While walking some more the feeling becomes more intense in my stomach. It makes me a while to recognize it as actual pain. The urge to get sick is almost uncontrollable but I have to keep quiet for the sake of this group.

We walk further into the city which i've never been in before. The skyscrapers are huge and there are cars sprawled out everywhere. Some windows on them are smashed. Any little shop has been closed down and the windows are blocked with wood. Newspapers lay on the ground and the cold winters wind blow them around. We walk forwards and I pick up a newspaper and the caption reads:

Shortage of hospital beds as epidemic hits: 18th of November
"We should start looking at sheltered buildings and scan all the roofs too. Thats most likely where he's staying." Maggie says.
"Yeah good idea. We should split into big groups. Half and half and meet back here in three hours." Abraham suggests.
Rick nods.
"Carl, Mads, Abbie, Michonne, Sasha, Gabriel and Therese with me."

"Glenn, Maggie, Abraham, Rosita, Eugine and Carol you stick together. Glenn knows the city better than anybody, just follow him." Rick says.
We all sort out our weapons.
I have my bow and arrows and my mothers knife so i'm set and Abbie has her gun with a silencer and a machete.
We split and we go opposite ways.

We walk for ages and check loads of buildings but there is no sign of Daryl or even Nick. We've had to kill more walkers than I can count. We walk into a huge apartment B&B and begin to search it.

I walk through the huge main hall and find nothing. Rick and Abbie are together and Rick won't let anything happen to her, I know that. I decide to go upstairs. Nobody is with me but this place looks quiet enough.

The staircase is wide and has many directions to go in. I turn right and find myself in a long, dark hallway with doors on the left and right. The carpet is stained and ripped in places, there's blood splattered on the old fashioned wallpaper and the large mirror on the wall has shattered on the ground long ago. This place may have been pretty once. Now it just looks creepy.

I walk cautiously, holding my bow high with an arrow ready to strike. I use my boot to knock on the door. When I don't hear anything move inside a force the door open with two kicks. Inside is an ordinary looking bedroom. The tool, unlike the rest of the apartment is organized and put together. The bed is made, the dresser is tidy. Everything is as it should be except the water stains on the floor that leads to the ensuite.

I open the bathroom door to find a tub half filled with dirty water. I pull back the curtain to find a walker inside.

"Ugh." I grab a towel throw it over the walker to cover it up.
The walker reached for me but it's unable to move. It's legs have become Callous and most of the skin hangs off from spending so much time in the water.

Along the tub I see bottles of shampoos and conditioner, a bottle of whiskey and medication. I pull back the curtain further to reveal a bite mark sunken into its neck. I sigh and take out my knife putting the walker down. They must have tried to use the pills and the hot water to break the fever after the bite.

"Madison?" Rick calls.
"In here." I call, picking up my bow and leaving.
I close the door behind me as they enter the room.
"What's behind the door?" Rick asks.
"I dealt with it."

"Wheres Abbie?"
"Right here!" She shouts from outside the door.
"Okay, lets just search this place and get out. Its givin' me the creeps" I say and Carl laughs at me.
"Oh shut up." I say while pushing him. I can't contain the smile on my face.

Rick looks between Carl and I in a way I've never noticed before. I drop the smile and remove myself from the room without another word.
"Where to next?"