OUTLIVE.
❝The dead were never the enemy.
It was the living. ❞
THE WALKING DEAD.
DARYL DIXON.
BOOK TWO of the LANCASTER SAGA.
[ SEASONS 4 - 6 ]
*****
*I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters. I simply write to write. Astrid, any addi...
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[ lxx. an honest mistake ]
october 27th, 2012
➸➸➸
"ASTRID, YOU SHOULD MAYBE—"
"I don't want to talk about it, Glenn."
Astrid's heart pattered dully against her ribs, each step of her boots amongst the dying leaves heavier than the last as she walked alongside Glenn Rhee. She was exhausted, both in body and spirit. All she longed for now was the promised safety of Alexandria, where the rest of her family awaited her—those who had not succumbed to blind fury.
There was a fine line between necessity and recklessness, and Astrid's husband had crossed it.
"You should," Glenn encouraged.
Halting abruptly, Astrid pivoted to face him, her eyes teary with indignation. "Why?" She seethed. "So we can discuss how my husband abandoned his pregnant wife to indulge in a senseless bloodbath?"
"He . . . He believes he's doing this for Denise."
"He's deluded! Denise is dead, Glenn. And soon, Daryl will be, too!"
"Astrid, you can't mean that," Michonne interjected quietly from behind.
Astrid turned to confront one of her dearest friends. Through the ruins of the prison, through countless bullets, Michonne had been there for her. Even now, with safer odds beckoning elsewhere, the woman refused to abandon her and would embrace such anger as if it were her own.
"I do mean it," Astrid tried to growl. But her voice was trembling.
Glenn continued to gaze at Astrid. She met his stare, only to then regret it, now unable to tear her eyes from the embodiment of reason. Glenn had always been there to guide her. Truly—in every sense—from the Atlanta camp to the very formation of their new family, here in Alexandria. Glenn had created that. And he would do all in his power to ensure it did not crumble now.
"Astrid, you can't run from this," He said, his voice soft but determined.
But Astrid shook her head, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "I can't watch him kill himself," She whispered.
Everything felt wrong. Nothing was making sense in this world spinning out of control. The pace of change from that first day at Hilltop now overwhelmed her, leaving her struggling to keep up.
Taking a step back, Astrid withdrew further from her friends. She could not afford to unravel, not here, not now. "We need to keep moving," She forced out, even as Glenn and Michonne continued to watch her carefully. She turned away and began to walk, tucking her pain into another endless compartment. "The sun will set soon."
Glenn did not follow her. "The Saviors could already be back in Alexandria," He warned.
Astrid felt compelled to turn back around as Michonne pointed out, "And if they are, they're dead."
