The Ruins Part 2 (Sequel to The Ruins)

Chapter 20

It seemed like hours before the Infected clawing at the barn doors let up, and when they finally did, everyone was too exhausted from exertion and lack of sleep to investigate why. Mal helped Negan and the Saviors push a few crates in front of the doors and then he crawled into a corner, pulling Max into her arms, and fell asleep almost instantly. Her last thoughts before sleep claimed her were of Negan's words, calming and deep, breathed into her ear so that she could hear them over the storm.

When she woke up a few hours later, Max sit. She kissed the tops of his head as a way of saying good morning.

"You sleep alright?" Mal asked, taking his hat off and smoothing a hand over Max's hair. He nodded. "I know last night was rough..."

"I'm alright, Mal." Max assured her. "Really. I'm okay. Everything worked out just fine."

-:-:-:-

They took a stop for a rest, some people didn't sleep well from the storm, and Negan and Mal decide to walk towards a farm that could have supplies. Negan took the barn while Mal searched the house. The house, small as it was, housed a decent amount of people to hide in. The floor is undergrowth of grass and moss, the walls cracked and paint peeled off. The cabinets were bare, dust filled the air, a few empty cans on the kitchen floor.

Suddenly Mal was attacked by two random men, trying to grab and bite her. They had to be cannibals, and she swung her machete at the shaggy haired man. Rounding punches at one, he falls towards the bathroom. His back landing on the lip of the toilet, his back snaps as she slams his head against the corner of the cabinet sink.

Shaggy haired man pulls on her hair, dragging her towards the hall to the bed. With gripping on the machete, throwing upwards in both hands, and it stops dead point in the middle of his face. Pulling the machete, he drops with a loud thud, dust exploding.

On the bed is a guitar, and Mal went over to play a song, to calm her down. Mal let her hand calm down, shaking from the pain of punching the men she'd killed in here. Clutching her hands Mal fingers moved over the strings of the guitar easily, she tuned the second top string to emit the perfect sound; the words tumbled out of her mouth effortlessly as she played the song, picking the strings between her fingers.

I walk through the valley
Of the shadow of death
And I fear no evil
Because I'm blind to it all

And my mind and my gun
They comfort me
Because I know I'll kill my enemies
When they come

Surely goodness and mercy
Will follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell on this earth forevermore

Said I walk beside the still waters
And they restore my soul
But I can't walk on the path of the right
Because I'm wrong

Silent steps pressed against the floor, but Mal knew who is was, Negan let her finish her song. She strums and stops playing.

But I can't walk on the path of the right
Because I'm wrong

"What are you doing, baby girl?" The gruff voice asked softly. He knew the answer, he knew Mal too well.

Mal glanced down at the body by her feet. He stared at her, his face unwavering as Mal shifted her feet in the ground, she fiddled with the guitar before setting it down beside her on the bed. She stared at the object, so warm and comforting to her.

"Can I ask you a favour," she paused, not looking away from the instrument. "Promise me that when it comes I can borrow Ellie and use her for the moment. And I'm gonna kill every last one of them."