IVORY | Carl Grimes

twenty-seven - aquiver ;

sunlight poured in through the cracks of the blinds.

the shadows loosely dancing across the wall beckoned saskia to join them from her slumber. she quietly pulled her head up from the sinking comfort of her pillow and brushed her messy hair back from her face. the innocence splayed across her sleeping form hardened as sunlight caught her eyes in a responsive squint. upon hearing sawyer's peaceful breathing beside her, she fully sat up and glanced across the room to see denise making rounds. seeing denise's attempts to gain bravery and fulfill her role, saskia ventured out with a vow to herself to do the same.

with a kiss planted on her brother's warm forehead, saskia grabbed the flannel lying on the end of the bed. she assumed maggie dropped it off under the sun's eastern rise and with once last look towards her brother, tied it around her waist in a double knot and headed towards the front door, turning the knob three times for good luck.

outside of the infirmary, saskia heard something that surprised her. quiet. the usual bustling of alexandria had been replaced with bated breath and words left unsaid. she wondered which thoughts in her head would prove radical enough to win the race.

saskia winced as her arm brushed against the door harshly as she shut it. the skin from her stitches was still tender after a few weeks. she found herself tracing over the still slightly swollen edges around the scar idly to soothe the skin as she walked towards the town square. each stitch fading away alike the memories of the boy lost along with the pain: noah. the sting of his premature loss was ever present in her heart, a brokenness even stitches were unable to ever mend.

once brushing past the secluded, silent road to the infirmary, saskia managed her way around her shared house to the front section of alexandria. she felt as if it had been a lifetime since she had fallen in the bed athwart from beth alongside the pale yellow walls. rick motioned her over upon first glance and saskia's feet picked up quickly in the direction of the leader. the worry lodged in her chest did not dare subside until she locked eyes with him once more. everyone going their separate ways had proven disastrous and her mind pushed away the continuity of glenn's absence.

saskia saw no way to move forward yet deemed setbacks unacceptable; remaining where she was had to suffice.

saskia noted rosita's presence and slowly made her way over towards her. the latter shot her a small smile, mentally checking to see if the girl was alright after the news regarding her brother emerged. rosita had partnered with sawyer frequently following his arrival to alexandria, respecting his skill and tenacity. deducing that saskia was in good enough spirits for the time being based on the visage she wore, though possibly feigned with skill, rosita redirected her attention to rick's booming voice that carried over the crowd like king's orders.

"you can hear it," rick directed to the group that had migrated towards the center of town, diagonal from the walls, "some of you saw it. they got back here, half of them. still enough to surround us twenty deep."