𝓬𝓾𝓯𝓯𝓮𝓭 | 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝔂𝓵 𝓭𝓲𝔁𝓸𝓷❌

four

With one simple push, the doors to the laundry room open for her, the group following her lead. She looks around, finding no sign of walkers before her eyes fall on the double doors. Keys hit the floor, her eyes catching up to her ears as she spots Tomas bending down to pick up the ring of keys.

"I ain't opening that," he states.

"Yes, you are." She watches as Tomas bites the inside of his cheek, a quiet scoff passing his lips as he unlocks the doors. "Open just one." He nods silently before yanking the door, only for nothing to happen.

"I got this," he scoffs. His eyes catch Macon's, the man giving a wink before turning back to the double doors. The interaction makes her pause. She drops her stance for a moment, the worst moment, as Tomas opens both of the fucking doors.

"I said one door!"

"Shit happens!"

Everyone swings at the walkers when they can, creating a lumpy semicircle around the door. Macon swings at one only for her ax to get lodged in its skull. Not letting another second pass she allows the corpse the fall, her weapon going with it. A loud thud over all the chaos grabs her attention, finding Beard on the ground, holding off a walker that lays on top of him.

With no hesitation, she reels her left foot back before kicking the walker's head in, knocking it off Beard and onto the floor. She makes sure it's dead by caving its head in completely, her shoe now soaked with its blood.

She sucks air through her teeth as she pulls Beard up, kicking off her shoe in the process while a quiet grumble leaves her lips. She watches as he takes his time strolling towards Tomas, her attention on them as she takes her other sock off to put in her pocket.

"It was coming at me, man." Her fingers slowly wrap around the gun on her waist, finding anger consuming her rational thoughts. "'It was coming at me?'" she mumbles to herself, mimicking him. She finds the excuse as clear as smog.

"Yeah. I get it. Shit happens," Beard repeats, his eyes never leaving Tomas'. The tension somehow builds between them in the span of about four seconds before Beard breaks it for good by breaking Tomas' skull in with his machete. Macon watches in disbelief, eyes following Tomas' body as it hits the ground with a quiet thud. Then she watches as Andrew runs off like a little boy, Beard following him hot on his tail.

"How about y'all get on the floor?" Her attention falls on what's happening before her, seeing Oscar and Axel fall to their knees as Crossbow aims his weapon at them. He turns on his heel, aiming his crossbow at her now. "How about you do the same now, girly?" It takes a moment for the shock to wear off her senses, her sarcasm helping her cope with seeing another dead body.

"Why?" she scoffs. "I saved your boyfriend." She waves in the direction of where Beard went, but Crossbow doesn't budge. The expression on her face falls gradually, replacing with a look resentment. "I'd rather you fucking shoot me, asswipe," she snaps.

"I just might," he responds, taking one large step towards her. She can see the company that made his bow: Horton Scout. Seems expensive.

"You have the balls?" She can now see the fresh blood at the tip of the bolt, it gradually forming into a droplet.

Crossbow doesn't respond. Instead, he allows Macon to get a full view of his crossbow as the bolt pushes against the center of her chest. She can feel the metal against her ribs, her heart beating a bit too fast for her taste. "You gonna listen?" he questions once more. Her eyes don't meet his, still admiring the details of his crossbow as she mumbles a response.

"I'll get on my knees, but you gotta buy me dinner first, Brownie." She doesn't have to watch his face to know that he is surprised. She can feel it when the bolt isn't against her anymore, the bow slightly tilted in a downward angle now. It's back against her chest, though, when the sound of Beard's shoes echos in the hallway, signaling his return.

"Beardo, I need you to drop the gun." Macon's words come out quiet yet firm, but she's only given the barrel of the gun in response as if she didn't already have a bolt being aimed at the center of her chest.

"We didn't know," Oscar adds.

"You didn't know?" he scoffs, waving his gun around. "You knew. Daryl, let's end this right now!" he growls, placing the barrel over Axel's head.

"Daryl," Macon mumbles softly, feeling the name roll on her tongue. She really should've figured his name would be country-like.

"Sir, please! Listen! It was them that was bad. It wasn't us!" Axel pleads.

"That's so convenient."

"Will you quit waving that shit around like you own the place!?" Macon exclaims, only to roll her eyes when the gun is aimed at her once more.

"I could shoot each one of you without blinking an eye."

"And I could've shot you." She allows a moment to pass. "Did you forget I have a gun?" she wonders, raising a brow at Beard.

"You don't have the balls," he states, waving his gun a bit more. In one swift move, Macon pulls her gun from her hip and aims it at Beard. She can feel the bolt leave her chest, the sharp object now against her head. She ignores it nonetheless, her patience running thin with these damn civilians.

"You have no fucking clue what I did to get in here," she retaliates. She watches him carefully as she loads a bullet with a single click of the gun, noticing his lip twitching in response to the sound. "Would you like to find out?"

"Macon-"

"Axel, I will pop one in you, too, if you don't shut the fuck up." He shuts his mouth for once. "You want to leave your kid all alone? Your wife with a baby on the way?" she teases, raising a brow. She sucks on her teeth, shaking her head to mimic disappointment. "That's really fucking stupid of you."

"I recommend you shut your mouth," he growls, pushing the barrel closer to her head. Her stance doesn't falter, though.

"Make me." Her and Beard standoff for who knows how long, seemingly both too stubborn to back down. She gives him a once-over before making eye contact, watching as the man internally contemplates his decision before scoffing quietly, dropping his aim, and shaking his head. Macon lowers her weapon as well.

"Let's get this over with."