Save Me

61. Winter

Molly continues to lead her people through the blizzard, but faces considerable danger when she finds she must sacrifice herself for the ones she loves.

I stopped suddenly and shouted to my people behind me, 'wait!' as I saw the pikes.

They were just wooden sticks now, frozen in the mud but my heart stopped as memories of the beheaded flashed through my mind.

'You okay?' Luke asked me when I was silent for a little while.

'I'm good, we have to cross the border and cut through out old hunting ground. There's no other way around it to make it to Alexandria unscathed' I said with determination.

'They probably have eyes on the borders though?' Michonne added.

'Yes they fucking do, but she agreed to those borders, we didn't' I said as I stepped across the border in between the pikes.

The rest followed me hesitantly as I paced slowly through the blizzard, keeping my gun raised just in case.

It was like I could feel the whisperers watching us but I didn't give a shit.

We were gonna fight them anyway, there was always gonna be conflict after what she took from me, what she took from all of us.

I turned around when I made it halfway across an icy lake and stopped to make sure everyone got across safely.

But it wasn't until I turned around that I saw Lydia tagging behind.

She was looking at the pikes, stood still like she was frozen in the ground.

I think it took her actually seeing them, to fully believe that it was real.

I helped everyone across and then paced gently back over to Lydia.

'Lydia! Come on there's no time!' I shouted through the harsh whistling wind.

She turned back around slowly, wiped her face and walked towards me.

Once she got close, I lent forward holding out my hand for her to take.

Not realising what was lurking beneath the surface under the ice, just as Lydia took my hand, her foot slipped, breaking open the ice.

I caught her just in time and pushed her out of the way as I was plunged into the abyss.

The freezing cold water attacked my skin immediately as a frozen walker submerged in the lake, snapped at me.

I whipped out my dagger and slashed at it as its jaws gnashed centimetres away from my arm.

With one swift blow, I struck at its head and managed to kill it.

I put the knife in between my teeth, so I could swim to the surface.

I heard muffled screams and cries of, 'Molly!', 'Oh my God!' and 'Help her!'.

I could see the hole I fell through and frantically swam to the surface, inhaling deeply as the water no longer coated my face and I gripped the sides of the icy surface with my hands as I struggled to get up.

Luke and Michonne grabbed both of my arms and tired to pull me out when I felt something grabbing at my leg.

My eyes widened as I gasped and was dragged back down.

I pulled free from Luke and Michonne, not wanting them to get pulled in with me.

I kicked and kicked, struggling to get free when I saw that two walkers were constricting around my ankles and their jaws gnashing on my boots so I swam back down and took both knives in my hands and simultaneously drove the blades into their skulls.

I had been in the frozen depths for about five minutes now and the cold was starting to get to me.

My mind went fuzzy as did my sight and hearing.

It was like I was paralysed and couldn't move even if I wanted to and soon enough my body just gave in and I started to drown.

The only part I remember was waking up on the ice.

My clothes were changed, I was covered in blankets while Michonne, Luke, Magna and Lydia held me for warmth.

I opened my eyes in a daze as the feeling seeped back into my body and I could move my joints.

I saw Lydia hovering over my head with an anxious look and I smiled weakly as my eyes barely opened fully.

'Hey you' I said softly to her as she gasped.

'She's awake, she's okay!' Lydia shouted to the others who came running.

'Thank God, Molly what were you thinking?!' Michonne said sternly.

'I could handle it' I replied nonchalantly as I still smiled.

'You are one tough lady boss' Luke said happily as I fist bumped him.

'You could've gotten yourself killed' Michonne continued as I sat up slowly.

'But I didn't, that's what you do for family' I said softly as my eyes flickered over to Lydia who was sat nervously.

'Thank you' Lydia said smiling slightly as I just nodded.

'C'mon people, we need to get out of this shitty weather!' I said as I stood up, wrapping the warm blanket around me as Magna packed my wet clothes into her backpack.

'Are you sure you can walk?' Michonne asked worriedly as I smiled gratefully to her and said 'i'll be fine'.

I thanked her and Lydia came to link my arm with hers as we carried on to Alexandria.

It was strangely exhilarating being so close to death, like I had been saved for a purpose.

I now knew what that was, I had to protect Lydia and Negan.

The people I cared most about, I had to kill the whisperers for our future and nothing could stand in my way.

I smiled in relief as we saw the tall gates of Alexandria before us.

Only the outline of them stood as the sign was concealed by the snow but I could just sense that feeling of comfort, of being back home.

Lydia had never been to Alexandria before and I couldn't wait to show her.

This would be the place where she would become family, where I could be close to Tara's memory and show Lydia all of her favourite places.

Lydia would be able to meet Negan and get to know more people who meant the most to me.

I exhaled and coughed, feeling my chest tighten painfully as I winced and fought back the sting.

'Are you okay?' Lydia asked worriedly.

'I-I'm fi-' I said as I blacked out.

When I woke I was in the hospital ward, attached to an IV drip, with other needles in my arm.

I heard the sound of beeping as my eyes remained closed and felt the soft blankets wrapped tightly around my body.

I must have had severe hypothermia to pass out, but I could feel myself regaining strength with every breath.

I heard commotion outside and I could sense someone sitting next to me but I dared not yet to open my eyes.

A warm and calloused hand slid across my forearm, rubbing it gently and then I knew.

It was Negan.