For My Sake

A day after we left the mall, Madelyn and I hunched over her red marker ridden map. There were so many red circles and X's that it actually made me upset. So many places tried and failed, so many places that taunted us. I jabbed my finger at a small local area, but Madelyn shook her head. Fuck.

I felt warm hands rest on my shoulders, thumbs rubbing away the stress in the muscles. For a moment, I thought it was Penelope and my heart warmed, but when I looked back it was Vera and disappointment and self loathing flashed through me. Instead of letting her see my internal turmoil, I smiled and thanked her. She nodded, taking a seat in the booth next to me.

So far, we hadn't seen the people who threatened to destroy us, but then again it's only been a day. I only hoped that if we got far enough, they would leave us alone. We weren't really that worth it were we? I could only hope.

We consulted over the map for several hours, suggesting and turning down ideas. I had just about lost all faith in it when suddenly Dan shouted for me from the driver's seat. Brows furrowed, I walked over, climbing into the passenger's seat. Dan pointed out my window.

“Look,” he said.

I looked. A strange swirl of emotions twisted my chest at the sight before me. I pressed my face to the window, watching as we passed the looming prison on the horizon.

“There,” I whispered and then louder. “There.”

Dan took a sudden sharp right onto a rocky, dirt road. We gradually made our way up the path to the prison, hope rising up my chest and into my throat. He stopped a couple feet away from the first fence of the prison, the courtyard clearly visible. A few walkers roamed outside the fences, but a manifest of them cluttered the courtyard and beyond.

Vera and Madelyn appeared behind us, studying the sight before our eyes.

“We could take them,” Vera declared confidently.

“It has walls,” Madelyn agreed.

“And supplies,” Dan added.

I pondered it for a moment, looking at Madelyn, then Vera, then at Dan. I thought about Penelope and that's what made my decision.

“Welcome to our new home,” I whispered as a shiver slithered down my spine.