"villian and violent. infant and innocent." - adrianne lenker

the drills ended and everyone dispersed. i watched judith draw patterns in the sand with a stick, her brow furrowed in concentration. rj was beside her, busying himself with gathering rocks to add to their creation. "hey, judith, look at this!" rj called out, holding up a strange, dusty object he had uncovered. it was partially buried in the sand, and as he pulled it free, judith's eyes widened. "rj, put that down." judith said, her voice suddenly serious.

my attention snapped to her as i noticed the change in judith's tone. as i got closer, i saw it—an old walker mask, the kind the whisperers used to wear. it was tattered, covered in dried mud, but there was no mistaking what it was. my mind raced, remembering all the horrors those masks had brought with them. "rj, give that to me." i said, keeping my voice calm as i knelt beside him. he looked up at me, confused, but he handed the mask over without hesitation.

judith stepped closer, her blue eyes narrowing as she studied the mask. "do you think they're still out there?" she asked, her voice quiet but filled with a maturity that always surprised me. i turned the mask over in my hands, feeling the rough, decaying fabric beneath my fingers. "i don't know," i admitted, trying to keep the unease out of my voice. "but it's better to be safe."

the kids ran off and i found michonne by the docks, her eyes scanning the horizon. she was always on alert, even in moments like this when everything seemed serene. "michonne," i called out as i approached, my voice steady but tinged with the urgency i felt. she turned to face me, her expression instantly shifting to one of concern when she saw the look on my face. "michonne." i called out as i approached, my voice steady but tinged with the urgency i felt. she turned to face me, her expression instantly shifting to one of concern when she saw the look on my face. "what's going on?" she asked, always direct. 

i reached into my pack and pulled out the walker mask that judith and rj had found. the moment michonne saw it, her eyes narrowed. she stepped closer, taking it from me without a word. she turned it over in her hands, her fingers tracing the tattered edges as if trying to read the story it told. "where did you find this?" she asked, her voice low, controlled, but i could hear the undercurrent of tension there.

"judith and rj found it buried in the sand while they were playing," i explained, keeping my voice as calm as i could. "i didn't want to make a big deal of it in front of them, but i knew i had to tell you." michonne's jaw tightened, her eyes locked on the mask. "it's old, but that doesn't mean they're gone."

"do you think they're still out there? or maybe this is just something that got left behind?" i ask. michonne was quiet for a moment, her eyes distant as she considered the possibilities. finally, she shook her head slightly. "we can't assume anything. the whisperers were good at hiding, at waiting for the right moment. we need to stay vigilant." i let out a breath i hadn't realized i was holding. "i just don't want to live in pain again, michonne. i've been through enough."

"we all have. we should bring this to the council." she replied, her voice carrying the weight of everything we'd been through. i follow michonne to the radio shack where aaron sits, fiddling with the system. the static buzzed softly in the background, a constant reminder of how fragile communication had become. michonne and i exchanged a look before stepping inside, the door creaking as we closed it behind us. aaron glanced up, immediately sensing the tension in the air.

"hey, what's going on?" he asked, sitting up straighter. his eyes moved from michonne to me, concern flickering in his expression. michonne didn't waste any time. she pulled the walker mask from her bag and placed it on the table in front of him. "judith and rj found this buried in the sand earlier today." she said, her voice calm but firm.

aaron's eyes widened slightly as he reached out to touch the mask, his fingers tracing the tattered edges. "a whisperer mask." he muttered, the words heavy with recognition. "where exactly did they find it?" "near the shore," i answered, stepping closer to the table. "they were playing, and rj dug it up. we don't know how long it's been there, but it was buried deep enough that it wasn't immediately visible."

aaron looked up at us, his brow furrowed. "do you think they're still out there? we haven't had any sign of them in months." michonne shook her head slightly. "we can't be sure." i nodded in agreement. "we didn't want to raise the alarm without more information, but we couldn't ignore this. if there's even a chance they're still out there, we need to be prepared." aaron leaned back in his chair, his expression serious as he considered our words. "we've been so focused on rebuilding, on keeping everyone safe, that it's easy to forget just how dangerous things were." 

"i'll start organizing patrols around the perimeter." i said, my determination clear, covering my craving for revenge against alpha. "we need to make sure no one gets close without us knowing. if they're out there, we'll find them." michonne agrees. "i'll radio alexandria and hilltop, we'll keep our people safe." he glanced at the mask again, a shadow of an old fear crossing his face before he pushed it aside. aaron pressed a few buttons and called alexandria. i hear gabriel's voice pick up on the other end. "alexandria come in. we found a whisperer mask, the kids found it over by the water. the river must've carried it down." aaron explains.

"what does it mean? are they back?" gabriel asks, his voice static. "we don't know, but alexandria should go on lockdown just in case." aaron says and michonne grabs the radio before his call hangs up. "we don't have evidence to justify that. my official recommendation is everyone stay alert until further notice. eyes and ears open, that's it." she explains and the radio crackles. "copy that." gabriel says signing off. "look, i appreciate the caution, and i get it, but we don't need to start a panic." michonne explains to aaron who scoffs. 

"a lot of stuff has washed ashore lately, this might not mean anything." cindy says after peaking her head in, daryl following behind her. "or it might mean something. look, no one saw alpha's herd move in or out, so maybe no one saw them move back in. but if there's a mask, maybe there are other signs out there. we owe it to our people to be sure." aaron explains. "i'll gather a group. we'll leave in five." michonne sighs, walking to the door. "i might hang back for a bit, i'll catch up." daryl says turning to michonne. 

"tell her not to leave again without saying goodbye." michonne smiles referring to carol who is back from the month-long supply run she set out on weeks prior. daryl nods and steps out, most likely going to meet carol at the docks. 

as michonne and aaron moved toward the gathering group, i turned and headed back to my tent to grab my gear. the weight of the mask still lingered in my mind, but it wasn't just the whisperers' return that unsettled me—it was the thought of alpha, still out there somewhere. i could feel the old anger stirring, a fire that hadn't dimmed since the day she took everything from me.

i grabbed my pack, checking over the supplies i'd need for the run—extra ammo, a knife, a few medical supplies. i strapped on my boots and slung the pack over my shoulder, but as i did, my thoughts kept drifting back to alpha. the others were focused on protecting our people, on making sure we were safe from whatever threat might be out there. but for me, it was more than that. it was about finding her. finishing what she started.

i clenched my fists, feeling the familiar surge of hatred that had fueled me for so long. it wasn't just about survival anymore; it was about revenge. about making sure she couldn't hurt anyone else the way she hurt me. i knew it was dangerous, that seeking her out could lead to something far worse than what we were already facing. but i couldn't let it go. i wouldn't.

as i walked back toward the group, the plan was already forming in my mind. i'd join the patrol, help search for signs of the whisperers, just like the others. but while they were looking to protect, i'd be looking for a way to strike. to find alpha, wherever she was hiding, and end her for good. the fire inside me burned hotter with every step. i'd lost too much to let this go unanswered. alpha was out there, and i was going to find her. no matter what it took.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

you know the drill, go check out 'requiem for the accused' there's a new chapter up 🙃