▎SAFE HAVEN  ▎
»»————　act four. painful goodbyes
CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE ━━ stay together

Josie stood in the fog, cleaning her sword as she looked down at Bob, then Sasha, and then Maggie and Roman. "You ready?" She asked, putting her sword back in its holder.

"We should wait till the fog clears." Sasha insisted as she reloaded her gun, looking over at Josie.

"We've been waiting a while." Josie breathed out as she looked at the four. "I agreed a couple of hours." She told them. She wanted to find her husband. And it'll be the last thing she'll ever do.

"You see all this?" Roman asked, referring to the walkers they had just killed. "We got lucky." He nodded his head at Josie, his hand on Maggie's arm. "We need visibility." He looked down at Bob, who was still on the floor.

"We've only got thirteen bullets left between us all." Maggie then added, agreeing with Roman.

"They're right." Josie turned her attention from Maggie, to Bob. "We've been doing good following the plan. No need to get sloppy now."

Josie bit down on her tongue as she looked at the floor. If she had to go on her own...she would.

Maggie pulled the compass out of her pocket, letting out a sigh as Josie frowned. "What?" Josie raised a brow as Maggie threw it over to her, making her catch it.

"It's broken." Maggie breathed out as she crouched down, leaving Josie to inspect it, letting out a curse. Maggie was right: it was broken.

"We don't need it." Bob spoke from the floor as he looked at them. "Sun comes up in the east, sets in the west. We'll keep an eye on it in between."

Everybody wanted to help Josie. She wasn't the same without Glenn and her family. Maggie noticed it beforehand out of all of them, knowing the woman much longer.

"We'll be fine." Maggie insisted, sending her a small smile as Josie nodded her head, running a hand through her hair. "Come on, we'll go on a walk, check our surroundings."

"Okay." Josie breathed out, nodding her head, following Maggie, watching as she spoke to Roman before walking forwards.

Josie trailed behind her, eyes on the ground as she held her hand in her flannel pocket, the other one holding onto the chain around her neck. "How are you doing?" Josie slowly asked, looking at Maggie. Maggie had lost her father in a brutal way. And she wasn't with her sister. "I know you've all been following me, but you guys need to be safe."

"I'm not letting you go on your own, Josie." Maggie let out a breath as she looked at Josie, shaking her head. "We're family. You're the only family I have left." She uttered as Josie's eyes softened.

"You're the only family I have left, right now." The corners of Josie's lips curved as she nudged Maggie's arm. "But we'll find the rest of them. I promise."

"Yeah. We will." Maggie nodded her head, smiling at Josie, and Josie smiled back. But Josie looked away, biting down on her tongue as she looked around.

She couldn't live with herself if anything happened to Maggie, Bob, Sasha and Roman. She had to do this on her own. She had to...

The five walked out of the tree line, but something caught Maggie's eyes, making them move forwards to see a poster.

Josie frowned as she scanned the words. 'SANCTUARY FOR ALL COMMUNITIES. FOR ALL THOSE WHO ARRIVE, SURVIVE.'

Josie dropped her gaze to the map at the bottom, a frown playing on her lips as she turned to her group. "Terminus." Bob muttered as he read the writing. "When we were out on the run, to the veterinary college, we heard a message about this on the radio." He informed them as Josie kept her eyes on the poster.

"They were broadcasting?" Maggie turned to Bob, her eyes wide.

"What did it say?" Sasha then asked as she turned to Bob.

"Couldn't make it out." Bob shrugged his shoulders. "Tiffany tried to sort the connection, but it wouldn't work." Bob offered them as Maggie breathed out. "I only know because I'm seeing it now. 'Those who arrive survive.'" He quoted the writing.

"We should go." Josie mumbled as she nodded her head, turning to the four.

"I thought we were looking for Glenn and Jada." Sasha titled her head as she looked at Josie, her lips pursed.

"If Glenn, or even Jada, saw one of these, they would go looking for me looking for them." Josie pointed at the poster. "And Rick...the rest of them, they'd also go."

"We don't know that." Roman tilted his head, shaking it as he looked at Josie.

"I do." Josie pointed to herself as she looked at Maggie for some guidance. "If Carl and Judith are with Rick, he'd want them to be safe." Josie told them as Sasha breathed out, looking at Bob, then Josie.

"It's far." Sasha noted as she looked at the rain tracks drawn on the map. "And we don't know if there are other signs."

"You don't think this is the only one." Josie shook her head as she pointed to the map.

"This is the best lead we've had so far." Maggie agreed, nodding her head as she stuck with Josie. "It says sanctuary. That's just another reason to try." Maggie looked at the other three, watching as Roman slowly nodded his head. "Beth might have gone there, too."

"Yeah." Bob nodded his head as he turned to Sasha. "Like Josie said, others from the prison could be there." Josie pulled a slight smile as she looked at Bob. "Tyreese." He told Sasha, whose mood instantly changed at the mention of her brother. "What do you want to do, Sasha? Keep making these circles from the bus? Or are you taking about us starting to do something else."

Josie looked at Sasha with hope. She knew she was asking a lot, having the four of them follow her to make sure she was safe. She didn't want to put their lives at risk for her own. And Josie was extremely grateful for the four sticking with her.

"Okay." Sasha breathed out, making Josie smile, nodding her head.

"Thank you." Josie softly smiled at her, then turning to the rest of them. "All of you." She added as they nodded their heads.

"Come on." Maggie smiled as she pulled Josie's arm, leaning the way as they followed the train tracks.

Josie had decided she'd go on her own. She didn't want the four risking their lives for her. She needed to find her husband, and that was that. She didn't want people risking their lives for her.

She held her hands in her pockets, following the train tracks. She wouldn't give up on hoping her husband—her family, were okay. She had faith.

Josie looked up, seeing another terminus sign and an idea popped into her head. She pulled out her pocket knife, carving into the metal that the signs were stuck to.

Josie then stepped back, a smile on her face as she looked at the carving. She knew Glenn would see this, or anybody from her group.

She nodded her head, approving the carving before setting back off on her path. She couldn't stop walking. She had to continue.

She placed the knife back in her pocket, placing her hand in her flannel pocket as the other one held the chain around her neck.

Every now and then, when Josie had the opportunity to carve the words into her surroundings, she did. It was the only chance of Glenn seeing them.

She didn't sleep, she didn't rest. She walked, and walked. She ignored the burning sensation in her feet, begging her to take a break. But she didn't.

Josie hoped the rest didn't follow her, that they had listened to her wishes. She wanted them to be safe, not following her around like lost dogs.

When Josie came across a building, she decided she'd stop and see if she can find anything. Food, water, ammunition.

She promised herself she'd only stop for fifteen minutes, then, she'd be back to walking. She didn't have time to waste.

But she didn't find anything, except an ice cream van. Josie frowned as she walked around the ice cream van, seeing nothing in there of use.

But something smashing made Josie jump, looking towards the source to see Sasha in the window, eyes wide.

Josie quickly got from out of the truck, looking around when she heard the growls of the dead.

"Shit." She turned as she grabbed her sword, pulling it out as she threw her arms, watching as her sword connected with the walkers head.

She panted heavily as she turned, seeing Sasha fighting off some other walkers. Josie didn't have time to speak as a walker clawed onto her.

In one swift movement, the walkers head was split in half, Josie pulling back her arm as she was back to back with Sasha.

Josie looked forwards, lifting her sword up one last time and bringing it down on the walkers head, kicking it away from her as it fell to the ground.

Josie swallowed thickly as she looked around, her breaths heavy as she turned to Sasha. "Where's Maggie, Bob and Roman?" Josie panted, looking at Sasha with wide eyes.

"Out looking for you." Sasha replied in between breaths, making Josie squeeze her eyes shut. Of course they wouldn't listen. "Why are you here?"

"Trying to get more supplies." Josie uttered, placing her sword away as she faced Sasha. "Found nothing, though." She added as she looked down at the ground. "I'm not giving up." Josie shook her head as she licked at her chapped lips. "I didn't want you risking your lives for me, but I need your help. We can't be alone."

"I know." Sasha nodded her head, blinking back her own tears as she smiled at Josie. "So let's go get the others...and get to Terminus."

— Madeleine's notes

NEW CHAPTER CHAT AHHH

so close to reuniting so YAY.

I can't be bothered for school next week smh

But I only have two weeks and then I'm done with high school YAYAY

31st May 2024
1722 words