CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

˚ WELCOMING TRUTH ˚

"I was hiding from the world, I was so afraid, I felt so unsure. Now I am invincible, and a perfect storm."

FOR SUCH a long time, Reign Boyd had been deprived of such a vital thing, of such a vital emotion. It was if she had even forgotten that the human lips held the capacity to lift upwards, expressing a contagious gesture. For the first time in a long time, she let out a genuine smile, the kind that was natural, not forced. This time the smile was not made after a sarcastic remark, or to assure people she was fine. This time, her smile was for herself.

All of them had been through so much in their own way. This place, this community had the power to change them for the better, had the power to offer them a new hope, the kind people like Reign so desperately needed.

She smiled not because she was relieved, but rather thankful. She was thankful she was still alive, thankful for her mother for sacrificing herself. If it weren't for her, she wouldn't even ben standing outside the gates of a nourishing community.

"How big is this place?" Caroline gaped, her eyes wide with excitement as she turned to Aaron.

"Why don't you all come inside, and I'll show you," Aaron smiled gracefully. "You'll have to speak to Deanna first."

"Who's Deanna?" Abraham yelled from the back, causing Reign to scowl for half a second just as Aaron opened the gates. As soon as the gates were open, Reign's smile reappeared, the group walking with energetic strides through the gates.

There, they were met with a small group of people, several of them holding guns. Reign couldn't help but make eye contact with a short and petite older woman, with short ginger hair. She smiled widely, her hands placed formally in the front, crossed as she greeted everyone. Reign could already tell she held an authority figure here, and presumably was Deanna.

"My my Aaron, this is quite a big group," Deanna smiled genuinely. "Well done," she praised him.

Aaron nodded. "They're a good group. I believe they'll fit well here," he said.

"We'll see," was all leader said, before stepping forwards and greeting them all. "Welcome everyone," she greeted, directing everyone's curious gazes back to her. Everyone was in awe of the place, overwhelmed with everything.

"We'll show you around the main areas, and drop off your guns-"

"We're keeping the guns," Rick interrupted.

"If you're going to stay-" one of the men spoke up.

"We aren't sure if we want to stay," Rick cut him off. "If we wanted to use them, we would have already."

"It's quite fine," Deanna said surprisingly. "Follow us this way," she said, before turning around and strolling up the street.

Everyone hesitantly followed behind, sprawled out across the wide street as everyone admired certain things. Reign admired the pond placed in the middle, with several kids playing about. She even watched as some girl walked a dog, as if there wasn't an apocalypse going on. She looked down at Gizmo and saw him wagging his tail, excited to see another dog.

She smiled at the pup, looking up to glance at the dog again only to notice Damon staring at her from across the road as they walked. As soon as she made eye contact, he looked away, his gaze turned forwards as if pretending he hadn't been staring at her smile.

"Through here," Deanna instructed, leading them into a courtyard beside one of the townhouses. They all walked through the perfectly sculpted garden, their faces blank in shock as they all came to a halt.

"Hello," they were greeted by another woman. She was slightly bigger- bigger than you should be during an apocalypse meaning they were well fed here. "My name is Olivia," she smiled. "I keep count of everything here, food, weapons, you name it. In here we ration everything, keep documentation to keep track of all our weapons."

"Which means if we're going to show you further, we need you to hand over your guns," Deanna explained.

"W-" Rick began to protect, but Deanna had already anticipated his next words.

"You can keep you knives, swords and bow, but we need the guns. They will be kept separately, but we need to make sure our people are safe," Deanna spoke confidently.

Everyone exchanged glances, hesitant about giving up the very things that had helped them stay alive. However, they weren't stupid; they knew the would be just as lenient about handing weapons over if the roles were switched.

"Okay," Dylan said, the first to place his gun in the tray placed before them.

After he acted, everyone else followed. Carol seemed to be playing some role, acting as if the giant gun strapped across her shoulder was too big for her body. If only they knew how easily she held it within her hands, how smoothly she was able to aim and shoot.

The two groups didn't know a thing about one another, and that was the beauty and disaster of it all.

"Alright." Deanna clapped her hands together once all the weapons were in place. "Now before Aaron shows you to your houses, I wish to speak to each and every one of your separately, in my living room."

"Why?" Damon questioned.

"So I can get to know you all better." Deanna replied simply. "May I speak to your leader first?"

◎ ◉ ◎

They all waited outside Deanna's house, sitting along the curb of the street as if they were waiting for an interview, waiting to be called in and tested. For all they knew this was their interview for this place, their opportunity to make a good first impression.

Rick had gone first, her father following after. Reign's heart skipped a beat every time that door opened, knowing Deanna might call her next.

"Reign?" Deanna called, just as Dylan walked down the steps. She knew her brother had no doubt told Deanna about her, as there was no way she could've known her name otherwise.

Dylan sent her a small, assuring nod as Reign walked up the steps, closing the door hesitantly. "Have a seat,"'Deanna smiled widely, taking a seat herself.

Reign stayed silent, admiring the large living room of the leader's house. She took a seat placed opposite to where Deanna was, but she didn't lean back. She didn't let herself get comfortable; she knew better than that. She couldn't get comfortable with this place. She couldn't allow herself to become attached or else it would be like the prison all over again.

"How are you?" Deanna started, her hands placed nicely in her lap. Reign couldn't help but notice a tri-pod stand with a camera attached, the lens positioned in her direction. "You don't mind if I film this do you?" Deanna questioned, noticing Reign's stare on the camera.

"No," Reign spoke horsely, cringing at her own voice. It was raspy, weak and tired.

"Good," Deanna smiled, as she pressed the record button. Reign let her eyes wander around the room, looking at all the clean furniture and formal decorations. It was the first real house in a while she had been to that hadn't been looted, filled with empty drawers or dead walkers.

Everything was so tidy, so clean. The curtains behind her were a sheer white, allowing the bright sunlight to flow through the large glass windows. Never had Reign felt so out of place, and that was saying a lot considering she never really fit in. She was always the weird, dark mysterious kid nobody dared to speak to- not unless they wanted something. In that case it was always the jocks, the guys that thought they were all that. They were the ones that dared to approached her, although all they ever wanted was her body. The worst thing is she allowed them, but only if they paid. She didn't care about the rumours that followed, as long as she helped aid the stress her mother had with paying the bills at home.

She hated that part of her past, and often chose to ignore it. That's another reason why she was so angered at Damon. He was one of the few people she had actually shared that part of her history with. In fact, she was sure he was the only person. Now that Damon was mad at her she felt as if she had been betrayed, like she was disappointed in herself for even thinking of spilling the dirty history she carried around with her.

"Reign?" Deanna's voice interrupted, pulling Reign out from her deep and consuming thoughts.

"Hmm?" Reign jumped slightly, gripping the edge of the chair harshly.

"You alright?" Deanna smiled, her eyes kind and gentle. However, instead of comforting Reign, her expression made her feel as if it was all a set up. People weren't supposed to be that happy in the middle of an apocalypse.

Reign only nodded, forcing herself to relax a bit. She could tell she wasn't making a very good first impression, however she couldn't get Damon out of her mind. It was a nagging problem, but unlike her other problems she had encountered in the past, she couldn't just let this one go. She felt as if she needed to solve it, like she was committing a crime if she ignored it.

"You look so much like your brother," she smiled. "Are you two close?"

"Yes," Reign said succinctly, biting her lip nervously.

"I wish my sons Spencer and Aidan were that close," Deanna sighed. "Your brother, he told me he use to be in the military. What did you do before all this?"

"I'm only nineteen," Reign scoffed. "I was preparing for my future before all this, but I guess now all of that was pointless," she muttered.

"Not necessarily," Deanna objected. "What did you aspire to be?"

Reign clenched her jaw, hating that one question. It was the same question all her teachers had asked her, what her mother and brother had asked her and every time she would say the same thing. "Alive."

It was a simple, yet unexpected answer that shut them all up, as it had to Deanna now. Reign didn't want to be anything, didn't dream of being rich or becoming a hero. It was such a complicated question made more difficult when she didn't even understand who she wanted to be now. However, the one thing she knew for sure that she wanted to be, was alive.

"That's a good thing," Deanna said, taken off guard. "You finished high school?"

"Yes."

"And what did you plan to do after?" Deanna asked curiously.

"Why does that even matter?" Reign snapped, becoming slightly irritated.

"Because who you were then, contributes very well to who you are now. I can tell you're a fighter Reign, I could tell just by the way you walked through the door. You didn't sit right away, you didn't let your hand off your belt where I know your knife is placed. I saw you take notice of the doors, checking for all exits. You're a survivor."

"I can look out for myself," she said sternly, slightly creeped out Deanna was so observant.

"You can indeed," she grinned. "So tell me, your father is Daryl and your brother is Dylan, but where is your mother? If I may ask." Deanna shifted in her chair, her legs crossed.

"Gone," Reign said quietly.

"I see," Deanna nodded. "I'm incredibly sorry." Reign didn't respond so Deanna continued to talk, continued to try and understand the woman sitting in front of her. She could tell her walls were high. and that it was going to take a while to climb it.

"Your dog, did you have him from the beginning?" Deanna questioned.

"No. I found him back in Atlanta," Reign answered grimly.

"You've all come such a far ways. You must have been out there for a while," she spoke warily, feeling out the terrain, carefully expanding her topic of conversation.

"We were. We saw a lot of shit," Reign added, brooding about all the terrible things they had encountered while on the road.

"Were you guys always a group?" Deanna leaned forwards.

"No. I was with my mother before shit went down, as my brother was away and my father was non-existent. My mother cut him out from my life," Reign sighed. "I met them by luck I guess. I had just stumbled upon the right group containing both my brother and father."

"And you all ended up where? At a community?"

"We were at a prison, and..." Reign paused, confiding with herself. She didn't know why but the mention of the prison brought a lump to her throat. In a way it was her first true home, and the thought of remembering what happened brought on a wave of emotion Reign didn't want to acknowledge. "Why the hell am I telling you all this?" she suddenly snapped.

"Reign-"

"No, I'm done," she shook her head, standing up. "I tried to do your little interview, but I honestly can't anymore. I'm sorry," she said, heading to the door.

"Can I ask you one last question?" Deanna called out to her hopefully.

Reign froze in step, rolling her eyes slightly before turning around. She stood there, silent as if motioning for Deanna to continue. "Why do you want to be here? In this community?" she questioned. "Aaron told me you were the only one willing to give him a chance. Why?"

Reign gulped, balling her hands into fists at her sides. "I guess I just wanted the world to slow down for a bit. It's always been so chaotic and so rushed, like everyone was always working towards some goal. I hate goals, and I just wanted to finally reach something. I thought maybe this place could be it," she shrugged casually, chewing the inside of her cheek.

"And how do you feel about this place so far?" Deanna raised a brow, standing up.

Reign drew in a deep breath, before exhaling loudly. "Like I'm living in a fucking dream," Reign sneered. "Just so you know, Deanna, I hate dreams," Reign snapped, before slipping out the door.

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[EDITED: 07/26/18]