CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN || MACHETE WITH A RED HANDLE

tw: possible SA/grooming/abuse

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"I told Glenn why. the guy in my group" Josh defended his panicked facial expressions not going unnoticed by the couple as they tried to figure out why the 13-year-old boy had been carrying oxycodone, and the way Josh had reacted to them bringing it up only made their suspicions rise.

"we're not accusing you, we just want the truth. to keep you safe." the discomfort on Josh's face only grew as he avoided the couple's eye contact. Alex looked over to Glenn knowing something wasn't right, something was off. they were thankful he had them, it'd helped Alex after all. But such a strong drug in the hands of a child was unnerving.

"that is the truth, I know pain is difficult to deal with, but they help" he muttered. he knows? his words only filled the woman with more uncertainty, the couple was not convinced. staring down at Josh he finally met Alex's eyes, a saddened expression etched onto his face... he hated lying.

"Josh, you're not in trouble, and we aren't going to leave you. we just want to help you" Glenn's voice was soft, and reassuring as he looked down at the young boy, Josh's eyes flickered between the couple questioning him before he sighed, anxiety spiralling in his stomach.

"the group I was with, this guy. John, he uh... he used to make me and this other kid take them... said it helped take the edge off anxiety to help us sleep..." Alex's heart dropped as she listened to his words and what that could possibly mean, Josh's eyes fell to his hands as the anxiety in his stomach grew, bile rising in his throat. The couple shared a look of guilt as Glenn reached out laying his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"that group Josh, they hurt you?" Glenn gulped, his voice barely above a whisper. As Josh looked back up at the couple tears brimmed in his eyes, an ache in his chest reappeared one he believed would never ease. Josh nodded trying to bury the ache back into the darkest depths of his soul where he'd been previously storing it. Glenn sighed pulling the boy into a hug which Josh gratefully returned hugging the man who'd known for less than a week.

"you're with us now okay? you're family. you helped Alex, you helped me." Glenn rubbed the boy's back as a tear slipped down his cheek, as Glenn pulled away Alex looked down at the boy a guilt filling her body that when they'd met she'd briefly considered not bringing him with them yet now she wanted him to come with her and Glenn. she wanted to make sure no one hurt him again.

"we're not gonna let anything happen to you now Josh, I promise" Alex offered him a small smile, Josh nodded wiping the tears from his eyes as he looked up at Alex, a sense of belonging rushing through him, a feeling he'd never experienced.

"I wanna come with you," Josh whispered, trying to compose himself as he stared up at the adults who'd made him feel more wanted than anyone else in his life ever had, his mind flashing back to the only core memory he had of his father. the day he was handed over to child protective services.

"Then you're coming with us" Glenn smiled rubbing the boy's shoulder. Josh's expression transformed into one of relief as the three began walking into the room Bob was in, the rest of the group trying to make Bob feel okay in whatever time he had left. Glenn's arm wrapped around Alex's waist steadying her steps and his free hand laid on Josh's shoulder.

******

"We know exactly where they are." Rick finished as he went over the plan, the cannibalistic freaks from Terminus made a feast out of bobs leg, and now they had to go. Rick wanted them dead. they were a danger, they were sick. Alex sat beside Josh as everyone prepared their weapons.

"plans got stones I'll give you that." Abraham scoffed not exactly pleased with the idea, Alex watched from across the room as Glenn and Sam stood beside Rick preparing their weapons as her mind lingered on the boy next to her and what he'd been through... if that was Carl. the thought sickened her. how could anyone hurt a kid?

"make our move before they do" Glenn nodded looking up from the gun in his hand, his eyes flickering to Rick, as Alex watched, the knives on her belt begging to be used despite her injury. rick nodded confirming Glenn's statement to the rest of the group.

"That's right, they're not counting on us thinking straight," Rick explained holding a machete with a red handle as Alex nodded along with his words. She wanted to help.

"Are we?" Rosita questioned, her uncertainty about the whole situation showing. to her, this was crazy. the whole thing was unnerving, cannibals, what happened to Bob. it fueled anxiety within half of the group. clouding the air surrounding them in fear. silence followed her question as Rick took a few steps toward her.

"Remember what these people are capable of" Rick reiterated, everyone's minds flickering to Bob and the horrors they'd witnessed while being held at Terminus. they all could've died there. been eaten, by other people. for purely just trying to survive.

"Tyreese?" Rick glanced over to the man who sat further away from the group his eyes avoiding almost every member as he muttered a quick "yeah"

"you up for this?" Rick questioned, yet Tyreese didn't respond, only silence followed as Sasha walked out of the room Bob was sleeping in, a sense of grief washing over the room as she emerged.

"I'm coming with you" Those words made her brother's head shoot up towards her as Alex's eyes flickered between Sasha and Glenn, she couldn't imagine was Sasha was feeling. if she lost Glenn, that would be the end. she couldn't imagine life without him now. not now, not ever.

"you should stay with Bob" Tyreese stated yet was completely cut off by his sister's determination to find the people that took bobs leg, and Alex didn't blame her. not for a second. if that was Glenn, she'd kill them without a second thought.

"I wanna be out there. I wanna be a part of this." Sasha shook her head, not an ounce of regret in her voice. She needed to find out who did this. She turned walking back into the room Bob was resting in while Tyreese got up following the woman unsure. As the siblings left the room Alex's glance remained on Glenn.

*****

Alex stood silently beside Josh and Carl, the pain in her back still not having fully eased. yet a dagger remained firmly in her grasp as her cousin stood with his gun. A clash of the church door lock being broken filled the room as Carl instantly clocked his gun at the closed door of the back room of the church where half of the group hide, while the rest worked on finding Gareth, and his cannibals. She'd wanted to go with them, yet Rick, Eli, Glenn, Sam and the two boys who currently stood with her all disagreed wanting her to stay put. and rest.

"well I guess you know we're here and we know you're here... and we're armed" Alex and Carls eyes met instantly after hearing Gareth's voice echo through the church. the two grimes' hearts racing as they clutched their weapons firmly in their hands ready to protect the members of the group that remained behind them in the room.

"There's really no point in hiding anymore... we've been watching you. we know who's here" Gareth's voice echoed sending an unpleasant shiver down Alex's spine as she locked eyes with Carl. her breath hitched in her throat as she could hear the voice getting louder, they were getting closer...

"there's bob. unless you've put him out of his misery already. And Eugene. Rosita, Alex. Carl and that other little boy Josh. Judith" Alex's heart raced as she heard the names of her family being called out, her breathing hollow as her lungs seemed to push against prodding ribs as she fought the urge to rush out and kill him herself.

"Rick and the rest walked out. Leaving his kids, and his niece... the other one, Glenn leaving his wife. and they took a lot of your guns" Gareth exaggerated the word 'lot' as he edged his way further into the church. The beating of Alex's heart muffling the sound of his voice as she clenched her jaw.

"listen we don't know where you all are, but this isn't a big place. so let's all just stop this now. before things get more painful than they need to be" Alex took a deep breath knowing that if it came down to it she'd have to be the one to fight these freaks, yet her back... could she even manage it?

Then came the rattling doorknob, Alex's heart skipped a beat as she switched from her knife to the pistol on her belt, backing up she silently pushed both Carl and Josh behind her despite the fact Carl believed he could help, and wanted to help. she couldn't let him. She was there for a reason and her promise to Lori still stood.

"look you're behind one of these two doors and we have more than enough firepower to take them both down" Gareth warned followed by the cock of a gun, Alex took a deep breath fully prepared to defend her family in any way she could. then Judith's cries echoed through the church, Carl immediately rushed to his sister to calm her. but it was too late. they knew exactly where they were.

"This is your last chance to tell us you're coming out,"Gareth warned Alex could hear the smile on his face through his voice. after a few seconds of silence, she heard the cock of another gun and she was ready. her heart racing as she aimed her gun at the door ready for whoever was about to rush inside. then gunshots. gunshots echoed through the church followed by thuds. bodies dropping. rick. A smile tugged at Alex's lips realising her uncle and husband were there.

"put your guns on the floor" ricks stern voice echoed and it felt as if a weight had been lifted from Alex's shoulders yet she didn't dare move toward the door. she knew whatever Rick was about to do to Gareth did not need to be seen by Carl and Josh.

"no point in begging right?" she heard Gareth's pained voice from outside the door, Rick had this despite how desperately she wanted to go out there. and help them she knew she was more help looking after the kids, making sure they didn't see anything they didn't have to. She could hear the pathetic begs leaving Gareth's lips, promising Rick they'd never cross paths again... and then she heard it.

"I already made you a promise" Rick's cold voice followed by a scream, and the slash of a machete with a red handle.

**

Rick, Eli, Sam, Michonne, Glenn, Abraham, Tara, and Sasha made their way into the room Alex and the rest of the group had been hiding in. half of them covered in blood. yet Sam, Eli and Glenn seemed to not have a drop on them. Glenn immediately rushed to Alex's. he'd never killed and she knew it, and she also knew he didn't particularly like seeing it. his arms wrapped around Alex as the group reunited, another threat out of the way. it was the way of survival.

silence lingered within the group knowing the scenes outside of the room wouldn't be pleasant, Alex imagined the blood that coated the walls just from seeing the blood that coated her uncle. gareth's blood. the silence lingered as everyone tried to process what had just happened, the sadness and discomfort that radiated from Glenn didn't go unnoticed by Alex as they sat beside each other hand in hand, her thumb gently caressing the soft skin on the back of his hand.

"a guy like that... what do you think went through his head in his final moments?" Eli asked breaking the silence, he couldn't fathom evil like that. he couldn't understand it, why Gareth had ended up that way, luring people in just to kill them.

"probably a machete with a red handle" Josh answered bluntly his sarcasm kicking in at completely the wrong time. heads shot up staring at the boy in disbelief as a small snicker left Sam's lips. what the fuck? Alex thought.. yet people deal with trauma in different ways.