CHAPTER TWENTY NINE|| SELF HELP

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"Alex?!" Glenn's panicked voice filled the young woman's ears. As she peeled her eyes open a stabbing pain shot through her body, her eyes immediately screwing shut due to the pain as Glenn reached for her hand. his face etched with a look of concern as he stared at the woman he loved, his heart racing. 

"Alex" He called out again as she peeled her eyes open for the second time, her eyes locked with his. Her pain eased for a moment as she looked up into his caring brown eyes. squeezing his hand she pushed her pain as far back as she could and got up with his help. the majority of her weight supported by him.

"Eugene? Everyone else you alright?" Abraham's voice boomed as Alex's eyes examined Glenn for injuries noticing the blood on his forehead her heart dropped, and a multitude of yeah's filled the air as Alex leaned against Glenn her eyes searching for Josh. 

"Josh? you okay?" Alex's eyes fell on the boy who stood in front of Sam. Sam's hands on the boy's shoulders as he focused on Josh's injuries. the pain tearing through Alex's back being forgotten as she clung to Glenn watching as Sam tended to Josh. A thud pulled Alex's attention away from the boy, her head snapped toward the sound. Walkers pushing themselves against the window stalking what you'd hoped to be their next kill.

"engines on fire. we gotta get outta here" Tara ordered, as A wince slipped past Alex's lips. Glenn took Alex's arm pulling it over his shoulders, his arm wrapping around the woman's waist supporting almost all of her weight. her back burning with pain. The cramped space barely giving Glenn enough space to help Alex. Alex gripped the side of a seat letting Glenn slip free of her grasp as he tried to figure out how he could get everyone out. 

"Sam, you and I go first. knock 'em back. Clear the way for everyone to get out. then we start hittin' 'em alright. Eli. stay with Alex and Josh." Glenn ordered locking eyes with Sam from across. the bus, Sam nodded making his way to the front of the bus where Glenn was. 

"I wanna help" Alex huffed trying to stand straight only for Eli's hand to land on her shoulder and maggies eyes to fall on the girl shaking her head. Josh made his wait over to Alex, a bloodied gash on his lip from the crash as he locked eyes with Alex. 

"not while you're injured" Maggie shook her head, Eli instantaneously agreeing with the woman, Alex's eyes darting between them before she looked down at Josh rolling her eyes. guilt churned within her stomach maybe she was just a burden...

"Josh take this stay close" Eli ordered handing the young boy a dagger, Maggie, Tara, Rosita and Eli stayed by Alex and Josh as Sam, Glenn and Abraham broke through the back door of the bus, the pure force the three men used making the bus shake as they forced the door open.

Surging forward the three men attacked the surrounding walkers, Alex's heart raced as she followed the rest of the group out of the bus, pulling the knife from her waistband, she pushed the pain she felt deep within, the adrenaline rushing through her veins working as a type of pain relief as she lunged forward plunging her knife through a walkers skull. 

The walker fell to the floor as she ripped her knife from its head. pulling back she quickly lunged toward another. doing the same thing. she plunged her knife through its skull. the thing going limp and falling to the floor. her heart raced. from the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Glenn slamming a walker into the side of the bus. a walker approaching him from behind. Rushing toward him. Alex's knife forced its way through the walker's jaw up through its brain. blood splattered over her. pulling her knife from the walker it fell to the floor. turning to see Glenn nod his head thankfully. 

Then silence. not a growling walker to be heard. sighs of relief filled the silence as Alex and Glenn locked eyes. Josh rushed toward the couple a bloodied knife in his hand as Alex and Glenn's eyes fell on the boy almost automatically checking him for injuries.

"That was insane" Josh gasped while trying to catch his breath, he'd killed walkers before.. he'd had to but he hadn't had to in what felt like ages. and watching the way Alex and Glenn fought filled him with a sense of security he wasn't used to. 

"check Eugene. see if he's hurt" Abraham ordered, Eli stepping away from Maggie to check Eugene. Sam's eyes focused on Alex and Glenn as Eugene spoke up: "I'm fine, just cuts and dings is all"

"check him" Abraham ordered ignoring the man's words, Eli sighed stepping forward as he listened to the orders he was given and approached Eugene his eyes scanning the man for injuries, his survival more than necessary to the survival of the world. 

 "is that your blood?" Eugene asked referring to a wound spurting blood from Abraham's hand, "and the kid, his lips bleeding. Alex's injuries." he added referring to Josh and Alex.

"I swear the cuts are finer than frogs hair" Abraham scoffed looking down at his bloodied hand, Eli's eyes darting between the members of the group seeing the injuries that everyone seemed to have; cuts and scrapes. The medic's eyes met his best friend as she shook her head.

"I'm fine" Both Alex and Josh said in unison not wanting to worry other members of the group. Josh took the sleeve of his jacket wiping the blood from his throbbing lip as he looked up at Alex more worried about her Injuries than his own. 

"first aid kits in the bus. I'll see what we have" Maggie smiled, gun in hand as she walked past Eli, her hand going to his shoulder. the pair's eyes met as Eli nodded offering her a smile thankfully as he checked Eugene for injury. despite Eugene's significance, Eli's worries laid purely on Alex and Maggie. 

Just as Maggie passed Eli, the quiet roars of fire filled the air as the bus ignited, flames encapsulating their first aid kits. A sigh of frustration escaped Eli's lips. faces in the group fell. how the fuck were they supposed to head to DC now?

"we're not stopping. we're rolling on now.. find another vehicle down the road. the mission hasn't changed." Abraham ordered. as Eli patted Eugene's shoulder unsure of what he could do for the man who had no injuries. Eli's eyes then flickered to Maggie before darting between the other group members.  his thoughts lingered on Alex and her back. maybe she should've stayed with Rick. 

"devils advocate, nothing more. we smashed to a stop hard. We spent a lot of time rolling things out of the road. the church is just 15 miles back that way" Eugene suggested going back, the idea complete insanity to Abraham. Sam approached Glenn, Alex and Josh, his eyes flickered between the three as he asked: "You guys alright?" 

"yeah, we're good" Glenn nodded his arm finding its place around Alex's waist as Josh nodded, it took more than a split lip to slow him down. Alex nodded the adrenaline still working as a type of pain relief for her back as she hoped it would last longer than it had last time. 

"no, we don't stop. we don't go back. we're at war. retreat means we lose. The road fights back, the plan gets jacked. you all know that.  now we will get through this because we have to. every direction is a question. we don't go back!"Abrahama voice boomed, his frustration more than visible. Glenn raised his brow taking a step toward Abraham as his voice raised. Glenn approached the ginger as Abraham's patience began wearing down. Abraham scoffed walking away from Eugene only to be met face to face with glenn, the Korean's concern growing. 

"hey, hey. you okay?" Glenn questioned looking up at the brooding ginger, who didn't even seem to have time for Glenn's concern almost utterly cutting the man off; "I am as fit as a damn fiddle"

"We are going with you. you are calling this thing. I just need to know you're good I got my family here." Glenn spoke, his tone serious as his eyes flickered back to Alex and Josh. Unbeknownst to them he was talking purely about them. the whole group was his family, but the promises he'd made to them, and despite the fact he hadn't known Josh long. they were his priority. 

"This is how things stop. I can't afford that right now. the world can't afford it. listen I took a pretty hard shot to the sack with that crash. I am stressed, and depressed to see that ride die. but if you say we're rolling on, I'm good." Abraham spoke, his stress visible in his voice as Glenn nodded his eyes darting back to Alex thinking of her safety before his eyes met the gingers again. 

"we're rolling on"

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a/n- sorry guys I feel like this book has had shorter chapters, im about to go and do a night shift wooo but ill hopefully get two or three chapters out tomorrow. icl because I'm following along with the tv show I notice so much more because I'm focusing on the small details. abraham has the strangest ways of wording things I love it