CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT || DEADLY TALES

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"What cannot be seen is eternal. for we know that if the earthy tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from god. a house not made from hands, eternal in the heavens... in the heavens" Gabriel spoke, his voice laced with grief as the group took turns shovelling mud across tyreese's grave.

Daryl passed Sasha the shovel letting her place the last shovel on mud on his grave, the mother Mother Earth swallowing him whole, along with any sense of hope that had lingered within the group after Beth's death. the intense cloud of grief that followed the group gloomed over them, clouding their decisions, and filling them with a paralysing sense of despair.

standing around Tyreese's grave the group rode the waves of grief once again. The feeling almost numbed the rest of their emotions. tearing away any hope things would work out. Grief seemed to be becoming all too familiar, some would say it became easier yet in reality that couldn't be any further from the truth. every loss tore open old wounds, almost magnifying the grief of every death the group had faced. Increasing the pain that lingered within their hearts. And alex wasn't sure how much more they could take, how much more she could take. everyone had a breaking point and she was millimetres away from hers.

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"I found this... while we were looking for water" Carl's voice pulled Alex from her own thoughts as she walked with the group, the hot sun beaming down on her as she wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead. Looking down at her cousin who seemed to be growing up all too quickly, he handed her a small box, pink patterns covering its surface area. Raising a brow alex took the box into her hands examining it.

"What is it jelly bean?" she sighed looking down at the box, The heaviness of her heart felt as if it was taking a toll on her body, weighing her down, making it harder to walk, harder to carry on. Yet as her eyes locked with her cousins she heard Lori's voice, she remembered Lori's words. and she remembered why she had to keep fighting.

"I think it's used to play music," Carl explained as Alex opened the pink box revealing a small ballerina inside the music box, Alex's heart swelled with love as she stared down at the box before Carl continued: "It's broken."

"Thank you" She offered the young teen a soft smile, her hand falling on his shoulder as he nodded smiling before walking off and joining Josh walking ahead with Sam. Alex took a breath as she watched the two young boys greet each other. gathering her thoughts she glanced around the group catching sight of Maggie. The memory of her Clinging to Eli screaming out for her sister, begging the harsh world to be forgiving, flashed in Alex's mind. once again reminding her of their slim chances against what the world had become.

"You alright?" Alex heard the familiar voice of none other than Eli Moore from beside her. boosting morale was something he was always good at, something Rangers were praised for. yet now, that skill had diminished, the group was a mess. Nothing Eli could say would distract from the grief that lingered in the air, as if inhaling smoke each breath hurt. sending waves of guilt through their bodies.

"As good as I can be." Alex nodded, her eyes focused on the road ahead of her avoiding the harsh blue eyes of her best friend who had the same ability as Glenn, the two men were able to read the woman like a book, seeing through any lie she threw their way. and that sentence was no exception.

"How's your back?" He questioned, his eyes trained on her, concern filling him in regards to her well-being and health. having not called for her previous answer he waited for her to look up at him.

"Yeah okay. the pills helped. you okay? You and Maggie?" Alex asked, her subtle attempt at changing the subject working as Eli's eyes strayed from hers finding Maggie walking beside the priest a few feet ahead of them, A weak smile tugged at Eli's lips as he looked at the woman. His heart aching for her. oh how desperately he wished he could transfer all the pain in her heart to his...

"She's struggling, I don't blame her. I'll be there for her when she needs me, I don't want her to think I'm babysitting her you know..." Alex nodded. He wanted to give the woman some space to grieve, yet he was always there to be a shoulder to cry on, just as he was to Alex. And that was something Alex greatly admired him for.

"You're a great guy you know that right Lee? thank you for looking after her... and me" Eli chuckled at her words, his arm falling around her shoulders as he pulled his best friend into his side as they walked.

"No need to thank me, Lexi. I'll always be here for you. remember what we used to say? no matter how far away from each other we are, we will always be there for each other" He chuckled using the nickname Alex never allowed anyone to use. Alex shook her head sending her best friend a Glare, yet the phrase they used to use before they went on deployment caused a smile to tug at the woman's lips. All the memories the friends had shared over the years rushing through her mind.

"Eli. don't call me that" The taller blonde only chuckled at Alex's words, his classic cheeky grin making an appearance as he shook his head: "Okay okay, Lex seriously. as long as I'm around you'll always have someone who'll be there for you... And so will Maggie"

His eyes strayed from his best friends, finding Maggie again as he finished his sentence. And somehow in what was becoming a wasted world, Alex found a sense of peace... even if it only lasted a few seconds. Knowing both Maggie and Eli were looking out for each other calmed the ache within her soul, just enough, just enough for her to breathe freely.

***

"You need to eat" Glenn spoke softly as he and alex sat within the group, Josh sat beside alex picking at the meat he'd been given, a look on his face one that disgust didn't even come close to, Alex shook her head, her expression almost matching Josh's as Glenn offered her some of his food the same way he had when they'd met.

"I'll stick with the worms Daryl digs up. I'm not eating dog." Alex huffed wiping the sweat from her forehead. The smell of cooked dog testing the strength of her stomach. There was no way in hell she was eating dog meat. The four dogs the group had unfortunately come across providing a food source, a food source alex wanted to stay clear of.

"I'm with Alex on this one" Josh sighed the scorching sun beaming down on them fueling the need for water, their throats burning from dehydration every time they swallowed. Glenn sighed his eyes darting between Alex, Josh and The small portion of dog meat.

"You two are gonna be the death of me" Glenn sighed bringing a piece of meat up to his mouth as Alex rested her head on his shoulder automatically rolling her eyes at his words. Josh only shook his head, chuckling: "Nah, you gotta teach me how to play guitar remember?"

Glenn smiled looking over at the young boy nodding, their blossoming relationship filling Alex's heart despite the likelihood of them ever finding a guitar. She looked up at Glenn from his shoulder: "You gonna teach me too? or is this a boy's only thing?"

"No, and even if it was. you qualify more than me and Glenn. you're basically like real life Call of Duty" Josh huffed, admiring Alex's talents with a Gun. After all the stories Eli had told him The young teen was starting to believe she was invincible. Glenn chuckled nodding in agreement.

"Are you okay?" Alex heard Eli's voice laced with concern, Her eyes darted toward him to see Maggie rushing off to the side clutching her stomach. Eli on her tail, The group's eyes now all laid on Maggie as she emptied the contents of her stomach.

Eli rubbed the woman's back as she leaned against the tree, her heaving made A wave of nausea rush through Alex. her fear of sickness still not having diminished since they'd met Gabriel. Lifting her head from Glenn's shoulder Alex stood up turning her head to Glenn: "Definitely not eating now"

Leaving the group Alex walked toward the poor woman she'd grown to be friends with and Eli, Concern filling her stomach as Maggie finally stood straight turning to Eli. The back of his hand falling on Maggie's forehead as he took her temperature.

"Maggie, how are you feeling?" Alex questioned her eyes Glued to maggies trying to distract from the sick on the floor so the contents of her own stomach remained inside her. Maggie took a breath before responding, Alex's eyes flickering to Eli. His medic side came out instantly as soon as anyone especially Maggie showed signs of sickness.

"Yeah... it was probably the food"Maggie dismissed herself, Yet Alex wasn't convinced, The two Army Rangers cautious of infections and other illnesses that could easily be caught while being out in the open. Alex's eyes met Elis's concern-filled blue eyes as he lowered his hand from Maggie's forehead.

"You're a bit warm. But we have been out in the sun all day. We need to find water. and somewhere to actually rest." Eli explained he knew he couldn't do much. Not without any equipment or out in the open. and to him, initially, it didn't seem too concerning. Alex nodded listening to her best friend's words before her eyes flickered back to Maggie.

"Don't wander too far from me and Eli. If you feel any worse you need to tell us" Alex warned, her voice a somewhat softer tone than usual as she took a step toward Maggie bringing the woman into her arms, which Maggie returned wrapping her arms around Alex appreciating a hug from someone aside from Eli.

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A/N- this has been a big relationship-building chapter... but how are we feeling, The next chapter is Alexandria... i am shitting it, but we have a lot coming in this next era...

(not proofread)