CHAPTER FORTY || THE DISTANCE

Alex sat against the wooden walls of the barn, slowly counting the few bullets she had left in her handheld pistol, internally wishing she'd had her weapon of choice, A sniper rifle. As she closed her hand around the few bullets she'd counted. Her previous conversation with Josh for the night before remained etched in her mind. tugging at the hidden memories that laid buried with the governor. 

The rest of the group sat throughout the barn checking their own weapons and ensuring everything was okay before they set off again. The thought of aimlessly walking, trudging through the heat again for another day was only draining more motivation from the group. 

"Hey. Everyone... This is Aaron."Maggie's voice echoed through the barn as she pushed open the doors, Walking inside she was followed by a man No one recognised. The barn almost instantly echoed with The cocks of their guns, as every weapon in the room aimed straight for Aaron. 

"We met him outside. he's by himself. we took his weapons and we took his gear" Sasha explained as she stood beside Maggie the unfamiliar man between them as Daryl rushed forward to pat him down. The tall walls the group had built around themselves as protection never once falling. 

"Hi" Aaron spoke, his voice weary due to all the weapons pointed at him. Daryl scoffed as he closed the barn doors behind Aaron. Alex's eyes glued to the man in front of her waiting, waiting for any sign to shoot him. 

"You said he had a weapon?" Rick's gruff intimidating voice returned as Maggie approached Rick in order to show him the weapon  Aaron had been carrying. Handing Rick the small revolver, Rick examined it before his eyes connected with the unfamiliar man once again. 

"Something you need?" Rick questioned the man as he tucked the revolver into his waistband, Alex's heart rate picking up as she watched the interaction between her uncle and the unfamiliar man. Aaron stood silent a subtle look of worry consuming his features as Sasha answered for him: "he has a camp nearby. he wants us to audition for membership."

"I wish there was another word. Audition makes it sound like we're some kind of dance troupe... that's only on Friday nights" The man chuckled awkwardly as he tried to make a joke. Alex's face contorted with confusion and disbelief at his words, her eyes connecting with Josh's as the young boy fought the urge to make a comment. 

"And um- it's not a camp. It's a community. I think you all would make valuable additions. but it's not my call, my job is to convince you all to follow me back home. I know, if I were you I wouldn't go either. not until I knew exactly what I was getting myself into... Sasha can you hand rick my pack" Aaaron explained open palms before turning to Sasha. the rest of the group listened intently, the walls of protection they'd built around themselves not falling for Aaron's explanation. 

Sasha nodded, her face remaining one of a stern unimpressed look as she made her way over to Rick handing him the backpack that resinated on her back as Aaron continued: "front pocket there's an envelope. there's no way I could convince you to come with me just by talking about our community. that's why I brought those. I apologise in advance for the quality of the pictures. we just found a camera store-"

"nobody gives a shit" Daryl interrupted, his voice almost emotionless as he scoffed cutting Aaron off, Josh's eyes meeting Daryl as he tried to hide the small smile tugging at his lips while Aaron awkwardly looked to Daryl before continuing: "You're absolutely 100% right" 

"So get on with it." Alex scoffed, unsure of the man. She didn't trust him. She couldn't trust him. Aaron's unsteady eyes met hers as he gulped. Rick crouched down to Aaron's backpack pulling out the envelope before slowly examining the pictures. 

"That's the first picture I wanted to show you. because nothing I say about our community will matter unless you know you'll be safe. If you join us you will be. each pannel in that wall is a 15-foot high, 12-foot wide slab of steel. framed by cold rolled steel beams and square tubing. nothing alive or dead gets through that without our say-so." Aaron continued. his explanation almost seeming too much as Alex's eyes darted to her best friend Eli, to see if he felt the same. Yet the blonde only shook his head. 

"like I said security is obviously important. in fact, there's only one resource, more critical to our community's survival... the people. together we're strong. you can make us even stronger. the next picture you can see inside the gates." Aaron rambled about his community leaving Alex's face contorted with disbelief over the man's sales pitch. 

Aaron continued with his sales pitch on his community as Rick began walking toward him the tension in the air growing thicker with every step Rick took toward Aaron, Rick's hand balling into a fist before his fist rammed into Aaron's jaw with all the strength Rick could muster, sending the unfamiliar man off balance. collapsing against the floor. 

*****

"how long have you people been following us?" Daryl scoffed his eyes glued to the injured man on the floor, after Aaron had regained consciousness from Rick's punch, the tension in the air thick as everyone's minds rushed with possibilities and worries of what aaron was possibly bringing to the group. 

"long enough to see you practically ignore a pack of roamers on your trail. long enough to see that despite the lack of food and water, you never turned on each other. you're survivors. and you're people. like I said and I hope you won't punch me for saying this again, but that is the most important resource in the world." A slither of hope rushed through the group despite their caution, as most eyes fell on Rick waiting for his next move. 

"how many others are out there?" Rick questioned, his voice rough and cold as he stared down at Aaron. Alex's eyes darting between her uncle and the unfamiliar, as she wished for once, for the odds to be in her favour. 

"none, I knew you wouldn't believe me. if it's not words. if it's not pictures. what would it take to convince you this is for real?" Aaron questioned looking around the room at all the hungry faces, Alex's caution  when it came to people causing her hands to grow clammy as she gripped the gun in her hands. 

"what if i drove you to the community? all of you. we leave now, we get there by lunch." Aaron reasoned desperately trying to get the hardened survivors to at least give him a chance so he could show them what they needed. 

"i don't know how you're planning on driving all 19 of us" Rick scoffed his eyes flickering to his niece as she and Glenn stood in front of carl, Josh and Judith. almost shielding them from the potential danger the unfamiliar man could bring. 

"if we found a group we wanted to be able to bring the whole group home. there's enough room for all of us" Aaron's wide eyes darted between the people within the room, he was desperate desperate for them all to listen. for them to hear him out. but alex didn't want to. she didn't want to hear him out, because to her, either way. if he was lying or not, she wasn't sure she was built for what the world had become. 

"And you're parked only a few miles from here?" Carol questioned, her voice almost matching Ricks. Alex sighed rubbing her eyes in disbelief, her mixed emotions only aiding her distrust in the man. Nausea spiralled in her stomach. she had to make sure everyone was safe. 

"east on Ridge Road, we wanted to get closer but the storm hit. blocked the road we couldn't clear it"  Aaron defended, Alex shook her head as he husband almost sensed her unease and reached for her hand taking her hand in his, the gesture almost instantly easing some of her stress. 

"he talks too much" Alex sighed, her head turning to look at her uncle as he stared at her blankly sure of what to do himself, as Josh  stepped out from behind Glenn  and  Alex to add his own input: "like way too much"

Alex and Glenn's heads both shot toward the boy who thought it was the perfect time to add his sarcastic input, josh's hands flew up in defence as he took a step back returning to the safety behind Alex and Glenn before Rick continued: "yeah you've really thought this through"

"Rick if i wanted to ambush you, I'd do it here. you know, light the barn on fire while you slept. pick you off as you ran for the only exit" Aaron defended, yet A huff came from behind Alex and Glenn as Josh scoffed sarcasm dripping from his tongue: "really helping your case buddy, well done"

"My point is, you can trust me." Aaron's eager eyes darted between members of the group again, Both Michonne and Sam taking steps toward Rick as michonne whispered: "I'm gonna go check out the cars"

"I trust him" Alex heard the subtle whisper escape Sam's lips causing her eyebrows  to knit  together almost  instantly and as she went to take a rushed step toward Sam and her uncle, glenns grip on her hand tightened stopping her in her tracks, the look of confusion on her  face only growing as Glenn warned: "calm Lex"

"I don't. There aren't any cars" Rick warned both Sam and Michonne, Rick's predatory eyes stalking Aaron as he sat on the floor in the middle of the group being watched like a hawk, everyone almost waiting for him to make a move. 

"there's only one way to find out" Michonne defended adamant in her idea of checking the cars, an ounce of hope hung over the group despite all they'd been through. they had to believe there was something. something out there worth fighting for. 

"We don't need to find out" Rick scoffed, his eyes now focused on michonne as she questioned his authority, the man's hardened exterior not phasing her in the slightest as she responded: "We do. you know what you know, and you're sure of it. I'm not."

"me neither" Sam, stepped forward, his eyes not on Rick, but on Alex. As if he was almost waiting for her reaction, waiting for her disappointment, but her emotionless expression stayed the same as Glenn's thumb caressed the back of her hand. 

Maggie's hand found Eli's as the blonde man looked down at her, watching as their fingers intertwined, almost instantly securing the mutual understanding between them, After the conversations they'd had they needed to believe. believe in a future. the pair looked at Rick as they  voiced their opinion in unison: "Neither do we" 

"your ways dangerous. mine isn't." Rick voiced, Alex's mind was pulled from the conversation as she felt a tap on her shoulder, turning she saw Josh, and just by the look in his eye she knew, she knew she had to believe there was something out there, something for Josh, Carl and Judith. her eyes flickered between Josh  and Carl  as  she  nodded:  "I know"

"I'll go too" Glenn voiced from beside  Alex, his eyes flickering between Alex and Josh. they'd become his hope, they'd become his hope for a better world, they were all he needed. Alex gulped as she looked up at Glenn, the look on her face almost unsure. she didn't want him in danger. but he needed to go. he needed to know. 

"Abraham? Rosita?" Rick ordered, both adults nodding as they agreed to go with them. Sending half the group to go and investigate the Cars. Alex shook her head as she looked up at Glenn, anxiety spiralling through her stomach. 

"everything gonna be okay" Glenn whispered his gorgeous brown eyes glued to Alex's blue ones as he attempted to reassure her, but a  gloom lingered deep within her soul. She was in pain, a pain that had been there for years, yet it never seemed to go away. and Glenn couldn't only see it. he could feel it, as if the couple were two halves of a coin, they were linked. linked in every way imaginable. 

*******

"eyes open everybody, weapons up" Glenn warned as the group reached the road Aaron had said the cars were parked on, Glenn's chest aching with a pain that almost matched grief. the previous conversation he and alex had with Josh replayed in his mind. The group walked in almost utter silence, and in the back of Glenn's mind he could hear the pain-ridden voice of Josh, his voice breaking as he told Glenn and Alex his story. a story Glenn would never forget. 

"Glenn?" He heard his voice being called by a familiar voice, stopping in his tracks Glenn let Sam catch up, the rest of the group walking in front as Sam held a pistol while chewing the inside of his cheek. Glenn turned his head to look at the expression the freckled man wore causing confusion to grow within Glenn. 

"Are you and Alex good?" Sam asked biting the inside of his lip as he asked, The freckled man had noticed the unusual look of what could only be described as mutual agony on both Glenn's and Alex's faces all morning, Glenns brows furrowed as he looked at Sam. 

"Uh yeah, yeah we're good" Glenn sighed running a hand over his face, his gun firmly in the grip of his other hand as he tried to remain focused on the task at hand, Sam hummed a quick "mhm" As he tried to figure out how to further initiate conversation. 

"Are you good?" Sam asked raising a brow at the dark-haired man beside him, the recent traumas the group had faced barely came close to the pain that lingered deep within Glenn's chest. The conversation he'd had with Josh had broken a part of his heart he wasn't sure would ever be touched. Glenn sighed, his breath catching in his throat as he looked at Sam. 

"my family's hurting Sam. My family's hurting and I don't know how to help them" Glenn's voice almost laced with desperation as he looked at sam, Almost begging for the world to be kinder to the people he cared the most about. the two people hed grown closest to, His wife and son.