CHAPTER NINE || UNRAVELS

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"Alex I found some canned soups in that house earlier" Sam stated chucking Alex a can of vegetable soup, cold soup. Another delicacy they had become used to living in what the world had become, she caught the can her sad eyes examining it, she'd rather go hungry. her appetite had almost completely diminished, her brain rushing 100mph thinking about her family, the thought of food hadn't even crossed her mind.

"eat. you need the energy" Sam ordered, Alex sighed pulling a pocket knife from her bag and pierced the can as she began opening it. Her thoughts still glued on her family. two days had now passed with no sign of them, Just walking, Searching. Collecting what supplies they could. she couldn't even think of a place they would go. 

The pair had found enough food to last them a few days, Batteries for flashlights, Ammo, enough stuff to keep them alive for at least a few days. Alex sat against a tree as she brought the open can to her lips, The cold soup invading her mouth as she forced herself to swallow. she couldn't do this, this aimless searching. without knowing where they would go it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. she'd defied the odds of finding her uncle before... she wasn't sure she could do it again. 

Sam threw the empty can of soup he just finished into the abyss of the forest, wiping his hands on the material of his trousers as he sighed, Another night in the unforgiving world with little to no protection a few miles from the prison... for all they knew they could be going in the completely wrong direction.  Alex slowly sipped at the soup, forcing herself to swallow despite how the thick liquid made her want to heave, She watched as Sam got up, a thin layer of dirt and sweat covering his skin as he pulled a small box of matches from his bag trying to light a fire as the sunlight faded.

Sighing she looked down at the soup, Her mind drifting to her cousins. Judith, Carl. Her mind wondering to if Judith was on that bus with Glenn, If they were together If they were Alive. If Daryl had Carl... she pinched the bridge of her nose wanting her mind to rest for a moment. She was drowning again and so desperately needed that one last gasp of air before the burning in your lungs becomes unbearable and you suck in the water. 

eating the rest of the soup she threw the empty can into the woods, taking off her jacket she scrunched it up into a ball laying it on the floor, before she laid down. staring up at the stars she hoped Glenn was doing the same. they were under the same stars. if he was even alive... but she couldn't even bare to think about that even being a possibility. 

"I say we head north tomorrow... I think that's where Glenn and Rick would've gone... maybe" Alex huffed, a dull pain in her back making her shift against the floor, her dirtied white tank top and the cold floor only making that pain worse, yet she didn't mind it, it distracted from the excruciating thoughts in her mind. 

"yeah okay.." Sam sighed his rifle in hand as he leant against the tree, his night on watch. yet Alex had barely slept, it was a constant battle in her mind. constantly thinking the worst. sleep wasn't something that felt possible when she wasn't sure if the people she loved the most were even alive. her mind lingered to the things people say about loss and grief; ' they're looking down on you' 'trust god he'll help you' yet her idea of help from above was a sniper on a rooftop.

She laid consumed by her thoughts of Glenn and her family until her eyes were burning and refused to stay open until her body stopped fighting against sleep and gave in. But sleep wasn't even an escape, her dreams were haunted by the people she'd lost, and the people she wasn't sure if she'd lost. 

**

The sound of Twigs snapping Along with rustling woke Alex from her slumber, Her eyes sprung open to see three dirty distasteful-looking men, her head shot up anxiety immediately consuming her body. they were not from the prison,  the looks on their faces one of hatred as they went through Her bag. Her head swung toward Sam. A knife pressed against his throat. Panic rushed through her veins. Alex automatically reached for her weapon. her heart began to race.

From when she opened her eyes it only took a second for her to jump to her, aiming her gun at the man holding Sam. Sam's panicked expression filled her with concern yet he Shook his head as if to say 'it's not worth it' But it was. it was to her. She couldn't lose anyone else and she definitely couldn't be alone again.  how many things could go wrong in less than a week?

"let him go! Leave my shit where it is" She ordered, her voice was stern. laced with anger. As all 4 men stared at her, The look of hatred on their faces only growing with every passing second. her words making a Chuckle leave one of their lips, she recognised the look in his eye. it was the exact same look the governor had, and that look was enough for her to know she couldn't hesitate with these guys. 

"awfully cocky for a woman" One man spoke, a thick beard covering half of his face as a chuckle escaped his lips. He presented himself as if he was the leader, Making Alex switch her aim to him, her finger hovering over the trigger. He passed Alex's bag to the man next to him as he held his gun tightly trying to match Alex's Actions, but he didn't raise it. he didn't think she had the guts, she was a woman after all. 

"I could kill all three of you before he even has the chance to stand. skills like that do wonders for self-confidence" Alex warned through gritted teeth, Her eyes flickered back to Sam. His jaw clenched tight his he held his head back in an attempt to put space between him and the knife. his heart pounding violently against his chest as his eyes remained glued to Alex. 

"I doubt that honey... it's a man's world now" He chuckled, His dark eyes Glued to her body, darting down her frame the same way the governor's had and it sent a shiver down her spine as held her Gun tightly aiming it in his direction, She knew she could easily Kill the three men in front of her, Yet she couldn't Risk Sam's Life. she was fast, but she wasn't that fast. 

Her jaw Clenched. his malicious words making her blood run cold. She looked between the Gun pointed at her and the Knife held to Sam's throat. her heart pounding against her rib cage, as she tightened her grip around the gun. The look in the leader's eyes, made her stomach turn, she wasn't gonna make the same mistake she had done with Merle. She wouldn't hesitate. 

"touch him and i'll kill you." Her voice was completely monotone. Emotionless. maybe it was an act maybe it was how she truly felt. She watched as the Older man's bushy eyebrows screwed up. Anger flowed through her veins. Her eyes darkened As she focused in on his movements. Sam stared up at Alex. His eyes glued to her as the three men surrounding her took a  step too close to her... The way they presented themselves, The dark looks in their eyes. Dread flooded his stomach as he shared a look with Alex, Automatically knowing what to do. what she'd trained him to do. 

Alex focused in on the man who seemed to be the leader, The only one who spoke. the others stayed silent. watching. as if a tiger stalking its prey. The look Sam and Alex had Shared one of pure understanding. She took a breath. Her grip on the pistol tightening. and she pulled the trigger. Not once, Not twice, not three times. but four.

It all happened so fast. Sam gripped the wrist of the man who had the knife to his throat. Throwing his head back. His head connected with the man's nose, a grunt of pain leaving the man's lips As sam pushed the knife away from his Neck. Alex Shot The three men in-front of her. bullets ripping through their Flesh sending their bodies to the floor.

Alex turned seeing Sam Jump to his feet As the man attempted to Tackle him, Another bullet flew through the air. The bullet tore through his shoulder sending him to the floor, A shriek of Pain leaving his lips. As Sam's eyes widened his glance darting between the man and Alex as a smile tugged at his lips. he was amazed they actually pulled that off. 

"Holy shit.." Sam panted catching his breath, His heart Racing. He looked over at Alex in disbelief at how Fast she'd managed to shoot them. Alex's Expression was one of nothing, The blank emotionless look on her face said all that was needed as she looked down at the bodies that surrounded them. She silently tucked her gun back into her waistband as she picked up her bag from next to One of their bodies. She had a switch. She could go from feeling everything to nothing in seconds. Something she learnt in the military. It was handy... when she had control of it. and it didn't work for all emotions despite how much she wished it did. 

"We need to go. Gunshots will draw walkers" Her blunt voice concerned Sam as Alex reached to grab her Jacket. The sun barely beginning to rise, as they ventured off into the darkness. a mutual silence of disbelief between them things could truly go completely wrong in less than a week. 

**

Alex was never one for strong emotions, Yet that's all she seemed to really feel. anger, grief, dread. Those feelings lingered in her body. brewing through her veins. The only people who made her feel Anything else were nowhere to be found. Her soul rested in Glenn's hands, yet he was nowhere near. if he was even alive. 

Alex and Sam walked, Silence lingered as the reality of what had happened sunk in. Four people. She killed Four people. It wasn't new to Alex, Her hands were scarred with murder. Even before. She was a sniper, That comes with a price. Yet before everything was so black and white. Her. and the enemy. Now everything seemed grey.  was she right? Was she wrong? maybe they just needed supplies, but that look, the look she saw in his eyes made her sick, she knew it all too well.

after everything maybe she didn't deserve a break from the pain and this was some fucked up hell she was forced to live in laced with grief and despair that haunted her like ghosts, never giving her a chance to breathe, yet she hoped if her family was out there they hadn't ran into anyone like those men. 

As the sun finally made an appearance the silence remained, Each part of the forest they'd walked through almost looked identical, it was like there was no escape aside from the trail they were following, if it would even lead them to anywhere worth it, if it would even lead them to survivors. yet she knew they were going north. Follow the railway north... 

and somehow in some warped version of reality, she had faith that maybe she would actually find them, or was that just Eli and Glenn's voices merging together in the back of her mind. 

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