CHAPTER THREE|| STARTING A LIFE

—————————————————————————

Rick kicked open the door of the abandoned house, sending it flying off its hinges and falling to the floor. A walker lunged forward, but Rick was too Fast. A bullet ripped through its skull, sending the creature tumbling to the floor in a heap. Rick's reaction time was growing faster by the day. Without hesitation, He charged inside, with Alex, T-Dog, and Daryl following close behind. They split up, each one searching for supplies. Every corner of the house was a potential danger, and they knew it. Alex followed Daryl deeper into the house, her gun raised and ready for anything. They cleared each room. The tension was palpable, and the sound of their footsteps echoed through the empty house.

a creaking floorboard caught Alex's attention. her heart racing. She turned towards the sound, her gun raised and ready to fire. The noise came from behind a closed door. Alex signalled for Daryl to open it. He did, revealing Rick on the other side. Alex sighed relief flooding through her veins, lowering her gun as Daryl grunted.

The 4 of them searched the kitchen as Glenn and Maggie came in through the back door, Glenn wielding a shovel. The two made eye contact as he entered the room. Daryl split off with T-Dog to search upstairs once Glenn and Maggie joined. Glenn's eyes fell on his leader's niece as she searched a cupboard he approached her shovel in one hand.

"Any walkers?" Glenn asked as he searched the cupboard next to Alex, glancing down at her as he sighed, seeing the empty cupboard. no food. what a surprise...  all morning they'd been searching and had only come up with a handful of supplies.

"A few," she answered, closing the door of another empty cupboard. Walking back through the house Alex and Glenn saw Daryl walking back down the stairs a smug look on his face as he plucked the feathers from a dead bird in his hand.

"We could set up camp here for the night," Alex suggested. Looking around, it looked a lot more secure than sleeping in the forest again. Rick looked at his niece and nodded in agreement. One night in a town wouldn't hurt, the comfort of a house could help... help everyone rest easier than on the road... 

Alex and Glenn then reached for the walkers, one on each side, Glenn held the Walker's shoulders, and Alex held its feet as they Carried it to the side, their muscles flexing as they manage to move the dead weight of the walker's body so the rest of the group could make their way inside... Rick went outside, signalling for the rest of the group to join them and enter the house. it was safe.

Alex followed as the rest of the group made their way into the living room of the house, Alex sat on the couch resting for a moment as everyone settled in the room. Glenn searched through his bag, finding a small snack he'd found in the house they raided before. He took a bite and joined Alex on the couch. He went to hand the small breakfast bar to Alex, but she shook her head, declining his offer.

"Please," she thought, his generosity was overwhelming. He didn't know her, he had no idea what kind of person she was.

Despite her reservations, Alex accepted the breakfast bar and took a bite, watching as Carl joined them on the floor. Her mind wandered to Glenn's kindness and what he might be expecting in return. Alex observed as her cousin pulled a can from his pocket, and she leaned in to get a closer look as he opened it unsure of what her cousin was about to indulge in.

In the process, she found herself leaning against Glenn, feeling his warmth, their arms touching as she tried to get a closer look at what was in her cousin's hands when she noticed the Can was dog food. Rick was already approaching his son. taking the can from Carl and throwing it into the fireplace, the loud clang startling a few members of the group. Rick's frustration was visible. 

His heart ached for his family, worry for his wife consumed him, they were all too aware of the chances of survival for a baby out in this world, crying every hour. the world was dangerous enough without something screaming that would attract walkers.

Alex's eyes shifted from her cousin, meeting Glenn's kind browneyes, their arms touching from where she had been leaning against him to look at Carl. Glenn looked over at Alex, his heart racing as their eyes met. He stared into her blue eyes, full of curiosity and wonder, as Alex's breath caught in her throat, the tension between them rising as she noticed how his eyes flickered over her face.  

"Pst!" T-Dog's urgent whisper broke the tension. Alex jumped up, clearing her throat as her cheeks turned a pale shade of red. the rest of the group followed Daryl and Rick out the back of the house, a wave of walkers approaching. They ran back to the cars, in order to escape the herd approaching the house, hearts raced as they rushed out of the building toward the cars. Glenn opened the trunk of the car so everyone could quickly discard their belongings before he closed it running around the car.

Glenn jumped into the driver's side, while Alex took the passenger's seat. Hershel and Maggie got in the back as Glenn pressed his foot down, following the truck and Daryl's motorcycle in front. A few walkers followed the cars, as the group drove off. back on the move again, nothing seemed to work... walkers around every corner. Glenn's foot flat to the floor as he pressed the gas down following the truck and motorcycle ahead of them Alex watched the walkers got smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror.

Alex glanced over at Glenn, watching as he drove, his eyes fixated on the road ahead of them. She looked out the back window to double-check, then turned back to the front. Hershel and Maggie's conversation was drowned out by her own thoughts, and she rested her head on the headrest, staying silent as they drove momentarily closing her eyes as the sound of the engine relaxed her for a moment.

As they hit a main road, Rick honked the horn of the truck, signalling for everyone to pull over. Alex, gun in hand, stepped out of the car, and Glenn followed suit. The group gathered around Rick to discuss their next move. Alex turned to her Uncle, hoping he had a better plan to keep them safe for a little while longer. 

Her mind wandered to the events that led to her being alone. She couldn't save him, but she had to find a way to save the others. She thought back to the moment she realized she was truly alone. The weight of that realization had felt like a physical blow. She had to rely on herself. while dealing with the violent grief that came with those losses. she couldn't let that happen again. 

Alex's Uncle looked at her, she could see the worry in his eyes. She knew he was just as scared as she was. They had to keep moving forward, no matter how hard it was. They couldn't give up, not when there was still a chance to have a life, there had to be, for that baby. 

T-Dog voiced his opinion, "We got nowhere else to go," causing Alex to scoff, at the man's comment, shaking her head she listened as Daryl spoke up.

Daryl questioned, "What did you say? About 150 ahead?" as Maggie laid out a map on the hood of Glenn's car. Alex turned her head, seeing Glenn standing right next to her, his eyes glued to Daryl as they began discussing a plan.

"That was last week. It could be twice that by now," Glenn answered. Alex sighed, leaning forward on the hood of the car to get a closer look at the map. Glenn stood beside her, his leg only millimetres from hers. alex looked down at the map Maggie had laid out, her eyes darting over the places they'd already been to before she showed up. the map also showed the two herds of walkers they knew of. She knew they had to be careful, or they could end up in a worse situation than before. 

"Once we're there push west. We can't keep going house to house, sleeping in the woods. need to find someplace to hold up for a few weeks" Rick explained, Alex nodded a sigh escaping her lips as she stood up straight, the motion causing her to back up straight into Glenn.

"sorry-" he muttered quietly a panicked tone of voice as he backed up, his eyes wide as she turned to look at him.

"you're good" she nodded brushing it off and trying to forget about the close proximity between her and Glenn throughout the day. shaking her head she walked back around the car, noticing the rest of the group heading down to the creek to fill up their bottles, Alex listened in on what seemed to be a serious situation Rick and Hershel were having about Lori.

"hey. while the others are washin their panties let's go huntin'" Daryl scoffed loading his crossbow looking between the uncle and niece, Alex smirked nodding eagerly wanting to do something that could actually help the group. walking back over to the car she grabbed her rifle before following Daryl and Rick into the forest.

"so Eli huh? you were with him?" Rick questioned as Alex walked between her uncle and Daryl, rifle firmly in her grip. The mention of his name made her breath hitch as a familiar sense of grief washed over her. 

"uh yeah... we were together from the beginning" Alex nodded her chest constricting as memories of her best friend filled her mind,  the guilt over his death consumed her. not one day had passed the feeling hadn't eaten away at her, it was constant.

"I'm sorry Lex..." Ricks's voice softened as he gave his niece his condolences his hand going to her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her, he knew how important Eli was.. he knew the effects Eli not being here would have on the young brunette. Alex nodded appreciating the fact she was lucky enough to be alive, lucky enough to have found her uncle. but that didn't distract from the guilt she felt for being the one to survive... the past cannot be changed, forgotten, edited or erased. I'm so sorry I couldnt save you

 As they followed the train track Daryl stopped in his tracks in front of Alex, making her stop and look up. following his glance she caught sight of a prison... her breath hitched in her throat as she saw the fences.. the walls... Rick topped beside her. Their eyes fixated on the prison and the walkers that roamed behind the fences.

"holy shit" she muttered in disbelief, her eyes glued to the fences and walkers, as Rick took a step closer trying to get a better look... could this be it?

"that's a damn shame" Daryl scoffed examining the scene before them,  his crossbow lowered in his hand as they examined the prison in shock.

"ain't no shame we got that"