Remnants (Sequel to "The Ruined Path")

Alexandria and More

-Riley-

The past 12 hours had been sheer bliss - I had slept in the most peaceful fashion I could recall since before the apocalypse even began.

It pained me to wake up this morning, but I knew the day would prove to be an interesting one, with our journey to the Alexandria safe zone hopefully proving prosperous and beneficial, not to mention interesting - it was the prime conversation in the canteen yesterday.

The gloom of the overcast weather outside hadn't relented, but with any luck the events of today would cast a brighter light on my life, which appeared to be miraculously improving over the course of this week.

I sat resting against the window of a large Land Rover, which Negan had 'modified' to feature large sharp metal poles attached to the front and barbed wire wrapped around the sides. 

The car, which looked like something out of a particularly twisted destruction derby - was certainly an intimidating sight, but I was grateful for any shelter from the torrent of rainfall that surged down outside.

Rain was much more pleasant to watch from shelter than it was to stand in, so I took this moment as an ideal opportunity to gaze off and watch peacefully as the beauty of the countryside - albeit populated with the occasional walker - passed by. I had traversed several beautiful landscapes in the last few years, but I had been too busy trying to survive to capture their beauty.

Sights like those reminded us that world hadn't truly ended yet - we needed more of them in our lives. They gave us hope, and that was few and far between in this cruel, wicked world.

Negan sat beside me, cursing occasionally at the car's condition, which had clearly deteriorated in the past few years. 

"So Riley," he broke the long silence, "we've got about half an hour to go 'till we get to Alexandria. How about we... talk about each other's stories?" 

The last time I talked about my past to someone, I was rewarded with my first kiss... 

Not that I want a similar thing to happen here, obviously.

It seemed so long ago now - my first kiss - but it was only 15 weeks ago. Clearly a lot can happen in that time, and I'd do anything to go back; but I simply can't.

I've already told my story once, and I longer cared about emotion enough to fear telling it.

"Okay," I complied bluntly, swallowing hard as I began my long, painful story.

---

A few tears had sidled down my cheek, but other than that I was unaffected by my tale. 

A war was raging inside me - a war of emotions. Grief, hatred, regret, guilt... love. 

It was true - Carl may have exiled me from his group; cast me out into the wilderness with no care for my ultimate fate, but that surprisingly didn't alter my feeling towards him.

The worst part was, it projected a whole array of emotions into my already troubled mind. All of these feelings were battling to become dominant, and until one of them did, I was rendered utterly perplexed and disorientated by my own mentality.

"Well Riley," Negan sighed, once again interrupting the complex web of thoughts swirling around my head, "I'm proud of you."

I stopped my gaze out of the window to face him with an expression of confusion, and he elaborated upon noticing my reaction: "not many people would've found the strength to keep on going after what you've been through. It's the most horrible feeling in the world to loose something you've worked so hard to get perfectly right, especially in times such as these... So yeah, I'm proud of you."

I smiled at his praise, in spite of the fact that it was quite misguided (I had almost begged for death after the demise of my parents, and even more so after I was forced away from Carl) and at that moment, the rattling of the Land Rover came to an abrupt halt.

We had arrived at Alexandria...

---

I walked beside Negan as we approached the gates of Alexandria, which towered even higher than those back at the Saviors' factory. We were accompanied by three armed soldiers, who stood formidably around us.

They clearly disliked the prospect of protecting a child such as myself, but Negan was clearly able to strike fear into his men if they disobeyed him, so they tried their hardest not to let their distaste show.

Two of the guards were armed with pistols, and the other with a rifle, and as we neared the gate I noticed that the two men stood atop it were armed with machine guns.

We could easily be gunned down if they felt like it, but the Saviors clearly have more weapons overall, and they could be used to devastating effect against the 'Alexandrians'  if they chose to start a war.

"Are you the leader of the Saviors?" the first and most muscular guard inquired over a loudspeaker.

Negan smirked to himself, responding not with words, but instead motioning back to the Land Rover we had arrived in, which had the word 'Saviors' painted onto the bonnet. 

"That didn't answer the question!" the guard responded in a growl, which sounded almost comical when amplified by the loudspeaker, but his facial expression was anything but comical. He looked as though he was almost begging for an excuse to open fire on us.

"Yes we are!" Negan bellowed up in response.

I had chosen to stand very close to Negan to give me a sense of protection, but his booming voice pained my ears and he yelled so loud that I took the liberty of gradually stepping a few paces to the side.

Almost reluctantly, the other guard began operating a control panel, and the gate gradually retracted to reveal an awesome sight. 

The town that was concealed behind these wars was utterly beautiful - it looked as though you could almost forget about the apocalypse inside that stunning place.

I instantly identified the stark contrast between the two communities that were in question here: Negan's stronghold - a powerful, superior fortress - was built to endure the apocalypse, but the Alexandria safe zone - this calm, serene, peaceful town - was made to almost contradict it.

In a sense, these two places couldn't more different, but regardless of their approach to survival, it had certainly worked, which was definitely no mean feat. 

We commenced a steady, casual walk into the town, with our three bodyguards forming a triangle-like formation around us, patrolled constantly by a group of four Alexandria guards.

We passed several families as we walked down what appeared to the main road. They were engaged in trivial activities; children playing tag, a couple embracing one another, a group of several friends joking with one another.

This really does a good job of reminding you --- hold on...

My thoughts were cut off by a glance at a figure that I fought to disbelieve. My glance then became a stare - a gaze of denial, as I gawped at this particular sight, that shocked me more than I could have possibly imagined. 

No... No way... This is impossible...

Carl Grimes!?!

---

Hallelujah! 

This must be exciting for you all - it sure was for me! 

For those who play the Walking Dead game (the good one!) try to remember how excited you were when you discovered Kenny had survived Season 1? Riley feels the same emotions right now ;)

Things might not go as you expect though, so be ready for many a plot twist in the upcoming chapters! 

I may not upload a chapter tomorrow, but the next day I definitely will - I can't keep all of us waiting for too long, can I ;)