When The Camellia Wilts | The Walking Dead Fanfiction

The Mourning

"To have had a brother is to have experienced a very special gift." 

- Unknown 

Dread hung in the air like a wet laundry. 

It was them against the world. The governor and his army, the horde of walkers outside, hunger, and their own bodies. Aliya haven't been sleeping at all, spending her nights on the watchtower keeping a close eye on the elements of the night. She could easily be mistaken for one of the walkers outside. 

Today's agenda was to go out onto the field and plant traps. 'To make it hard for them to escape', as Michonne has said. So here Aliya was, banging a plastic lid against a ladle and screaming profanities at an empty-minded walker. The veins in her neck protruded angrily as she poured all her frustrations out. 

She was so into making noises that she didn't even realise that all of the walkers were coming towards her more than the two. Maggie and Carl exchanged a subtle glance before staring at Aliya. This was the most energetic they have seen her. 

Maggie's lips turned to a worried frown when Aliya suddenly dropped the lid and ladle and stared a walker down, staring at its eyes. "Hey!" she called out to her loudly. Aliya blinked rapidly before looking back at them. Maggie tapped Carl on his shoulders, "Come on!" she waved at her. 

Aliya smiled tightly before crouching down to retrieve the fallen lid and ladle. She chuckled and bumped her shoulder against Maggie's before ruffling Carl's hair. "Wasn't that fun?" she asked rhetorically. Carl snorted, "I thought your veins was gonna pop." he pointed at her neck. She wiped at it, like it was gonna get erased. 

They were then met by Rick and the others near the buildings. She gave them a polite smile and exchanged a nod of greeting with Daryl. The group silently made their way inside prison walls while Daryl slowed his strides to sync with Aliya, and Aliya quickened her pace to meet him halfway. 

An unconscious move on both parties. 

If there was one thing that they had in common, it was their love for silence. Daryl and Aliya walked side by side wordlessly and they separated ways in the same manner. She watched Daryl as he made his way towards Glenn who was fixing a rusted gate. A sigh came out of her nose as she thought about the unresolved argument that she had with Glenn. 

They haven't had the chance to talk at all, and they most likely won't have the chance to anymore. which just proved to be harmful towards their already rocky relationship. She begrudgingly made her way inside the prison, leaving the two to talk amongst themselves. 

She's glad that Daryl is making the effort to reach out to him. Attempting to squash whatever is hindering their productive relationship. 

Squinting under the hot sun, Daryl's eyes followed Aliya's retreating figure as she made her way into the prison halls. Once she was completely out of sight, he cleared his throat to get his attention. "Seen Merle 'round?" he looked at Glenn's stern and cold face. Glenn's head pulsed at the mention of Merle's name. He slowly turned to look at him, anger crawling its way up from his toes.