Serpents of ambiguity tightened around Alexandra's throat as she ventured from place to place and ransacked whatever house she could. She relished the silence, witnessing devastation gradually plague the civilization she took for granted.
Panting after hastily escaping a crowd of the infected, she picked the lock of a home after glimpsing through the windows. She held tightly onto her gun, clearing the area of walkers.
Instead of being greeted with a wave of alleviation, her eyes widened with shock. Breathing heavily, an unknown woman was sitting on the floor behind the kitchen counter. She looked up, her relieved eyes meeting Alexandra's cold ones.
Sweat trickled down the side of her face, her sleeve drenched in her own blood. A large bite mark decorated her shoulder. Analyzing the injured woman, Alexandra's surprise strengthened when she saw the sleeping baby in her hands.
"Please." the woman begged. Her blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail and her face was adorned with freckles. She used what little power she had left to speak. "Protect my daughter."
Uncertainty thundering through her veins, Alexandra pursed her lips. There was nothing she could do to save the mother, but she could deliver her comfort by guaranteeing her daughter's safety.
Alexandra nodded, carefully taking the baby from their mother's arms. "What's her name?"
"Katherine Bowman." the woman answered, smiling weakly as she glanced at her baby. She didn't want to leave her unprotected. "Tell her I love her every day. Please. She needs — Kat needs to know that I tried. I really tried."
Detecting the sorrow in the mother's brown eyes, Alex nodded. "She'll know. She always will. What's your name?"
The woman whispered, "Dalia. My name is Dalia." Struggling to breathe, the mother felt her demise nearing and got one last glimpse at her baby, somehow knowing that Alex would protect Kat no matter what. She raided the home as planned, taking food, baby supplies, and a photo album so Katherine would know what her family looked like.
That was how Katherine ended up in the arms of Alexandra Wheeler, a woman who would do anything to give her the world. That was how Alex recovered the perseverance to live, no longer concentrating on her own misery and persecuting recollections.
▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎▂︎
𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞𝗦𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗥
The sight of an abandoned quarry brought a smile to Alex's face. The amber rays had been ruthlessly raining down upon her. Napping in her arms, Katherine snored gently. Alex set down a backpack loaded with baby supplies onto the shore, her limbs aching. She ignored her blurry vision.
Breathing in deeply, she made sure her gun was close, refusing to let her guard down. That was how people got killed. Footsteps caused her head to perk up and point her firearm. Her brows furrowed at the sight of another human, undamaged and looking straight at her.
Since it wasn't a walker, she lowered the gun, exhaustion threatening to take over. "What's your name?" the man asked, his eyes examining the girl with concern.
The man took a step toward her, and Alex raised her gun again, warning him to keep his distance. She was still aware of the atrocities committed by humans, not blinded by her fear of walkers. "Sorry, sorry." He took a step back. He could see the weariness in her eyes, wondering when was the last time she got some sleep. Despite her conspicuous fatigue, he knew she would fight him if she saw him as a threat. "My name's Glenn."
Katherine awoke, snatching Glenn's attention. Almost as if he hadn't seen a baby in a while, he smiled, even with the gun pointed at him. "What's her name?"
"Katherine," Alex replied.
"What's yours?" Glenn asked again, more hopeful.
Debating whether or not the man could help her, she sighed. "Alexandra."
That was how Alexandra met Glenn, pointing a gun and ready to shoot if necessary. That marked the day of an unlikely friendship and the day that Alex finally got some sleep.
