Memory of Devotion- Book 2

41

CHAPTER FORTY ONE|| ALEXANDRIA

Alex picked at the skin around her nail as she sat beside Eli in one of the cars Aaron had brought to take the group back to his community. She sat in the middle, wedged between Aaron and Eli while Glenn and Rick sat in the front. the air that surrounded the car was consumed with tension as they'd agreed to head toward Aaron's community. 

Alex stayed silent throughout the drive, her eyes occasionally meeting Eli's as his hand patted her knee pulling her from her thoughts, knowing her well enough to know not to let her thoughts take over while they headed toward possible danger. Alex was pulled from her thoughts again, this time not by  Eli's reassurances but by a soft clanging coming from the passenger seat as Rick investigated the glove box. 

Peering over the passenger seat as well As her uncle's shoulder, Alex saw the dozen number plates in his hand: Texas, Wisconsin. Each plate rick pulled from under another had a different state. Alex's eyebrows furrowed as she turned to look at the man sat beside her as he quickly went to defend himself: "I'm trying to collect all 50 states. put them all on a wall in my house."

"Jesus Christ" Alex sighed, god the man really did talk too much. Pinching the bridge  of her nose she Diverted her gaze back to Eli, whose brows were also furrowed at the man's statement:  "You have your own house?"

"Mm. See for yourself." Aaron nodded toward the bag that laid on the floor by Eli and Alex's feet. His response to Eli's question made the blonde man reach for the envelope of photos sticking out of the bag. Alex watched as her best friend pulled the photos from the envelop, flicking through them left the pair in shock.

Houses. Walls. A real community. Alex's eyes met Eli's wide ones as the blonde took a double take at the photos. the hope and positivity that flowed through Eli's veins showing once again as a smile tugged at his lips. Yet Alex wasn't convinced. Anxiety spiralled through her stomach more violently than it ever had in the face of danger. Because this time it wasn't just danger, it was danger she was walking her family into...

"don't get your hopes up Lee" Alex sighed resting a hand on Eli's forearm causing the man's eyes to meet hers once again. But he shook his head, the thing was; Eli wasn't stupid, Alex knew that. But Eli Moore was one of the most level-headed, sweetest people Alex had ever met. He, Aswell was Glenn were the type of people that made the world a better place by just being in it. And well that came with The unwavering Kindness and soul innocence that Alex found unnerving. 

"If you give up on hope there's nothing left to fight for Lex. We need to have hope."Eli's words rang through Alex's mind as she glanced back down to the photos in Eli's hand, and her mind couldn't help but wonder as her eyes found Glenn who drove the car down Route 16. Glenn, the hope of a future with him was what had kept her going. So maybe she wasn't as cold-hearted as she thought. 

But As Alex's eyes found the photos again her heart stopped. Like a flick of a switch anxiety flooded her stomach in seconds as she took the photos from Eli's hands flickering through them once again. No one. Not a single person in any photo: "Rick? did you ask him the questions?" 

"No" Rick muttered barely turning his head toward his niece, The tension in the air grew thicker with every breath that was taken as Alex's eyes found Aarons a sense of dread trickling its way through Alex's bones. She needed to know, They needed to know. so she asked her voice stern as ever: "How many walkers have you killed?"

"I'm sorry what?" Aaron stared blankly at Alex, the look of confusion on his face only growing with every second that passed while alex waited for an answer. a proper answer. the tone of his voice changing again as he answered: "I don't know, a lot"