𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔽𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 | Daryl Dixon

61 | WELCOME TO ALEXANDRIA

The sunrise cast its warm golden hews across the ground as the vehicles crawled up the inclining road, leading up to the high gates Aaron had promised them. The RV's engine switched off when Abraham turned the key, looking unsurely back at the rest of the group. They all slowly stood, etching their way to the door, weapons in their hands. Even Tori, who had Halley sat on her hip, used her free hand to cling to her pistol.

After being cramped up in the RV overnight, stepping out was a relief, feeling like she could breathe fresh air again. But everyone was too tense, too nervous, to relax. The walls and their gates were daunting, tall enough to feel trapping. Tori looked up at the metal slabs, once grey, now patchy with red rust.

A sign hung high above, nailed to the steel.

WELCOME TO ALEXANDRIA

Aaron helped his partner, Eric, limp out of the RV. The group had rescued him on their journey to this place, after making a detour to dodge a herd which had taken over the road they'd been following. His ankle was hurt, but he'd be okay. Tori had looked at it herself.

"It's not broken," she told Eric, using her fingertips to feel around his ankle. "But it's definitely a bad sprain. You'll wanna be off your feet for a while. In a perfect world, I'd suggest painkillers."

"We'll talk to Pete when we get home, he'll have something," Aaron smiled, squeezing his boyfriend's hand.

Eric nodded, smiling at Tori. "You got a good bedside manner. You a doctor?"

"No, I just learned a few things at the start of all this," she replied with a sad smile. "From a... an old friend. A veterinarian. Taught me everything I know. Him and a load of textbooks."

"That's good stuff to know," Aaron pointed out kindly. "Not enough doctors in this world to go around. If your people choose to stay, I think you'd fit into our community well."

His tone was comforting, yet his words sent an uneasy shiver down her spine. It felt like, once she stepped through these gates, there'd be no leaving. Like the choice to stay would be one she'd live with forever, no matter what happened on the inside. It felt like signing a contract, like once her name was scribbled in messy ink, there was no tearing up the page. No going back. No getting out.

The only positive so far was the lack of silence. Within the walls of the camp, she could hear people. Voices talking, kids laughing and playing. Birds sang happily in the trees surrounding them, complete opposites of the sharp screeches of starving crows that would wake her every night, and startle her at least once every day.

The barred gate pulled open, a shadowy figure standing behind the fabric that lined the chain-link. When that one was opened too, a man with curly hair stood there with a confused frown, a little fear behind his eyes at the sight of so many strangers with guns.

Aaron and Eric went straight through, with Eric being passed off to a woman, who led him away. Meanwhile, the group stayed stood on the outside of the gates, weapons in their hands, fearless glares in their eyes.

Before a word could be uttered, a sharp metal clank stabbed through the silence like a blade. Each of their weapons were aimed at the fallen metal trashcan before the echo had even died out. Daryl was the only one to pull the trigger, his bolt impaling the wild possum as it squealed.

He picked it up by its tail, blood dripping from the hole after he pulled out the bolt. "We brought dinner."

The man on the gate gave him a disgusted look, opening his mouth to speak.

"It's okay," Aaron cut in first, giving a gentle nod to the group. "Come on in, guys."

It took a few seconds before they complied. Rick went ahead, his Colt Python gripped in his hand whilst Judith curled up in his arms, her head turning to look up at her father for comfort. The others only moved when he did, and stopped when he stopped.