Haunted | Daryl Dixon

38. Years in the Making

The crash that followed the fall of the tower was deafening, but the silence that came after was louder.

There was a thick smoke that settled where the building had destroyed the gate, leaving a gaping hole in the wall.

A dead silence settled over Alexandria as a whole for a total of fifteen seconds before it started. Before the walkers began stumbling their way into the once gated community.

Terror seized Evelyn's heart as her hand flew to the gun in her waist band and she had it grasped tightly in seconds.

She barely had time to blink before dozens of walkers filled her vision, all staggering in different directions, but a couple of them caught sight of her standing there and began to veer her way.

Evelyn felt her throat squeeze shut, but she didn't let herself dwell on the ever growing panic as she raised her gun, hands steady despite everything, and shot the closest one in the head. And then the one behind that. And then the other one.

It seemed like an endless cycle, shooting one just for three more to take its place, though it didn't take long before the woman tried to shoot and no bullets came out.

"Shit," She cursed, shoving her gun back into her waistband and pulling out the dagger she always kept in her boot.

Just as she went to surge forward and take on as many as she could, automatic gunfire erupted from the side, killing off at least seven of the walkers closest to her.

"Ev!" Jordan screamed from over the growls of the dead, rushing over to her, holding a large gun she hadn't even noticed he had, his eyes wide, "We have to go."

She figured there were more important things to worry about in that moment than correcting him on the nickname once more, though she did shake off his hand when he tried to grab her elbow and guide her with him.

The man also seemingly came to the conclusion that it wasn't the time to comment on petty things like that, because though he pursed his lips, neither of them faltered as they took off running.

"There's too many of them!" He stated the obvious as they barreled side by side through the community now filled with more walkers than anyone could care to count, "We can't take them all!"

Evelyn's eyes were sweeping back and forth, watching as the people of Alexandria hurriedly locked themselves and their families into their homes, many screaming and crying as they did so.

"E!" The all too familiar voice had both of the runners' heads snapping to the left.

Caspian and Daniel stood on the former's porch, both frantically trying to wave the two over, guns in hand.

Finn was also somehow miraculously standing behind them, the young boy's eyes wide with fear.

That's all it took for Evelyn and Jordan to fly across the road and up the porch, slowing only when everyone had reached the inside of Caspians house.

The black haired man all but slammed the door closed before locking it.

"Quick, get the blinds!" He ordered, though he kept his voice low.

Danny, Evelyn, and Finn wasted no time doing just that while the owner of the house enlisted in Jordan's help pushing a heavy bureau in front of the door, blocking off access to getting both in and out.

All five people were breathing heavily by the time both tasks were done, and they all stood in silence for a moment.

"You guys okay?" Wright asked, looking around to the three she hadn't been with.