Deadland

Chapter 106- Belt Buckle

(TW!! Mentions of suicide!!)

(Adrian Walsh's POV:)

It's been about six years since Rick went missing. Alyssa and Inejra are both twenty-two years old; Damien and Cato are still together, and Daryl and I are still not. Damien and Cato moved back to the Hilltop maybe four years ago. Once they realized Alyssa, Inejra, and I were okay they said they felt better there and moved back.

I'm covered head to toe to in tattoos, a few weeks ago my tattoo gun ran out of its spare ink so that was unfortunate for Alyssa and me. Alyssa still wears her red hat and necklace everywhere and acts like if she takes them off, the world is going to implode.

Daryl's been looking for Rick every day since he's been gone, I've seen him maybe three times since he brought Alyssa back to me after that bitch Jocelyn branded her. 

Negan's still locked up and I see him occasionally. I've managed to keep my promise and never get that close to ending things like that. Plus, I don't really feel like I have to anymore. 

I'm still not Adrian per se, but I've got Alyssa. Ezekiel, Damien, Cato, Inejra, and Tara of course, but mainly Alyssa. She and I've been there for each other for both of our grief and healing process. 

Alyssa's still Alyssa, but she's twenty so she's not bubbly, jumpy, and giggly anymore- at least to that extent. 

I can't even tell you the last time she ate meat, I do however know that it was before Rick went missing. 

Inejra's still Inejra. She cusses four times in a three-word sentence and says she doesn't actually think of Gabriel as her father but every single one of us knows that's total bullshit. Men at the Kingdom, the Hilltop, and Alexandria have been practically clawing at her door for her but for some reason, she doesn't want any of them. 

Speaking of the Hilltop, the Kingdon, and Alexandria, we haven't been in contact much. Michonne seems to have chosen to distance Alexandria from them, but no one is sure why. 

Alexandria now has a group called The Council, much like at the prison, which I'm a part of per Alyssa's orders.

Eugene, Laura, Aaron, Rosita, and I are all searching through the woods for Judith. We had taken her out upon her request and taught her how to shoot the deer Eugene is holding. She then suddenly bolted off and out of our sight. 

"Judith!" Rosita screams. 

"Jude?!" Laura yells and Aaron repeats. 

"I'm here!" Judith yells, approaching us from the trees in front of us. 

Aaron quickly runs to her and crouches in front of her, "Are you okay?" But, she doesn't get the chance to answer because a group of people, one of the women severely injured, runs up to us from behind her. 

"I heard them calling. They needed our help." Judith says. 

I quickly squint my eyes and grip my whip, tensing my whole body as these new, random people show up. 

"Or rig...it got overrun. By sickos." The man says, putting his hands on his knees and breathing heavily. "We owe our lives to Miss Grimes here." 

"They still need our help." Judith says, grabbing Aaron's canteen and handing it to the injured woman. She's got a wrap around her head and she chugs the water like she's never had it before. 

"We can't, you know that." Rosita tells Judith, not taking her eyes off the group in front of us. 

There are four girls and one man, one of the women, the one drinking the water, has blood running down the side of her head that's covered by the piece of cloth wrapped around her.