Our Sanctuary

The Treehouse

It was night time now. Alexandria was going to bed for the night. Lights were being switched off and there was complete silence on the streets. Enid was waiting by the wall, tapping her feet and on the far side of town, well out of sight of Rick and Sasha. She was more worried about getting caught than ever. Aiden and Nicholas never noticed when she slipped out but now Sasha was always on the lookout and Enid had to be stealthy.

The air was much chillier at night time. People tried not to go out much and people were scared. The people of Alexandria were scared of the darkness but this was the time Enid liked the best. She folded her arms and shivered slightly as a stiff breeze rushed through her. Enid's clothes were ragged and torn and tomboyish. She was a survivor. She had survived on her own for so long. Running from home to home, fighting for every meal. Then she found this town, Alexandria. It was just like her hometown in Fairfax County. But just like Daryl, she felt restless and out of place now in perfect suburbia. This wasn't her home anymore, she had no home and always felt safer outside the walls.

She felt a tap on her shoulder, and spun around instinctively snatching her knife from her belt and holding it in front of her. Carl put his hands up and stepped back.

"Sorry." he said. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok, just forget about it. Are you ready?"

Carl took a small silver pistol out of his pocket and held it up before her. She took a good look at it, giving a sarcastic smile - not the least bit impressed.

"You're going to draw every walker around with that thing."

Carl let out cheeky smile when out of his other pocket he picked out a long black silencer. He screwed it on to the muzzle and after a few moments of twisting his slender fingers and around and fumbling trying to get in place, he managed to attach it to the end of his gun.

"Always prepared, Enid." said Carl. "That's me."

"Don't get cocky, Carl."

"I'm not cocky. You know, I've been out there too, out on the road for a long time. Surviving hand to mouth. You have no idea what I've done, what I'm capable of."

She knew. She saw it in his eye. She knew what he had seen and she had seen it too. The horror, the nightmares, the blood, the killing. She knew it all.

"Yeah, I get it Carl. But don't get too full of yourself. That's what's going to get you killed."

"I'm fine. It's my dad I'm more worried about. You've seen how erratic he's been. And he's been getting more protective again. He wouldn't let me go on this supply run with you."

"You gonna listen to your dad, right?" said Enid looking at the ground and kicking the stamping on the tall grass. "Good idea. I wish I had listened to my dad."

"I'm still going though. He can't control me anymore. I'm old enough to look after myself."

"Ok if you're sure then follow my lead."

Carl didn't mind following Enid's lead or being bossed about by a girl. He climbed up over the corrugated steel fence after her. Carl jumped down from the top with a loud crash. Enid immediately rushed over to check if he was ok.

"Nothing broken." Carl whispered.

"Come on." Enid said extending her hand and pulling Carl to his feet. "Quick! Before Sasha sees us!"

Carl and Enid ran side by side towards the large forest area that ran around the outskirts of the town. It was the main supply of wood and fuel for Alexandria but it was Enid's special place to hide.