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T W E N T Y S E V E N

1 week later

A L E X A

Leafs and twigs crunched under my feet as I took each step through the woods.

I didn't care about being noisy right now. I didn't care about anything.

I felt worse than ever. I got worse.

I had no feelings inside of me. I had no moments where I was me.

The old me died with my father.

"Slow down, we've got to make sure we're staying on track." I heard Carl's voice sound.

We were currently on a run for supplies. We had more than enough, but what else was there to do?

The drifters were gone, walkers were barely a problem.

"We are." I simply said. "Alexa, slow down, they aren't moving this fast." Carl repeated himself.

"We're staying on track, we're fine. I'm not an idiot." I knew where I was going. I knew we were fine. Just because we were moving faster didn't mean anything.

"They're like 200 feet behind us, you need to stop for a few seconds." He pointed out.

"We're fine!" I snapped, turning to look at him.

Carl's brows furrowed. He was confused on why I was giving him attitude.

I took a deep breath in and untensed my body."I know where I'm going. We'll be fine, we've got to follow the trees north." I softened my tone up, pointing with my finger to north.

"We should stick together. We don't know what might happen." He insisted.

"I can handle myself. You know I can." I folded my arms over my abdomen.

"That doesn't matter out here and you know that." Carl raised his eyebrows, implying something that he shouldn't have.

"That's not what happened. Don't talk about my father again." I growled.

"I didn't mean it like that-""Everything okay?" I heard. I looked over Carl's shoulder to see the group caught up.

"Everything's perfect." I unfolded my arms angrily, turned around and continued walking.

I hated that people saw me as weak now.

I knew how to protect myself. Just because my dad's gone doesn't mean I couldn't survive.

We walked through the woods until we hit road. We were far from our homes.

I hadn't spoken a word to anyone.

We were on our way to a hospital that was near by. We needed medicine... well, we wanted more medicine.

It was a hospital I wasn't too familiar with. I've only been there once in my life and it was before everything turned to shit.

I knew how to get there, but it was based off of maps and my dad's description from months ago.

I lead the way, but the group kept close to me.

It was still pretty chilly outside, I was shivering lightly, but dad's jacket kept me warm. I had my pistol in its case that clipped around my thigh and my assault rifle slung over my back.

My knife in its little pocket thing that hooked to my jeans. I was loaded with weapons but I left lucille at home. That was too much for just a supply run.

"We aren't far." I simply told everyone, not looking back at all.

"You okay?" I felt a tap on my shoulder. I jerked my shoulder, turning my head, seeing Michonne.

She seemed shocked at my sudden movements.

"I'm fine." I adjusted my jacket, facing in front of me again.

"You seem a little tense." Michonne pointed out.

"I'm not." I grumbled. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay-"

"Stop asking me that. I'm fine, I'm good. Can we just focus on what the hell we're doing, please?" My voice came out harsh.

"Hey, just give her some space. She's in a bad place. She can't help it." I heard Maggie whisper to Michonne.

I was fine. I was agitated that they kept asking me the same question over and over.

I just needed my dad.

I continued to walk with no sound, my annoyance very present.

Soon, the hospital came into view.

'Inova Alexandria hospital' huh, maybe that's why they called the place Alexandria. Alexandria, Virginia. Why didn't I think of that sooner?

"Alright, we split into twos. Daryl and I go together, Michonne and Maggie, Aaron and Carol, Dwight and Simon, rosita and Tara, and Carl and Alexa. We meet back in front in 30. Get all that you can." Rick ordered.

"Be safe and search all floors. Daryl and I got the top floor." Rick added."We got second." Michonne and Maggie agreed on the second.

"First." Dwight and Simon."Third." Rosita and Tara."Fifth." Aaron and Carol.

"Carl and I got the 4th floor." I said before pulling my knife out and walking towards the front doors.

I reached my hand out and tried to pull them open, but they were jammed shut. Has no one visited here before?

That seemed impossible, but that's what it looked like.

The rest of the group came towards me as I struggled to get the door open.

"Stay back." I lifted my elbow and covered my face with my other hand. I forcefully swung my elbow into the glass, only minorly cracking it.

I did it a few more times, getting more shatters in it, but not enough to break it.

"Try this." Simon handed me a gun with a silencer on it. I took a few steps back, shooting the door with the cracks in it.

The glass fell to the floor, allowing us to get through.

"Thanks." I handed the gun back to Simon.

I hopped through, being careful not to snag my clothing with the broken pieces of glass. "Be back in 30." Carl told his dad before hopping through as well.

I watched until he was next to my side and then I motioned him to follow me.

This place looked fucked up.

All the damage that happened to it. It used to be a very clean hospital, now blood was painted on the walls.

It was hard to believe someone hasn't at least come here once, considering all the blood and bones everywhere but it was just confusing how the doors were jammed.

Carl and I quietly walked down a hallway, finding the staircase.

Carl grabbed the door knob, pulling it open. Rick, daryl, Michonne, Aaron, rosita, Tara, carol, and Maggie followed behind us, since they were going to higher floors as well.

Carl held the door open, letting everyone go first, then him and I entered.

"Oh shit." I whispered, covering my nose. It smelled like actual rotting bodies, but that made sense considering the first thing you saw was 3 rotting bodies.

These were fresh. Someone has just been here.

Carl and I gave each other the 'be careful, stay cautious, and be aware' look.

Carl gently grabbed my wrist and pulled me with him.

We quickly but silently bounced up the stairs. Once we got to the fourth floor, we said our good lucks to everyone above us and went to the actual floor.

I was just happy to get rid of that smell.

My eyes peered around, seeing two doors."We shouldn't split up." Carl noticed me thinking about it.

"No, we shouldn't." I shook my head, putting my knife away and replacing it with my gun.

"The desk, check here."

Normally where the floor clerk would be, there was a desk, but now there was nothing more than just the desk.

I went behind it, seeing a broken computer.

I studied the desk, looking everywhere for something useful. I crouched down, looking in the drawers. Nothing.

"Nothing." I stood back up.

"Alright, lets try this door first." Carl pointed to the door on the left. I followed behind him closely.

The door had already been open, so it was easier to get in to. Behind this door revealed hospital rooms, abandoned gurneys, wheelchairs with blood on them, and more eerie things.

I made a disgusted face, trying to focus on the actual reason we're here.

Dead bodies were scattered along the floor, some were already decomposed.

"What the hell happened here?" Carl whispered to himself."Exactly what happened everywhere else." I muttered, checking in one of the rooms.

I pointed my gun as I stepped through.

It was bright in here, considering there had been no curtains on the window.

My eyes moved to the hospital bed, seeing a walker literally like sewed onto the bed.

The disgusted look found its way back to my face. It's skin was barely hanging on, it's jaw completely torn off.

It's forearms were gone and so were the legs.

"What the hell?" I furrowed my brows, going next to the bed.

The limbs were cut off... the cut was clean. Someone was here.

It's cut arms tried to grab at me, but it wouldn't cause me any harm if it did.

I pulled my knife out and jabbed it into its forehead.

I wiped the blood on my jeans, putting my knife away again. I wasn't going to waste a bullet on a walker.

"I found pain killers and ibuprofen!" I heard Carl's voice from a few rooms away.

I didn't say anything back, I just checked the room intently.

I came across a few empty bottles of pills and expired liquid medicine. I didn't bother with it, since it was incredibly expired.

"Check the expiration date!" I shouted so Carl could hear me."Got it.... They're good!" Carl replied.

I left this room and stepped out into the hallway.

Carl and I searched and searched this section, nothing than what Carl had already found.

"Other side?" Carl asked.

"What else are we supposed to do?" I said with a kind of 'duh' tone.

"I'm sorry about bringing your dad up." He sighed."I don't want to talk about it." I went to walk passed him, but he grabbed just above my elbow softly.

"Don't push me away." His eye stared into mine. My lips parted and I let out a breath."I'm not." I tried to pull my arm back, but he gripped a little tighter.

"Yes you are. You usually would talk to me about it. You've been snapping on me for the past week. I'm here to help you, Alexa. I love you, I hate to see you like this... this isn't you." Carl's other hand used his index finger to lift my chin.

I sighed deeply, my lips pursing.

"It is now." I stated, gently pulling my arm out of his grasp and walking back to the main part of the floor.

Carl just followed me, not making another sound.

The other doors were a little jammed, but Carl and I threw our bodies against it, making it crack open.

"Again just check every roo-" my voice was cut off by a gunshot, a bullet wizzing passed me.

"Woah, shit!" I screamed out, jumping back.

"Who the fuck are you?!" I heard. I quickly lifted my gun and pointed it to the now open doors.

A girl about my age, her hair a bright red, her eyes brown and freckles scattered across her face.

Carl pointed his gun right at her.

"Who are you?" Carl cocked his gun."I asked first." She snarled.

"You almost just killed us so I think we deserve an answer first." Carl growled.

My eyes were piercing into hers.

Her finger was on the trigger, her gun barrel aiming straight for my head.

My jaw tightened and my eyes looked at how she was holding her gun. Weak and inexperienced little girl. I could easily take it.

I used my free hand to grab her wrist and twist it. She screamed, fired her gun and then dropped it.

The bullet hit an already broken light, causing glass to fall to the floor.

Carl shoved her against the wall with all of his force, his forearm against her neck.

She reached for something in her pants. My eyes widened and I grabbed Carl quickly, moving him out of the way from whatever weapon she was planning on using on him.

I grabbed her hands, throwing her knife down the hall and using one forearm against her neck and my other hand to aim a gun at her head. Her hands were trapped in between my abdomen and hers.

Carl collected her gun and put it in his pants.

The redhead grunted, trying to fight against my strength."Not happening." I pushed against her neck a little harder. I was way stronger than her. If Carl were to use all of his force on her like I was, he'd probably kill her with how strong he was and how weak she was.

My gun still aimed at her temple.

"Now, who the hell are you?" Carl repeated himself.

She sighed in defeat, laying against the wall, her body relaxing.

"I'm Syler... I've been staying here by myself for a few weeks, I thought you were going to kill me." She confessed.

"So you think it's smart to shoot at us?" Carl's eyebrows crunched together.

"Kill or be killed." "I'm Carl. That's my girlfriend, Alexa. The rest of our people are searching for supplies on the other floors." He informed her.

The hell did he tell her my name for?

"Can you tell her to get off of me?" She clearly took a notice that my death glare on her was the reason I wasn't talking.

"He's not my keeper." I squished her against the wall even more.

"How old are you?" Carl lowered his gun, but I kept mine pointed.

"14... I think." She was young. That didn't make me want to kill her less."There's no way you're by yourself. Where are the rest of your people?" I spat.

"I'm alone." She tried to move her hands, but my torso stopped it."Stop lying." I gritted my teeth."I'm not lying." Syler argued.

"How many walkers have you killed?" Carl softened his tone. "I-I don't know." She struggled to breathe with my arm against her neck. I loosened up a little, but I wanted her dead.

"How many people have you killed?""2." Syler hesitated. She's lying. Can't beat me at my own game.

"Why?" Carl folded his arms."None of your business. I'll kill you both right now. I don't care. I-I'm stronger than you think!" Syler tried to intimidate us. She was weak. Way too weak.

"Oh shut up." I rolled my eyes, pulling my trigger, my bullet entering her brain.

Her blood splattered on my face from the entrance wound, the rest of her blood coming out of her exit wound.

Her body fell limp and I backed up, letting her body fall to the ground.

"Alexa, what the fuck is wrong with you?!" Carl yelled, pulling me to face him harshly.

"She tried to kill us." I shrugged."She was a kid, she was scared!" He shouted, very close to my face.

"She knew what she was doing. She's barely a kid, she's only 2 years younger than us. She's old enough to kill." I scoffed.

"See it how you want. She was lying to us anyway." "You lied to me. You lied to all of us. Remember that? Did I kill you?" Carl had a very angry look on his face.

"You were going to. Remember when you came to my home and pointed a gun to my head? Remember that?" I shot back.

He wanted to say something back to that, but he couldn't think of anything.

"Bitch shot at me. She tried to kill me. I was only defending myself. She was going to die, anyway." I pushed passed Carl, our shoulders bumping harshly.

"Who are you?" He sounded a bit heart broken and shocked.

"A savior."

Terrible chapter but fuckBad Alexa