The Girl He Forgot (Book 2)

Chapter 13 - Owned

My gut roiled with dread. I wanted so desperately to know what had happened and yet I was terrified to learn more. Perhaps I'd have less questions had I not offed those people so soon. I cursed myself over and over again as I hurried back through the forest.

I cut bends in the road and I dodged walkers instead of taking them out. I had a long way to go to get home... if home still existed, that is...

It was around mid-afternoon by the time I arrived at the edge of the forest surrounding Alexandria. So far, I'd been doing a pretty good job at putting the worries out of my mind and concentrating on the next few steps I was going to make on the road ahead. But as I neared my destination, my thoughts refused to think of anything else...

'I hate you, Carl' – that had been the last thing I'd said to him. What if that was the last thing that I was ever going to get to say to him? What if something had happened to him and I was never going to be able to tell him otherwise.

And he'd confessed to hating me too... had the chance to change his mind been taken from me by the Saviours? The depths of my thoughts became so deep and vast I barely noticed the small heard of walkers tailing me.

My heart rate picked up and I began to weave through the trees meticulously losing the zombies in the dense tree growth.

Not having a clear mind, worrying about other people, was quite an inconvenient distraction I concluded as I emerged from the forest. The walls of Alexandria loomed above me and I followed them along until I found my usual climbing spot.

My heart hammered against my chest – I'd thought it was because of the walkers tailing me but I realised, the closer I got to Alexandria, the more anxious I felt anyway...

I slowly and quietly climbed the wall...

I peered gingerly over the other side...

Nothing seemed to be on fire which was a good start. There were no gun shots nor screams... also a good thing.

In fact, everything seemed fairly calm...

Too calm, actually...

Quiet as well...

I didn't like it...

I quickly and quietly swung my leg over the top of the wall and hurried down the other side. My feet padded lightly on the ground and my hand hovered over the hilt of my gun...

I crept between the houses and peered around the corner...

Alexandria was still; empty even.

People usually walked the streets, sat on their porches but there was nothing... just a very eery, almost sombre, quiet.

I crouched down and scurried around the back of the houses making my way to the gates.

I sidled along the last house in the row and glanced around the wood cladding.

Scot stood with his rifle atop the gate's look out, his back to Alexandria, his front to the vast wilderness surrounding it. Farther Gabriel guarded the gates too, with a wrinkled brow and hardened expression. At first glance, everything seemed to be in order and ticking over as usual.

But then I noticed the RV in the line-up of vehicles. It's old fashioned beige and brown paint-job stained with red. Handprints of crimson and splatters of blood adorned every inch of its exterior.

I felt sick suddenly...

I stepped out of my cover, confident that Alexandria was still a safe zone for the people inside at least. I walked hesitantly out onto the street and glanced around.