Leah Grimes

Chapter 100

"Do you want a candy apple?" Henry asked Lydia and I. I nodded and turned to Enid who shook her head, "I've already had one." Henry passed me mine and I bit into it amazed at the flavours. "Ezekiel had a nice speech earlier. He said this is exactly what Rick and Carl envisioned for us." Enid said. I bit my lip smiling at all the happy people trading and laughing with one another. "They would have loved it." Henry squeezed my hand, "let yourself have some fun for once Leah." I laughed, "I will. You two lovebirds go run around I'll find you later." Henry hugged me, "thank you Leah." I rolled my eyes, "you don't need to thank me." He shrugged, "yes I do. You haven't been here since Benjamin died. I know it's hard, so thank you for still coming."

I gave him a small smile, as they walked away and Enid led me to her booth. "What are you teaching?" She pointed at the dummy body on the table, "health. CPR more specifically." I nodded, "when did you get so smart." She hit me, "I've been thinking, about coming to Alexandria more. I have a lot I could learn from Sadiq still." My eyes widened, "I'd love that. Seriously." She nodded, "I guess it's settled." I smiled as Alden walked up to us. "Hey Leah." I nodded, "Hi, I'll let you guys get your stations set up. See you later."

Daryl met me up near the main gates. "You're leaving aren't you?" I asked. He nodded, "some people are going to Hilltop, in case the whispers show up." I bit my lip, "I'm coming." He sighed, "we could use another person, but don't you want to stay and catch up with Enid, and everyone else." I shook my head waving at Judith. "Please don't go Leah." I knelt down holding her tightly, "I can't just sit around you know that by know kid." She kissed my cheek, "I love you." I stood up, "love you too."

The group set out I sat between Michonne and Magna, staring out at the trees for the most part. I peaked my head up as I saw men in front of us, "who is that?" I asked. Carol waved, "we payed them, they're protecting the fair." When we approached they led us to a spot in the woods where they found tracks from bodies that had been dragged. "We need to track them." Michonne said. Carol agreed, "We should split up, Leah, Michonne Daryl Yumiko and I will track them. The rest of you meet us at Hilltop."

Our group walked deep into the night, I kept my knife close to me and tried to stay directly in the middle of the group. "I don't know if there's a happy ending here. The trail goes off in three different ways. It doesn't make sense." I heard a branch snap and immediately grabbed my knife holding it up. I turned to run and a walker came out directly in front of me. "Watch their hands." Michonne yelled. We huddled in a group keeping our backs to each other fighting off at least twenty walkers.

I took a deep breath when the last one fell to the ground and only a second later more emerged from the woods. But these ones were different, they were the whisperers. There were at least thirty of them, and I bit my lip when Beta stepped forward. "Drop your weapons. I won't ask twice. You two just had to give me the girl. No one else has to die." I lifted my head slightly to look at Daryl, and Beta stood directly in front of me, "now that deal is off."

I tried to steady my breathing and stop myself from shaking, but I pushed myself further back when I saw Alpha walk towards us. "You ain't getting her back," Daryl whispered. Alpha smiled, "you think this is about my daughter. My people like to keep moving, keep roaming." Michonne nodded, "we've granted Lydia a home. Any attempt to take her by force will end in retaliation." Alpha stared at her, "Does she speak for all of you?" I scoffed, "we speak for each other." Alpha laughed, "this is no longer about my daughter. She is weak, and is no longer important. And just to be clear your group is in no position to be threatening me. You, come with me." I turned to Daryl shaking my head, "you cant hurt him. Take me. I'm the one that saved your daughter, I told them to help her, it was me who led the walkers into your camp." Alpha stepped toward slapping me, and I jumped back, "enough, little girl."

As the two of them walked out of sight, Beta nodded at me, "you want to die?" I slowly shook my head no. "Then why'd you lie. It wasn't you who led those walkers into camp. It wasn't just you." I looked down, "I don't want him to die."

Beta nodded, "let's go, all of you." The group of us followed them into a field as the sun was begging to rise again. "Wait here."

The whisperers left and it was just us. I sat down beside Michonne and she held my head into her shoulder slowly rocking us. It had to have been about an hour later when we heard footsteps come towards us. "Thank god," Carol whispered hugging him. I stood up letting out a loud sigh as he wrapped his arms around me. "I'm alright." I let go and Daryl put his arm on my back leading us forward. "She said walk this way. There's a new border."