Leah Grimes

Chapter 122

"HEY." someone called from the other end of the train. "They're coming in from this side too."
I pushed myself away from these walkers heading to the other end. They were filing through quick enough. Negan held his hand out, "stay here." I waited until he was out of bullets and then stepped in swinging my blade through as many walkers as possible. "There's Daryl." Negan pointed. "GUYS THIS WAY." I shouted leading them into the compartment Daryl had just cleared.

He held up a grenade, "GET BEHIND SOMETHING." I pushed myself behind a chair closing my eyes tightly as I felt the train shake from the explosion.

I pushed myself up trying to steady my body. "You alright?" Daryl asked holding his hand out for me. He went to put his arms around me after he pulled me up but I stepped away. "We need to keep moving." We followed Daryl to a set of stairs leading us above ground again. When I felt actual air on my skin I let out a breath of relief. "Sorry," I mumbled to Daryl. He gave me a quick nod, "what happened down there?" I shook my head, "it doesn't matter anymore."

We all rested on the steps until Negan stood up, "we heading out soon?" Maggie nodded, "we need to take a detour first, I have a supply depot, it has amo, weapons, food. We can rest and restock and then continue on. The radio tower marks that neighbourhood. Let's go."

We made our way down the road until we came to a tree, I followed the tree line down the street until it became too dark to see further. Each tree had the exact same thing hanging from it. Peoples dead bodies were tied up from their feet, just dangling down. I jumped as an arrow was shot at us just missing my head. Another one was shot only moments later. I took cover behind a tree and watched as a terrifying group of people were heading towards us. They all wore masks, and carried large weapons.

Quietly I pushed myself away from the tree sprinting as fast as my legs would take me. I remembered what Maggie told me about these people, by the time you see them you're already dead. I spun around to make sure none of them were close to me. I couldn't hear anything so I quickly climbed a tree branch. Only a few minutes after I heard footsteps running towards me. Someone was following me. I held my knife ready, seeing the moon reflect off the white mask this person was wearing. When he came to a stop I took this as my chance. I flicked the knife quick watching as it cut the air landing in this mans neck.

He held onto his throat and I listened as he was struggling to breath. I had a good advantage point here. It wasn't until the sun came back up again I climbed down from my tree ripping my knife out of the mans neck. I did a check of my surroundings one more time before walking, I had no idea where I was, or what direction I was supposed to go, so I picked one direction and stuck with it. Every once in a while I would stop at tree and carve a full circle in its trunk just in case I wound up back here.

It took me about another hour until I found some sort of building in the middle of the woods. It looked like it had been a church centuries ago. I closed the door behind me and settled down in a pew.

I think I had fallen asleep but I bolted up when I heard voices coming towards the church. Quietly I threw my bag over my shoulder, hiding behind the doors holding my machete up. Deep Breath. I watched as the first figure slid through the door. It was Negan, he turned to see me standing there ready to slice his throat open and jumped back. "Jesus kid." Maggie and Alden came in after him. "Leah you're alive?" Maggie whispered. I nodded looking at Alden who could barely walk. "For now. Who the fuck were those people." Negan shook his head, "my worst nightmare, literally."

"You guys make an odd group," I whispered. Alden agreed, "you have no idea." This made me smile, "I'll go take watch, you guys can rest."

I pushed the door back open doing laps of the church, listening intently for any of those masked freaks. "Hey." Maggie waved coming to walk beside me. "You still mad at me?" I shook my head, "no. I just wish you handled it differently." She sighed, "I didn't know what was going to go down. Truthfully." I nodded, "I guess none of us do." She looked at the church, "how'd you make it here?" I shrugged, "no idea, I just kept walking. I spent most of my night in a tree. Even took one of them out from it." She smiled, "I wasn't too worried about you surviving."