What Lies Ahead • the walking dead ¹

2 • Dead man walking

The streets of Atlanta we're quiet, almost too quiet. The eerie silence made Alexa feel like she was being watched, but she knew that no one was there to watch her.

The city had been evacuated before it was overrun with the dead. But still, as Alexa crept around, staying low to the ground to move faster, she felt like a knife was twisting in her gut.

Carefully she opened the door to a random building, the rusty metal creaked loudly making the girl lay a hand on her Bowie Knife. It was tucked into its sheath on her hip, her black t-shirt had been tucked behind it along with her pistol. Making both weapons easily accessible... Just in case.

She glanced over her shoulder. Nothing. Good, she thought before ducking into the building. Alexa stealthily snuck inside, finding herself in what looked to be a gift shop. No flesh eaters were present but Alexa's guard was still on high alert. She pulled out her knife, the weight in her hand made her feel the tiniest bit safer and it felt more comfortable than a gun.

Although Alexa carried a firearm she didn't feel comfortable with it. She could shoot, she had pretty decent aim too. Just another skill her father made her learn. But still, it felt weird to hold a gun, funnily enough, the safety was always on. Besides her pistol and Bowie Knife, Alexa was geared with a swiss army knife in her pocket and throwing knives tucked in both her boots.

Slowly the girl walked up a flight of stairs, knowing she wouldn't find anything useful in a gift shop. Carefully walking up the stairs she whistled, trying to get the attention of any walkers before they got the jump on her. Hearing no significant movement or noise the girl quickened her step, coming onto the second floor.

This floor seemed to be an office of some sort. Topped over desks, chairs, and filing cabinets lay strewn around the room. Making it an absolute gold mine.

Alexa began to search, her guard still up. Floor by floor she rummaged around, her search coming up semi-productive. Some energy bars, multiple half-drank water bottles, random bottles of Advil, beef jerky, and packets of assorted nuts. Shoving the findings into her backpack Alexa started up the last flight of stairs. Her final destination... The roof.

Her footsteps were almost inaudible as she quickly climbed the last few steps. However, she spotted something odd as she reached the last step. A chain and padlock. Why would someone chain the roof off? Alexa thought as she began to analyze the situation. Something was up there. Something someone didn't want to let out... Or let in...

A soft mumble caught the girl by surprise. Her heartbeat accelerated as she realized someone was up there, someone alive. Alexa could barely make out the nonsense gibberish that spilled from the person's mouth. God damn it. She thought.

It was rare. Extremely rare when Alexa did something without thinking. And in this instance she wasn't thinking, she was just doing. She quickly pulled Bobby pins from her dark brown hair shoving them into the lock as she began to pick it.

There was a person that needed her help on the other side of this door. What if it was her brother behind it or even herself. Alexa knew she would want someone to help if it was her, so that's why she didn't hesitate.

God only knew what lay beyond the door and Alexa was about to find out. The lock slipped onto the ground the chain following shortly behind as it hit the stairs with a sharp, THUNK.

"HELP! Help!" The person yelled as it became aware of someone behind the door. Alexa charged in with her Bowie Knife at the ready. She quickly spotted the man, noticing first his severed hand by a hanging handcuff. Quickly she rammed her knife away, sprinting towards the man, her mind active as she began to remember the countless hours she spent helping fix people.