What Lies Ahead • the walking dead ¹

7 • Leave it to chance

"We don't burn them!" Glenn yelled from across the camp, catching Alexa's attention. "We bury them. Understand?"
Alexa knew he was right, burying the people they knew was probably for the best.  And although she didn't know these people, she still felt sympathy for them.

The girl sighed as she returned to the chore of moving the group's dead bodies. T-dog had insisted on helping her, even though she knew she could accomplish the task on her own.
"Your brother seems nice." He spoke up, while the pair tossed a flesh eater into the smoldering fire, that was already piled with bodies.

"Oh, uh, thanks," Alexa replied, she glanced over at her brother who was sitting amongst the other children near the firepit. It was the first time in a long time Alexa had seen him happy. And the girl was glad there were kids his own age in this small group.

"Y'all left my brother for dead!" Daryl Dixon shouted. Getting the attention of Alexa, T-dog, and the rest of the group. "You had this coming!" He gestured to the fire of bodies, before stocking off.

"God, he needs to get his ego in check," Alexa commented, watching as the man started to slam a pickaxe into the heads of walkers to make sure they were dead-dead. T-dog chuckled at the girl's comment as they hoisted another body into the fire.
"You can say that again." He joked, smiling at the girl. But before Alexa could return the smile, a sudden uproar erupted from the middle of the camp.

"A walker bit Jim!" A woman shouted, getting everyone's attention. The group stood one by one and started to surround the poor man. He was a sickening shade of pale, sweat beaded across his face, and his eyes bloodshot red.
"I'm okay! I'm okay." Jim assured the crowd.

"Show it to us!" Daryl protested. Alexa's eyes ventured over to him, he had come out of nowhere. His voice wavered between anger and seriousness as the gravity of the situation became apparent to everyone.

As the group formed a circle around Jim he grabbed a nearby shovel and raised it into the air with shaky hands as he pivoted around.
"Grab him!" Someone shouted.
T-dog lunged forward and jerked Jim's arms behind his back as Daryl jumped forward and yanked his shirt up to reveal a bite on his stomach.

"I'm okay. I'm okay." Jim whined. "I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay..." He tried to assure the group, his breathing heavy. Everyone stepped away from the man, acting like he would lunge at any moment. Terror in all their faces. Alexa watched as the group unraveled.

Daryl picked up the pickaxe he had dropped, a bloodthirsty look in his steel blue eyes. Alexa was the first to notice the look and as he lunged, ready to kill Jim, Alexa ran full force into him. Daryl's weapon clattered onto the gravel as the two tumbled to the ground. Alexa landed on top of the man, her forearm pressed against his chest to keep him down.

"We don't kill the living." She hissed. Her emerald eyes tore into the man's blue ones as they both fought for dominance in the stare-down. Alexa won when Daryl looked away, taking it as her cue to move, she did. Mumbling a "prick" as she grabbed Jim's arm and lead him into the camper. Slamming the door closed behind her.

Alexa got Jim situated in the bed that was in the back of the trailer before she dug water and Advil from her bag and handed them to the man.
"Thank you." The man grumbled, swallowing the painkillers. Alexa dismissed the apology with a wave of her hand as the camper door swung open to reveal Rick Grimes.

Like everyone else, he too was covered in dry blood, sweat, and dirt. He looked tired and shocked as he approached the two in the back.
"Thank you." He said, patting the girl's shoulder. "For putting him in his place." Rick gestured to the window. Outside Daryl stood next to a woman with short hair, watching as she cried while digging a pickaxe into a dead man's head.