What Lies Ahead • the walking dead ¹

21 • Stones

For the most part, the start of the morning was quiet. Alexa had got cleaned up and was feeling much more herself in her usual black t-shirt and jeans. Her hair was still fastened in a ponytail, her knives and gun accounted for and in place. Her backpack settled firmly on her back.

The girl had made her way down to the front lawn to help collect rocks for Otis' funeral when she heard the sound of a motorcycle approaching. The sound was followed by the refreshing sight of three cars rolling down the road toward the farmhouse. One of which her little brother was poking his head out of.

Alexa smiled as the cars slowed to a stop and her brother came running out of the RV toward her. The boy ran into his sister, his arms hooked around her waist, refusing to let go.
"Easy, kiddo." She chuckled, her arms wrapping around the boy as well.

"I missed you," Chase muttered into the girl's shirt, his grip on the girl only tightening.
"I missed you too, kiddo." Alexa breathed, her attention being drawn by the arrival of Rick. "Come on."

The sibling walked forward, rather awkwardly seeking as Alexa was practically dragging her little brother behind her as he refused to let go. The girl trudged up to the group, unintentionally standing next to Daryl as the group began speaking.

"How is he?" Dale asked first.
"He'll pull through," Lori announced. "Thanks to Hershel and his people." Lori nodded in the family's direction.
"And Alexa and Shane," Rick added, everyone turning to look at the two mentioned names. "We'd have lost Carl if not for them."

The group sighed in relief, Dale and Carol rushing forward to hug the parents.
"How'd it happen?" Dale quizzed, stepping away from Rick.
"Hunting accident." The sheriff confirmed. "That's all. Just some stupid accident."

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The group was gathered around Otis' memorial, a simple pile of rocks that meant so much to the Greene family. Alexa and Chase stood on the opposite side of the main group, next to Maggie, who was holding onto the girl's hand for support. Hershel was reading from a Bible, everyone listening intently as each member of the group came to place a stone onto the pile. Except for Alexa, she was currently watching Shane out the corner of her eye.

The man had been acting suspiciously ever since he got back. Alexa had noticed his odd behavior the second he got back, she knew something was off but she was in too much of a panic to care. But now she had a moment to analyze the situation. Starting with the speech the man was about to make.

"We were about don'. Almost out of ammo. We were down to pistols by then." Shane explained. "I was limping. It was bad. Ankle all swollen up. "We've gotta save the boy". See, that's what he said." He hesitated. "He gave me his backpack and shoved me ahead. "Run," he said. He said, "I'll take the rear. I'll cover you". And when I looked back..."

Shane limped forward. "If not for Odis." He paused, taking a rock from the wheelbarrow. "I'd have never made it out alive. And that goes for Carl too." He added. "It was Otis. He saved us both." Shane placed the rock he was holding down onto the monument before slumping back to his spot.

Alexa stood in silence, watching as the group slowly disbursed, Chase tugging on the girl's shirt to get her to move.
"Go on Chase, I'll be there in a second." Chase looked at his sister skeptically before running off. Leaving Alexa alone with her thought process.

She slowly walked over to Otis' grave, looking down at it as she folded her arms over her chest. Everything about Shane's story was odd. The most concerning is what he quoted from Otis himself.
"I'll take the rear. I'll cover you..." Alexa whispered to herself.

Alexa thought back to last night, she remembered the man coming back with Otis' pack. She also remembered him coming back with two pistols a rifle and a shotgun...
"Cover you with what gun? Dumbass." The girl still whispered. "You killed Otis."

Alexa ran a hand through her hair and sighed, her eyes catching seeing the single rock left in the wheelbarrow. The girl reached down, picking up the rock and placing it on top of Otis' grave. Her mind was clouded by the sudden realization. She didn't know the full story, but she knew enough to know that Shane was not to be trusted.

"Bet you have this whole thin' figured out already, don't cha?"

The sudden voice made Alexa grab her knife pivoting around quickly as she regained her guard. Alexa sighed in relief as she realized it wasn't Shane but Daryl.
"You can put the knife down now," Daryl stated, stepping closer to the girl as he held onto his crossbow strap.

Alexa hesitantly put her knife away, bracing herself for whatever Daryl might say or do.
"Com' on." He said, gesturing for the girl to follow him. She eyed him in confusion but still reluctantly followed. Her hand rested securely on her knife handle as she walked.

"So, you think Shane killed Otis?" He asked suddenly.
"How-" Alexa started, confused about how Daryl knew what she had figured out.
"Ya whisper to yourself when ya think," Daryl said calmly, looking down at the now embarrassed girl.
"So why are you asking if you already know what I think?" Alexa asked coldly, looking up straight into the man's steel blue eyes.

Daryl shrugged, averting his eyes from the girl's piercing emerald glare. Alexa rolled her eyes at him. She was starting to get upset with the man for not answering her questions. But once again the girl was pulled away from her thoughts as they approached Rick and others huddled around a map.

"We'll grid the whole area, start searching in teams," Rick explained.
"Not you. Not today." Hershel cut in. "You gave three units of blood. You wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out. And you're ankle," He directed his attention to Shane. "Push it now, you'll be laid up a month, no good to anybody."

Shane and Rick nodded, though Alexa knew they were less than happy about the advisement.
"Guess it's just you and me," Daryl spoke up, glancing at Alexa. Rick nodded as Shane spoke up. "I can still be useful. I'll drive up to the interstate, and see if Sophia wandered back."
Alright then." Rick confirmed. "Tomorrow then we'll start doing this right."

Alexa nodded before spotting her brother and setting off to get ready. She whistled as she approached the boy. Chase looked up, the same joy-filled simile on his face as he rushed up to greet his sister. The girl crouched down, getting level with the boy as she shrugged off her backpack.

"Hey, kiddo. How ya feelin'?"
"My head kinda hurts." Her brother confessed. Alexa nodded, flipping open her pack she began to dig around for Tylenol and water.
"Here." The girl said, handing the boy the medication. "Listen, Daryl and I are gonna go look for Sophia."

Chase nodded, swallowing the medicine before he spoke.
"I'll stay by you, I promise." Alexa looked down as she tried to find the words to tell her baby brother he wasn't coming with them.
"Chase... just my and Daryl. I don't want you getting hurt." The boy was about to open his mouth to protest when Alexa continued. "And, I need you to be here for Carl when he wakes up."

Chase's face brightness immediately at the assignment. He nodded as he watched for what his sister would do next. Alexa smiled, taking her gun from its sheath and burying it into her pack, before handing it to the boy.
"Keep that safe, will ya?" She asked, watching as her brother's face grew determined at another assignment. The boy nodded as his sister stood, ruffling his hair as she spotted Dale.

The girl nodded, directing her brother to follow as she walked up to Dale.
"Dale?" She called, getting the old man's attention.
"Yes?" The man asked curiously, turning around.
"Can you keep an eye on Chase? Me and Daryl are about to head out." She added.
Dale nodded, sending a smile in the boy's direction before walking off with the boy at his heels.

Alexa sighed as she looked around the yard, spotting Maggie walking toward her.
"Rick says you might have medical supplies?" She asked calmly.
"Yeah, in the camper, I'll go get it."
Maggie nodded, following behind the girl as they walked to the trailer. Alexa disappeared into the vehicle, spotting her med bag and both bags of guns on the ground.

She picked up her med bag, slinging it over her shoulder as her eyes fell on the blue compound bow sticking out of her weapons bag. Without a second thought, the girl snatched the weapon, throwing it over her other shoulder, along with her arrow quiver. Before heading back out of the trailer door. Maggie stood waiting, smiling a little when Alexa handed her the bag.

Alexa watched as Maggie left before adjusting her bow on her back and spotting Daryl talking to Rick. She approached, catching Daryl's eye as he turned in her direction.
"Com' on." He grumbled. And with that, the two started towards the woods.