What Lies Ahead • the walking dead ¹

36 • Bruised knuckles

"So whatcha gonna do?" Lorie quizzed the next morning from her place over the campfire. "We'd all feel better if we knew the plan."
"Is there a plan?" Andrea cut in, eyeing Rick suspiciously.
"Rick, are we gonna keep him here?" Interrogated Glenn.

Alexa sighed from the group constantly bombarding Rick with questions. The girl sat in a folding chair further away from the group, her head in her hands as she tried to massage out a headache. Chase stood behind his sister, supportively patting her shoulder as she accidentally sneezed.

"We'll know soon enough," Rick answered. He nodded in the direction of someone, making Alexa look up to realize it was Daryl. The girl first noticed the man's bruised knuckles. She let out another sneeze, whipping her nose with the back of her hand as she realized how Daryl must have gotten answers out of the kid.

"Your Boy there's gotta, gang," Daryl informed, stopping in front of the group. "Thirty men. They have heavy artillery, and they ain't lookin' to make friends."
Alexa stood, she and Chase walked closer to the group to hear Daryl clearly. But Alexa almost wished she had stayed seated from what the man said next.

"They roll through here, our boys are dead." Daryl continued. "And our women, they're gonna-..." Daryl hesitated, his steel blue eyes locking with Alexa's emerald ones. "They're gonna wish they were." Alexa looked down, her bangs falling over her face as she uncomfortably crossed her arms over her chest.

The group fell silent around the girl as they took in Daryl's words. But Alexa knew what Daryl was saying. She didn't want to believe it. And it almost made her sick to think about the subject Daryl was referring to.

"What did you do?" Carol quizzed suddenly, breaking the silence. Daryl quickly glanced down at his hand before answering.
"We had a little chat." He grumbled, adjusting his crossbow on his back before stocking off and leaning against a nearby tree.

"No one goes near this guy," Rick warned, the tension in the air rising.
"Rick, what are you gonna do?" Lori quizzed, stepping up to her husband.
"We have no choice," Rick explained in an undertone so the children wouldn't hear. "He's a threat. We have to eliminate the threat."

"You're just gonna kill him?" Dale spoke up. A mix of shock and worry on his wrinkled face.
"Is settled," Rick concluded. Ignoring Dale, who everyone knew would try and argue. "I'll do it today."

Rick nodded before stomping away, Dale following at his heels like a dog. The group stood in silence for a moment before slowly disbursing. Alexa sighed as she watched everyone leave before crouching down to speak with her brother.

"What are they doing?" Chase asked curiously.
"Nothing-" Alexa started before getting cut off by another sneeze.
"Your allergies are back, sis." Chase pointed out. Alexa nodded, tilting her head back to her brother.
"Ya think?" The girl asked sarcastically as she sniffled.

The boy shook his head before wrapping his arms around his sister's shoulders and smothering her in a hug.
"Alright, kiddo. I'm sick remember?" Alexa sniffed. Chase rolled his eyes, pulling away from his sister. "Why don't you go hang out with Carl." She suggested.

Chase shrugged before he answered.
"He's been acting weird."
"What do ya mean?" Alexa asked quizzically. Her brother shrugged before running off toward the barn. Leaving Alexa kneeling dumbfoundedly.

The girl pushed herself off the ground. Gaining her balance just as she sneezed again.
"You alright?" Daryl quizzed, coming up behind the girl, who sneezed several more times before giving the man a thumbs up before sneezing once again.
"Allergies."

Daryl nodded understanding before the two started standing in awkward silence. Which was only broken when Alexa sneezed again.
"Ya sure?" Daryl asked skeptically. Alexa hummed in response. Though she wondered if Daryl was opening the question to more than just her allergies.

Alexa chewed on the inside of her cheek as she tried to look anywhere else but at Daryl. Her mind was blank as the awkwardness of the situation intensified. The girl cleared her throat before finally breaking the silence.

"Are you alright?" She asked, referring to the man's bruised knuckles.
"Ya," Daryl grunted, the awkward silence returning. "I-Its... not as bad as it looks." He added, spotting the girl's skeptical look.
"Let's get you cleaned up." Alexa half-smiled before guiding Daryl toward his campsite.

The duo sat on the fallen tree behind the camp. Alexa dug out a bottle of water and poured some over Daryl's left hand as she scrubbed off the dirt and blood with a rag Daryl gave her. The girl's nimble fingers glided over the man's bruised knuckles, making him wince though he played it off like he didn't.

"What do you think of the whole Randall, thing?" Daryl asked randomly, making Alexa look up from her work. The girl shrugged.
"I don't know." She confessed. "I don't think killing him is the best option, if that's what your wondering," Alexa added, returning to Daryl's hands.

She moved onto his right hand, and Alexa repeated the same process. Again her fingers rested upon Daryl's knuckles. This time for a second too long. Alexa pulled her hand away, inhaling a deep, shaky breath as she screwed the cap back on her water and chucked it in her bag.

Daryl nodded a silent 'thank you', grabbing his crossbow before hopping off the down tree and shuffling back to his tent. Alexa mindlessly watched as the man reemerged from his tent, his hand gripping a few homemade arrows. The girl watched from a distance as Daryl reloaded his crossbow.

"The whole point of me coming up here is to get away from you people." Daryl scoffed, talking to someone Alexa hadn't noticed. Her head turned, instantly spotting Dale, who clearly hadn't realized she was there as he shamelessly mentioned her name several times.

Not wanting to intrude on their conversation, Alexa slid off the tree. Grabbing her backpack and throwing it over her shoulder before she began to go the long way to avoid Dale. Unfortunately, her own body let her down as a sneeze escaped her.

She could hear Dale spin around at the noise. Feeling the old man's eyes drill into her back the girl muttered an inaudible "fuck" as she slowly turned around.
"That's the one who figured it out," Daryl grumbled as Alexa waved awkwardly, inching away slowly.

She didn't know what Daryl was referring to, but if it involved her, she didn't want to know. Dale waved back before turning back to Daryl. Sighing in relief Alexa continued her walk. Ignoring the 'help me' look Daryl sent her. But the girl was stopped again as Dale called out to her.

Alexa sighed again as Dale came jogging up to her.
"What's up, Dale." She smiled wearily.
"Can I get your opinion-"
"About Randall." Alexa cut in, already knowing what the old man was going to ask. Dale nodded as Alexa sighed, giving him the same answer she gave Daryl earlier. "I don't think killing him is the best option."

"So do you stand with me?" Dale quizzed hopefully.
"I'll think about it," Alexa answered. Not wanting to take sides. Dale smiled, patting the girl's shoulder thankfully before he walked across the field. Leaving Alexa standing alone.