The Hunter's Angel

Chapter 23

Seaira's POV

"come on guys." Aaron says looking back at us from the front gate. We all start walking with Aaron inside the community. Inside Alexandria. I stay behind Daryl the whole time. My guard up from my previous community. I trust Aaron, but memories try to come up from the back of my head. 

The gate rattle and squeaks close behind us. we slowly stop to watch it close. I look around all of us then at the street of the community. I didn't realize how ruffed up and on our last legs, we look. I want to run to a house and crawl into a bed as fast as I could, but I don't know how long that will take, or if we are staying. What I wouldn't do for a hot shower again. 

The random person that opened the gate speaks up, getting all of our attention. "Before we take this any further, I need you all to turn over your weapons." "Heard that one before." I say harshly. 

"You stay, you hand them over." He explains. "We don't know if we want to stay." Rick defends me. 

"It's fine Nicholas," Aaron reassures. Im going to try to remember everyone's names in case I need that information. When you first go into unknown territory, it's good to get as much information as possible, names, the lay of the land, everything, vital intel. 

"If we were gonna use them, we would have started already." Rick underly threatens, clearing dominance with the new person. 

"Let them talk to Deanna first." Aaron tells Nicholas. "Whose Deanna?" Abe chimes in. "She knows everything you'd want to know about this place. Rick, why don't you start?" Aaron says.

Rick looks at everyone's reaction. seeing if he needs to know anything. He looks past the gate and calls my name. "Seaira." I follow his gaze and see a walker out the fence shuffling towards us. I raise my rifle with the silencer and aim, without hesitation I take it out. Just as the other gate closes.

I turn around and adjust my rifle. Lowering it down and clicking the safety on. Nicholas stares at me, intimidated already by the group. "It's a good thing we're here." Rick says slyly. 

***

We are all in this woman's front yard sitting, laying in the grass waiting for Rick, we are supposed to one by one get an 'Audition' for this place. I get nervous. what do I tell her? If she runs this place she decides who stays or who goes or all of us go. I can't tell her about it before I met the group. I'll be subtle. I'll be short but civilized. 

"Hey," I see Rosita sit up on her elbows from laying on her back getting a tan. I was sitting in the grass leaning against the stair post. I look over at her. "Yeah?" I ask nicely. "You okay? You look nervous." She states, taking a few strides and then sitting on the bottom step next to me. 

"Is it that obvious? Oh, no." I sigh covering my face with the beanie I've been playing with in my hands. "It's okay, what's there to be nervous about? An old lady is just gonna ask questions on how you were before this and such." "Yeah but I don't really tell people what I did before this. I mean the diesel mechanic yes but, between-" I stop talking and look around to see who is near. 

"Hey, you can tell me, whenever you're comfortable. You don't have to spill anything, just give just enough for her to be okay with it and walk out. I'll be right here. Daryl will be here too." She smiles. "You're not in on that too with Maggie and Glenn are you?" I ask looking at the two who are sitting in the grass picking at it.