Shambles- The Walking Dead [Alden x Maggie] [1/2]

66- Trouble

Alden jumped from his chair, Hershel following his example immediately. Whatever it was, he wanted to see it too. By Elijah's shocked look Alden could judge that this was something Hershel shouldn't see.

"Oh, no, you stay here." He said quickly, pointing him back to his chair. "And get your schoolwork done." He urged as he followed Elijah out of the trailer, closing the door behind them again.

"There was a rider. Someone we don't know." Elijah explained. "And whatever it is, it isn't good."

The second they walked outside the gates Alden realized just exactly what Elijah meant. A boy around Elijah's age laid dead in the grass beside the dirt road. His entire left side was soaked in blood, either his or someone else's. Lydia sat on the ground beside him, clutching a bloody map in her hands. By now she should've been on her way to an easier live already, but instead she was stuck in yet another horrible situation.

"He'd been shot." She said. "Bled out just after he gave me this map and begged for our help."

"Does Maggie know about this?" Was the first thing Alden asked because her knowing about it came before dealing with the situation.

"Marcos is getting her right now." Elijah replied. "This seemed like an all hands on deck situation."

"We don't know this kid, or how he got here. And he's not dressed for being out here." Alden listed off.

"His horse wasn't even saddled. Marcos brought him inside." Lydia added. "And this map. It's from the Commonwealth." She held it out to him and he took it.

The blood immediately stained his hands. Then Marcos and Maggie showed up.

"What happened?" She asked. "The hell's a dead rider doing in front of our gates."

"That we don't know." Alden sighed as he unfolded the map. "But this is probably another mess we have to deal with."

"How'd he find us then? If he's a stranger?" Maggie followed up.

"Because we're marked on this map." Alden replied with a frown. "And some other community called Riverbend."

"He said they were being slaughtered." Lydia noted as she stood up again. "We have to help them."

"They're strangers." He shook his head.

"I was a stranger and you helped my people." Elijah shot back.

"You know Georgie. That made you a friend already." Maggie insisted. They were barely hanging on, they didn't have the resources to go out and help these people.

"Well, someone marked us on this map." Alden sighed. Elijah's words had managed to change his mind somewhat. "That someone must be someone that trusts us, at the very least. And it's not too far, especially if we take one of the trucks."

"We're not going." She bit back.

"Maggie, he died begging for our help." The shock hadn't completely faded from Marcos' voice, but then he'd always been very kind and caring.

"I understand." She took a deep breath. "But we're barely holding on as it is."

"But like Alden said; someone we know must've sent him." Elijah tried. "It could be someone from the Commonwealth or Georgie."

"Or it could be a trap. We go to help and leave the Hilltop open for an attack." The point she made was a weak one, with the messenger dead on their doorstep. Even she knew it, but she truly believed it.

"I don't think it's a trick." Lydia shook her head slightly. "He was scared. He wasn't lying."

"Even if he wasn't, we can't go up another group without people to fight them."