Ephemeral - Alia Dixon

25

Six years later

I smile as I walk through the Hilltop, greeting the people around me. The past few years have been peacefull. Nice and calm. The people voted for me as a leader since I've started here, since her department.
She has sent a lot of letters and even visited at the beginning. Not anymore now, though. She hasn't been here in a few months and I don't think she will be. She wrote that she's with new people now and honestly, I'm really happy for her.

Jesus and Tara are helping me to keep the things in order at the moment. Tara writes lists throughout the day and me and Jesus look at them, trying to find some solutions to the resident's problems. It's crazy what these people come up in their free time and how annoyed they get with eachother.

My brother also comes by a lot. He lives in Alexandria at the moment. He used to live with us for a few years before his girlfriend died when a herd came our way when we were out. She died a brutal death and we watched her get eaten as I pulled him away with all the strength I had left. It was horrible after she died. Especially since dad hasn't been around. Around a year after Rick died he left and supposedly lives in the woods now. I hadn't had the strength to visit him yet. And neither has he come here yet. Michonne needs my brother's help and she has been appreciating it a lot.

Judith and RJ come visit me as often as they can, mostly on the weekends since they haven't got school then and Michonne checks up on us every week or two. I miss that little girl everytime she leaves. A real angel and definitely a Grimes.

Yesterday someone found Rosita in the woods. We haven't seen her in a long time. A lot of them don't like to come here anymore, same for the Kingdom. The people from Alexandria don't leave a lot. They stay to themselves as much as they can. When we asked them to be on board with us for the fair, Michonne immediately said no.

I smile as I see my dad driving inside with his motorcycle from the top of my balcony. I smile even wider as I see the people behind him. Carol and Henry. Haven't seen them in a long time. I haven't seen a lot of people in a long time actually. I frown as I walk down the stairs. A lot of people keep away from the Hilltop. We haven't been as close to the other communities anymore since the incident with Rick. A lot of them are providing for their own and are not very keen on company.

My dad smiles as he sees me. "Dad!" I say loudly as I jog up to him and hug him tightly. He spins me around a few times and I giggle before he lets me back down again.
"Look at you. Did someone cut your hair?" I ask and Carol laughs.
"Yeah" she says, making me look at her shocked.
"He let you cut it?"
She laughs. "Right?" she says as I hug her with a huge smile.
I turn over to Henry and grin. "You're taller" I say and watch as he smugly smiles at Carol. "Come here" I say, hugging him tightly as he does the same.
"What brings you here?" Jesus asks.
"Henry" Carol states, making me fold my arms over my chest and look at him curiously. "He's taken a stubborn interest in blacksmithing"
"Oh. We might be able to help with that" Jesus says with a grin.
"Don't be so modest. Of course we're able to help with that" I say before looking at Carol and Henry. "I'm glad the two of you are here"

The others soon drive out, searching for Eugene who's still missing. I really hope they're going to find him alive. Jesus and Tara both went with the group, so now I've got to run this place alone. I can do it though. It's fine.

"Alia!" the woman on the watch post shouts. Me and a few others run over to the gate.
"How many?" I ask.
"Six" she says. "No, wait... It's Michonne" she says annoyedly. I take a deep breath. The people around here don't like her very much because she won't help us but always wants our help for Alexandria. That's why she hasn't been inside for a long time. I don't let her. I let Judith inside though, when she comes to spend her weekends.
Now all of them are waiting for me, looking at me to do something. I climb up the ladder and grin at the people infront of me. I even smile at the strangers she has with her.
"Well, hello there. Long time no see. What do you want?" I ask.
"We're here for Rosita" Michonne says.
"We met your messengers on the road. They told us what happened" Siddiq says.
"And the others?" Dianne asks.
"They're good people looking for a home. I told them Hilltop would consider taking them in" Michonne says. Dianne and I look at eachother with sceptical looks before we lean onto the wall.
"You know the rules" I say. She looks at me annoyedly before taking off her sword while Seddiq takes off his knife and all the other stuff he's carrying, same for everyone else, dropping them to the ground.
I smile contently before turning over to Sam, who's waiting for my orders.
"Open the gate, Sam" I say before walking over to the edge of the platform and climbing down the ladder again.