Until The End | The Walking Dead

7 | until the end.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕 || 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐚.
-𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝-

𝟓𝐱𝟏𝟑

-✩-
𝖧𝖺𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗒'𝗌 𝖯𝖮𝖵
-✩-

Walking through the gates of Alexandria felt like stepping into another world. The cold steel creaked shut behind us, a heavy finality to the sound that sent a shiver down my spine. I glanced at Mackenzie, trying to gauge if she felt the same uneasy mixture of relief and dread, but her face was unreadable, her eyes focused straight ahead.

As soon as we were inside, Daryl peeled away from the group without a word, his stride purposeful as he disappeared down one of the neatly lined streets. I watched him go, his crossbow still slung over his shoulder, a solitary figure against the backdrop of well-maintained houses and manicured lawns. For a moment, I envied him-the way he moved like he didn't need anyone, like he could just vanish if he wanted to. But then, who was I kidding? We all needed someone, even if we didn't want to admit it.

Aaron turned back to us with a small, reassuring smile, though I could see the tension in his eyes. "Deanna will want to meet you both," he said, his voice gentle but firm. "It's standard procedure for anyone who comes through the gates. She'll want to see where you might fit in, what you can contribute."

"Fit in?" I echoed, the words feeling foreign on my tongue. It had been so long since I'd thought about anything other than surviving day to day. The idea of fitting in, of finding a role in a community, was almost incomprehensible.

Aaron nodded, his expression understanding. "I know it's a lot to take in," he said. "But this place...it's real. We're trying to rebuild something here, something that lasts."

Mackenzie gave a short nod, but I could see the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. We had talked about this on the way here, about how this might be our only chance at finding some semblance of safety, of a life that wasn't just running and fighting. But knowing that didn't make it any easier.

Aaron hesitated for a moment, his eyes flicking down to the weapons we still carried. "I'm going to need to take your weapons before we go see Deanna," he said, almost apologetically. "It's for everyone's safety."

Mackenzie and I exchanged a glance. It was a fair request, but it still felt like asking us to strip away our last line of defense, our security. Out there, our weapons had been our lifeline. Handing them over felt like peeling off a layer of skin, exposing ourselves in a way that made my nerves flare.

I slowly reached behind me, pulling out the knife that had been like an extension of my hand for what felt like forever. It was stained, the handle worn from use, but it was mine, my protector. My fingers gripped the handle tighter, reluctant to let it go.

Aaron held out his hand, patient and understanding, like he knew exactly how hard this was for us.

"It's okay," he said softly. "You'll get them back when the time is right."

Mackenzie was quicker than me, unstrapping her knife and handing it over with a small sigh. Aaron took it carefully, then looked back at me, waiting.

I finally forced my hand to move, placing the knife in his palm. The loss of its weight felt like a physical ache, but I tried to push the feeling down, to focus on the bigger picture. This was a test, a step toward to something better-or so I hoped.

"Thank you," Aaron said, slipping our weapons into his backpack. "Deanna's house is just up the road."

We followed him in silence, the quiet almost oppressive after the constant noise and chaos of the outside world. The streets were eerily pristine, like a time capsule from before everything went to hell. Kids played on the sidewalks, their laughter ringing out, so strange and foreign that it almost didn't register as real. People were gardening, talking, living in a way that seemed impossible.