The Third Dixon [The walking dead OC x OC]

Chapter six

The morning had barely started when Alexandria stopped feeling like home. Nathan had been on one of the platforms along the wall, looking out over the quiet streets, when the first sound reached him.

A crack.

A deep, horrible sound of wood and metal giving way.

At first, he thought it was another attack.

Another group.

Another threat they hadn't seen coming.

Then the wall shifted.

And everything changed.

The section near the gate collapsed with a violent crash, sending dust and pieces of wood everywhere. Nathan grabbed onto the railing to steady himself as the ground shook beneath him.

For a moment, nobody moved.

Then the walkers poured through.

Hundreds.

The sound was impossible to describe. The snarling, the dragging feet, the mass of bodies forcing their way into the streets they had spent months protecting.

"Rick!"

Someone shouted his name below.

Then the gunfire started.

Nathan immediately raised his weapon, but he knew.

He knew before he even pulled the trigger.

There were too many.

Shooting wouldn't stop this.

Not like this.

Every bullet was only delaying the inevitable.

His eyes scanned the streets instead, searching for the people he cared about. For any familiar face between the chaos. He spotted Rick moving through the crowd, trying to direct people.

Carol.

Carl.

People running.

People fighting.

And then—

"Maggie."

She was sprinting across the street toward the ladder, trying to reach higher ground as walkers flooded after her.

Nathan's stomach dropped when one of them grabbed at her ankle.

"Maggie!"

She stumbled, barely catching herself.

Another walker reached for her.

Nathan didn't think.

He climbed down the platform steps halfway, leaning over the edge and reaching for her.

"Maggie! Up here!"

She looked up.

For a second, their eyes met.

Then another walker slammed into the ladder, shaking it violently. Maggie grabbed onto the side, trying to climb faster as hands clawed at her boots. Nathan dropped his weapon, stretching as far as he could.

"Come on!"

She reached. Almost. A walker's fingers caught the back of her jacket and pulled. Nathan reacted instantly, grabbing her arm and pulling with everything he had. Maggie kicked away from the walker as Nathan dragged her upward, his boots slipping against the metal platform.

For a moment, both of them were hanging there.

Then Nathan pulled harder. Maggie rolled onto the platform beside him, both of them breathing heavily as the walkers continued to slam against the structure below.