The streets were flooded with people. Mini gardens sat in the middle of the road and people walked around like there was nothing to worry about. There was no danger, nothing trying to kill them. Like is was a normal day. A woman was guiding us around the town.
"It's real." Andrea gasped.
"You four were out there for a long time. While you were, the Governor was doing this." She told us. I picked up Ava and put her on my hip. She wasn't good around new people.
"How many people do you have here?" Andrea asked. Me and Michi stayed quiet, we examined everything. Like how no one had weapons on them. How their clothes had not stains and were bright and new.
"73. Eilenn's about to pop so her kid will make it 74. We have kids her age as well." The woman said referring to Ava. Ava dug her face in my neck. Ne people made her scared and nervous. Never a good combo with Ava. "It' still a work in progress, But Rome wasn't built in a day."
"Rome didn't have things trying to eat them too." I muttered. Andrea elbowed me but the woman didn't hear me.
"That's a bold comparison." Andrea said to her.
"I think we've earned it. Wall's haven't been breached in well over a month. We haven't suffered a casualty on the inside since early winter." She tells us. Andrea looks over to the garden. Women wearing garden clothes were harvesting and smiling.
"How is that possible?"
"Our Governor set a strict curfew. Nobody out after Dark. Noise and light are kept to a bare minimal. Armed guard on the fence and patrolling the perimeter to keep the biters away."
"I saw what your patrols do on the way in last night." Andre says. "They had a dead one strung up like an ornament." The woman sighs and stops. She puts down her clipboard and looks at Andrea.
"I won't make excuses, but those men put their lives at risk every day to protect this town. They've lost more than a few friends out there. Everybody copes in their own way." Michi gave ger a stare down. Trying to weed out the lies in her words. I don't blame her, I was doing the same. "But I'll raise it with the govenor." She says and starts walking once more. Andrea looks at us then walks again. I look at Michionne and we are thinking the same thing.
What are they hiding?
"It is safe here, for you and your little one." She said to me.
"My sister is safe when I am around." I snap at her. "Don't act like you know us."
"I didn't mean to offend you. I apologize." Then Ava started to whimper in my arms. Andrea and the woman walked ahead, while me and Michi stayed back.
"Ava, I got you. No one is gonna touch you okay." I whisper while Michi rubs her back. "If they try, Michi gonna kick their ass." That made her smile. "Theirs that pretty smile." We start walking and I see Merle. Ava gets out of my grasp and runs to him.
"Mur-Mur!!!!" She shouts as he catches her.
"Hey Ava." Merle looks at the three of us. "The Govner would like you to come to his place for a meal."
=================================
The Governor's place was not giant but not small. The walls were tan and white brick surrounded the widows. The kitchen was filled with cooking utensils. He was cooking when we sat down. The table was round and a dark brown. Ava sat in my lap. Another man sat next to me, while the Governor cooked. He had glasses and seemed to be socially awkward.
"Hard to believe you ladies last so long out there, especially with a little one." He said as he served us food.
"Because we're women?" Andrea questioned
"Or because a little one can't survive." I snapped.
"Because you were alone." He says.
"We had each other." Andrea said while looking at Michi and me.
"Four against the world. It's long odds considering two of your girls are young."
"We manage, plus us young girls can fight a hell of a lot better than you." I growl. He chuckles.
"Merle said you were a fire cracker." He said to me then continued on what he was saying before. "We are impressed."
"Very." Glasses said.
"Survival in the wild is tough sledding. Wake up every morning on the ground wondering if today is the day." He said. I noticed Michi staring at something. I look at there is her Katana and my hunting knife. "Will it be quick and final, or slow and well, without end? Will someone have the good sense to kill my brain, or will I come back as one of them?" He sat down. Ava shrunk in my lap, not loving the topic right now.
"Do you think they remember anything?" Glasses asked. Andrea started to eat but me and Michi didn't Ava was trying to eat an apple. I cut a slice off and let her bite into it that way. "The person they once were?"
"I don't think about it." Andrea said with food in her mouth. Glasses looked disappointed.
"Milton believes there might be a trace of the person they were, still trapped inside." governor explained.
"That's stupid." They all look at me. Andrea give me a death stare. "The brain is not functioning with emotions, just motor skills. There isn't anything inside, just a never ending hunger."
"What about you? It must have crossed your mind?" Milton says as he hands he some tea.
"At one time, yeah." Andrea said. "Right before it tried to bite me." She chuckled.
"And then you killed it?" Milton asked. I look at Michi and see was attempting to eat the eggs. "I say 'it' only because no one here likes to refer to them as him...or her." Andrea glared at Milton.
"Can you change the topic? As much as my sister has experience this life, we don't have to discuss it like this." I snap.
"Of Course. My apologizes." Milton said. "The two you had in chains, who were they?" He asked Michi. I roll my eyes, and then tense up. Michi doesn't talk about that for a reason. "The way you controlled them, used the to your benefit. You did know them, didn't you?"
"Milton, back off." I growl.
"Let them eat." The Governor says.
"My apologies." Milton said then sipped his tea. The governor looks at me.
"You haven't touched your food." He says.
"I'm not hungry, thank you." I tell him as I cut off more of the apple for Ava.
"You are protective of her, it is a good trait. She is lucky to have you." He says.
"um, thanks." I felt uncomfortable. Luckily Andrea changed the subject.
"So What you have hear, you expect it to hold?" Andrea asked. "What if a herd comes through?"
"It'll hold." The Governor said. Then came a long awkward silence. The whole thing felt weird.
"What's your Secret?" Andrea asks, making him chuckle.
"Really Big Walls." Andrea laughs a little, and so does he. Th rest of us stayed quiet. He was charming her.
"That solider had walls too." I point out. "And we saw how that ended."Michi kicked my shin and gave em the stare.
"I guess we do." He says after wiping his food off his mouth. "The real secret in what goes on within these walls. It's about getting back to who we were. Who we really are." He pauses. "Just waiting to be saved. People here have homes, medical care, kids go to school, adults have jobs to do. There's a sense of purpose. We're a community."
"With a lot of guns and ammunition." Milton added. I chuckle and Ava has a smile on her face.
"Never hurts." Governor defends.
"And really big walls." Andrea agreed.
"And Me will to risk everything to defend them. Compromise our safety, destroy our community, I'll die before I'll let that happen." The governor says. He looks at Andrea, who was eyeing s looking like she was gonna straddle him. He was charming her. But Michi saw right past it. This guy was only sweet talking.
So does that the place isn't Safe?
YOU ARE READING
Second Chances
Fanfiction"Did you think I was alive?"I asked him. He smirked and took a bite out of his charred squirrel. "Yeah, ya are tough as nails, I knew ya were alive." I smiled and ran my hand through my hair, untangling some knots before leaning over. "Ya think...
