Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Roxanne wandered the streets of Alexandria, questioning herself: why haven't I left this shit-show yet? The community was crumbling to pieces, they were weak and an ocean of walkers was just beyond their thin walls. It could possibly be that her reason to stay was for the people. The people were nice, she trusted them— hell if you need any evidence, she was willing to leave Kali under the supervision of one of the community members because she trusted them that much.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a recognizable, raspy voice over the groans of the zombies. "Daryl, Sasha, Abraham, you copy?" Rick spoke into his walkie talkie. He was posted on one of the guard towers, he stood high over the fence to overlook the sea of biters.
"You missing some people?" Roxanne called, putting up a hand to block the bright sun from hitting her light brown eyes. Rick shot his head around to look at her.
Rick shook his head, in denial. "They'll be back." Then, he turned back around, his back against the community. Roxanne scoffed at his hope— something she had lost long ago. She climbed up the ladder, wanting to get a glimpse of the emptiness that Rick was observing.
Once she reached the top, she sat down on the platform. "What are you looking for? Wait— let me guess, you're using the force to lure your friends back." Rox joked.
Rick chuckled, and sat next to her. "Did you ever have a group of people you cared about so much, that you'd do anything for them?" Rick asked, insinuating that he cared much about the people he was looking for.
"No, never a group, the only person I could ever risk my own life for, or even kill for, would be —as you already know— Kali." Roxanne popped her head over the fence, watching the zombies struggle to get past each other.
"People have always been seen as a barrier, an obstacle, to me." Roxanne shrugged. That was the way she had always viewed others. Yet, she can't help but to think that her perception was changing. She saw how this community worked —how they struggled together— to keep each other alive, despite the circumstances they were in on their own.
The two sat there in silence, for a few more minutes, enjoying each other's company as they waited for nothing. Nevertheless, their silence was disrupted. A young man had came running, urgent to notify Rick of something.
"Rick? Can I come up?" The boy asked, Rick was broken from his trance and shook his head back into reality. Roxanne observed Rick's grungy features as he poked his head over the platform to take a peek at the man. His perfectly carved face fit his personality: kind, but dominant, and loyal, but vengeful.
"Yeah." Rick welcomed the boy, and instantaneously the boy appeared on the watchtower. He resembled much like the woman who was wanting to bury the enemies' bodies earlier, Rox assumed he was her son.
The boy's eyes wandered to the ruckus below, eyeing the multitude of zombies under his feet. He seemed shocked, and a bit threatened— yet stood his ground to be able to prove something to Rick.
Rick and the boy mumbled back and forth to each other, blatantly ignoring Roxanne. Once they were finished kspeaking, Rick began to head off— anxious to get somewhere. Roxanne's curiosity devoured her; she simply could not abstain from listening in for any longer.
"So I was thinking about what you said back at the quarry. And I mean, you're right, I need to know how to protect myself... and my mom and brother... this place... So, can you teach me how to shoot?" Rick slowly turned around to face the boy, he analyzed his face to find any trace of malicious planning. Roxanne's brow quirked up, amused at the exchange.
Rick nodded, as if he was telling himself that the boy was well over qualified. He pulled out his revolver and removed the bullets carefully. "There's your target." Rick pointed and handed the boy the gun.
The boy was heavy-handed when he grabbed the metal weapon, the entirety of his body froze into place— his nerves were shooting out pulses of electricity, triggering his nervousness.
"Calm down, baby boy, you ain't gonna get no where if you're standing like a statue in an art galley." Roxanne commented, right before the boy shot air out at the crowd below.
* * *
It was the dead of night, the streets were dark, every houses' curtains were drawn yet the walkers still groaned and worked at pushing against the wall. Roxanne couldn't seem to sleep, one of the elders of the community had begged Rox to leave Kali there for the night. Roxanne simply could not say no to the pleading old lady, especially when she could see that her days were numbered.
Nevertheless, having Kali out of her sight at night was tearing at her heart and she was restless. Roxanne needed a distraction, therefore, she sat out on her patio, rocking on the creaky old swing left from the previous home owners.
Rick had caught sight of her and instinctively decided to approach her. Roxanne noticed his figure nearing her and managed to croak out a "Hey" from her exhausted throat.
"You looked lonely." His raspy voice sounded, sending, unexpected, shivers down Roxanne's spine. He sat next to her on the swing and rocked it a bit quicker than her.
Roxanne scoffed, in a playful manner and couldn't help but lay her head on Rick's shoulder. Rick tensed at the gesture, then relaxed— enjoying the action. "I never thanked you for getting me off of the side of that road." Rick chuckled.
"I never thanked you for giving Kali and I a home." Roxanne smirked.
"Why did you help me?" Rick inquired.
Roxanne's hazel eyes dragged slowly up to meet his piercing blue eyes. "Maybe I thought you were cute." Roxanne nudged his side lightheartedly.
"Why did you get in the car?" Roxanne mimicked Rick's tone.
"Maybe I thought you were cute too." Rick smiled, cheekily. Rox and Rick's stares lingered on each other for a few more minutes until the two began to lean in. Roxanne allowed herself to close her eyes, absorbing every ounce of electricity she was to gain from the moment. Rick's heart pounded heavily against his chest, it had been so long since he had been with another person. He almost forgot how good it felt to have someone to hold, to kiss and to go crazy for when you catch a glimpse of them.
Their lips touched, it was warm and electrifying. The shock ran through their veins and it became a drug that they never wanted to rehabilitate from. The two lost each other in the ocean of emotions that flooded their mind, Rick's peppermint breath and Roxanne's soft lips each enticed the other to keep the flow of electricity running.
However, the kiss was all too soon finished. The two parted from each other and coughed awkwardly. "I— I should go check on Carl." Rick stated, finding an excuse, quickly, to leave.
"I should go to bed," Roxanne shot up and scurried off inside the house, shutting the door behind her. She slid her back against the door and sat on the ground, pressing her cold hand against her warm lips.
