OUTLIVE.
❝The dead were never the enemy.
It was the living. ❞
THE WALKING DEAD.
DARYL DIXON.
BOOK TWO of the LANCASTER SAGA.
[ SEASONS 4 - 6 ]
*****
*I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters. I simply write to write. Astrid, any addi...
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[ l. the fall of alexandria ]
august 14th, 2012
➸➸➸
"EVERYONE, GET BACK! GET into your houses, go!"
Amidst crumbling walls, warping metal, and rampaging walkers, Rick Grimes's urgent command boomed like a ruptured thunderclap in Astrid's ears. She staggered on her knees, dazed by the thick, swirling dust still settling around her. Panic coiled through her veins as she scanned the pandemonium that was the fall of Alexandria. A torrent of flesh-eating monsters, a seething, rotting mass hurtling right towards her.
The familiar faces she once stood beside were all but swallowed by the engulfing terror. Rick, Maggie, Deanna, Rosita, Tara, Tobin—all gone. Astrid was alone. Then, a baby's siren-like wails tore through her. Judith. Judith, who was crying in distress, who was still clinging so tightly to Astrid's chest as big, fat tears streaked down the child's reddening face.
But there was no time to assess her needs. Not when they needed to move. A guttural growl snapped Astrid's focus to the approaching walkers. They would not slow until they were on her, tearing her apart. Bundling Judith that much deeper into her arms, Astrid clambered unsteadily to her feet and began to retreat, stumbling backward, her weapon out of reach. Her heart pounded in her chest as the undead nearly set upon her.
Then, a sudden blur of movement, a flash of blue—Deanna Monroe shoved her way through the back of the pack and grabbed at one of the closest walkers to Astrid and Judith with bare hands. In the ensuing struggle, both toppled onto a nearby piece of idle construction equipment, the walker and the woman crashing together onto unforgivingly sharp metal.
They continued to topple, and once the walker hit the grass, Astrid approached and stomped down, smashing its brains beneath her boot. Crashing down beside the obliterated brains, Deanna began to writhe in agony, bloodied and wounded from the fall.
Astrid stretched to help the woman to her feet next, but another hand quickly shoved her arm down. Rick had materialized by her side. Revolver still raised, he shot down several walkers that had grown too close for comfort, before swooping Deanna up into his protective hold. "Go!" He urged Astrid onward. "We'll catch up!"
Still clutching Judith tight to her chest, Astrid turned and sprinted down the nearest narrow street. The walkers trailed behind. Each step forward was a defiance against death. They had to keep moving.
"Astrid!"
She pivoted at the call of her name, eyes locking onto the sight of Bailey, Michonne, Gabriel, Carl, and Ron all hurrying toward her. Relief surged through her at the sight of all the familiar faces. "You're safe!" Astrid breathed, drawing Bailey close. "Stay with me. Keep moving!"
Pressing forward through the crowded street, Astrid followed Carl as he took the lead, likely hoping to guide the group back to their mansion-like home. That was, until a sudden onslaught of walkers cut off their path toward the town center. A worried cry escaped Astrid's lips as she instinctively leaped forward to shield Carl and the others.
