Chapter 33

                                    

                                          
Chapter 33
We continued to tell stories, the light from the campfire was comforting. Even as the Barn shook now and again, the rain seemed to seep through the cracks of the old barn making puddles on the floor of the barn. Suddenly a knock sounded at the door. We all ignored it thinking it was a branch hitting the door. Then it came again, 
Knock 
Knock 
Knock  
I looked at Rick, then back at the barn door. He nodded at me and I got up and moved towards the door, Daryl got up from his spot in the corner of the room and walked over to the door. He swung it open and I grabbed who or whatever was standing there and shoved them down to the ground, I walked out of the shelter slowly. And stood right in front of the fallen, thing. I watched him get up and sway from side to side. When I was able to get a good look at the man? I saw him standing alone, a man with a friendly smile, his hands raised in a gesture of peace.
"Hello!" the man called out, his voice steady and calm. "My name is Aaron. I'm a friend."
Rick, who was up and waiting inside the dry barn, his grip tight on his revolver. The rest of the group followed suit, weapons at the ready. Trust was a luxury no one could no longer afford.
"Why are you out here alone?" I demanded, my eyes never leaving Aaron. Aaron took a cautious step closer, still holding his hands up. "I'm a recruiter for a community called Alexandria. We've built a safe place for people like you, a place where you can rebuild your lives." We exchanged skeptical glances. It sounded too good to be true, and in this world, such promises often were. I too was skeptical, no way a community has survived this long, I mean we did but we were run out of our home twice. 
"I'm calling BS" I say to Rick, my eyes never leaving Aaron. 
"How do we know this isn't a trap?" Michonne asked, her katana glinting in the faint light of our still burning campfire.
Aaron reached into his backpack slowly, pulling out a stack of photos. He tossed them to the ground near my feet. Water splashing up from the ground. "Take a look. These are pictures of Alexandria. You'll see for yourselves—families, children, homes with running water and electricity."
Rick knelt down, picking up the photos. He studied them intently, his face a mask of cautiousness. He passed them to the others. Daryl frowned, like always. Daryl just trudged forward past me and to Aaron, he snatched his bag and rummaged through it. "And what are these" he shouted at him, raising a set of photos. He shoved them into my hands and went right up into Aarons face. "You da been following us, how long, HUH, how many mor ya are there, what are yer going to do with them?!"
I looked at the photos in my hand and gasped at them, me and Carl hugging right behind the car when the group attacked us, Daryl hunting in the woods, Carol laughing with Abraham by a campfire. I couldn't finish looking at them, my anger had risen beyond repair. I shoved them into Rick's hands and just glared at Aaron. Rain had drenched me to my core but the water still flowed over my hair and covered my face, I just continued to stare at him even through the rain that slipped into my eyes and dripped off my nose. 
"You expect us to just follow you?" Carol asked, her tone sharp. "How do we know you're not leading us into a trap?" Aaron nodded, understanding their hesitation. "I get it. You've been through hell. But if you follow me, I promise you'll see for yourselves. We have food, medical supplies, and safety. It's a chance to start over." 
"How do you explain these photos" Rick chimed in, "I-" he was cut off by Daryl, "NO, Rick we can't trust him". "Hear him out god damn it" Bob chimed in 
Rick stood. I could tell that his mind was having a hard time deciding. Every instinct screamed caution, but the promise of a safe haven, a place for his children to grow up, was too tempting to ignore. I knew that.
He turned to us. "Well wait till the storm passes and them well leave with him, we have to at least see it"
"Alright," Rick finally said, turning back to Aaron. "We'll follow you. But know this—we won't hesitate to fight if this turns out to be a trap."
Aaron nodded solemnly. "Understood. I'll lead the way. It's not far."
"Nuh uh, we are waiting out this storm" Rick challenged.
"Understood, Understood" Aaron replied, raising his hands up. 
—-~ ~—-
The sun began its descent, casting long shadows across the dense forest. The air was thick with tension and the scent of decay. Aaron led the group through the woods, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger. Me, Rick, Michonne, Glenn, Daryl, and the others followed closely behind. "We need to keep moving," Aaron urged, his voice low but firm, his eyes scanning the dense woods with a mix of urgency and fear. The forest around them seemed to close in, the shadows deepening with the setting sun. "We're not far from Alexandria, but we can't afford to let our guard down."
Rick nodded, his jaw set and his eyes hard. He tightened his grip on his revolver. I placed a hand over my daggers. "Stay close and stay quiet. We don't want to attract any more attention."
The group moved in a tight formation, our breaths held and hearts pounding. Mine and Daryl's footsteps were barely audible on the forest floor, the others, not so much. Every rustle of leaves and snap of a twig set our nerves on edge, each sound a potential threat of danger. As they pressed on, the terrain grew more treacherous, the ground uneven and covered with tangled roots and thick underbrush that snagged at their legs. The silence was shattered by a guttural growl that sent chills down our spines. Walkers emerged from the trees, their decaying forms lurching towards the group with mindless hunger. Aaron's eyes widened.
"Here they come!" he shouted, the words a rallying cry that cut through the rising panic. My heart pounded in my chest as I spun towards the oncoming threat. "Form up!" Rick yelled, his voice steady despite the fear that clawed at him, his face showing it all. The group responded instantly. Michonne's katana flashed in the dim light, slicing through the air with deadly precision. She moved like a dancer, each motion fluid and practiced, her face a mask of grim determination. Daryl's crossbow twanged, and an arrow found its mark, dropping a walker in its tracks. Glenn swung his machete with brutal efficiency, cleaving through rotting flesh and bone. Rick's revolver barked, the shots echoing through the trees. My daggers were but a blur as I floated around the horde cutting off heads and taking out eyeballs. I was nothing but a blur, fast and silent.  "Keep moving!" Rick yelled, his voice rising above the chaos. "We can't get bogged down here!"
We fought our way through the horde. My breath ragged and short, why was I so winded. I couldn't rest now though, the sheer number of walkers was overwhelming, and the fight was a frantic, desperate struggle. Blood and sweat mingled, the air filled with the stench of decay and the sounds of battle. Finally, after a long while we broke through, the last of the walkers falling. Gasping for breath, again, we regrouped.
"We need to go, now," Aaron urged, his voice strained but resolute. He led us forward. As we stumbled out of the forest and onto an open road, a neighborhood before us, the walls of what Aaron promised was not there, no Alexandria. I threw a scowl at the back of Aaron's head as we walked. If he was lying, OH I was going to have his head. We pushed on, the terrain rocky and uneven, every step a test of our endurance, or my lack of. 
Another growl rose behind them, a fresh wave of walkers drawn by the noise of our guns. "We're almost there," Aaron said, a note of relief in his voice. "Just a little further." We turned and jogged after Aaron slowly making our escape from the horde. The sun dipped lower, casting an orange glow over the landscape. 
Aaron, a small smile playing on his lips said, "Welcome to Alexandria."