Call me Lexi: A walking dead story

New Horizons

Eastman watched as the two women packed up their backpacks with some protein bars, canned corn, beef jerky, some potatoes and apples. He walked over to Louise who filled two containers with water and packed them up into her pack and hoisting it onto her back.

"Before you go, I got something for you." Eastman said, walking over to her with a book.

He handed it to her, "Family systems and their outcomes." The title read.

"It is a real academic trash fire, but the fifth and seventh chapter might help you get out of your head and take care of your thoughts and feelings." Eastman zipped open her pack and stuffed the book inside.

"I'll walk with you." He said, putting his hand on her shoulder as he led Claudia and her to the road that led out of the woods.

"You are a hothead, a capable hothead, but a hothead still. You have huge gift to keep people together, but you have even more work to do." He told her. "It is up to you to heal and make the best out of this messed up world." he looked over at Claudia.

"Claudia is a good, intuitive person and you guys get along... but find more people and really build something beautiful." He encouraged her. "They'll be glad to see you and Claudia, two powerful women who survived the first onslaught."

Louise nodded at his words, looking back at the cozy cabin where they had rested for the past week.

"Where will you go?" Louise asked him, "Will this cabin hold?"

Eastman scratched the back of his head.

"I will stay as long as I can stay here, grow some veggies, make some cheese."

"Cheese?" Claudia asked, turning around. "How ambitious."

Eastman smiled at her.

"Come back some day and we'll all eat some together." He said.

The two women shook his hand and went off onto the road, they waved before they turned the corner and walked onto the main road in the direction of South-Carolina.

"Are we still heading to your aunt's?" Claudia asked, looking at the map as they walked. "It'll be good to set it as a destination, in between here and wherever we'll go."

Louise thought about her words.

"She lives on the border of Virginia and North-Carolina, last time I check..."

"VIRGINIA!?" Claudia exclaimed, stopping dead in her tracks. "That is like 500 miles!"

Louise raised her eyebrow at Claudia, "It is ONLY 500 miles." She hissed through gritted teeth. "We'll cross the border on foot to South-Caroline and find a truck or a car somewhere." Louise said.

"Is your aunt even alive?" Claudia spat at Louise. "You haven't spoken to her for months, right?"

"I talked to her before I left for my parents, she was already stocking up on food back then." Louise defended herself, facing the pissed off Claudia.

"That was one month ago, Louise." Claudia concluded, crossing her arms.

The two stood opposite each other, arms crossed, trying to keep their temper under wraps.

"You have a better idea?" Louise asked.

"I do." Claudia said, matter of fact. "Follow me for a change." She said, walking up ahead to scour our the environment.

"We are going to look for more people, and then move north." Claudia ordered Louise, "We are not going to make it with just the two of us."

Louise watched as Claudia walked off, confidently going along the path as if she knew where she was going.