Surviving Alexandria (BOOK THREE IN THE SURVIVING THE WALKING DEAD SERIES)

Camouflage

Rick grunted as he dragged the last walker body up the stairs, Carl, Jessie, and Ron watched with curiosity, even I was curious as to what plan Rick had come up with. "You stay here." Rick said to Carl. "Ya see anyone squeezin' through, ya get me." Carl nodded and he and Ron took their place at the top of the stairs while Jessie and I followed Rick into a room where he laid the walker next to the other one. "We're gonna need bed sheets, enough for everyone."

"Bed sheets for what?" Jessie asked. Gabriel stepped over the bodies and began to search the house for bed sheets.

"We all go to the armory."

"How?"

"We're gonna gut these things, cover ourselves with the insides. It'll mask our smell, make them think we're like them." The room fell silent.

"Well," I cleared my throat. "I think I speak for everyone else when I ask, ARE YA FUCKIN' INSANE?"

"I've done it before. We stay calm, we don't draw attention, we can move right through them. I've done it before, in the beginnin', Glenn and I did."

"They're in the house, they're making noise." Michonne added. "More are coming." SHUKK! Michonne raised her katana high and slammed it down on the walker's abdomen, dragging her blade as it slit the walker open. Everyone instantly began to gag. The foul stench of rotting organs, blood, and decaying skin instantly filled the room like skunk spray.

"Anyone who stays here is gonna die."

"What about Deanna?" Gabriel asked. Rick and Michonne looked at each other, no one spoke as Rick and Michonne continued to tear apart the walkers. I knew what that meant, we all knew what it meant. Deanna can't walk, not on her own at least. Plus with her still bleeding, the smell would attract walkers for sure. I didn't want to, but we were gonna have to leave Deanna behind.

"I'll go talk to 'er." I sighed.

"Hurry back." Rick nodded. I exited the room and entered Deanna's room. Her eyes were closed, her breathing was more labored. She was getting close to dying. I knelt down on the ground beside her, gently grabbing her arm, jolting her awake.

"What's happening out there?" Deanna murmured.

"They're gettin' in." I answered. "The rest of us... we're gonna have to go." Deanna didn't respond. "If ya want me to, I'll-"

"No. I'm not ready. Not yet... I will be. Soon. And when I am, I'll do it myself." Deanna raised the gun in her hand. "It's my life, start to finish."

"I don't want ya to be torn apart by those things."

"I won't be." Deanna placed her hand on my cheek and smiled. "Vous êtes l'âme d'Alexandrie." (You are the soul of Alexandria.) Tears rolled down my face as I took Deanna's hand into mine, gripping it tightly. "Go. They need you." I gently nodded and rose to my feet.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For lettin' us through the gates, for believin' in Alexandria... believin' in all of us." Deanna softly smiled up at me.

"I still believe. I cocked it all up," Deanna chuckled. "but I figured it out." She reached her hand out and grabbed mine. "What do you want? Now you figure it out."

"I will."

"Good. Give 'em hell." I slowly exited the room and wiped my eyes dry before heading back to the others. Rick stood with a bed sheet in his hands and looked back at me, I gently shook my head.