In the dead of night we walked through the forest. I didn't want to be using my torch, but how would I keep to the tracks if I didn't? I felt like I had eyes on me, but Finn was to my side. He was looking everywhere apart from me, because he wanted to spot walkers or whisperers. We'd passed quite a few dead walkers along the way. "Him killing walkers is just gonna draw more attention to us." I commented.

"That's what he wants if he wants the Alpha. He can't track, right?" Finn responded. I simply hummed, noticing how the tracks lead to an old cottage. I saw a light inside, me and Finn exchanged glances. "Carl or a whisperer?"

"Lydia told me that Whisperers hang outside as long as the weather doesn't force them to take shelter. It's nearly summer." I told my... Friend... Boyfriend... Not entirely sure, we didn't really make it official. We walked towards the house. "You take the back just in case."

"Yes, ma'am." Finn agreed. As he passed me, his hand want across the small of my back. I couldn't help but smile at the feeling. I got to the front door and slowly pushed it open, I noticed a lantern in the middle of the living room. I furrowed my eyebrows when I didn't see anybody, before I was aggressively pushed forward. There was a weight on my back as the person was straddling my middle back with a gun pressed to the back of my head.

"Where's your leader?" Carl's voice asked.

I couldn't help what happened next. I was pissed at him for running off like he did. I reached my hands back and grabbed his wrists, I pulled them forward so he lay on my back. Within the second I rolled us over. I rolled over once more than him so I was laying on my stomach next to him while he lay on his back. I grabbed his gun from his hand while he was still stunned. I sat back onto my knees, emptied the gun of its ammo before chucking the unloaded gun onto his chest. "I don't have a leader, dickhead."

Carl closed his eyes, let out a heavy sigh and threw his head back. Finn entered the room and furrowed his eyes at the sight. "Everything good in here?" He asked.

"Other than the fact that Carl's an absolute idiot? Yea, we're fine." I responded, not breaking eye contact with Carl as I stood to my feet. "I mean, what were you thinking? Carl, you could get yourself killed out here. Crossing the boarder like that? It's reckless, none of us should be here. Going after their leader? How reckless can you get?"

"You're right it's nearly as reckless as going into a camp full of loaded cannibals just to get revenge for a boy you don't even like." Carl spat back.

I scoffed. "Seriously? Of all things, you bring up that?" Carl just sat up, taking his gun and walking away to lean on the counter, facing me. "Carl, you're an idiot. I get that you're upset. I get that you hate me. I get that you maybe never wanna see me again. Fine, I don't care. Take your anger out on me. Scream at me, hit me, insult me, whatever the hell you want. Just, for gods sake do not put yourself in danger like this." I refused to raise my voice, if we hadn't been spotted yet, that could be the final thing.

Carl shook his head. "I am sorry about how it went down, Ellie."

"You don't have to be. I'm not mad about that, Carl." I ran a hand through my hair. "I'm mad because crossing these boarders could've meant that you never came back. Killing Alpha would've gotten you killed and then brought on war between our people and their people. They have thousands of walkers at their disposal, Carl. We can't afford that kind of fight."

"Their people put our people's heads on sticks!" Carl yelled. "They killed Enid, Jessie, Tara-"

"I know, but damnit keep your voice down!" I whisper yelled at him.

Carl nodded, blinking away a tear. "We lost family, Ellie. We lost land, hunting grounds... All for what? Some bald lady who wears walkers on her face and beats her daughter? We can't keep living like this. She needs to die." 

I sighed. "I know, Carl. I know... But, more bad will come from it than good."

"Really? Because I'd say that ending this treatment towards our people is pretty good." Carl spoke angrily.

"Carl, I know how you feel-" I started.

"How the hell would you know how I feel?" He interrupted. "I held my mother's hand while she was ripped apart from the inside. I watched my father blow up because of something you did. You have Carol and Michonne, you still have Daryl. You have no idea how I feel. You have more than I ever will because my parents are dead." As he ranted, tears fell from his eye.

I nodded, wiping tears from my own face. "I'm sorry, Carl. You're right, I have no idea how it feels. And there is nothing in this world that I want more than to bring Rick back. Nothing... But, I'm sorry. He's dead. I can't change that. You can't change that. Killing Alpha won't bring him back, if anything? It'll just put his family in danger. The family that he gave his life to protect. Please, man. Just come home. I'm begging you here."

Carl stared at me for a little while, just thinking about it. Eventually he bowed his head. "Okay... You're right." He admitted. His voice low and ashamed. "Let's go home."

"Guys, we got company." Finn told us, backing away from the back window.

"Walkers or whisperers?" I asked.

"I don't know. We gotta assume both. We gotta move." Finn stated.

I gave Carl his ammo back. "Come on."

Carl put out his lantern before we ran. We couldn't head straight for the boarder because we'd be cut off, so if anything... We were running further into the lion's den. Best idea we ever had? Absolutely not. However, was it the only way to get out of there alive? Unfortunately. "Damnit, I'm sorry." Carl apologised as we ran.

"Don't worry, Carl. It's fine. But, if we die, I'ma be a little pissed." I answered, keeping my speed. I'm a fast runner, so is Carl, so is Finn. Unless you were behind walls the whole time, in the apocalypse, you're a fast runner. You don't make it nearly eight years into the world being dead while lugging behind. Sophia used to be a slow runner, that all changed while we were being chased through the woods by that dreaded highway.

"We're running further into their land, we need a plan." Finn stated.

"Anything you wanna suggest, blondie?" I requested.

"We could hide, wait for them to pass and turn back." Finn responded.

"Okay- that's actually a good plan." I confirmed.

"What about those bushes over there?" Carl suggested.

"Yea, okay." I agreed, looking over my shoulder to make sure I couldn't see them. I could still hear the walker groans, being carried in the wind, but for now they weren't in sight. We ran over to the big bushes and got in the middle of it. No hiding behind it shit. We were happily getting cuts and getting into each others personal space to hide amongst the sticks and leaves. I was sat between Finn's legs. His arms were around my waist as I leaned into him, keeping my knees against my chest. Carl looked between the two of us with furrowed eyebrows. "I'll explain later." I whispered to him. He simply nodded, before lowering the sheriffs hat on his head. I couldn't help but stare at the hat as the herd started to pass us. Rick Grimes wore that hat while the herd passed us on the highway after the CDC. Rick Grimes gave that hat to his son while he was scared; after all he'd been shot and all his friends were lost in a forest.

I had to turn away from the hat. I had to close my eyes and lean my head onto Finn's chest. I couldn't think about mama Rick anymore. I couldn't think about all he had done being wiped away by one fatal mistake that I made.

Finn rested his head on mine, letting his lips rest against my head as he squeezed me. We all pretty much held our breath. The situation was tense. If we were caught? Either we'd be dragged to see the Alpha, killed on sight, or ripped apart by walkers... Take your pick of the fun mix. I estimated the herd to be at about two hundred. These days, that isn't actually that big. Me and Sophia once took out a herd of about two hundred and seventy five all by ourselves because it meant protecting baby RJ.

It had been a few minutes since we heard the growls fade away. "I think they're gone." Finn whispered.

"Then you should probably re-think." A woman's voice said from the other side of the bush. It was a southern accent. Like Lydia's... But more... Rooted, thick. It was whispered almost too.

"Ah, shit." I muttered.

"Come on out, kids." The same lady spoke. I looked to Carl, then to Finn, before I was the first to slowly stand. She wore a walker's face, which she'd stuck blonde hair too. She was a heavier woman which implied a good diet. It made me wonder how many animals they had killed... And if it was only animals they ate. I couldn't help but think about Terminus and Adam. "You're the Dixon girl."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "How'd you know that?"

I couldn't see her face, but I knew she was smiling. Finn and Carl stood up on either side of me. "My people are always watching."

Just like that, from behind trees a bunch more whisperers emerged. They all wore masks. There were at least fifteen of them. "You're Alpha." Carl stated.

"That I am, boy." The woman nodded.

"What's your name?" Finn asked. "Even if you don't use them anymore. Everybody has a name."

She cocked her head to the side. "Why would you want to know? It's not your concern, Finn."

"Okay, I ain't gonna lie to you, crazy lady. It's a little creepy that you know our names. Just putting it out there." I admitted.

It's like I could feel her smile. "Come over here for me."

I exchanged glances with Finn and Carl before we stepped over the bush. I started clearing my hair of the twigs and leaves. "Now what?" Carl basically hissed.

"Get on your knees." She ordered. Finn huffed but did what she said. Me and Carl exchanged glances. We both thought back to that night we lost Abraham and Aaron. "I'm sorry, children. Did I stutter?"

"Carl." I whispered, before slowly getting onto my knees. When I was ten, I was the last standing... Now, I knew better. Carl slowly got onto his knees as well. Once again, he was on my right while we were on our knees in front of someone who would kill us without blinking. One of the men came over and stood by her, handing her a baseball bat. "I've seen this movie before."

"I'm just going to knock you out, so I can take you all back to my camp. We're gonna have a little fun together, okay?" Her voice was really starting to get on my nerves. She walked over to stand in front of Finn first. "And if I hit you a little too hard and you don't wake up... Well, that'll be a shame." She then swung at Finn's temple. I flinched at the impact before he was sent to the ground. I watched his chest, he was still breathing. Alpha skipped me and stood in front of Carl, lining the bat up with his temple. "Sleep tight, boy." Another swing sent my brother to sleep. I flinched at that impact again. All I could see was Negan beating the life outta Abraham and Aaron. Alpha then stood in front of me, my face came level with her belt buckle. "We're going to have so much fun together. And, you'll learn what happens when you break my rules." Then, the baseball bat collided with the side of my head. I was plunged into darkness.