CHAPTER ELEVEN || THE ORPHAN

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"don't shoot! don't!" a panicked voice echoed through her ears, as a young boy jumped out from behind the trees, hands held high in surrender, Panic etched over his features as his eyes darted between both Sam and Alex. Disbelief washed over the pair as they came face to face with a kid, alone in a dangerous world of walkers.

"why are you watching us?" Alex exclaimed gun still raised at the boy, he didn't look any older than 14, his dishevelled hair falling to his forehead, dirt covering his face and clothes. Sam's eyes flickered to Alex as the freckled man lowered his gun, The boy was only a kid Sam couldn't fathom Threatening a child with a gun. 

"I wanted to make sure you were good people.." he exclaimed, fear laced his voice as Sam took a step toward Alex, tapping Her shoulder wanting her to do the same, And lower Her weapon, Her eyes flickered between Sam and the boy... He was a kid but they didn't know him. Danger still stands.

"he's a kid" Sam warned giving Alex a look, she glanced back at the boy, Sam was right. She gave in and her lowered her gun, yet she still remained cautious of the boy, She remembered what her plan was when she approached her uncle's group in the first place... yet he was a child.

"What are you doing out here?" Sam asked as the boy lowered his hands, gripping the straps of his backpack as he looked between the two adults, the fearful expression laid out on his face transforming into one of relief as he answered;

"same as you... surviving. I was with a group..." the boy revealed as his voice wavered, the question clearly bringing up unwanted memories of grief. Sam's empathy outweighing his suspicion.  the boy's words reminded Alex of what had happened to her, how she felt when she was alone.  how it tormented her, as she'd never wish that upon anyone, especially a child.

"that's alright we understand, what's your name?" Sam asked his gun returning to his waistband as he took a step toward the boy, Alex watched her pity for the young boy showing, grief was a rollercoaster of emotions she hated the thought of children having to deal with it and her mind flickered to her cousin, carl...

"josh. josh harper" the young boy answered his eyes lingering on Alex and the cautious look on her face, Sam however only saw a child. A young boy. while Alex couldn't help but think deeper, how this world forced children to grow up so much quicker, the memory of Hershel revealing Carl shot a boy who was handing over his weapon crossed her mind...

"I'm Sam, that's Alex. we're not gonna hurt you" Sam assured, reaching for his bag. Alex's heart ached as she took in the appearance of the young boy. his malnourished figure stood fearfully before her, clinching the straps of his bag his wide eyes glued to Sam, as he reached into his bag.

"you hungry?" Sam asked his hand venturing through his bag to pull out another can of soup, As soon as Josh's eyes fell on the can his expression lit up, as he nodded the hunger and need for energy clear on his face as Sam offered him a small smile.

"starving" Josh smiled, Alex watched as Sam approached the boy giving him the can. She knew if Carl was alone out there if he came across anyone. she'd want them to look after him. She needed them to look after him, so that's what she'd do for this boy. 

Alex watched as the boy sat beside Sam, a smile tugging at his lips as he inhaled the soup Sam had given him, she'd forgotten what this felt like, helping people. the memories of her time in the army flashing before her eyes as she exhaled. The sight reminded her of when she reunited with her uncle, The first time she met Glenn... Glenn, she needed to find him.

"where are your parents?" Alex spoke breaking the silence Josh's eyes slowly looked up meeting hers, She assumed she knew the answer by the look on his face. grief followed her everywhere, the people she lost followed her everywhere, Lori's last words echoed in her mind and how Alex had failed her. She couldn't protect Carl or Judith... she didn't even know where they were. if they were alive. 

"I don't have parents. even before this..." He glanced at Alex, his soft voice wavering at the question as Alex nodded understandingly, she didn't want to bring up unwanted memories she knew all too well how that felt

"Where are you heading?" Sam asked looking toward the younger boy, Sam's kindness outweighing Alex's distrust for new people, and although she didn't trust the boy. she wanted to try, Carl filled her mind. She needed him safe, and she'd want someone to trust him, look after him. 

"I saw the signs for terminus.. what about you guys?" Josh asked looking between the two adults he continued; "do you have a group?"

"We did. we got separated we're looking for them" Sam answered, Alex stayed silent just watching the interaction, silence consuming her as her mind ran wild. 

"Alex's family, her boyfriend we're looking for them. you can stay with us, we're going to Terminus too, we can help each other" Sam offered, Alex's eyes widened as Sam offered to bring Josh along with them, Disbelief washed over her features until she saw the young teen's face light up, reminding her of carl.

"Really?" Josh asked, his eyes shifting to Alex. sam doing the same as they waited for her approval, She sighed running a hand through her hair reminding herself she'd want someone to do it for Carl she agreed.

"yeah.. okay" she nodded, her heart aching for her family, for Glenn. she needed them, now more than ever. 

**

"Sam, can I talk to you?" Alex asked getting up and walking around the fire far enough away so Josh couldn't hear what she wanted to say, Sam nodded getting up patting the boy's shoulder before he followed his friend, he wanted to help get the boy to safety if Terminus was even safe.

"We watch him. don't take your eyes off your shit okay?" Alex warned she wasn't stupid. She knew what she was willing to do when she had been alone all those weeks. She knew what she'd done to people. even though he was a child, it didn't mean they couldn't be cautious.

"he's just a kid Alex. He isn't gonna do anything. we help him get to Terminus he might end up helping us find Glenn if he's still alive" The words escaped his lips without thinking, he didn't mean it like that yet his sentence shot an arrow through Alex's heart, anger flooded her body, 'if'...

"if?! if he's not at Terminus, I'll wait there until he is! he can't be dead." she reiterated clenching her Jaw, He had to be. Glenn had to be alive. She couldn't just accept he wasn't. She thought Sam believed it too... yet he'd just made her feel like she was crazy for even believing Glenn had a chance.

"if you don't think he is? you've been feeding me all this fake ass shit then? that it? just helping me chase ghosts so your not alone?" Alex spat poison laced her words, her composure wearing thin. he had to be alive. guilt filled Sam's stomach as he shook his head... that's not what he meant...  he said it without thinking...

"No, I didn't mean-" He was cut off by the growling of walkers, Alex turned her head at the sound. Three walkers approaching from the darkness, making Alex huff in disbelief.

"give me a fucking break" She sighed pulling the dagger from its confines on her belt, Lunging toward them her mind drifted to Glenn. To Carl. To rick. they couldn't be dead. Plunging the dagger into one of their heads, her muscles flexing as she pulled it from its skull watching as Sam killed the other. anger flooded her veins as The third walker Approached Alex it's long dirty hair to its shoulder as Alex reaches gripping a handful of its hair. All the grief and anger in her body exploding.

Alex smashed the walker's head against the tree, again. and again. her weak muscles flexing, her mind clouded by pure anger it finally outweighing the pained grief that consumed her. The thing's skull cracking against her grip as blood splattered from its skull, it fell limp she smashed its head against the tree one last time as a frustrated grunt escaped her lips. Letting go of the walker's head it's body dropped to the floor, Alex's heart racing as she turned to look at Sam his eyes wide as he stared at the woman.

"we are gonna find Glenn."

**

"so, I'm guessing it's safe to assume awkward silence is your kinda thing" Josh muttered sarcasm lacing his voice as he tried starting a conversation between the two as they walked, having noticed the conversation between Alex and Sam had almost completely diminished. 

They'd been following train tracks since morning,  Alex had been writing messages to Glenn on Each sign they'd walked past, The dull pain in her back almost matching the ache in her heart. the events from the night before etched into her mind as she tried to stay focused on finding them, finding them alive.

"ill take that as a yes then" Josh nodded to himself, his lips tightening into a flat smile. trusting the pair of adults that agreed to help him too quickly. maybe somehow he hadn't had to grow up too quickly while being alone.

the silence lingered in the air, the tension between Sam and Alex growing stronger with every moment that passed, Guilt from his previous words bubbling deep within Sam's stomach as his eyes lingered on the woman walking a couple of steps ahead of him. yet the tension didn't go unnoticed by the young boy as he tried making conversation again.

"so your boyfriend? what does he look like?" Josh asked clutching the straps of his backpack, his trust in the two strangers already growing. they'd been nicer to the 13-year-old than the other people he'd met... and all they'd done was give him something to eat.

"he's the same height as Sam, maybe a bit shorter.. dark hair, Korean" Alex sighed as they walked, A smile threatened to show on her lips as she thought of Glenn, Imagined his smile, his warmth... how badly she needed him to be okay. she hoped he was on his way to Terminus.

"And you think Glenn and the rest of your group could be at Terminus?" Josh asked in an attempt to hold the conversation and lighten the mood as he kicked at the stones on the railway. 

"if it's not overrun"

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AN || and here's the start of my boy josh!

always be staning the sarcastic characters that is going to be josh