Chapter Three

Our New Home, Alexandria

"Thank you." I said. The people were still staring as I looked around some more. The houses were in great condition. But then I noticed the newer looking fence in the corner. When I asked Carl about it, he just said a bad storm, but I've been here since the start. There was no big storm recently. Not that I know of.

I smiled as Marvin dashed off to the medical room. His joy on his shallow face seemed almost pure. But there was something off about the way Marvin kept staring at the people around him. A rather large woman with dark hair seemed to nod and wink. I narrowed my eyes. Maybe she was just flirting, I mean, Marvin Jones is an attractive 18 year old, but he had a thing for Jenny Abate who was just a year younger.

Jenny was with Jazmin and Maggie. They were talking and laughing. Then slowly a group of children around their age walked over to Jazmin and took the young girl's hand. She giggled but didn't move. She caught my eye and I nodded. She giggled again and swung her arm lightly. The other child, a boy with blonde hair responded by swinging his arm.

"That's Trent. He's a goofy little one." Carl said.

"Is he?"

"Yeah, but he's kind. Seems Jazmin likes him a lot." Carl said with a smile.

I smiled as well," What is he? A ladies man?"

"Yeah he is."

After twelve minutes of bullshitting around, we ended up at the house Carl and his father were living. He told me about his baby sister, Judith and I realized that if the fall never happened, I would've said,' Oh who cares it's just a baby and they cry so annoying.' but what I said was," Can I see her?"

"Oh sure you can." he smiled," She's the cutest little thing."

''Is she?"

"Yeah."

By the time we got to the house it was to dark to make it to the JCPenny with Michonne and whoever else wanted to go. I was sullen but was happy to see a younger again. I mean, when this all started Jenson was three. I was the one who raised her after her parents were murdered by a group of bandits who wanted to eat Jenson for dinner. I was the one who killed the bandits, and in that Jenson witnessed me murdering another. She was the only one who ever witnessed me killing another alive person. They were my first and I'm sure, they won't be my last. I was sixteen when that happened.

We went inside, the living room was inviting with a loveseat and a recliner in one corner and a sofa with a tv. No doubt the tv was there just for show, it wouldn't work with the end of the world as we know it.

"Let's go upstairs. I have a few books that the former owners have if you want to read them?" Carl said.

I nodded. The stairs were sturdy as we ran up them and into Carl's room. A gun sat on the dresser ontop of a blue shirt that was folded neatly.

Carl directed me to a moth eaten chair nearby. I sat down, holding my now sheathed sword in my hands with the point to the ground. Carl rummaged through books before finding one I'd never think to see again. A classic; Peter Pan. He held it up before saying," Those kids, do you think they would read this?"

"Yeah. Peter Pan is a good classic." I said with a smile. Carl tossed the book to me as I turned it over in my hands. The pages were water damaged. The picture of a flying boy with red hair and green eyes stared back as a girl with blonde hair flew beside him. Two boys were in the background and a fairy next to the redhead's right ear.

I flipped through the pages and found myself staring at the villain Captain Hook. I found it funny that when I was younger, I used to fear Captain Hook. But now, staring at his face made me want to laugh.

"Be right back."

"Yeah sure."

Carl left and in three minutes returned with a baby girl. Her hair was blonde. She wore a pink onesie. She was adorable.

He held her out to me as the girl stared into my eyes. I wasn't sure if I should grab her or not, but she smiled and giggled. I smiled back and reached my arms out. Carl placed the baby into my arms as I began rocking the child back and forth.

"She's cute." I said.

"Yeah she is." Carl agreed," Looks just like my mom."

"What happened to her?" I asked, knowing I was treading on thin ice that was threatening to crack and send me into the depths to my death.

"She died during childbirth."

''I'm sorry."

"It's ok. We did get Judith so we still won."

"I see."

"Do you want to see your brother?" Carl suddenly asked. I held Judith in my arms and stared at her when Carl asked that.

Did I want to see him? No. Did I need to? Yes. I needed to see what man he was. I needed to see what Maggie seen in him. Who was Glenn Rhee? Who was he now that he's not a lowly pizza boy?

"Yes."

"Why did it take you so long to answer?" Carl was suspious.

"It's not anything major. But do you think Glenn would even remember me?"

"He did speak of family once. But I don't remember what he said. I was younger then."

"I see." I said, handing the child back to Carl he began to leave but stopped," Well, you gonna see your brother or not?"

"Yeah I'm on my way."

Carl grabbed a stroller and made me hold it until we reached the landing of his house. Then putting Judith inside we walked outside. Carl had his gun in his pocket and I had my sword slung over my shoulder. We walked to what seemed like the main house.

When we got inside, I saw Peyton speaking to a man with slight longish black hair and a slight mustache. He wore a white shirt and a black pair of pants with worn sneakers. He was Asian. Next to him was Maggie and she caught my eye. Nudging the Asian man she nodded in my direction. Both Peyton and the Asian man turned towards me. I was shocked to see how much Peyton and him looked so much alike. Then I realized that I must look like a younger more fresher version of my brother. Glenn Rhee.

"Gavin? Is that you?" the man asked. He lightly moved Peyton off to the side and walked over to me until he was infront of me. Then I saw my crew off to the side. Key was nodding at me with tears in his eyes. Jenny smiled and put her thumb up. Kassie began clapping and laughing.

"Yeah it's me." I said.

Glenn wiped his eyes, and I saw tears. Glenn was crying. Did he really think we were all dead? I won't die like my older sister, Lillian. Who the hell knows what happened to our parents.

"Why are you crying?" I demaned, much to Peyton's and Glenn's shock.

"I missed you.-" Glenn began but I cut him off harshly," Who the hell do you think you are, Glenn? You didn't even try to find us. You don't even know the lengths I had to take to save Peyton!"

I think this is a story you need to hear: I was at home when it all started. I was playing an online game with my girlfriend, Rylera Casken. She was losing to me and was whining about it. Suddenly my phone goes off and I answer it. It was my sister, Peyton.

"GAVIN! PLEASE SAVE ME! THESE PEOPLE ARE NUTS. THEY'RE TRYING TO EAT US! GAVIN? GAVIN? GAVI ARE YOU THERE? HELPPPPPPPP" she screamed.

"Pey? Pey?" I said. Looking at Rylera I said," I gotta run. Gotta see what the hell is up."

"I want to go." she said.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Lets go."

About five minutes later, we were surrounded by the undead. And I knew they were dead. Rylera was behind me as I attempted to protect her. My brother's work was nearby and I saw him run out. He wore his uniform as I screamed his name. He didn't turn to save me from the monsters. One grabbed Rylera from my grasp and bit down on her shoulder.

"AHGHHHHHHHHHH! Gavin, get out of here!" Rylera shouted, she jerked out of the undead's grasp but another came and bit down on her neck. I stood there in horror until I felt on brush the back of my neck, then I was running and I didn't stop until I reached Pey's school. I went to a military school because I wasn't the best child. I just gotten out a few weeks ago because I had been good enough to return to regular school.

"Gavi! Help me! Janis just bit Lacy! Oh my god! GAVIN!" Pey was on the track field. I felt lost since Rylera had been killed but there was nothing I could do. I pushed the moaning Janis to the ground and bashed her face in with Pey's baseball bat.

"Why did you do that for? She's dead now!"

"No, she was already dead. See those bite marks?"

"Oh my. LOOK OUT!"

I turned and saw the reanimated Lacy, and I killed her too. Then we ran, and ran and ran until we came across Key.

Back to the present:

"I know, Gavin. Please tell me."

"You remember Rylera right?"

"Rylera...Rylera Casken?"

"Yes her. Well, in an attempt to escape, she sacrificed herself while you ran out the front door of the pizza store. You hadn't even bothered to try to find us. Guess what, Lillian was shot by a man and eaten by the undead. I bet you didn't know that. Or the rest I have no clue what happened to mom and dad. Peyton was the only one who stayed with me during the fall. Where were you? Making love to a woman? Yeah such a man that you wrote us off as dead? Guess what, Glenn. We've tried to search for you non-stop. That got us no where."

The whole time I spoke, Peyton began crying. Glenn wrapped his arms around her in attempt to soothe the crying girl. But it ended up getting worse. Her tears soaked through his shirt. But I knew Pey was just a little crybaby. I knew I should've left her and saved Rylera instead. But no, I had to save a whiny little bitch.

But that's not the problem, the problem is; why is Glenn crying too? What the hell is the point of him crying? He left us so his sorry ass could live. Brave, eh? I don't imagine Glenn as brave. Now, Rick, Daryl and Michonne I can see that. But Glenn, nope. He probably hasn't even killed another living person that weakling.

"Stop crying." I said softly. It was my anger roaring out. I didn't want it to stop. I wanted Glenn to understand how I felt when I called his name and he kept running. Not looking back once to see if I was okay. Or for that matter if crybaby Pey was alive.

"Gavin?" I heard Key say.

I turned and saw myself in a mirror. There was tears in my eyes. When have I started crying? Why the hell was I crying for? Glenn? No. Pey? No. Rylera? No. Then why was I crying?

"Gavin. Look at me." It was Glenn. He reached out and grabbed my arm. My sword arm. I shook him off and backed away. I'd forgotten that Carl was behind me and I stepped on his foot. He winced and backed away until he was standing next to Key.

"I don't want to." But I did. I looked into my brother's eyes and soon found myself in hi embrace. I couldn't help but hug him back. He was my brother after all. He was all, besides Pey that was blood related.

"I'm sorry I ran. I was scared."

"So were we." I said.

"I know. And I'm sorry. But I'm here now." Glenn said.

"We don't need you anymore. We have me. I am strong now, brother."

"That's what Peyton told me. You're the leader of a group called The Slashers with Key Yamada as your second-in-command."

Key Yamada jerked up. His eyes wide. He wasn't the one to be in the center of attention and no doubt was nervous about it.