Chapter Text
Sleeplessness had seized Alicia in the night. After tossing on the thin blanket covering the linoleum floor where she rested for over an hour she finally gave up. Her family had taken refuge in an abandoned department store, locked safely away behind 6 inch thick glass doors deadbolted and chained shut. So she felt a small sense of freedom for being able to wander the building in search of an outfit that wasn’t covered in dirt and sinew. She stood in the ladies’ department, guided by a propane lantern they had found in the camping aisle, tossing hangered clothing aside as she deemed it unsuitable for her taste. She was unabashedly undressing to try on her selections when she noticed large patches of grime on her own skin. She headed topless toward the restrooms, selections in hand. The faucets didn’t work but each toilet had a large reservoir of water that was surprisingly still full. She winced with disgust when the paper towels she used to wipe her body came away a shade of brown and red.
Between the sounds of water sloshing as she dipped new towels in, a faint clinking, scraping sound reached her ears. She paused her bath and grabbed the lantern, shining it toward the door. Bumps on her skin appeared in response to the cold air now on her wet body and the possibility of what may be behind the swinging door. She was frozen for a moment, deciding weather to make a run for it or to try and hide in the stall. The scrapping sound grew louder. She grabbed the closest pair of clean jeans, pulling them over her bare feet. If the walkers had reached her, they may already be attacking her family. She decided to try to get back to them. She would use the swing door to surprise the walker then make a run for it. She bent down to grab a shirt when suddenly the door lurched open and the undead body was on her. She began screaming, pushing the body away as best she could. The pair of them fell to the floor, the walkers’ teeth inches from her face when an unfamiliar female voice, thick with a British, or maybe Australian accent called out, “Close your mouth.”
Alicia did as she was commanded and a spatter of blood hit her face as a thick blade struck the skull above her. She pushed the now limp body off and stood quickly, assessing the blonde stranger in front of her. Wavy blonde curls threatened to release themselves from a series of braids and loose hair tied into a lazy bun. The blue of her eyes popped from a sea of dark paint covering her eyelids and temples. A layer of dust coated her, discoloring the black of her loose hanging leather jacket. Tight black jeans clung to her muscular thighs and ended at a pair of worn, steel toed combat boots. Alicia counted 5 visible weapons: two shotguns whose barrels had been sawed short crossed on her back, a large hunting knife holstered to her right thigh, a pistol holstered to her left hip, and of course, the machete she held in her left hand dripping with the blood of the body lying between between them. She likely had more weapons hiding in the various satchels around her body. The stranger wiped the machete on the blue polo uniform the walker was wearing then holstered it on her right hip.
“Have you been bit?” The woman demanded, grabbing the lantern and shining the light over Alicia’s body, inspecting it with deft fingers.
“No, get off me,” Alicia pushed her away, turning as tears pooled in her eyes. She hadn’t been quite this close to death at the hand of the walkers and the reality of it struck her hard. She grabbed a wet paper towel and began to wipe the blood and tears off her face. The stranger noticed Alicia shaking and approached her kindly, “Hey, it’s ok. You’re ok.” She took the towel from Alicia’s hand and helped get the last bits of sinew. “There, all better.” Alicia’s sniffling stopped. The blonde looked at the towel in her hand, “Where did you get the water anyway?”
“From the back of the toilet,” Alicia gestured lightly.
“Smart,” the woman responded with a sly smile that suddenly felt familiar to Alicia, though she would have remembered meeting this warrior woman before. “Let me get in on that,” she pushed by Alicia and cupped some water in her hands, splashing it on her face. The water ran down her face and neck, catching the lantern light. Alicia could only stare silently as the woman filled her mouth then spit into the toilet bowl.
“Alicia,” her mother's voice came frantically from the hallway, through the swing door now propped open by the dead body and echoed off the ceramic bathroom tile.
“I'm here mom,” she yelled in reply and began to head for the doorway. A strong arm grabbed her, holding her back. “Let me go, it’s just my mom.” Eliza looked her up and down, drawing her awareness to her shirtless chest. “You might wanna cover up. I mean I don't mind the view but…” She trailed off when Alicia wrenched her arm free, blushing slightly. She grabbed a clean t-shirt from the clothing pile and had just pulled it over her head when her mother appeared at the doorway.
“Alicia, thank goodness. Are you ok?” She took stock of the situation, the look of concern on her face deepening when her gaze rose from the dead body to the blonde haired women, “What’s going on here?”
“Nothing Mom, there was a walker but - “ she gestured to the blonde.
“Elyza,” she interjected, “Elyza Lex, pleasure."
A quick, sharp laugh escaped Alicia, "That sounds fake."
Elyza shot her a look of annoyance but simply answered, "We should move.” She jumped over the body in the doorway and began down the hall. Alicia exchanged a silent look with her mother, “Well, go.” She grabbed a few more articles of clothing and a pair of shoes from the pile then pushed her mom out the doorway with her. Elyza’s figure bounded down the hallway in front of them, the flashlight she had drawn from her pack swaying with her movement. Alicia handed the lantern to her mother so she could pull one of the clean, long sleeved, plaid shirts over her shoulders, tying a second to her waist.
“What happened?” Madison angrily whispered to her.
“Nothing Mom, seriously. I was just trying to get some clean clothes.”
“You shouldn't wander off. You could have been hurt.” her mom continued to scold her as they approached Elyza.
“Jesus mom, I'm fine.”
Eliza paused at the end of the hallway and they halted behind her. “Shhhh.” They listened quietly as Elyza scanned the area with a flashlight. “Is it just you two?” she whispered to Madison. “No, there’s six more of us. We’re camped by the main entrance.” Elyza nodded, “Lead the way. Stay in the aisles. You,” she turned to Alicia, “stay behind her and I'll protect the rear.”
“I have a name,” Alicia scoffed but fell into step behind Maddy.
“I know you do, cutie,” Elyza responded playfully to Alicia’s back, though a pause in her step and a brief glance backward confirmed that she had heard her clearly. “Alicia, right? Do you have a last name to go with it?”
“No, it’s just Alicia. Like Cher or Madonna.”
“Alicia, don't be rude. Our last name is Clark,” her mother interjected.
They stopped at a cross aisle to scan and listen for walkers. “Clark, huh.” Maddy was holding the lantern aloft allowing Alicia to study the uncertainty on Elyza’s face. The blonde woman's bright blue eyes were staring a bit harder now, “Are you sure we haven't met before? The name is so familiar.” The lantern light swayed and Maddy let out a yelp. There were two walkers slowly approaching. Elyza rushed ahead, “Stay here.” She pulled a long bladed hunting knife from her thigh holster and charged. Maddy and Alicia watched as the silver blade quickly slid in and out of both skulls, the lifeless bodies crumpling to the ground. Elyza beckoned them on and they quickly joined her. Maddy returned to the front of the line.
“After you,” Elyza gestured with her bloody knife.
“You just want to stare at my ass,” Alicia whispered as she passed Elyza. It was the blonde’s turn to blush.
They passed two more cross roads in complete silence and without incident. As they paused at a third, Maddy scanned for walkers while Elyza approached Alicia, speaking lowly. “You should listen to your mom you know. It’s not safe to go anywhere alone.”
“Well, you’re here alone,” Alicia countered. “Aren’t you?”
Elyza looked down, with a hint of embarrassment, “I’m a foster kid. My parents died when I was 8. I’ve been alone most of my life.”
“My father,” Alicia’s voice shook slightly. “- he died when I was 11. It’s just my mom and my brother, oh and my mom’s stupid boyfriend and his weird kid.”
Maddy’s voice reached out from behind them “All clear, they should be just at the end of this next aisle.”
“Well, looks like you get to meet them whole crazy bunch. ”
Elyza smiled broadly, “Ha, we haven't even been on our first date and you're bringing me home to meet the family.” She chuckled and rushed ahead to meet up with Maddie, leaving Alicia in stunned silence.
“Alicia, come on,” her mother beckoned.
A half smile crossed her face as Elyza’s figure was briefly illuminated by the lantern. There was something so familiar about this strange woman, as though she was on the periphery of a memory Alicia hadn't quite made yet. She shook her head slightly at the absurdity of it then plodded forward, joining her mother in silence.
Travis woke at the sound of their approaching footsteps. He jumped up in surprise, groggily demanding, “who are you?” of the blonde stranger emerging from the darkness.
“You must be Travis,” he eyed the hand Elyza extended with suspicion. “I’m Elyza, I just saved Alicia and your - “
“She’s fine, Travis. She helped Alicia.” Maddy’s voice came from behind her. Her reassurance prompted him to grasp the hand in front of him, although his suspicion intensified when he took in the full effect of the excessively armored, leather clad woman in front of him. “Thank you,” he mumbled.
She turned back to Maddy and Alicia, “I should go bring my bike in here. Wouldn’t want the walkers scuffing the trim.”
“Bike?” Maddy asked.
“Motorbike? You know, vroom vroom.” She made a throttle turning motion with her hands. Alicia stifled a laugh. “It’s parked out back. I was driving by and saw a stream of biters heading for a back door. That’s why I stopped.”
“We secured all the doors last night,” Travis interjected.
“Well, they’ve become unsecured,” Elyza answered smugly. Noticing the concern on their weary faces she added, “It’s alright. I think I got most of them on the way in but we should barricade the doors again.”
“So, you’re staying with us?” Travis asked, hesitation in his voice. He looked to Maddy for guidance but all she could offer was a shrug.
Elyza snuck a glance at Alicia who was suddenly busy pretending to ignore her. “A store as big as this, there’s bound to be a few treasures hid away. I’ll take what I want then go, if you like.”
“Hey, we were here first,” Daniel’s voice entered the conversation. Daylight had crept through the glass doors and skylights, rousing him and the rest of the group. “Who is she to come in here and steal from us?”
Elyza took a step toward her accuser, a palm instinctively raising to the handle of her machete. She had encountered men like this all her life. Greedy pricks who believe themselves to be so superior that they can't even address her directly. Judging her with one glance, hypocrisy dripping from their accusations. “I'm no more a thief than you are, old man. I could just leave you all here to die. Seven of you and just one shot gun between you. It’s a miracle you dimwits have survived this long.”
“How dare you talk to me like this? Disrespectful child -”
“That’s enough, Daniel,” peacekeeper Maddy interrupted. “Elyza just saved Alicia’s life and there is plenty here to go around.” He continued to fume silently for a moment without dropping Elyza’s gaze, then stormed off. A victorious smirk crossed her face and, noticing Alicia’s eyes on her, she pointed at his back and mouthed “Wanker”. Alicia stifled another laugh.
“Anyway,” she addressed Maddy and Travis again. “I really should go get my bike.” Elyza turned to go but stopped at the sound of Alicia’s voice. “She shouldn't go alone. Like you said mom, it’s not safe.” Alicia stepped closer, with the absurd notion of offering herself as Elyza’s guardian but Travis quickly volunteered instead.
Elyza shrugged at the offer, “Tag along if you like, Trav, but don't get in my way.” Her voice trailed away as her combat boots began plodding toward the back of the store. Travis exchanged a look of silent perplexion with Maddy then hurried to catch up with Elyza .
Nick joined Alicia in watching them go, then turned to her, intrigue filling his expression, “Who’s the super hot blonde?” Alicia smirked and answered, “I don't think you're her type, Nick.”
“Hey, it's a post-apocalyptic world. Warm bodies are getting fewer by the day. I could stand a chance.”
Alicia shook her head and laughed, “I really don't think so.”
“And what makes you so sure of that?”
Alicia looked at her brother, delighted with the thought of watching him try to flirt with Elyza while she either pretended to be interested out of kindness or flat out denied him. He was still so fragile though and she decided to spare him the heartbreak. She leaned in close to him, “Oh brother of mine, unless you magically sprouted tits and a vagina, you will never stand a chance with Elyza.” She patted him gently on the chest and walked away, leaving him to silently process this information.