The night had a heavy stillness to it, the kind of silence that only the end of the world could create. The moon was high in the sky, casting pale light over the ruins. The group had stopped once more to rest in what used to be a city park, the remnants of nature barely surviving the ravaged landscape. Alex and Elena had chosen this spot, hoping for some shelter in the form of a crumbling gazebo.
The children were asleep, huddled in a corner under the makeshift blankets they'd scavenged. Alex stood guard, his eyes scanning the dark. Elena was nearby, watching him from the shadows.
Elena's heart had been racing ever since they'd killed the raiders. But it wasn't just the violence or the fear of the unknown that consumed her. It was Alex. The way he had fought to protect the group, the rawness in his eyes when he looked at her, the tension in the air whenever they spoke. She had tried to push it away—after all, they were living in a nightmare, and feelings were a luxury. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't deny it anymore. She was falling for him.
But it wasn't just the way he protected them that attracted her. It was his vulnerability, the glimpses of the man he used to be before the world collapsed. The person who still had a heart underneath all the armor of survival. Elena saw that in him, and it drew her in. She wanted him to be hers, but she knew the danger in those feelings. In a world where everything was uncertain, where tomorrow might never come, she couldn't afford to let herself feel too much.
Then there was the guilt. The guilt of feeling this way when she knew, deep down, that there was someone else Alex had cared about.
That someone was Alexa.
The name had come up a few times during their brief conversations—always fleeting, always surrounded by shadows. But Elena had never pressed him about her, understanding that there were things Alex wasn't ready to share. Until tonight.
Elena sat on the edge of the ruined gazebo, trying to clear her mind. She couldn't keep ignoring it. Alex was the only person she had left, the one person who understood the horrors of this world. But she could never replace Alexa, no matter how much she wanted to.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a rustling sound nearby. Alex's head snapped around, his body tense. Elena's instincts kicked in. They weren't alone.
Before she could react, Alex was already on his feet, moving toward the sound. "Stay here," he ordered softly, but Elena wasn't about to let him go alone. She grabbed her gun and followed, her heart racing.
The darkness swallowed them as they moved deeper into the ruins, the flashlight beam cutting through the black. The air felt colder here, and Elena could hear the crackling of distant fires—maybe raiders, maybe survivors—but she knew they had to keep moving, keep searching for something they could use to survive.
Alex led the way, his footsteps steady. Elena was just a few paces behind, her gun held firmly. They rounded a corner, and then, in the distance, Elena saw it. A figure, hunched over, dragging something across the ground.
Alex froze. "What the hell?"
The figure stood up, revealing a face that made Elena's breath catch in her throat.
It was her.
Alexa.
Alex's voice was barely a whisper as he took a step forward. "Alexa?"
For a moment, Elena stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest. The world felt like it had tilted on its axis. She hadn't expected this. Not in a million years.
Alexa turned toward them, and Elena could see the weariness in her eyes, the desperation, but there was something else there too—something familiar. She hadn't changed much, despite the months—or had it been years?—since the world had fallen apart.
"Alex..." Alexa's voice cracked as she took a step forward, her hand reaching out as if unsure whether to believe what she was seeing. "I thought you were dead."
Elena's heart dropped. The raw emotion in Alexa's eyes was like a punch to the gut. She watched as Alex stepped forward, his face a mixture of disbelief and joy.
"Elena..." he began, turning toward her, but there was no time for explanations. His gaze locked onto Alexa. "Where have you been?"
Alexa wiped her dirt-streaked face, her expression softening. "I... I was trapped. The city... It's been hell, Alex. I thought... I thought you were gone."
The moment hung in the air, thick with unspoken words. Elena felt like she had been thrust into a nightmare she couldn't escape. She hadn't expected this. She hadn't expected Alexa to be alive, to appear out of nowhere like a ghost from Alex's past.
Elena's gaze shifted between the two of them. The tension was palpable. She had no right to feel this way—she hadn't even known Alexa, hadn't even known Alex had someone else before all of this. But in the moment, it didn't matter. There was a sharp, raw ache in her chest that she couldn't ignore.
"You shouldn't be out here alone," Alex said, his voice gentle now, as if Alexa's presence softened him.
Alex didn't seem to notice Elena's discomfort. He only had eyes for Alexa. Elena swallowed, her heart heavy. She hadn't realized how deep the connection between Alex and Alexa ran until now. And suddenly, it felt like everything she had started to build with Alex was slipping through her fingers.
"I'm not alone," Alexa said, her eyes scanning the ruins nervously. "I... found a group. They're a few blocks over, but... we need to move. There's no safety here. Not anymore."
Elena felt a pang in her chest. A group? That meant Alexa wasn't alone. But she couldn't let her emotions cloud her judgment.
"Alright," Alex said, turning toward Elena with a quick glance. "Let's move. We'll help you get back to your group."
But as he moved to lead the way, Elena's thoughts tangled in a web of confusion. She had never wanted to be the one to hold him back, but now she realized just how much she had started to rely on him.
The next few moments were a blur. Alexa clung to Alex, telling him stories of the last few months, her voice filled with fear and relief. But as Elena followed behind them, her gaze fixed ahead, the weight of the situation hit her all over again.
Alex had a past. And that past was standing right next to her, a reminder that, no matter how much she wanted to believe, she might not have a place in Alex's future.