Chapter 1:

Being alone wasn't something that really bothered me. All my life I always liked to just be alone to think. Now? It wasn't something I really liked because I constantly have to look over my shoulder to see if I have a geek trying to take a bite out of me. It would be nice to have someone who could watch my back and someone for me to be able to watch. Being alone makes you think and not of all the rainbows and unicorns. This world has changed. The only thing you can think of is if you're going to survive until tomorrow.

When the outbreak happened, all I could think of was my sister, brother-in-law and my nephew. I didn't see them for months. My job was tedious and demanding. I couldn't just pack up and leave without abandoning those who counted on me. Granted, my family counted on me too. I had a duty to them to just visit them but my job was a little more important to me. I was a workaholic and it prevented me from doing the right thing and seeing my family. Now it was too late.

I guess the good thing about being a workaholic and wanting to be alone all the time let me just accept the fact that I really was alone. I didn't have to try and wrap my head around it. I just went with it. In a world overrun with the dead trying to get a taste of your flesh and the living out to hurt you just to survive, being alone can be a bittersweet thing.

Right now?

Running for my life with a few geeks chasing me, it was a very bitter thing.

I could hear the moans and growls coming from behind me. I didn't risk looking back. I've seen all the movies. They look behind them, they lose their footing, they trip, and they die. I didn't want to die today.

In front of me I could see a security booth and a bunch of sandbags. Dead bodies of both walkers and humans littered the ground. Some were dressed in civilian clothing, others in soldiers' uniforms. The smell was horrible. The few geeks behind me already smelled horrible, and it was now intensified tenfold. Sucking in a deep breath I increased my running speed. I was full on sprinting towards a closing metal door. About two feet from the ground, closing in fast, I dove. I heard the slamming of the door down on the ground and then the pounding from the outside a few seconds later. I opened my eyes, not realizing that I had closed them in the first place. Looking around I noticed a group of people in front of me. I couldn't tell who they were. There was a mix of men, women, and kids. We were in what looked like a lobby. I didn't know where this was. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going.

A man in a hat and what looks like a sheriff's uniform was calling out to anyone. None of them noticed me as he continued to call out 'hello'. I heard a gun cock and turned my head to the sound. A man stood there, point a gun in front of himself. He was a little ways away from us.

"Anybody infected?!"

"One in our group was…he didn't make it." The man with the sheriff's uniform said. His voice sounded oddly familiar but I couldn't place it.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" The man said.

"A chance."

"That's askin' an awful lot these days." The man slowly stepped closer to the sheriff and the group in front of me.

"…I know." No one said anything for a few seconds. The man was taking everyone in just looking at everyone…like I was. Finally, he spoke.

"You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission."

"We can do that." Mr. Familiar-Voice said back. I didn't know what they were going to do once they realized that I, a complete stranger, was behind them. The man from the building told them to get what they needed from outside because the doors would be closing and staying closed. As they started to turn around, I froze. They did too. The ones with guns pointed them at me as soon as they seen me.

"Who tha' hell are you?" A guy with a cut off shirt asked first. He had a southern accent, clearly adding to his "redneck" persona. I stayed frozen, my mouth open, like an idiot. "…well?!"

"I—my name is—" I started but was cut off quickly.

"Lenni?!" I looked towards the voice, sucking in a breath. A woman who I recognized immediately came running forward, grabbing me into a hug. I hugged back, not caring if I was going to hug the air out of her. I pulled back. "Oh my god! I—I thought I'd never see you again!" Tears were running down her cheeks. I hugged her again. I heard an 'Aunt Len' from the side of me before I felt another pair of arms, much smaller arms, come around me. I pulled back to hug the little person who I missed so much. Tears were now falling out of my eyes.

"I don't mean ta' break up tha' tear fest…but who tha' hell is this?" I pulled back to look at my sister and my nephew, wiping my eyes while I heard her speak.

"This is my little sister, Lennox." Her voice broke and I grabbed Lori again to hug her. I let go after a minute. Only to be grabbed into another hug.

"Damn, Lenni. I thought I never see your face again." I smiled.

"Sorry to disappoint ya, Rick." He chuckled but tightened his hold on me. He let go, and I was quickly bombarded with another hug. I hugged Carl back, tighter than I ever have before. The rest of the people, looked on for a few seconds before making their way back outside. The geeks that were chasing me were no longer there, probably off eating something they shouldn't be. Once back inside with the things they needed the man spoke.

"Vi, seal off the main entrance. Kill the power up here." The door that I had dived under quickly closed. Rick spoke to the man after he had told someone named Vi, to seal the entrance.

"Rick Grimes." He introduced himself.

"Dr. Edwin Jenner." He, Jenner, said. He ushered us into an elevator. We were all squished together. I was uncomfortable to me seeing as I didn't know all of them.

"Doctors always go 'round packin' heat like that?" The man with the cut off shirt asked Jenner.

"Oh, there were plenty left lyin' around. I familiarized myself," He paused, before continuing a few seconds later. "But you look harmless enough, except you," he looked to Carl. "I'll have to keep an eye on you." Carl cracked a smile. I haven't seen that smile in so long that I couldn't help but smile down at my nephew standing next to me. God, have I missed him. Soon we were out of the elevator walking down a hallway. A woman with short hair and a little girl next to her spoke up. "Are we underground?"

"Why? Are you Claustrophobic?" Jenner asked her.

"A little."

"Try not to think about it," was his response as we walked down a ramp into a dark room. "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room." As the lights turned on I could see the room. In the middle were a whole bunch of computers. On the walls in front of us were what looked like big screens. Jenner looked at us over his shoulder, "Welcome to Zone 5." Jenner told us that he was the only doctor left here at the CDC. Rick filled me in on the way down in the elevator as to where we were. Who would have thought? The person, Vi, wasn't a person but a computer with a voice. 'She' controlled the building. "I'm all that's left. I'm sorry." Jenner turned around and got the things he needed for us to take that blood test. After one of the women, a blonde, almost fell over, Jenner rounded us all up to eat. It had to be one of the best dinners I've had in a long time. It was cut short once Shane, Ricks best friend and also cop—or ex cop I guess now—opened his big mouth. Over the years I've known Shane, he's always ruined something. With his constant need to have control over everything it usually ruined good days and great moments. Those were hard to come by, especially in this world we all lived in now.

"So when are ya gonna tell us what happened here, Doc? Hm? All the, uh, other doctors? They were supposed to be figuring out what happened. Where are they?" Everyone gave Shane a dirty look, me included.

"We're supposed to be celebrating, Shane." I said to him. "We don't need to do this now," Rick added after me. Of course, Shane couldn't leave it alone.

"Whoa…wait a second. This is why we're here, right? This was you're move," He looked to Rick. Shane continued with his mouth but I toned him out. He always was annoying to me. I never understood why Rick put up with him, or my sister. I never trusted Shane. I didn't like my nephew to be around him. But that's all Carl was, my nephew. It wasn't my right to tell Lori and Rick who should be around Carl. I toned back in once I heard Jenner speak.

"—a lot of people just left…off to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military cordon got overrun, the rest bolted."

"Every last one?" Shane asked.

"No, many couldn't face walkin' out the door. They…opted out. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time." Jenner said.

"You didn't leave," The blonde, who I found out was named Andrea, accused. "Why?"

"I just kept working, hoping to do some good."

"Dude, you are such a buzz kill." Glenn, the Asian in the group, grumbled to Shane. Couldn't agree with you more, Chinaman, I thought.

After dinner Jenner took us to the living quarters. There was a rec room and a few rooms and even some beds. I haven't slept in a bed in what feels like forever. The topper for me, though…There was hot water. I could die for a shower right now, and having hot water? That was the cherry on top for me. We split up into groups so we could all have a room. Although I missed my family, I refused to bunk with them, despite them trying to convince me to do so. Rick, Lori and Carl were in one room. Carol, the woman with the short hair, and Sophia, her daughter, were in another. Jacqui, a nice black woman, and Andrea were in another. Dale, an older man who reminded me of my father, Glenn, and T-Dog, a black man, were in another room. The man with the cut off shirt, Daryl, was alone in one room. I noticed he wasn't very social. He was always on the outside of the group. I knew what it felt like to be alone. I didn't want to be alone anymore. I headed towards the room he was in not giving a damn if he wanted me there or not. I knew that although he put off as being a tough, emotionless man, I could see beyond it. Perks of my career before the world going to shit.

"Hope ya don't mind, but I have to bunk with you. No more extra room with anyone else…" I trailed off once I noticed his glare towards me. "I'll stay outta your way, don't worry, grump." I rolled my eyes at his increasingly intense glare towards me.

"Keep ya mouth shut, woman, then we won't have no trouble." Typical, it's always the good looking ones who have to be sexist assholes. I dropped my bag that was on my back before on the ground, bending down after it to find something I could use to sleep in. I pulled out a t-shirt and sweat pants before turning to the connected bathroom so I could shower. I heard a muffled, "don't use all the hot water, woman" as I shut the door. I rolled my eyes before locking the door and striping to take the shower I desperately needed. I was out a little while later not wanting to anger the big bad redneck since I did have to share a room with him.

I walked out, grabbing my bag that I dropped near the bathroom door and headed for the couch. I plopped down on it, trying to get comfortable as I heard the bathroom door shut again and then the water turning on. Soon it was shut off and Daryl stepped out. He walked over to the bed, but didn't lie down. I heard him grunt. I ignored him. He grunted again, but I still ignored him.

"Woman, get yer ass up. I ain't that big of an asshole. I'll take tha' couch." Daryl's voice came out from the now dark room.

"Shut up, Grump. Some of us are trying to sleep, ya' know." I heard him grunt again this time it was closer, matter of fact; it was right in front of me.

"Get up, woman. I ain't gonna ask again."

"Good, then don't." I knew I was pushing my luck but, hell, who cares? "And stop calling me 'woman'. I have a name, ya' know, Grump." He grunted again. Was that all he knew how to do?! I almost screamed as I was picked up and walked to the bed. Daryl threw me on the bed, making me bounce a few times. "What the hell?!" I growled out at him.

"I told ya to take the bed. Are ya sure ya ain't related to Rick instead? God, you're even more hard-headed then Merle!" He grumbled. I was confused. Who was Merle? He wasn't in the group. No one was introduced as Merle. Was it his brother? A friend?

"Who's—"

Daryl didn't give me a chance to even get my question out before he interrupted.

"Keep yer mouth shut and go ta' bed, Len." Daryl growled. I sighed. I didn't want to anger him anymore. I just met him and already I was getting under his skin. In another time, maybe before the dead started walking around, I would have continued to annoy and probe him for answers. I knew better though. In this world, you couldn't have enemies. You needed friends. You needed someone there for you. If you didn't you would go insane. Anyone in their right mind would go insane if they had to face what was outside, above ground, alone. It's a wonder I survived this long. Maybe it was my will to actually live. To find a place to hunker down in and hope this all blows over. I knew though, to get to that safe haven that I wanted so badly, wasn't going to be easy to come by.

I fell asleep, dreaming of the time before the dead. Of the good times with my family and those I loved. I fell asleep, hoping and praying that maybe this place, the CDC, was that safe haven but part of me felt like this was just too good to be true.

I had originally posted this story on Wattpad but I got no feedback as to how it was so I decided to post it on here. This is the first chapter and I'll be posting the second chapter maybe tomorrow. I have it already written out up until chapter three but I don't want to post them all at the same time just to see if anyone likes the first chapter.

-BLArensman xx