DISCLAIMER: This is my first story... Hope you like it!
Chapter 1
I was ready to die, and had said goodbyes long ago to the people I love; my family, friends, co-workers.
I'd run out of ammo, my axe had been lost long ago when our camp was overrun, I was out of options and I was exhausted.
I was ready to die, and I lay on the cool, dry, forest floor and admired Georgia's natural beauty one last time.
I could hear moans and hisses in the distance, and I knew I would soon be a part of the dead as the sounds drew closer.
Footsteps were abundant and I'd lost track of how many were surrounding me. I was afraid, I knew how painful it would be , and it would be slow, I'd seen it happen many times before. Walkers moved in closer; their smell and sounds grew stronger. I closed my eyes and drew in a breath. "Goodnight. Goodnight, world," I said as they moved in, my arm was grabbed by one and I trembled, but a gunshot sounded and I was released. More shots fired and the space around me cleared like a clear cut forest. "…Huh…" I tried to make out a sound to signal for help, "Gov. I think this one's alive!" I heard, "Let me take a look," I heard from another voice. I was surrounded again, and I was not sure with which crowd I was better off with. Walkers would rip me apart, yes, but the living, I have seen do similar and worse things.
"Let's leave her," one said, "That's a waste, I'll have her," another chuckled. "Everyone start makin' their way back to town, I'll stay with the girl." I heard, and several of the survivors left. I felt a cold shiver run through my veins, I was helpless and weak as the man crouched before me would decide my fate. As I felt a hand slide under my back I twitched, and he told me "don't be afraid, you're going to live."
His arms enveloped me, and I exhaled deeply as I felt warmth again. I tried to open my eyes but all I saw was the sun surrounding a showed silhouette. I accepted the fact that I wasn't going anywhere, and I leaned my head into him, his body like a warm blanket.
"I'm taking you to the infirmary, they'll fix you up. For now, just rest."
I wasn't sure if I believed him, but I listened and kept my eyes clothes. I was terrified of weather I was going to live or die, but I embraced what could've been the last time I would be held.
I woke up in a white-walled room, I looked down at my body for blood or wounds, none. My eyes couldn't open to their full extent, and as I searched the room for a nurse or a doctor I was unsuccessful. "Mmmh, is anyone..h-here…?" I mumbled uselessly, "H..he…hello..hello!" I croaked louder. For a moment I felt abandoned, the hospital may have been overrun, and I could have just attracted the wrong crowd. I felt a shock of alertness when the door creaked open, I sat up quickly. There was almost nothing to protect myself with and I was frozen. Footsteps sounded; and a living, breathing man walked in. "Sorry I left you, another person needed me for uh… How're you feeling? The nurse said you were near death with dehydration," he said. "What… Who are you? Where am I?" I asked as I looked over at him. I recognised him. He was the one who saved me. He was handsome, tall, late thirties I supposed, I remembered his voice and how he held me.
"They call me the Governor, and you're in a town. Woodbury. I explained this to you already… But you were asleep for two days so I suppose you don't remember it."
"Are there others?"
"Yes. There are 283—84, people living here.
"That's a lot of people for one camp—"
"Caroline, this isn't a camp. It's a town. We have homes, buildings, military, etcetera."
I didn't ask how he knew my name, I was having a hard enough time retaining the information gathered at the time. A town, though, is a lot to take in.
He cleared his throat, "Listen, I'm not going to go into details, I'll just give you the gist of it, you're welcome in our town, but we're not forcing you to stay… You got a group or something looking for you?"
"…No…No I don't. Our camp, it got overrun. There were hundreds. I kept running and I don't know if anyone survived or not. I don't think they did, though," I explained. I realised what a selfish act I'd committed. I left everyone to die and I never looked back for anyone.
His eyes met mine, "Look. In this… this world, we all do things we're not proud of, every single one of us has secrets. You're not alone." Something in his tone made me believe him.
I nodded, and lay my head back into the pillow. My face felt hot and my throat constricted as a tear trickled down my face.
He sat on the edge of my bed, "Hey," he whispered, resting his hand on mine, "You did what you had to do to stay alive, and there ain't nothing wrong with that."
His hand rose to my face, he rubbed my cheek with his thumb, and wiped away the tear that rested on my jaw bone.
He looked at the ground, stood up, and said "I have to go now."
"Okay," I replied.