1. Meeting the Coyotes, Atlanta.
It's always been hard to survive in this world, it's just a little harder now, and scarier, not that I would admit it out loud. I don't have a name, I've been given many throughout my life but my mother never gave me one. I've been brought to this world barren of identity, and so was my little sister. When I was thirteen, my mother gave birth to her. She was here, her little eyes looking up at me, sending a spear of hope through my heart, my mother handed her to me, and returned to her usual thing, looking out the window. She never uttered a word, never gave us a name, never told us what to do. Not that she would ask us anything anyway.
My mother is a special person, she never talks, I learned to talk at school, with children who never knew my name. The teachers gave me one, two, maybe three or more... Not that I really cared about it. My mother doesn't care about me, when she's hungry, she stands up and makes something for herself, then walks back to her spot and eats. A part of me is full of wonder when I think that, when I was a baby, she once fed me, did things for another person than herself.
My mother is a ghost, that's what I thought at first and how right was I?
One day, I walked up to her, and put my hand on hers, she looked up at me, I remember the way her eyes watched me, full of wonder, pride and suddenly those were replaced by guilt: I was almost eighteen.
A few years later, she suddenly stopped feeding herself, I didn't think much of it at first, I already had to worry about my job, getting enough money to take good care of my sister, aged of five by the time. She stopped looking out the window too, instead, she stared at us when I was helping my sister with her homework, she was sat in my lap, my chin lightly resting on the top of her head, while she giggled happily about something funny I told her. My mother just sighed, looking directly into my eyes when I turned to her, a light smile gracing her features. She died a few months later, she had starved herself to death, only god knows why.
After that incident, my sister and I went from foster-homes to foster-homes, only once separated , that year has been the worst... And the last. My foster-dad thought beating me up was a good stress-reliever, I just shut my mouth, gritting my teeth and thought about my little sister, if I fought back, they would never let me see her again. When I called, she told me that the same thing was happening to her. Just then, my foster-dad came in, ready for another "lesson", all I remember is punching him in the jaw, knocking him out cold and searching him for the car keys, I found my sister and got away with her, we lived on our own ever since that day.
I woke up this morning to the sound of shuffling at the back of the car, my little sister was growing restless since we started waiting in front of Atlanta. All the cars were blocking the way, you couldn't even go back, if you had any reason to. Her brunette head appeared from between the front seats, her hair was a mess, result of tossing and turning whenever she'd fall asleep.
_Did we move while I was asleep?
_Afraid not, Foxy. How do you feel?
She shrugged, resting her little arms on the top of the seats, looking ahead, a slight pout showing on her face.
_Could I go outside? My legs are sore...
_I don't know if that's a good idea, we don't know any of these people.
_Could you go with me? Maybe you'll feel better after some fresh air, too?
_Are you really only eight years old?
We laughed and got out of the car, people looked at us, then got back to their constant worrying. Fox took my hand and shyly took a look around, we walked down the alley of lined up cars.
Some people were in their cars, smoking through the open window, some just looking straight forward, hands glued to the steering wheel, stress and fear striking their frowning faces. The families were mostly trying to cheer up their children, one crying because he couldn't take his toys with him. There also was that young couple, hugging each other while the girl silently cried on his shoulder. People had died, but most of the people who were still alive just never met one of the walking corpses. Loved ones got scratched or bitten and they would attack you while you were watching over their feverish selves all night.
We sat down on the side of the road, the edge of the forest in front of us.
_Say, Wolf, what's going to happen when we're in Atlanta?
_If we ever git there, that is. A male voice answered.
I turned around, wrapping protectively my arm around my sister's shoulders. A tall man was looking down to us with a smirk on his face.
_And who are you?
_The name's Merle Dixon, but you can call me whatever you want.
He said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively, he then laughed at my grossed out face and sat down next to me, Fox climbing in my lap, shyly staring at him.
_Whatever. And what makes you think we won't make it to town?
_Why d'ya thank ya can? His thick southern drawl made me somewhat uncomfortable.
_Because I'll do whatever it takes to protect my sister.
At my words, Fox hugged me with more strength than usual, and Merle simply nodded, smiling like my answer satisfied him.
_So much courage in such a lil' body, I like that.
And that's when the word 'body' makes you uncomfortable, this man's a weird one.
_So are ya'll alone? Family, friends?...boyfriend? He added with a curious smirk.
_Nah, it's just the two of us. Why asking?
_Jus' gatherin' useful information. He winked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
We chuckled and went back to staring at the forest.
_Hey, I never asked your name. He whispered, almost surprising me with the soft tone he was using.
_I'm Wolf and she's Fox.
_'That your real names or are ya pullin' my leg?
_We never really got names, so we took that inside joke we had and it was always better than any name they'd give us.
_Ya were orphans?
_Nah, it's...complicated.
The bushes in front of us shook, as I was getting ready to face one of the corpses, Merle just chuckled and called out to the man coming from the woods.
_T'was 'bout damn time you got back, lil' bro, not that I missed you, with all the good company I had.
The man looked from Merle to us.
_Fuck you, man. Are you into lil' girls now?
When I thought that was the type of humor that would make Merle roll around, cracking his ribs, he just sent a warning glare to his brother.
_Wolf, that's mah baby bro', Daryl. You see, the main problem with Darylina is that he talks more shit than he should, probably 'cause his high-heels got stuck down his ass.
I sighed and put my hands on my sister's ears every time a swear word came, but she giggled anyway, easily guessing what was said.
Daryl looked at me like I was crazy.
_Wolf?
_Yup, and I'm Fox! Chirped the youngest.
Yup, he definitely thought we were mad. Oh well...
We spent the rest of the afternoon with Merle and Daryl, talking for my part, while Merle made Fox bounce on his knees. After spending half an hour giggling like crazy, she fell asleep in his lap, her upper half against Daryl's side. He seemed a little wary at first, but let her anyway.
_So, where's your car? Asked Daryl.
_Just a little back there, it's like five cars away.
He hummed in answer, seemed genuinely concerned.
_So you're brothers? You don't really look-alike, though.
_Yeah, I know, but what can you do? Darylina wasn't born as manly as I am, not that he could actually stand so much manliness at once!
Daryl almost elbowed him in the ribs, but his movement reminded him of my sister's place, so he decided to glare daggers at his brother instead.
_Well, ladies, it's gettin' late and Darylina needs her beauty sleep, don't want her to have her panties in a wad tomorrow, do we now?
Daryl huffed angrily and stormed off after nodding me good night, Merle gently handed me my sister, her head under my chin and her arms lazily thrown around my neck.
_Hope to see ya'll tomorrow, lock that car o' yours up real good for ol'Merle, ok? Don't want nothin' bad to happen to you both.
I nodded, both smiling when I walked up to the car, laying Fox on the back seat and sprawling myself on both front seats after locking us in for the night.
I heard knocking on my window, looking up, I saw Merle, a worried expression on his face. I opened up, sliding out the door.
_Morning, what's going on?
_Mornin', we just saw a bunch o' the army's air craft watching the city. T's already been three times since dawn.
A weird noise pierced the air as a line of planes went straight over the city, circled it and went back. The same ballet going over and over now and then throughout the day.
_I don't know, it's been two days and we didn't move an inch. If they let people in, wouldn't someone come and give us directions? See if we're infected?
_That's what I thought too, but ya can never be too sure with'em soldiers.
The landscape was getting slightly orange when the last patrol came, but this time, they looked bigger, when I pointed it out to Merle, his face was suddenly drained of its blood. He told me to get Fox and our stuff, be ready to move while he called out for Daryl who came running. When we joined them, we were staring at the sky, the planes made a larger circle then went straight out.
But only to come back at a better angle to pour their deadly burden.
_They're fuckin' Napalmin' the city! Merle cried out.
It looked as if the afternoon sky was suddenly set on fire, it was only half wrong. Atlanta has fallen.
Atlanta has fallen.