Hello everyone! This is my first attempt at Walking Dead FanFiction. The story centers around The Morales Family after they separate from the Atlanta group in season 1. Eventually they will meet up with other characters from the TV show. Hope you enjoy it. Looking forward to some reviews.

The Walking Dead: Clear Conscience

Chapter 1: A Safe Place

I finally found a safe place. Dark, quiet, a place of pure bliss. A place where all my sense have abandoned me. It's frightening yet cozy like a warm blanket. The feeling of free falling into nothingness. This place is hard to find and even harder to get into… but I finally succeeded. If only for a short while.

"Mama! Mama wake up! Wake up!"… The voice echoed throughout the canyon in my mind. It kept getting louder and clearer finally shattering my safe place. I knew I wouldn't be able to stay there for long. Restful sleep is a fleeting unicorn these days. I shook off the warm blanket and returned to reality.

"Que pasa hijo? What's wrong?"… My blurred vision focused on the worried face of my young son, Louis. His face was scarred with the horrors we have endured this past year. His eyes glassy, bloodshot and full of pain. Too much pain for a child to endure. As I gazed deep into his eyes it brought back memories of the old man in our group from Atlanta, I think his name was Dale. A wonderfully kind man that helped us all out. He had a calming look that hid so much pain.

Those day in Atlanta are fading from my memory. Lori and her boy, Carl they brought a flicker of hope to us. The chance that families can once again live a normal life and children can enjoy playing with friends again. Lori was a good mother to Carl and that day when they were reunited with her husband the sheriff was like the sun was shining on that family. I hope they made it.

So much has happened since then. So much, so fast. It seems like we've been living on Interstate 20 ever since we decided to split from the Atlanta group. I remember the night before we left. My husband, Gabriel and I had a long hard talk about our next move.

"What are we going to do Gabe?"… I whispered into his ear as we laid side by side in our tent. Sleep was nowhere to be found. The cold, hard ground penetrated through our sleeping bags and dug into our backs adding to our angst.

"Shhh…Miranda the kids will hear us."

"They have finally fallen asleep Papi. When do we ever get a chance to talk?"… I understood his concerns but everything was moving so fast. The group had suffered a terrible attack and everyone was caught off guard. And now the sheriff was planning to go to the CDC.

"What if the group decides to go to the Center? Gabe do you think it's the right move?"… My voice was stern. I wanted an answer from my husband, my protector. I could feel his body tense up next to me as he searched for an answer.

"I don't know. What choice do we have? We have to stay with the group. There's strength in numbers…"

"Strength in numbers? Gabe those creatures just wiped out half the group in a matter of minutes!"

"Calm down Miranda…you'll wake the kids."

My frustrations raised my Latina temper. The instinct to protect my familia took over. For some reason the move to the CDC didn't seem right to me.

"Atlanta isn't safe Gabe we need to head as far away as possible."… I pleaded with him.

His mind raced to find an alternative. After a few seconds of silence Gabe turned his head towards me.

"Birmingham. My brother Cesar and his family moved there 3 years ago. You know he's wanted us to checkout their new home. He's so proud of it ever since he got the promotion with that construction company. Maybe this disease hasn't hit Alabama? Maybe this is just happening in Atlanta?"

I smiled at him with relief. My Gabriel was stepping up. This is the strong, smart man I married. He had been lost in the chaos of Atlanta but finally he was getting his survival instincts back. I knew he would find a solution for us. He always has.

"Yes… Birmingham… I knew you would figure it out mi amor."

"Then it's settled Miranda, tomorrow we tell the group. The Morales are going on their own."

We snuggled close together and held hands as we slipped into sleep that night. The hard ground transformed into soft clouds as we dreamed of a new life amongst our family in Alabama. A life of peace and joy. Little did we know our dreams would become our worst nightmare.