Chapter 1: Lone Wolf in the Forests of Georgia
It has been months, or at least weeks since the out break of the living dead. I traveled alone since the beginning, I've lost track of time of the days and nights. The sun blazed on my tan shoulders, my hair tied up in a messy bun that sat on top of my head. I wore a black tank top, dark skinny denim cropped jeans, black combat boots, a tattered denim vest, and a black sweat wrist band. I walked aimlessly in a forest, located somewhere in Georgia. Then I herd whimpering and running foot steps. They were running the opposite direction from where I was standing, then a caught a glimpse of a little girl with short brown hair, wearing a blue shirt and tan cargo capris. A little girl!? I thought. I then slowly followed her, then I lost her. I followed her tracks for a few hours or so, not making tracks of my own. Then I heard two sets of foot steps approach me from behind. I scurried to the side, hid in the low brush with out making a sound. Then two men appeared, one looked like a officer or a sheriff. The other wore a tattered shirt, with no sleeves, and he carried a crossbow. I could only assumed he was a hunter. They both got low to the ground, studying the tracks I to was following. They both got up and walked along the tracks. I stayed low but followed the two, seeing what their next move is. A couple of hours or so has passed, I was so concentrated on the two men I didn't notice that a walker (zombie or what ever you guys call them) approached me from behind. The thing stepped on a twig, and that was what caught my attentions. I turned around and saw a zombie launching it self at me. I quickly reacted, grabbing my Bowie knife out if its holster that was strapped onto my leg; when it had grabbed me I used my legs and the weight of the zombie to flip over out of the bushes and into the open. When I had pinned the monster down, I took my knife and stabbed it in the eye. When I looked up, a crossbow and a gun was pointed at my head. I slowly stood up and placed my knife back into its holster. I then put my hands in the air, surrendering and showing I had nothing else in my hands.
"Who the hell you!?" The hunter asked angrily in a rough voice, with a deep southern accent. I lowered my eyes, almost to a glare. He then took a step closer, i then took a few steps back. The officer had put his gun away, he slowly pushed the hunter's crossbow down with one hand, the other was up, a sign to calm down.
"My name is Rick Grimes; this here is Daryl Dixon. We mean no harm." The officer introduced himself and his aggressive companion. He to had a southern accent, but not as deep as his friend Daryl. Daryl was confused and pissed. Rick exhaled before he continued.
"What's your name?" He asked with sincerity in his eyes and voice.
"Chasity Goldschmidt." I answered hesitantly. Did I make the right move by telling them my name? I question my choice in words. I kept my calm posture, I didn't trust this Rick fellow, especially his companion. They both studied me, seeing if I was a threat, and probably wondering why I there alone. They both didn't carry any bags. They're probably holding up somewhere else. Maybe there's more of them? My muscles tensed up at the thought of more people.
"Have you seen a young girl? She has short, light brown hair,light brown eyes, wearing a blue shirt with a rainbow on it, and tan capris." Rick explained the little girl that they were looking for. My eyes widened in surprise. They both noticed and looked at me with confusion.
"Maybe." I answered, not sure if that was the right answer, though I answered truthfully.
"The hell that supposed ta mean!?" He shouted again raising his crossbow once more. I backed up a couple of steps, away from the angered redneck and his crossbow.
"Ya seen her or ain't!?" Getting closer and his accent getting deeper with every word. Rick then got between me and the crossbow; he pushed Daryl away from him and me. To close for comfort I'll say. He gave Daryl a warning look, then he looked back at me with the same look, though softer. Daryl passed back and forth, he was surely pissed.
"What do you mean by 'maybe?" Rick asked, though he was more firm than before. I exhaled deeply, then inhaled deeply also before I answered him.
"I did see a girl with a blue shirt, but at first I thought I was just seeing things. Though I started to follow her tracks, just in case I wasn't hallucination." I answered, though I didn't tell them I was following them also. That wouldn't sit well with either of them, especially Daryl, I thought. Rick then nodded in understandment, took Daryl by the arm away from me and started to talk in low voices. Though I knew what they were talking about, since both of then would glance at me for a few seconds then looked back at each other.
"I want to help." I interrupted their talk, or discussion. They both looked at me with confusion, though Rick looked like he was a little relieved by what I said.
"Why ya'll wanna help find a lost girl? A girl ya don't even know?" Daryl asked,it was obvious he was still a little pissed, don't know why. Though he was curious why I wanted to help. I glared at the hunter.
"I have my reasons, and i'm not willing to share." I retorted. Daryl opened his mouth, about to say something but Rick cut him off.
"Okay, you'll tag along, but don't give me or Daryl a reason to put you down." Rick warned me. I gave a crooked smile and scoffed.
"Same to you." I replied as I walked ahead passing Daryl and Rick.
Rick had explained what had happened how the girl, Sophia was her name, got lost in the forest. Daryl was in the front leading, and following the tracks. He then suddenly stopped and got low, studying the ground. Rick noticed and approached Daryl and crouching next to him.
"Whats wrong?" He asked, it was obvious he was worried.
"Sophia's tracks has gone cold, their just gone." Daryl answered. Rick's heart sank with every word Daryl said. I then walked up to the two and crouched on the other side of Daryl. I studied the grounds while the two talked. I touched the ground lightly. Its wet, must had rained here. I then touched some of the leaves, they felt dry and crisp. I then grabbed a hand full of leaves, and crunched them in my hand close to my face. The leaves feel to dry, I thought. Rick looked at me with a puzzled look, Daryl had an idea of what I was doing, I think. I then started to brush away all the dry leaves, and there it was, A small foot print that followed others, the same foot prints we have been following for hours. I pointed to the new set of tracks, that may lead us to where Sophia is. Rick and Daryl looked surprised, but Rick was mostly relieved.
"We have a new lead." Rick said. Daryl then got up, walked along the side of the tracks following them. Rick quietly thanked me and joined Daryl. I then follow after them. Hours has passed and it was almost sunset when the trail went cold, again. Rick looked up to the canopy of the forest, little light was let in due to thick leaves. He then looked to me and back to Daryl.
"I think it's time we get back to the others." Rick suggested. I winced at the word 'others', since I have a trust issue and due to the lack of human contact. Though I kept a calm posture so neither of the two hadn't seen my reaction.
"Yea, your right. 'bout time we head back before night fall." The hunter agreed, he then slugged his crossbow over his shoulder and started to walk back, we all started to head back. Until a twig snapped, that caught my attention. It was obvious Rick and Daryl hadn't heard it as they continued to walk. I stopped for a while before continuing, then there it was again. I then slipped back and into the forest with out alerting the two men. I followed where the sound came from, well where I thought it came from. I stopped once more, thinking I was imagining it and was about to head back. Then I heard more steps, twigs and sticks breaking. I turned around to see if Rick and Daryl were behind me, but they weren't there. I then started to walk at a fast paste after the sounds. I then felt something run into the mid section of my body, knocking the air out of me, though I didn't fall to the ground. I let out a loud grunt. As soon as I had air back in my lungs I looked down to the ground, there, a small figure laying on the forest floor.
"Sophia?" I asked softly as I hissed at the pain in my mid section, holding my sides. She looked terrified, also confused because I knew her name. My gaze wondered to where she had ran from, I then understood why she was to terrified, she was running away from 5 walkers. I didn't have my gun on me at the time since Rick was carrying my duffel bag, that held every thing I had. Crap! Was all I could had think of at the time. I looked back at the scared little girl. That was when I knew, I had to protect this little girl and bring her back to her mother. I quickly picked her up threw her over my shoulder and ran. Though when I turned around nothing was familiar to me. I must have wondered farther than I thought I had, what a shitty move, I thought and hated my self. I had ran away from a lot of walkers that I knew I couldn't take on with just a Bowie knife. It was night fall when I stopped to a breather. She's probably all freaked out, and as soon as I put her down she'll run away. I thought to myself, loathing myself. I then put down Sophia. When her feet hit the ground she wrapped her small skinny arms around my waist. It surprised me that's for sure. She then let me go and looked up at me. I stood on my knees, so we could be eye leveled. I took her hands into mine and tried to give her the best warm smile I could.
" Its going to be okay Sophia. But if were both going to survive in the forest together, with no food or water, your going to have to listen to me okay?" I told her straight. She then nodded quickly holding tight onto her rag doll, I gave her a quick smile and stood up on my feet. I looked up at the tree we were next to and sighed deeply.
"I guess tonight we're going to sleep in a tree." I said. I then picked Sophia up once more and hauled her up the tree. Once she was up and secured. I climbed up the tree and settled myself in it. I waited for the little girl to finally fall asleep. I wonder if Rick and his group will ever find us? I still winced at the thought of a whole group. NO! Can't think that. Tomorrow I have to think of survival, and not the just for the survival of me but for her.
Hey hope you guys like my first fanfic chapter, please review and all that jizz. I'll be updating and posting more chapters twice a week.