I am tired.

I am. . . so. . . tired. . .

I haven't stopped walking in. . . how long? Who knows, time is lost on me. How long has it been since I ate? Drank? Slept? Am I sleeping right now? I don't know. I do know one thing.

I HAVE to get to Savannah.

Lisa is waiting for me there, she promised she would wait for me there.

I have to keep going.

My legs are so tired. My feet stung and ached. My joins felt weak.

I could only saunter around, I may as well be one of them. I've walked around them, they didn't notice me, didn't notice I am alive. Maybe I'm not? Maybe I'm dead and this is the afterlife. Maybe I turned and this is what it truly feels like. I don't remember getting bitten.

Each step I took I had to stop and wobble, pausing for only a moment to take regain my balance, trying my hardest to stop myself from collapsing. I can't stop, not now, I'm so close. Am I?

I groaned, feeling the migraine take over my vision, static being the only thing I can feel.

I can't stop now.

It took me a moment to realize I had stopped walking, aimlessly pushing myself in to a wall.

Is this Savannah?

Savannah isn't a wall, it's a city by the water.

"Lisa. . ." I mumbled, my voice coming out as a wheeze. "I didn't mean to... I swear."

Looking to my left, I see more in to where I'm at, a motel? It's boarded up, maybe there are survivors?

I can't get distracted, I have to find Lisa. . . but. . . maybe they could help me? Maybe I could. . .

"I can't." I looked back to the road, nothing down the road but trees and pavement that never seemed to end. "I need to. . . but. . ."

I found a way past the wooden defenses and got myself alone in the center of the parking lot. Maybe there is no one here?

I should go.

I turned around, trying to find out how I got in here. Everything around me spun, my world getting flipped around as I found myself on my hands and knees, nearly kissing the hot ground as my face mushed in to it.

Everything shook horribly as I got back on two feet, was the ground always this shaky? Is this an earthquake?

My hand found its way to my forehead, wiping away the dirt, blood, and sweat then wiping that off on my faded blue unicorn pajamas.

I have to leave.

I found the wall again, but where did I squeeze through?

Then I caught the eyes, she's there, looking straight at me with fear in her piercing brown, her dark skin, her beard. . . am I sure that's Lisa? She didn't speak to me, only holding a gun up to my face.

"Lisa. . ?"

The gun dropped only slightly.

I tried to take another step to her but instead I fell back, my world yet again flipping as my knees gave way.

I closed my eyes and accepted my fate, not knowing if I hit the ground.

"Lisa, I'm. . ."

I'm going to die.

"Sorry."

Then everything went black.

I thought back to Lisa, the light of my life, the woman in my life I would do anything for. I would walk until my feet go raw, technically I did. She is the only person I have left.

This is why I can't give up.

I have to go.

Slowly, I felt myself gain consciousness, suddenly aware of the soft cushions below me, the pressure of someone's hand resting on my throat, the heat of the sun on my face, the refreshing water that flowed through my mouth, the wounds covering my body that felt less painful yet more intense now that I'm conscious.

Wait. . .

Water is being poured down my throat.

I spasmed, suddenly unable to properly drink the fluids and spitting it up as I struggled to breath.

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes is the gun.

"Is she. . ?" Someone started, a woman talking to who?

I wiped away the water on my chin, looking up to see people surrounding me, a majority of them with a gun, one of them with a water bottle.

We sat in silence for a moment, awkwardly staring as we all didn't know what to do or even what to say. Are they going to shoot me?

I looked around to survey the area, noticing that I'm sitting on a couch outside, still at the motel from before. Then I thought about what I must look like to these people. A young adult wearing unicorn pajamas, my whole body covered in blood and sweat, with burnt un-even hair, wearing no shoes...

It was then that I noticed the woman who was closest to me, the one with a gun to my face, had said something.

"What?" I squinted at her, did she say something? "Can- can you put the gun down, please?"

"How do we know you wont attack us?" She growled back, not wavering or lowering the gun.

"Well. . ." My voice cracked, "I don't have any weapons on me. . . and. . ." I looked the the man with the bottle who now protectively stood by a young girl. "I don't know, I think. . . you guys saved me?"

The woman hesitantly lowered the gun, taking a slight step back, glaring at the man who had the bottle. "We can't just take people in like this, Lee. We will run out of supplies soon, what good will another mouth be to the group?"

I looked around again. I spotted three women, four men, two children. I can understand, I couldn't even keep two people alive.

"My name is Sharon." I stated, having to clear my throat to talk a little louder. "I-I just need to get to Savannah."

"What's in Savannah?" One of the men asked.

"A friend, I-I-" I stood up, feeling everything around me swirl. "I have to get to her- I have to-"

"You're not going anywhere." The woman who- despite me asking- still had the gun pointed at me stepped closer, making me sit back down. "We've had you here for a day and we kept you hydrated. You owe us."

I gasped. "A day? Jesus. . ." Lisa has to be waiting for me still, right? How far am I? Will I make it? What if she gets in her boat and leaves without me? "Fine, I'll help you with whatever you need." Let's just get this over with.

"Uh. . ." The man who gave me the water, the woman called him Lee, took a step closer. "You don't look like you could help us, you can barely stand."

I felt slightly hurt that he thinks I'm really that weak, until I remembered how awful I look. A few people walked away, I guess I'm not that interesting.

"I can deal with it. Tell me what you need, I'll do it. I know my way around this city and determined to pay my debt."

The man whispered something to the child and stepped up to the couch, slowly lowering the woman's gun so she wasn't pointing it at me.

"Kenny and I were about to go on a run through the city to look for some supplies." Lee spoke, mostly to the woman than to me. "Maybe we can take her with us?"

"Wait a sec." One of the men with a rifle, I'm guessing Kenny, walked up to Lee with a unhappy look. "How can we trust some kid? We don't know her."

"Because." I said, tired of hearing them speak about me. "I don't think I would be able to leave knowing a kid is going to need something that I took." I smiled at the young girl who was listening to our conversation, slowly inching her way closer every so often.

"Shouldn't you get some shoes first?" Kenny asked.

I looked down, surprised to see my feet wrapped in bandages. My feet felt sore and are still dirty, the clean white bandages contrasted against my dirty skin.

"Do you have any I can have?"

"And you'll need a weapon." Lee said, looking at his pistol

I raised up my hands, backing myself in to the cushions of the couch. "No, I-I don't need a gun."

The two men exchanged a look, Kenny crossed his arms. "I wasn't going to give you one." Lee smirked. "I was thinking a crowbar or something."

At this point the gun lady and everyone else walked away, aside from Kenny and Lee. The little girl however stayed close but changed where she stood.

The men conversed about themselves, I scooted to the far end of the couch closest to the little girl. She seemed curious and trusting. . . too trusting.

"Hey there," I knelt on the ground a few feet away from her. "I'm Sharon."

I offered my filthy hand, she reluctantly took it, shaking my hand with a weak grip. She smiled after.

"I'm Clementine." She smiled. "Where's your family?"

What a question. "We. . . we got separated awhile back, I'm sure they are alive and doing well. What about you? Where's yours?" I almost didn't want to ask, hoping that Lee is her father.

She shrugged, looking up as Lee neared us. I stood and dusted my pants like it mattered. "I'm watching after her until we find her parents." He said. "Are you sure you are alright? You didn't look too good yesterday."

"I'm positive. But first, do you have any clothes I can change in to?" I looked to my tattered shirt and my bare feet. "Or at least some shoes?"

"Of course." Lee pointed, I followed his stare to see the woman who pointed the gun at me, Lilly.

I walked in and watched as she pulled out a suitcase from under her bed.

I didn't waste time dressing, keeping my pajamas on but putting something under them to keep me warm. As much as I hated wearing jeans I wore the pair she gave me, tight on my legs and constricting, I hate it. Since the jeans are form fitting I was able to put the pajama pants back on.

I put a tank top under my pajama top and a jacket over it, successfully keeping my pajamas. Lilly asked but I could only say that it's sentimental.

When I put the shoes and socks on Lilly sighed, grabbing something from her dresser and turning around.

She held a gun.

"Lilly-"

"Don't!" She gritted her teeth.

This is different. Before her aim was true, she had no doubt in her mind that she would shoot me, I could tell by the look in her eyes and her unwavering stance. That Lilly was able to shoot me and not think about it, or maybe she would later but at that moment? No.

This Lilly shook. Her eyes looked through me, not looking directly at me. Her hands shook, holding the gun with both hands instead of one.

She could kill me.

"No one would know, I could say you grabbed my gun, say there was a struggle."

Her tone this time isn't demanding and angry like she was with Lee, her voice now is monotonous and low.

This is it. I could have died at any point while walking to Savannah, I could have died from when they found me. I'm going to die now.

Both of us visibly flinched at the sound of a hard knock on the door.

"If you ain't done in twenty seconds we're leavin' you behind." Kenny spoke from the other side.

"Lilly." I hadn't taken my gaze away from her, standing up to get eye level with her, or as close as seeing I'm a few inches shorter.

"Just go." She lowered her gun and reached behind her, handing me a screwdriver.

"Thank you."

I tugged on the weapon, looking to her confused as she held her grip on it. She glared at me. "If I even suspect you are stealing from us, I won't hesitate."

I didn't stick around to hear more threats, bolting out the door to meet Lee and Kenny, arguing under their breath as I walked up.

"Well, no, but do you really think-" He sighed when he saw me walk up. "Are you ready to head out?"

I nodded, lightly waving goodbye to Clementine as Kenny and Lee said goodbye to their family, even if Lee isn't related by blood I can tell they are close.

As we walked down the road, opposite of where I was originally heading, Kenny and Lee had me walk in between them, possibly because I was at risk of running away.

Where could I go if I ran? I don't think I can actually run if I tried. My legs ached and felt as if my knees would cave and stop supporting my weight at any second, if I have a good enough distraction I can ignore the pain, a trait that I've had a lot of practice with.

I know how to get to Savannah, I haven't gotten far seeing as I'm in Macon. Maybe I can find a car? I would settle for a bike if it meant I'd get a rest from walking.

My thoughts were interrupted by Kenny's quiet chuckling, he is looking at me.

"You look like shit, girl." Wow, thanks for the compliment. "What happened to ya?"

"A lot." I shrugged. "My friend and I got separated in a house fire, we were surrounded."

"Is that why you're trying to get to Savannah?"

I nodded, looking to the buildings ahead of us, then to the tiny scratch marks that were left on my arms, the crusted blood that flaked off only slightly. "What's your boys name?" I asked, hoping to change the subject quickly.

Kenny smiled. "Ken Jr. We all call him Duck."

I shook my head, smirking at the name. "Why Duck?"

"Water off a ducks back y'know?" He chuckled. "Dumb as a bag of hammers. . ."

I smiled, noticing that he's world trailed off and went silent. I looked up from my arms, freezing when I saw someone in front of me, it's not Kenny or Lee.

It's a man, infected, and staring at me. I didn't move, he didn't move. He's at arms reach, he could bite me if he wanted to. Lisa would be alone.

He didn't reach for me, he just stared at me with blank eyes.

"Duck!"

My arms flung to the back of my head as I crouched down, flinching at the sound of a gunshot and the feeling of the infected man's blood on my arms. I backed away as the body fell limp beside me.

"Why the hell didn't that walker attack you?" Kenny asked, grabbing my arm to help me up.

As I stood I got a smell of my body, a mix of body odor and... blood, infected blood.

"She kinda looks like one." Lee spoke, a mixed feeling smile as he ushered us to an ally, away from the scene.

"Smells like one too." Kenny muttered.

"We could test that." The men stopped smiling and looked to me, a look of disbelief in their eyes as I pointed at a walker at the end of the alley, still and confused. "Hide."

The two hid behind a dumpster, the scuffing of their feet causing the walker to look our way and walk towards us.

The thing looked to me as it passed, not caring that I took a step away from it. It took another step away, turning its body and then another, fully passing by me.

It didn't notice me.

What truly was it? My scent? Or, was it my look? I have new clothes, but my pajamas under this still smell. Did they have the thinking capacity to distinguish a dirty person to a clean person? They obviously can't tell I'm not one of them, seeing as I vaguely remember walking among them. Come to think of it I don't remember a lot. . .

I tried not to think about it.

It didn't take much strength for me to kill it, the sharp screwdriver slid through his head easily. The walker slipped and fell to the group, a hard thud as it hit the cement.

"Let's go." I spoke, rushing the two shocked men in to the nearest building as walkers started to block our exits.

Lee and I quickly scanned the room, a storage room with boxes all around. No walkers strayed between the racks so I peered in to the next room, a few more walkers roamed inside on the far side of the store. We're safe for now.

"I can't. . ." Kenny started, hushed voice too loud for comfort so I closed the door. "She just. . ."

"I don't know." I shook my head. "I don't- I don't remember a lot before you guys found me, but I remember walking among them, they didn't know I wasn't. . ."

Lee, Kenny, and I stood in the corner of the room in silence. Lee seemed to be a very clear headed guy, his arms crossed as he thought about earlier. Kenny looked the most shock out of all of us, his eyes on me. When I gave him a look for staring he snapped out of it.

"Sorry, I just- you don't act like some kid." Lee and I gave him a confused look. "I mean, after we found you like that and you look so young, I just kinda expected you'd be more... fuck I dunno, freaked out?"

"No sense on being freaked out about it, y'know?" I looked to the boxes the surrounded us. "We should probably get out of here, we're in an electronics store so I don't know if we'll find a lot of useful things here."

In closer inspection I noted the boxes are mainly empty. If I think about it I remember this store going out of business shortly before this all started. Lee opened the door and looked around, leading us quietly out of the store and deeper in to the city.

How much will I need to find to repay my debt to them?