Chapter 1 A new Day
Summer was officially over and was yet again time for school. I got up, took a shower, brushed my teeth, and got dressed. Today for my first day at my new school I wore blue jeans, a black jacket, and my new shoes, which were red on the inside and black and white on the outside. I walked downstairs and entered the living room.
"Morning mom." I stated.
"Morning Nick." My mom replied.
"Man I can't wait to go to school." I stated.
"Why's that?" My mom asked me.
"Because, I'm going to meet new people, who I know will want to be friends with." I replied.
"Well you got five minutes until the bus comes to get you, I suggest you go wait outside." My mom said.
With that being said I told my mom I loved her, kissed her on the cheek and ran to the door, I stopped to open it and closed it on my way out. I quickly walked down the stairs, across the walk-way, and up to a pole with a sign of a school bus on it. About thirty seconds later the bus stopped right in front of me, the doors opened, I climbed aboard and walked almost all the way to the back, until I noticed a boy my age looked all alone.
"Excuse me?" I spoke.
He looked up at me and said, "Yeah?"
"Do you mind if I sit next to you?" I wondered.
"No, not at all. As a matter of fact you can sit here with me every day we go to school." The boy said.
So I took my seat next to him, we talked none stop until we arrived at school, he told me his name was Carl, and I told him my name was Nicholas.
We got off the bus and walked into the school side by side just like best friends would. Obviously I had no idea where I was going, so I turned to Carl for help.
"Hey Carl, can you show me around?" I asked.
"Sure, what class do you have first?" Carl replied.
I took out my schedule, looked it over then uttered, "Phys Ed."
Carl laughs then said, "Me too."
"Come on follow me buddy." Carl stated.
So I did without hesitation, approximately five minutes later, we arrived at the gym. We had five minutes of free play, after the five minutes of free play the gym teacher noticed not one, but two unfamiliar faces, one of them of course was Nicholas, the other one was a pale faced girl with light blue eyes and blonde hair. The teacher asked both of us to come forward, I did so without any hesitation, but the blond haired girl was just taking slow steps, so I walked up to her slowly extended my arm, the girl took hold of my hand, and I walked slowly more toward her, placed my other arm around her neck, and in very gentle words I told her everything would be okay. I guided her in front of everybody, while holding onto the new girl, I looked directly at the class and said, "I'm Nicholas." Very faintly the girl said, "I'm Sophia."
"Nicholas and Sophia everyone!" Mr. Shultz uttered. "Give them both a warm welcome to our school."
Until lunch time I stayed with Sophia it really looked like she needed a friend.
"Thanks for sticking with me Nick, I really appreciate it." Sophia said.
"No problem Sophia, when I first saw you, I could tell you needed a friend or someone to talk to." I replied. "I know you don't want to talk about it but why do you have scares and bruises?"
"My father Ed beats me and my mom, we try to fight back but he just gets more ruthless." Sophia answered, as she started to cry into my shoulder.
"It's going to be ok Sophia, I promise, cross my heart, and hope to die." I assured her.
Sophia lifted her head up and smiled at me, and kissed me on the cheek. The rest of the day was awesome Sophia could finally focus without any help. The day was finally over, I was at my locker getting my things when Carl ran up to me and asked, "Want to come over?"
"Yeah, that would be great." I replied.
I closed and locked up my locker, I followed Carl to a cop car with the word "Sheriff" on both sides. We both got in the back, put on our seatbelts and we drove off.
"So Carl, who's your friend?" Rick asked.
"This is Nick, the guy I was telling you about, the one who helped out Sophia." Carl replied.
"That was very generous of you Nick." Rick said.
"Thanks but-" I didn't know if I could mention it.
"What is it Nick?" Rick asked.
I took a deep breath and said, "Sophia's dad Ed beats her and her mom, and she told me that they try to defend themselves, but he just gets more ruthless." I replied.
"Do you know her last name?" Rick asked.
"Peletier." I answered.
Rick punched Ed's name in his computer and got all the information he needed to arrest that S.O.B. Rick pulled into the "Grimes" driveway, dropped of me and Carl, and Rick quickly left, turning on the sirens. Carl led Nick to his house, Carl took out his house key, unlocked and opened the door. Both stepped inside, I closed the door behind me and followed Carl up to his room. Once we were in his room, I felt like I was going to faint, he had two thirty inch flat screens in his room, and also two Xbox 360's and two copies of "Grand Theft Auto Five."
"Want to play?" Carl asked.
"Sure." I replied.
"But first we need to listen to the news, I heard that there was an outbreak." Carl said.
Carl changed the input to HDMI 1 and changed the channel.
"This just in walkers, walkers are among us, everyone is advised to remain indoors, board up your windows and don't let anyone outside see you." The reporter stated.
After that everything went out, the only light that was in the house was coming through the windows.
"Fuck!" Carl yelled. "The windows are our only light source and we have to board them up!"
"Hey Carl?" I said.
"Yeah?" Carl wondered.
"Heads up." I stated, as I tossed him a LED flashlight.
"Thanks Nick." Carl stated.
It took us ten minutes to board up every window that was in sight. Within a matter of seconds Rick bursts in with his wife, Sophia, and Carol her mother.
"Are you guys alright?" Rick asked.
"Yeah, we're good." Carl and I spoke together.
"Looks like you two are quite the woodsmen." Rick stated.
"Actually, Nick here showed me how to do it properly." Carl replied.
"Where's my mom?" I asked.
"With Shane, my best friend." Rick answered.
"Now everyone in the car!" Rick ordered.
Everyone obeyed and did as Rick told them. After two minutes of waiting, Rick got in the car and we drove off. As we were driving Sophia introduced her mom to me and Carl.
"Hey Nick?" Carol said.
"Yes Carol?" I replied.
"I just wanted to thank you for helping and sticking by Sophia on her first day of school." Carol stated.
"You're welcome and don't worry I promise to keep her safe." I announced.
Two hours later we arrived at camp just in time to see Atlanta get bombed. We watched until it was over, then Shane introduced us to everyone. We put up our tents and everyone except me, Sophia, and Carl went to sleep. Carl and Sophia shared a tent and I was all alone in mine, so I left my tent and headed for the lake. Sophia and Carl saw Nick's shadow drift over their tent and asked each other, "Where is Nick going?"
"I don't know, but let's follow him." Sophia said.
Carl nodded in agreement, he opened his tent and said, "Ladies first." Sophia blushed and stepped out of the tent, then Carl exited his tent as he and Sophia jogged to a tree and hid behind it. They did this until they saw Nick take out a bench press weight with a chain attached to it, they watched as Nick tightened the belt around his waist, they continued to watch Nick as he made his way into the water, once the water was over Nick's head, Nick dropped the weight. Quickly Carl said, "Get the others, and tell them to come to the lake." Carl however just started running into the lake. Once Carl was deep enough he dove underwater and swam to his friend, Carl untied the belt, took hold of Nick and resurfaced. Carl started swimming back, it was hard but he managed to do it. Carl immediately performed CPR. Carl thought it wasn't working until he felt a cold, wet hand on his face, Carl turned his head and saw me smiling at him.
"Awesome job son." Lori exclaimed.
"How long have you been there?" Carl asked.
"We've been here since the moment you dove underwater." Dale responded.
"Man, we need to change, do you mind if we use the washroom in the RV Dale?" I stated.
"Go right ahead." Dale replied.
Back at camp me and Carl were all dried off and had nice dry clothes on.
"Hey Carl, now that me, you, and Sophia are friends, I need to tell you guys something, and please keep it secret." I stated.
"Yeah, of course." Carl replied.
So I entered the tent with Carl right behind me. Carl told Sophia that this was classified information and not to tell anyone. Sophia nodded her head and waited for me to speak.
"Well firstly, I bet you're wondering why I did it, or tried to do it." I began.
"Yes, we are." Sophia said.
"Ever since I moved from Winnipeg, I fell like all my friends have forgotten me. They never e-mail me, chat with me on Facebook, and never sent me any letters. The only things I have to remember them is a walkie-talkie that my friend T.J and I used to talk each other and some photos of my friends to help me remember them. I felt empty for such a long time, I wanted to end it the week before school started, and that is until my mom placed those photos in my hand, when I saw them I just looked at them smiled, and started to cry. Then when school started I met Carl, the kindest kid in the universe, we talked and talked all the way to school and I almost felt complete again, but then in gym class I met you Sophia, the most beautiful girl in the universe, the girl who I helped get her light back, why you may ask, because as soon as I saw her I could tell that she needed someone there for her, and a friend. That's why I was being brotherly to you Sophia, and once you had you were filled with that light again, I felt complete once again, and it was like I was back in Winnipeg and I have you two to thank for that." I replied.
My face was soaked with tears, I wiped my eyes and noticed Sophia and Carl's faces were also drenched with tears. Sophia and Carl both grabbed some Kleenex, and dried their eyes and face.
Authors note: I'm going to try and make the part where my character explains why he was trying to commit suicide more sadder for future readers.
"Wow, I'm so sorry Nick." Carl uttered.
"Me too." Sophia stated.
"Thanks guys." I spoke.
Both hugged me, Sophia told me everything will be ok, and with that I leave their tent and return to mine.
The next day...
I wanted to sleep in except the smell of bacon, eggs, and sausages was really getting to me, I tried to ignore the smell but Sophia came in my tent and said, "Wake up lazy bones."
I smiled and held out my arm as a sign of help me up, Sophia grabs hold of my arm and pulls me up carefully, and then she helps me to walk to the table. Everyone got three sausages, two strips of bacon, one egg, two slices of toast, and one slice of cheese. I sat beside my two best friends Carl Grimes and Sophia Peletier. I was about to eat when my walkie-talkie went off, "DragonBreath to Firefly, I repeat DragonBreath to Firefly."
"Firefly to DragonBreath what's the beef?" I replied.
"I got some bad news Nick." DragonBreath announced.
"What's wrong T.J?" I queried.
"Justin, Ryan, Nathan, and Jake they're all dead, I'm sorry Nick I really am, I just thought you had to know, and secondly I've been bit but it has been two days since it happened. Well I better not keep you from whatever it is you're doing. Peace out bro." T.J. replied.
"Yeah, peace out." I spoke.
I took my mind off of what T.J had just said to me. I ate my breakfast, then took a walk to the lake, where I sat on the shoreline for a few minutes and then I started throwing rocks into the lake.
"Hey Nick, you shouldn't be out in the open like this, it isn't safe." Rick said.
"I don't care, what's the point of living anyway?" I replied.
"The point of you living is that you have built a strong relationship with my son and Sophia, they would be devastated if you died, you need to keep fighting not just for yourself but for Carl and Sophia, I bet even T.J would want you to keep fighting even your other friends, fight for what's right, make the right choices, if you won't do it for me do it for your friends, they need you now more than ever." Rick said.
"Why's that?" I asked.
"Walkers have infiltrated the camp." Rick stated.
"Let's go!" I yelled, while running back to camp.
Once me and Rick were back, I pulled out my ten millimeter pistols, and shot 28 walkers in the head, I then stowed my pistols and pulled out my hunting knife and killed the walker that was about to get Amy. After I ran over to Carl and Sophia and asked, "Are you guys alright?"
"We're fine, don't worry." Carl said.
"Carl, Sophia, Nick, Let's go!" Rick called out to us.
Rick was motioning us to get in the car, and so we did without hesitation. We all followed Dale to the CDC building. We all walked up to the door, Rick hit the intercom button and someone asked, "What do you want?"
"We want to come in, and we heard you had a cure." Rick replied.
"I have it alright, but you're not coming in." The man said.
"Why's that?" Rick asked.
"Because you're infected." The man responded.
"We're not infected, and if we were how could we be talking to you right now?" Rick said.
"Alright, I'll let you in, but you're going to have to prove you're humans." The man stated. "What does the world's largest equation equal?"
"X=4!" I yelled.
"Come on in." The man said.
We entered the building and started walking towards the lab. After two minutes of walking we finally arrived at the lab.
"Finally a group passed my test, and will be safer in here." The man stated. "No walkers can get in here."
"This place is all glass, they will break it and will get in!" I spoke.
"Alright, don't believe me, but I will give the people who want to leave one minute." The man said.
Andrea, Amy, Jim, Doug, and my mom all said that they were staying. On the other hand I'm still pacing and deciding on what to do.
"Come on Nick, think back to what you said to me and Carl that night in our tent." Sophia said.
"And remember how I risked my life to save you." Carl uttered.
"Don't forget about what I told you down at the lake." Rick said.
"Thanks guys, that really helped me to make my decision, and I'm choosing to leave with you." I announced.
We ran full sprint back to the doors, as we were running I took out a grenade and threw it at the bulletproof glass. We left the building and ran for cover and watched as the building exploded. We got back into the vehicles and drove off again. After half an hour of driving we were forced to stop on a highway packed with cars. Everyone left their vehicles and Glen asked, "What's wrong with the RV Dale?"
"The regulator valve is broken." Dale replied. "It's going to take a while to fix."
It was night, we put our tents up, and I put mine up next to Carl and Sophia's tent. I was soon fast asleep, but I kept on hearing voices in my saying, "Come on Nick, end it, and join us" over and over, I woke up and yelled, "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" I was in the corner of my tent curled up in a ball crying. Carl and Sophia were the first ones to come check up on me.
"Are you ok Nick?" Sophia asked.
"No I'm not. My friends and my mom want me to join them, but I don't want to, I made a promise and I'm going to stick to it." I replied.
"Maybe you just feel alone and need someone to comfort you." Carl said.
"Maybe, but who?" I wondered.
"Me and Carl silly goose." Sophia stated.
I managed a smile and hugged them both and tell them that they're the best friends I could ever ask for. The three of us then fall asleep side by side.
The Following Morning...
Rick woke us up and told us to get under a vehicle. So we did I got under a car with Sophia, the others got under their own car, except T-Dog and Daryl they placed dead walkers over their bodies. After a dozen walkers went by Sophia peeked out to check if it was clear, except it wasn't, a walker fell down hoping to bite Sophia, but she was too fast, she escaped from under that car, hopped over the rail and slid down the hill, I got out from under the car and went after her. I took out my guns and equipped them with silencers, I killed one, but the other bullet rebounded off a tree and hit Sophia in her arm where it bends. I shot at it again and this time I killed it, I stowed my guns and ran to Sophia.
"You okay Sophia?" I asked.
"Besides this flesh womb, I'm great." Sophia replied.
"Let's get you back to the highway." I voiced.
"Can you run?" I asked.
"Yeah, why?" Sophia replied.
"Just run back to the highway, and tell the others I'll be back later." I stated.
Sophia obeyed my order and I walked all the way to the other end of the forest, I just sat on the edge looking at the pictures of me and my friends. Every time I held them it felt strange and I didn't bother looking until now, I flipped all five pictures over and noticed letters attached to every single one of them. I read all of them over and over until I decided to go back to camp. Two hours later I was almost at camp when from behind I was shot in the leg and next I was stabbed in the in the ribs. I then heard a woman ask me, "Why were you sitting on our property, and what are you planning?"
"I wasn't planning anything I'm just a kid for fuck shakes, I was just looking at pictures my friends from Winnipeg sent me, I was also reading their letters. I honestly didn't know anyone lived outside the forest." I replied.
"Is that all you were doing?" The same lady asked.
"Yes, and who are you?" I replied.
"I'm Maggie the one you're talking to, and the one who stabbed you is my sister Beth." Maggie answered.
I started walking back up to the highway, climbed over the rail and made my way towards my tent. It took me half an hour to finally enter my tent in the condition I was in, and I patched myself up and then went to sleep. The next day I swore I was going to wake up dead, but I didn't once again Carl revived me. I got up slowly and hugged him, and also thanked him and told him I owed him my life.
"How's Sophia?" I asked.
"Good, why?" Carl replied.
"I owe her an apology." I answered.
"Why?" Carl wondered.
"Because I accidently gave her that flesh womb." I stated.
"Well she's over there sitting on the rail, if you want to tell her now." Carl uttered.
I walked up to Sophia and said, "Hey."
"Hey." Sophia replied.
"Sophia I got something to tell you." I announced.
"What is it Nick?" Sophia questioned.
"I'm sorry for accidentally shooting you." I replied. "I tried to kill the second walker but I missed and the bullet ricocheted off a tree and then hit you."
"You don't have to apologize, I saw the whole thing." Sophia said. "But I accept your apology."
I smiled and hugged Sophia, told her I would be back soon, and returned to Carl.
"How'd it go?" Carl asked.
"Good." I responded.
"Nick are you in a relationship?" Carl wondered.
"No." I answered.
"Do you want to be?" Carl queried.
"Sure, but with who?" I replied.
"Me." Carl spoke. "Just kidding."
"You almost had me there." I voiced.
"But seriously do you want to be?" Carl asked.
"Yes I do, but with Sophia." I answered.
"Well then go ask her." Carl said, gently pushing me.
For the second time I walked up to Sophia, and I uttered, "Sophia ever since I met you, I knew we were meant to be, I love you Sophia, and I want to know will you be my girlfriend?"
I pulled out a gold necklace with a heart in the middle. Sophia had tears of happiness in her eyes and spoke, "Yes Nick I will be your girlfriend."
I tied the necklace around Sophia's neck and said to her, "You look so much more beautiful with that necklace on."
Sophia kissed me on the lips and I kissed back, the kiss lasted only five minutes. Sophia pulled away then said, "Meet at your tent."
I nodded my head and headed straight for my tent going in a different direction than Sophia. I arrived seconds later after Sophia and asked, "Why did you want to meet me here?"
"I want to have a baby." Sophia replied.
"Are you sure?" I asked
"Yes." Sophia answered.
"Then let's get to it." I uttered.
We start kissing, pretty soon we're making out and using tongue. I pull away and say, "This should wait, what if Carl or I got shot."
"I guess we can wait, we can still make out though right?" Sophia replied.
"Of course we can still make out." I uttered.
We continued to make out until supper time. While we were eating Dale told us that we're low on food.
"We'll go tomorrow." Rick said.
After we were done eating, we were greeted by an unwelcomed guest. Carol then spoke up and said, "What are you doing here Ed?"
I'm here to kill the Sheriff, and then the rest of you!" Ed yelled.
"You aren't going to lay on a finger on my dad! Or anyone in this group!" Carl barked.
Ed laughed and punched Carl in the face, knocking him out. I ran over to Carl, picked him up and carried him to somewhere safe, and then returned to Ed and said, "You shouldn't have done that!"