The Starving Ones

CHAPTER 1: Just Call Me Taz

Ya know, if someone told me six months ago that there would be a zombie apocalypse, and I would be broken down in the middle of a Georgian wasteland with only my twin brother, I would've had them institutionalized. But whadda ya know? Here I am, standing in front of my old Ford 4x4, with my lovely twin seated in the passenger seat and dead people are indeed walking.

I poked around under the hood of my old junker, but I had no clue what I was doing. Fuck my life. I knew this would happen. My truck would break down, but instead of a back-road as I had predicted, it was on the side of a once very busy interstate. And we were royally fucked.

That was until I heard a car alarm, and it was getting closer. Only moments later, an Asian boy flew past us in a red and black striped Camaro, alarm blaring the whole way. Probably attracting a great big horde of stiffs, too. Shit.

"Hey Taz...did I just see what I think I saw?" Till asked from the cab.

I was awestruck. That was until I saw what appeared to be a moving van coming toward us. I ran around to the side of the truck that was facing the road and flung my arms above me like a madwoman.

Then felt like an idiot as the people occupying said van flew right past us. Till sighed and stared woefully out of the backglass. I simply turned back around and walked back to the front of my truck with tears pricking at my eyes. I wasn't usually one to cry much, but I had nothing left. My twin and I were slowly starving to death from lack of food and we had just downed our last bit of water. Those people in that van...they were that one last burst of light before the bulb blows.

I slid down to the ground, ready to bawl my eyes out, when I heard a cry of joy from the cab.

"Taz! Look! They turned around! They turned back around!"

I scrambled back to my feet and practically flew back around the truck. And, man, was I greeted with a pleasant sight. The van was heading right in our direction. I found myself letting out an echo of my brother's cry.

Till barreled out of the cab and with tears in his eyes, grabbed my shoulders, "Taz! Its people! Real, live, human, non-flesh eating people!"

I let out a joyous laugh and hugged my brother as tight as I could. We would live. And for the first time since the beginning this apocalypse ordeal, I felt hope.

The van didn't take long to reach us, and as soon as it did, the door was flung open and man in a tan police uniform was rounding the front. I heard the back of the van slide open and three more people came our way.

"You people haven't been bit, have you?" The officer inquired hesitantly.

I shook my head frantically, and Till answered with, "No, sir,"

One of the other van inhabitants cleared their throat.

I turned my head to see a fair haired woman who looked to be in her late twenties to early thirties standing to the left of the officer.

She stepped forward and held her hand out, "My name's Andrea, and you look like you need help,"

"Heh, do we really look that bad?" I mean really, it couldn't be that bad, could it?

"Hun, you look like hell."

Hm, guess it was...

"Listen, we don't have much left and my truck is officially out of commission...this maybe a bit out of line, but can you please help us? We've got weapons, and ammo. Just help us, please?" I was begging now.

I would've been fine if it were only me, but I had my brother to think about. My brother was in worse shape than I, and I couldn't survive without him. They had to take us, even if it meant giving up everything. My twin had to survive.

"You swear you ain't bit?" Spoke up a rather large black man.

"I swear, sir. Just tired and hungry." Till said.

Andrea looked at me, and said two words that would save my brother and I, "Get in,"

My brother's dirty, exhausted face broke out in to a grin that stretched ear to ear, and I probably looked the same way. Till and I turned back to my Ford and yanked open the door, grabbing the guns, ammunition, and our duffel bags.

Swiftly, we made our way back to the van and threw our stuff in the back, and clambered in ourselves. Officer Friendly and the rest of his merry crew had already made themselves comfortable. The rumble of the van sounded like the song of angels, and as it lurched forward, all I could think was, I sure hope they don't kill us.

..!..

Well, they didn't kill us, but they sure as hell signed someone else's death warrant. And his brother was going to be pissed.

We had, naturally, conversed with our fellow van dwellers. We learned their names, where we were going, and who the Asian was that sped past in a Camaro. Then they informed me of why.

Then I heard about Merle. I was not amused. Yes he sounded like a Grade-A asshole, but I had seen what exposure can do to people and no one should have to go through that. And now his brother, Daryl, was going to go apeshit.

Needless to say, Officer Friendly and T-Dog were no longer my favorite people.

We pulled into a rock quarry about thirty minutes after leaving my truck, and we all bailed out.

Then there was this really weird moment when Officer Friendly, also known as Rick, was reunited with his wife and son who had thought he was dead. Most found that touching, I found it much like a soap opera. Touching, but very unlikely. Then again we were in the middle of a zombie apocalypse...

Anyway! Then we all sat around a campfire and ate canned beans as Officer Friendly regaled us with tales of his trials and his wife, dubbed Mrs. Officer Friendly, latched on to him for dear life. Can't say I blame the woman.

Till had played social butterfly, "By the way, my name's Till, and the little lady here is my twin sister,"

That started the flood. I learned that Mrs. Officer Friendly was actually named Lori, and their son's name was Carl. Then there was the group from the van, the Morales family, Ed and Carol with their daughter Sophia, Andrea's sister Amy, Shane Walsh, Dale, Jim, and Glenn the Asian Camaro driving pizza boy. Then they all looked to me.

I cleared my throat and shuffled nervously, I fucking despised my name...

"Just call me Taz,"

And then no more was said. That was until Glenn spoke up.

"Is that a nickname?"

I growled, "No,"

Till scratched the back of his head, and gave them the crooked smile that could charm the pants off of anyone, "Mother thought it sounded cute. Taz and Till? Personally, I think it fits her, but Tazzy here doesn't quite think so,"

"Shut up, Till,"

"Come on, Tazzy, it isn't that bad!" Now, he was trying to get a rise out of me.

"Then, you go by it,"

"Nah, I rather like my name," he grinned.

I just rolled my eyes and walked away. I wasn't a fan of groups. Too many people, way too many. And now we were living with them. Magical. Don't get me wrong, I was grateful, but I'm just not a real big people person. Till got all the social genes, I guess.

I heard footsteps coming up behind me, I whipped around with a bowie knife at the ready, only to see Till.

"Taz? Did I really make you mad?" He sounded a bit remorseful.

"Nah, Till, just still can't acquire a taste for groups. That just gave me a bit of an escape," I consoled him.

I turned back around and stared out at the lake. I had to admit, with the moon setting just the way it was, it was beautiful. It cast a silver gleam over the lake, and the slight breeze made it ripple in an almost hypnotic way. There wasn't much left in this world that you could say was beautiful, but right here, right now, that didn't matter. I was reveling in the small bit of stability that Till and I had recently received.

Yet, there was still that nagging in the back of my head, and it was for a man I didn't even know. That man, that survivor, they left on the roof. Who were they to choose who lived? They were not gods, just survivors. And they were more like the man they left on that roof than they cared to admit. I sighed, and took solace in the fact that if his brother wished to retrieve him, I would accompany him.

..!...

A/N: Well, if you're reading this, one can only assume you read the chapter above. The question is, did you like it? Another thing I wish to address is the change in good ol' Tazzy's character. I realize she kind of has a bit of a character switch when they get back to camp, but I think if I was starving to death and my twin's life was at risk I'd be a bit out of character. But, if you like it Alert, Review, and all that wonderful stuff. (Secretly, I also enjoy Flames, but don't tell anyone xD) Critique is also welcome!