"Are we close?"

"Almost done."

"How do you know?"

"Look at the signs, Faith. They're there. Trust me." Beth reassures the girl. The twelve year old looks behind her and sees her mother standing behind her. Beth gives a soft smile and then nods her head to the direction in front of her daughter. "Remember, hold your breath and keep your eyes open." Beth whispers.

Faith's arrow was pulled all the way back and her breathing was slow. Beth saw that concentration, she knew it well. The sounds of a walker rang in her ears. She knew the sound well, she knew it very well.

The walker came into view and started to stumble towards the two girls. Faith stared into the walker's dead eyes, and watched as it stumbled closer. "Faith . . ." Beth's voice said behind her, a warning in her tone. The walker stumbles closer and snaps its jaws at them. "Faith, Faith," Beth's voice comes out more panicked and more nervous. The walker is only a few feet and Faith remains frozen to the Georgia dirt. A gunshot rang out through the woods and the walker falls just a foot away from Faith.

Faith lowers her weapon and slowly turns to see her mother dropping her arm; a pistol in her hand. Faith hesitates to speak, but her mother beats her to it.

"Faith," Her voice is serious. "You cannot hesitate. Every shot and every strike is worth something."

Faith gulps slowly. "I'm sorry, Momma."

Beth frowns, seeing her daughter upset. "Faith, it's not your fault." She wraps her arms around her daughter protectively. "I just can't stand to lose you. That's why we come out here. To show you how to survive." She places a soft kiss to Faith's brown hair. "Now,let's go see Aunt Maggie."

Beth stops in her tracks when she doesn't hear Faith follow her. She slowly turns and Faith is staring at her. "Are you okay?"

Faith shifts on her feet. "Gotta be." Faith slowly walks with her mother back to their home.

Eight Years Later . . .

The Georgia heat was showing no mercy as I walk through the woods. My arrows hung on my back loosely and my bow felt light in my hands. My teal eyes scan the wood grounds for any tracks or something worth giving me a good lead on a trail. I crouch down onto the dirt and groan.

"Shit." I curse under my breath. Nothing. I slowly rise and look around some more, sweat dripping down my face. "Son of a bitch, it's hot." I swipe my brow with the back of my wrist and glance down at my watch. It was almost five, and the sun would be going down soon. I start to head back and pretty soon, the gates of the Alexandria Safe Zone came into my view.

Some of the people on guard duty saw me and slowly opened the metal doors. I walk into the familiar town and hear children's laughter. There were buildings and shops that lined the streets, and I made my way to my home.

"Mom?" I call out into the mute house. "I'm back!" I hear moving around in the kitchen and I walk to see my mother reaching for the top cabinet over the stove. "Mom?" I apparently catch her off guard because she jumps and nearly falls to the ground.

"Faith Annette Dixon, you know not to sneak up on me like that." She laughs.

"Sorry, Mom." I apologize. "Are you making dinner?" My eyes avert to the pot of water on the stove, almost boiling.

"Yes. Your favorite." She smiles.

I nod and quickly head upstairs and rest on my bed.

My mother and I had been in the Alexandria Safe Zone ever since I was born. We lived here with my mother's family before we lived here in the zone. Uncle Rick really took on the role of my father figure since my father got seperated from our group due to a walker herd. He had married my Aunt Michonne and they have two children, Carl and Judith. Judith and I were the best of friends, but lately we've been drifting apart.

Although my mother always taught me how to hunt and track, she never let me stray far from the zone. I was good at hunting too. I felt safe when hunting and I liked the open woods. My mother would kill me if she heard how I talked most of the time too.

"Faith, dinner." Mom called. I force my aching body to get up and move downstairs. When I turn into the kitchen, I see Aunt Maggie, Uncle Glenn, and my best friend Jared. "We're having guests." I nod and take a seat.

"So," Maggie looks to my mother. "Big day in a few weeks."

Mom smiles and takes a seat next to Maggie as Jared takes a seat next to me. "You bet." Mom gives a warming smile in my direction. "My baby is turning nineteen."

"Aw, my baby is growing up so fast." Jared teases as he leans in a pinched my cheek playfully. "She'll be dating soon."

I smack his hand playfully away and giggle. "Yeah. Nineteen. Such a big deal -"

"It is. One year away from twenty." Uncle Glenn interrupts. "Do Maggie and I have a surprise for you." He gives a playful wink and I can't help but imagine what Glenn has up his sleeve as the 'perfect gift.'

Jared smiles at me in a loving way and I feel my face slowly start to flush.

I'd lie if I said I didn't have a crush on Jared. He was my best friend and all, but he was also the best person in my world, aside from my mother. We had met in kindergarten here when some kids started to mess with me and kept pulling my hair. He beat up the bullies and got suspended for two days, and after that I felt like I owed him in some way. He was the best looking guy in school and he was always bombarded with populars. His blue eyes would stare into your soul and see straight passed you too. He towered over me too, in height and he was sort of scary. Everyday, after school, we'd go hunting. I went by myself though today. Sometime you just need to be alone, you know?

"How about dessert?" Uncle Glenn smirks after we finish the main course. Mom smiles and goes to get something from the kitchen. She soon comes back with a chocolate cake with white icing. There were small writing on it saying Happy Birthday. Three candles line the center of the cake and wax slowly drips from them. They give the room a warm glow and there's a sweet feeling in the air, one I never experience much.

I smile gratefully and I slowly feel Jared's fingers entwined with mine from under the table.

"Happy birthday, sweetheart." Mom grins. Glenn and Maggie stand up, and Glenn wraps an arm around Maggie's waist.

"Make a wish." Jared whispers into my hair as we stand slowly. I ponder over the thought and then something clicks. I slowly lean over the table and I let out my biggest exhales. I hear clapping and I watch as the smoke rises slowly, soon disappearing into the air. Pieces of cake are passed out and Jared and I are sitting on the back porch of my house. We sit across from each other and he fiddles with his knife nervously.

"So, Miss Dixon, did you enjoy the birthday cake?" He teases.

"Yeah." I grin. Yet, I feel my smile fade to a frown. "You know, I don't think my wish will come true."

"Com'on, Dixie." Jared sighs. "Wouldn't kill you to have some faith every once in a while."

I direct my eyes to the wood that made up the porch, not wanting to look at him. I stand up slowly. "I'll see you tomorrow, kay?"

We share a long gaze, but he finally exhales loudly and he stands. "Alright." He gives in. "See you tomorrow." He leaves in silence and I walk back into my house.

Aunt Maggie and Uncle Glenn can't be heard as I slowly walk up the stairs and fall into bed.

"FAITH!" Mom's voice wakes me up and I can hear her footsteps running down the hall. My door bangs open and my rushes in, bags and knife in hand. "Get your shit!"

I jump out of bed and I'm soon running around my room, scrambling to get whatever we would need.

"There's fire everywhere! Walkers have taken over the zone!" Mom is yanking every kind of medicine out of the cabinets and is frantically rushing around the room, just as much as I was. She stops me in the middle of the room, tears are streaming down both of our faces. "Listen to me." Her voice is commanding. "I want you to run to the woods and don't stop for anything. Once you're there, keep running, when you're far enough from the zone I want you to hide. I will find you. I'll be there as soon as I can and then we can find the others -"

"What if you're not?!"

"Faith, we all have jobs to do. Okay? I want you to run. I'm not gonna leave you. I will find you." Mom's eyes are filled with tears and then she jets out the door. I see walkers start to climb up the stairs and I see my mother start to stab them. I hesitate to run, but I quickly grab my bow and arrows and climb out my bedroom window, and onto the window. I shut the window quickly just as walkers' hands hit the window. I swallow slowly as I see blood being smeared on the once clear glass.

My eyes watch as I see my home burning piece by piece. I hear frantic screams and I see walkers stumbling around the grounds. Fires light the night sky and the heat is massive. Smoke blends into the night sky as well, but I barely have time to look when I hear the front door shut from below me. I watch as my mother runs out of the house, unharmed. She doesn't see me, and I'm tempted to run to her, but I force myself to stay calm. She needed to get out just as much as I did, and she didn't need me to be behind her the whole time. I quickly walk and drop down onto the front yard. My leg aches and I feel a sharp pain in my head. I slowly try to stand up, but my vision is fuzzy at first. I stumble and try to regain my footing.

My eyes spot the gates and my legs start to move that way. I see walkers from all directions and next thing I know I'm dodging them and I watch people getting bit. Pretty soon, I'm sprinting towards the gates, my lungs on fire and my bow by my side.

I soon feel the earth under my feet and I see black dots blur my vision. I stop and look back, turning to see my home, and I feel tears fall down my face. Everything was burning to ashes, and if I didn't get away more I would become apart of those black remains.

I start to run again and I can't think of the last time I had ever had to run this far. My hands push back bushes and branches as I sprint away. I feel cuts and stings coming from the cuts and finally, I collapse in a field. I stare up at the night sky and I see black birds, very faintly, hovering over me. My chest heaves up and down and finally I let my eyes fall and let the darkness capture me.

Hi everyone. So, this is a new fanfiction and I really hope you enjoyed. I'm sorry it's really short as well and I hope it made sence. Anyway, thanks for reading and I'd love to hear a review. Thanks :)