It had been over a month since the world had gone to shit. A few days was all it had taken for pandemonium to break out and for widespread panic to ensue. People were turning against each other, the dead were not staying dead for long and trying to eat people, people tried to find safe havens but was there anywhere left that was safe anymore and who could you trust? These are the questions that faced the remaining living population, not that there was many of them left.

'We're going to have to stop soon, it's getting dark and I don't know how much more my ankle can take' Jessica told her best friend as they traipsed through the wood together.

'I know just a little further and I'll find us a good tree to hold up in' Charlotte told her, keeping her bow ready.

To say these girls were out of their comfort zones and far from home, would be an understatement. What started as a simple trip to America turned into the most devastating thing that either of them had gone through.

'Char, I think I see something' Jess whispered

'Biter?'

'I don't know, it seems too still to be a biter'

Char stayed in the lead with her bow loaded and ready but still glanced back to make sure that nothing happened to her friend. Jess was the only person left in Char's life that she cared about and could look after. She had no idea what had happened to her family and knew that she never would. The two girls slowly made their way through the trees, trying their hardest not to make a sound but that was kind of impossible given that Jess has been walking on a sprained ankle for the past 3 days and it wasn't getting any better. They came to a clearing that was empty except for a body. A child's body.

'Is she dead?' Jess asked staying rooted to the spot but Char walked over and knelt down beside the child and tried to feel for a pulse.

'I think she's just unconscious. There's a pulse but it's weak'

'So what do we do?'

'Well we can't just leave her, she's only a little girl and you know what's out there'

'Is she bit?' Jess asked still wary of the situation that they were in. This could be a trap for all they knew. It's not as if they hadn't come across evil people before. Char checked all the places she could see thoroughly, wanting to be on the safe side

'No bites or scratches, not even a bit of blood.'

Jess let out a breath that she hadn't realised that she had been holding and finally approached the unconscious girl. 'Should we move her? Put her in the recovery position?' she questioned as she sat down against the trunk of a tree

'I don't know. I don't think you're meant to move someone that's unconscious, we don't know if she has a neck injury that we can't see and if we move her it could cause more damage than good. Listen you stay here with the girl, you have your knife and I won't be gone long'

'Where are you going?'

'To see if I can find anything to eat. I don't want to use our emergency food unless we have to, especially since we might have another mouth to feed.'

'Be safe' Jess told her best friend as she watched her walk away. She felt guilty everyday that Charlotte was the one to find their food and basically keep them alive. It's been like it since that start of this horrible nightmare. Char had been the one to find supplies, weapons. Jess knew that she did contribute and tried to pull her weight but she wasn't as mentally strong or resourceful as her friend. And ever since she had sprained her ankle, she felt like even more of a burden. It was only 20 minutes until Charlotte returned to the clearing holding berries and nuts.

'No game?' Jess asked slightly disappointed

'I didn't want to go far, you know just incase' she said inclining her head towards the little girl that still lay unconscious.

They both sat and ate in silence being sure to leave some food for their new companion for when or if she ever woke up. After eating it was obvious that Char was deep in thought. She was trying to think of a plan that would keep all three of them alive. She didn't have much medical knowledge but knew that if the girl didn't wake up soon then it didn't look good for her, who knows how long she's already been out here and she needed fluids. Char leant over and felt the girls forehead and she did appear to have s light temperature, Char didn't know what to do so reached into her backpack and pulled out a bottle of water and a flannel. She drenched the flannel in water before using it to cool down the girls face and satisfied with the girls temperature being bought down she sat back and began keeping watch for biters.

'Do you want the first watch or second?'Char asked Jess

'I'll take the fir...did you hear that?'

'What biters?' Char immediately stood up, bow in hand and began looking around

'I think she's waking up' Jess smiled moving closer to the girl, as Char bent back down she could see the girls eyelids slowly opening and her breathing return to a normal pace.

'Back up a bit, she's likely to be scared' Jess nodded and did as she was told 'Hey, little girl don't be scared, you're safe' Char whispered, hoping to ease the girls thoughts

The girl suddenly shot upright looking round her before noticing the two women.'Please don't hurt me' she mumbled

'We won't sweetheart, we promise.'

'Where am I?' she asked shying back towards a tree, Char placed her weapons down on the floor and Jess followed.

'We're in a forest, my names Charlotte and this is Jessica, we found you unconscious and stayed with you to make sure you were safe'

'You helped me?'

'Of course' Jess smiled 'Would you like a drink?' she offered her water bottle to the girl

'Thank you' she smiled before slowly taking a few sips of water.

The two women gave the girl some food as well but decided it was best not to ask her too many questions that night as she was still most likely in shock.

'Normally we sleep up in trees, it makes sure that the biters don't get us. So if you like we can get settled up there now before it gets too dark and then come up with a plan tomorrow morning. Does that sound good?'

'Yeah okay'

Charlotte checked the area for the tree that seemed the sturdiest and found one with a wide trunk and thick branches. Jess climbed up first before helping the girl up and finally after one last sweeping look around the clearing Char joined them.

'What if I fall out?'

'Here take this belt and fasten it around you and the branch and you'll be fine' Char smiled

'Thank you. By the way we call them walkers not biters'

'We?' Jess asked

'Me, my mom and the rest of the group' Jess and Char just looked at each other, and made a silent agreement to do whatever they had to, to get this girl back to her people.

'What's your name sweetheart?' Char asked

'Sophia' she told them before drifting off into a deep sleep.