"The house is right there?" Corbin said pointing at the map hung from a tree in front of us.
"Right." I spoke looking at the map. "We're round 'ere somewhere. Maybe if we loop round the house 'gain? I don't know what ta do anymore man. I mean, it's been what? A year!? Maybe... we should just..." I trailed off looking at the forest floor.
"Wow!" I could feel Corbin's gaze burning a hole in the top of my head but I didn't dare meet his. "Never thought I'd see the day when a Dixon gave up on family." He ripped the map off the tree, folded it up, and stuffed it into his bag. "Look. You've been out here every damn day trying to find 'em. Hell between your uncle calling me a 'nigger,' you a 'nigger-lover,' and your father not saying shit to you when your uncle was around. Figured you would'a given up a long, long time ago."
I finally met his gaze after that. "I ain't lookin' fer 'im. As much as I love my uncle, 16 years was 'nough fer me." We both chuckled. "But my father is out there, Corb. He taught me all the shit I've taught all ya'll back-woods hicks on how to survive out 'ere. It's just... I feel like I'm always one-step behind 'im. Like maybe, if I go out I'd run into 'im." I snickered. Dixon's weren't really this open with people but Corbin's been there longer than anyone. And Merle ain't here to make fun of me for sayin' this shit.
"Dixon's got feelings." he exclaimed with a grin on his face.
"Shut the hell up!"
"Na... Don't let my comment stop ya. You wanna talk?... let's." he leaned against a tree and I did the same to the one across him. While Titus sat by my feet.
"I thought it'd be some Disney movie shit." Running my hand through my short brown hair and licking my lips. Not sure how far I was going to let this conversation continue for. "That maybe... he would actually look."
"I'm sure he did, Anna. But you know Merle. You know that Merle has control over Daryl. Whatever he says, goes. Damn fool." I chuckled at that but it was true. Merle had Daryl whipped like a lil' bitch. And I knew the day he left and said "gotta go get Merle, stay here." Then he left me with his father. The man who ruined my life and my body, forever. Use to torture me. Tell me my daddy was never coming back. After a couple months it got worse. Words turned into beatings, beatings turned into rape, then it became beatings after rape. All the shit he told me after 4 months I believed. Dad wasn't coming back. Dad didn't love me.
When shit hit the fan my friends tried to find me. When they did, they were hit too. Now all of them have the brand of 'Dixon' above their left breast. Me, I got worse. I was covered in brands, home-made tattoos, and scars from him. The ones on my arms were the worst. On my right arm was the devil and under was branded 'Merle'. On my left arm was an angel and under that was branded 'Daryl'. It suited the two men I guess you could say. Some of my shirts didn't have sleeves so on some days they were visible. A reminder of what I've been through. And that I'll never see my dad again.
Corbin's whistle and Titus' deep growl is what knocked me out of my deep thoughts. I stared at him and shrugged. He put his finger up to his lips, signaling me to be quiet, then pointed to the roamer far off behind the trees. I shrugged again asking him quietly how many. He looked on the other side of the tree then held up the number 1. "Forget 'im." I whispered to him after I heeled my great dane. "It's just the one roamer. Doesn't even know what the fuck he's doin'. Just leave 'im, it's a waist of an arrow, and a waist of time." He nodded. "Come on." I pointed in the direction of camp. "Sun's settin'. Can't be out 'ere in the dark." He nodded again and the two began to quietly follow me. "Maybe since we came out 'ere fer no fuckin' reason, might as well hunt." I unhitched the crossbow I had over my shoulder and handing my battle axe to Corbin. I whistled and Titus began to track a head of me. "Might catch somethin'." I added.
He chuckled. "And Dixon's back." he cheered quietly, throwing the hand holding my axe into the air and the other patting me on the back. "Wondered where my best friend went?" he grinned. I just rolled my eyes and began my hunt.
Four squirrels and one small buck later, Corbin and I made it back to camp just as the sun was setting.
"Hey." Courtney said once we broke the tree line. I nodded in her direction and sat at the small fire with the laid his head on my thigh as I began to skin the squirrels. While Corbin hung and began to skin the small buck at a nearby tree. "Did you find any trace of him?" I glanced at her and shook my head 'no'. "We'll find him you know?"
"Did the scavenge team go ta the cars on the highway ta git the campin' supplies like I asked?" I asked desperately trying to change the subject away from my father.
"They're some people on the highway looking for supplies to fix their RV. They'll pass. Our stuff is locked, you have nothing to worry about."
"Where'd tha' come from then?" I asked pointing to the small one person yellow tent in the middle of the clearing.
"That was there when we got here." she added. "We already searched it. There's a man inside, shot himself. Figured it gave Titus a safe place to sleep."
"You said their people on the highway? They a threat?"I asked glancing up at her.
"Not likely." Trapper said from behind me. I turned toward him waiting for him to continue. "We're in the middle of the woods fer fuck sake's. No one will find us unless their looking."
"And they're dumb-ass's anyway." Hailey added from beside him. "One of them is driving a fucking motorcycle. Drove ever wanderer in this direction from miles."
"Dumb-ass's huh?" They all nodded. "If we run into them ya know wha' happens?" I glanced at everyone who were now quiet and staring back at me. I shifted uncomfortable with all the attention my leadership of this group was giving me. "It's killed or be-killed out 'ere. They ain't killin' any of ma people. Ya see one of these fuckers, they pose a threat, ya shoot 'em no questions asks."
"They had children, Anna." Kamon stated leaning against a tree. "Two of them... bout 12 or 13... weren't even armed."
"You know the rules Kamon." I growled at him. Titus lifted his head up off my thigh. "All of ya know the rules. Nobody's survival is more important than yer own. We don't tolerate zombies, bad-guys, dumb-ass's, or assholes. We don't play hero... People who have kids in this world are stupid. Children won't survive. This group has lasted long 'nough without takin' anyone in or helpin' anyone. I taught ya'll the rules, wha' I say goes."
"Wait... But you can have Titus." Kamon asked. Kamon was usually quiet, hell more than any Dixon was. I liked him for his quietness but now, he was being an ass and it only enraged me more. "Titus is the same as any child. How come he survives? How come your not stupid for having him?"
"I don't have ta explain nothin' ta ya people." I said glaring at everyone. "I would protect ya people with ma life and this... fucking drama is wha' I git in return. Fuck ya'll. Should'a left ya'll fer dead. Listen 'ere prettyboy, when I say my word goes, I mean it. Anyone breaks tha' rule, they git an arrow in the ass by me personally. Understand?"
"Yes ma'am." they all said quietly.
I continued to skin my squirrels. All of them were taught what I was when I was a kid. Dixon's were laughed at, hicks of the town, barely anyone ever talked to me. Until the world went to shit, now everyone looks to me. I'd say all the people in this group are my friends but it's one of the Dixon rules. "Dixon's don't have friends, girly." I can still hear Merle's stupid-ass voice. I finished skinning the squirrels and handed them to Amy and C.C. to cook. I wiped my hands on my pants and glanced at all the people in my group conversing. We only had 15 people and my Great Dane, Titus. Our group maybe small but I trained them well and we all got along.
I had my scavenge group which was Corbin, Trapper, Kenneth, Kamon, Hailey, myself and Titus. Then the people who stayed at camp and kept in-tel were Courtney, Madison, and Tia. Our cooks and medics were Amy and C.C. Finally the people who protect, watch and help the camp in any way possible while the scavenge group is away, Phillip, Tyler, Anthony, and Alex.
"Anna." Amy said snapping me out of my thoughts. "Squirrels cooked." I nodded my thanks and grabbed the plate from her hands and sat around the small fire again. I glanced around the group again. This is as good as a family a Dixon's ever gonna get. But they ain't blood. No matter how many jokes they threw at me, I still miss those back-wood hicks.
"Happy Birthday baby girl." dad said while putting a cupcake with one unlit candle on the table in front of me.
I looked up from my school book at the cupcake and glanced at my fathers amused face and scrunched my eyebrows together in confusion. "But Daddy I thought we don't make a big deal about birthdays?"
"Well if ya don't want the pitiful excuse fer a fuckin' cupcake, then I'll eat it." he said snatching it from the plate.
"Daddy!" I screamed dropping the pencil in my hands on the book and throwing my arms toward him making him put the cupcake down. "Ma cupcake." I said sticking my tongue out at him. He chuckled in return.
"So... How old are ya anyway?" he said with a straight face.
I was shocked. Daddy always remembered these things but since Merle called him a 'pussy', whatever that means, he hasn't been the same. "S-seven." I said looking down at the cupcake on my plate. Suddenly not feeling like eating it. I pushed it away from me a little and went back to my school work. Trying not to show my father that anything was wrong with me.
"Anna." he sighed. He used my name, something was wrong. I looked at him with worried filled eyes. If he left with uncle Merle again I would be stuck with grandpa. I never told daddy what he did but I think he's seen the scars.
"Y-yeah d-daddy?" my voice cracking a little as a tear ran down my cheek. I didn't was to go back, ever.
"Wha's tha' fer?" he asked wiping the tear from my cheek.
"Y-yer l-leavin' me arn't ya?"
"Now does it look like I'm leavin' ya?"
"No... But ya will, ya always do." I stated looking down using my sleeve to wipe my nose.
I could tell I was making him angry. It was like poking a sleeping bear with a stick whenever I talked to him. He clenched his fist on the table. "Well I ain't leavin' ya! Now will ya quite yer bawlin' and eat yer damn cupcake!" he said standing up from the table and leaned against the kitchen counter.
I propped my elbow on the table and laid my head on my hand away from my dad. Grabbing the cupcake with my free hand and taking a bite. "I'm sorry." I whispered to which he nodded. I wish I didn't always mess things up. We were perfectly fine, until I overreacted.
"Hey! Happy 7th Birthday Squirt!" Merle said while patting me on the back.
"Thanks uncle Merle." I said quietly not looking up from the table shoving another bite of cupcake down my throat. He kneeled down beside my chair to where he was eye level with me.
He grabbed my chin an forced me to look at him. "Now. Why in the hell ya cryin' fer?" I shrugged. He wiped a tear from my cheek. He chuckled, "Why ya gotta make 'er cry on 'er birthday baby brother?"
"Shut the hell up Merle." he growled.
"Did she not wanna go 'er somtin'?" he asked.
I choked back another sob trying to hide the fact I was crying but Merle saw. He tried his best to comfort me but both the Dixon men sucked at it. "Y-ya are leavin'? I breathed out looking at my father.
"Huntin'." Merle stated. "Just a weekend maybe more. But seein' as yer upset, ya can stay with grandpa if ya want?" I looked at my father with fearful eyes. He can't be leaving me, not again. "Or maybe if yer feelin' better later, ya can go with us."
"What?" I said wiping my nose with my sleeve again.
"I said when ya were old 'nough ya can come huntin' with us. Sevens when I learned. Figured it's as good as time as any." dad said looking at me.
I smiled at him and nodded. "Can you teach my how ta use yer crossbow?"
Merle stood up and leaned against the counter beside his brother with a proud smirk on his face. "If ya wanna learn." he simply said. I ran from my chair toward him and engulfed his waist in a hug. He bent down and picked me up and I wrapped my arms around his neck. I pulled back to look at his face, he smirked. "Now will ya stop cryin'?" I nodded and hugged him again.
"I love ya, daddy."
I jolted up from the cold forest floor. I rubbed my face with my hands and looked down at Titus who was snuggled into my side. I smirked then checked my watch; 3:45.
"Fuck." I whispered. "I need ta stop doin' drugs an goin' ta sleep." I laid back down, knowing I'll never go back to sleep, and listened to the soft snores coming from the trees. I was the only moron who slept on the ground. A twig snapping in the distance caught my attention but I passed it off as a roamer. Then the roamer picked up into a full run. I shot up and pushed Titus off of me. Grabbing my battle axe I ran toward the sounds. I looked around the trees but the noise stopped.
"Damn drugs." I mumbled.
Then little girl arms circled around me and a sob escaped her mouth. "P-please help me. There's two of them." I turned toward her and the two walkers broke the tree line. I swung my axe up and copped off the first walker head off in one swoop. The next one was slower, I plucked the little girl of my waist. "P-please don't leave me."
"Stay right 'ere." I said in a stern voice pointing to where she was standing. She nodded and I turned around. I grabbed my knife from my holder and threw it toward the zombie. It landed with a blood curdling squish in between it's eyes. I retrieved my knife and kneeled down in front of the girl.
"Did ya come from the highway?" I waited patiently and no response. "Is yer mommy or daddy on the highway?" she nodded. "Why'da run off girl?"
"A big group of them things came out from nowhere. We hid under cars but two of them chased me into the woods." I nodded and waited for her to continue. "Then Mr. Grimes hid me in a bush and led them away said to keep the sun on my left shoulder." I rolled my eyes. Fucking moron who let's a little girl run into the forest by herself. "I did as he said but I heard a man and a woman talking so I ran in the other direction." I nodded again. She probably heard me and Corbin talking earlier. I showed her a ghost of a smile.
"What's yer name kid?"
"S-Sophia."
Helloooo Nurse... I hope you guys like this fan-fiction. I know the first chapter is long but I wanted to show Anna's group that she has before she meets everyone and how she views the two men in her life. I read a lot of fan-fiction so I figured I would write my own. I know most of you guys don't read this shit cause I sure don't :D
If ya like it great. If you're reading this awesome. I'm probably gonna keep this going at least till season 2 ends because I ain't got nothing better ta do. Thanks!
