Chapter 1: Familiar Faces

I sit down for the first time in what seems like years, but has to be only about an hour. I should have just stayed put like Rick told me. Instead I had to try and make my way back to the highway alone. And now I'm lost…my life is crap. I put my head in my hands and try to stay awake. I know I can't sleep, that would be asking to die. I just wish I could magically be back with the group. With Mom, Carl, everyone.

I look up and scream when I come face to face with a walker. I'm about to get up and run when suddenly blood spews from its mouth and it falls to the group. I look up hoping to see Rick, but instead I see a tall man with brown hair and brown eyes. "Are you okay sweetie?" He asks. I nod and stand up. "Are you alone?" He asks. "I'm lost..." I say sadly. "Oh…well why you don't come with me? I have a nice little town you can stay at until we find your group, come on." He says and I stare at him for a moment. If I stay here I'll die…so what other choice do I have? "Okay." I murmur and follow him.

I sit outside on one of the picnic table silently drawing. "Sophia! Come and play with us!" I hear someone call. I look up at the other kids. I shake my head wordlessly and look back down at the drawing. I'm trying to draw Carl…but it gets harder and harder to remember what he looks like. Mom too. I shake my head in frustration and crumple up the paper and throw it to the ground.

I hate in here…most of the time. Sometimes I love it. I mean it's safe and everyone is mostly nice but I miss my family. You'd think I'd be over it after over eight months, but I'm not. Woodbury may be safe, but it isn't home. I sigh and stand up and walk over to the rest of the playing kids. I notice some of The Governor's men watching us. One of them being Merle. He nods at me, but I ignore him.

"Sophia!" I hear Miranda, one of my friends, call. I look at her. "What?" I ask. "Wanna come to my place?" She asks. "No thanks, I think I'm just gonna go home." I mutter and Miranda sighs. "It must be lonely living by yourself. My mom says you can come live at our house if you want." "I like living alone. And this 'mom' you talk about isn't even your real mom." I snap. Miranda looks down as I walk away back to my little apartment room. I sit on the bed and look at my hands. "I want to learn to shoot." I say to myself. I know it's a stupid thing because The Governor won't allow anyone except for the people that guard the wall and are part of his team to carry weapons. If I want to learn to shoot I'll have to teach myself secretly.

I have no idea how to go about that. I would probably end up accidentally shooting myself. I know I shouldn't have come here. The Governor never even tried to go look for my group and he won't let me leave. He won't let anyone leave.

I stand up and look out the window. Everyone looks so happy. They can't see through this all. Honestly sometimes I can't either. Sometimes I'm out there with all them happily laughing and playing, and others I'm up here sulking wishing The Governor would die in a hole. I can see Miranda talking to another kid that I don't know the name of. I'd bet all the money I don't have that they are talking about the fights. Every once and a while The Governor arranges an event that he simply calls The Fights. He gets two people willing to participate and surrounds them by walkers then they well…fight. The walkers get closer and closer by the minute until someone wins. I'm not stupid enough to believe there isn't some catch, but it's still sick. And sometimes he changes it up. Sometimes people get tied up and they have to untie themselves before they release walkers.

I clench my fists and kick the wall. This town has changed me, I'm not the same little girl I was eight months ago. I'm not even a kid anymore I don't think. I glance at the door then take the knife out of my pillow case and leave the apartments again. As I walk past people I car bits and pieces of conversation. "Have you seen the new people?" I hear someone say and I stop and listen. "Yeah, Andrea's the blonde ones name right?" another voice says. "Andrea?" I whisper.

At that I break into a run. I find myself outside of The Governors house. At the exact moment I'm about to go inside the door swings open and I quickly tuck my knife in my pocket. The Governor walks out with someone at his heels…Andrea. "No I don't think—" Andrea is saying but stops when she sees me. "Sophia?" She asks loudly. "You know her?" The Governor asks. "Yeah she was in my group…she got lost we never found her.' Andrea says and reaches out for me. I jerk away from her. "Don't touch me." I snap. "She's got a bit of an attitude these days." The Governor explains.

"She didn't used to. She used to be the sweetest thing." Andrea says, looking at me. "I don't know what it is…maybe it's living alone like she does. She won't let anyone else take her in." "Is my mom alive?" I ask Andrea. "Last time I saw her. The farm we were at was overrun, but I think Daryl saved her." Andrea says. I rack my brain and try to remember Daryl, but I can't.

"Why don't you go play with the other kids and you and Andrea can talk later." The Governor suggests and he and Andrea walk away. I give them a look behind their backs before slipping into The Governors house. I need a gun. I stop when I get to the room that I know leads to his office. This is where he took me the first night I was here. This is also where I met Penny…

"Wait here a minute sweetie; I'll go get you something to eat." The Governor says and leaves the room. I look around the unfamiliar place nervously. I stand up from my chair and look around. That can't hurt right? Then I hear movement from the other side of a door. I go over to the door and press my ear to it. It sounds like someone is walking around. I turn the knob slowly…its unlocked. I push the door open and look inside. On the other side of the small room is a little girl. Her arms are straightjacketed behind her back and on the wall above her head are little wooden latters that say: PENNY.

I look back at her and she limps towards me. This is when I realize she is a walker. I shriek and slam the door shut. I turn around and come face to face with The Governor. "You should snoop around in people's things." He hisses. "I-I'm sorry sir." I stammer. "Don't say a word about this you hear me?" He snaps, getting in my face. I nod and gulp.

This was my first thing that hardened me…made me who I am now…

I glance at the door where I know Penny is limping around behind. Then I start to walk over to the bags of guns in one corner when I deep voice stops me in my tracks. "What are you doing in here?" I jump, thinking it's one of The Governors people when I see a tall dark skinned woman with dreadlocks. She has a sword on her back. "I'm sorry…I was looking for…someone." I say stupidly. She smiles slightly. "I'm not one of his people, I don't trust him one bit." She says sensing my unease. "I just came to get a gun." I explain. "Get one, and then we need to get out. What's your name?" The lady asks. "Sophia." "Did you happen to know Andrea?" I nod. "Yeah, just saw her." I say. "I know her too. She told me about you…I mean for all I know it might not have really been the Sophia she was talking about, but I guess you are. Anyways, get that gun. I'm Michonne." She says I nod and grab a small hand gun and go over to her.

"How do we get out?" I ask. Michonne nods to the window and we climb out. "See you around kid." She says and goes off in one direction. I go in the other, not looking back.