Chapter 2

"This is my wife Lori and my son Carl." Rick said.

I smiled at them both. Carl shook my hand and Lori smiled back.

"This is Shane Walsh. My best friend."

I didn't like him.

"I don't like you." I said.

The redneck busted out laughing and I saw a few other snicker. I saw pure hatred in Shane's eyes and I challenged him with a glare.

"I don't like you either so I guess we're good." he sneered.

"Shane come on man." Rick said.

He walked off and I was led to an Asian man. He looked to be around my age maybe a few years younger.

"This is Glenn. He's our go to town man. He's fast and knows his way around." Rick said.

"Pleased to meet you." he said.

I smiled and shook his hand. Another man came up to me and I recognized him as one of the ones who had snickered.

"Yo! Name's Theodore Douglas. Everyone calls me T-dog. You're pretty brave there Redcliff." He said with a smile.

I shook his hand and smiled.

"Just had to make it known." I said.

He smiled and nodded. There was an elderly man named Dale, a woman with short gray hair named Carol and her 12 year old daughter Sophia, and another blond woman named Andrea. She had a sort of dead look in her eyes. Dale told me she lost her younger sister Amy. I couldn't say I knew how she felt because I hadn't really lost anyone but my parents and I barely remembered them. The redneck caught my eye and I found him looking at me. I walked over to him. I saw a name on the bike.

"Merle Dixon?" I asked.

"Daryl." He corrected.

"Ah. Brother?" I asked.

He nodded. He could tell right away he wasn't the talking type.

"Right…..well nice to meet you." I said.

As I turned away he stopped me.

"Hey."

I looked at him.

"Least on know there's one thing we can agree on." He said.

I raised my eyebrow. He smirked.

"Both think Shane's a dumbass." He said.

I smiled and nodded. He went back to taking gas from his truck and I walked over to Carol and Sophia.

"Hi."

Carol smiled small and Sophia looked at me uncertainly.

"I realize I may appear as a….well someone un-trustworthy. But I promise I will never hurt you or your daughter. I know what it's like. I lost my parents when I was 2. I barely remember them. Family is an important thing. It gives me joy to see that you still have your daughter." I said.

As I walked away I heard Carol speak.

"Thank you Tala."

I smiled to myself and then climbed into Dale's RV. To my displeasure I saw Shane was riding with them as well. I looked at Dale.

"Mind if I just ride on the roof?" I asked.

"Are you serious?" He asked.

"Yeah. Why?" I asked.

He shook his head and nodded. I smiled and then climbed to the top of the RV. It was a peaceful ride until the RV broke down. I climbed down and Dale announced it needed a new hose and he was out of duct tape. We decided to look around for anything that could fix it. I walked around with T-dog while the others went separate ways.

"Heard what you told Carol. Sorry about your folks." He said.

I shook my head.

"I don't even remember them or the accident. Well I kind of do. I remember flashing lights and everything going black. That's about….."

I stopped.

"Wha…"

"Shhh!"

I held up my finger and listened. I sniffed the air and my eyes widened in horror. I turned and saw the heads of at least 25 or more walkers. I turned and saw Rick motioning for us to get down. I normally would have fought them all, but with T-dog with me and it being the middle of the day…there was nothing I could do but get down under the car. T-dog ran to another car and sank down. I heard him grunt in pain. I looked over and saw he had cut his arm open on a car.

Damn it!

There was nothing I could do without putting myself and the rest of the group in danger. T-dog was losing a lot of blood. That was when Dixon showed. He stabbed the walker going for T-dog and then covered himself and T-dog with the bodies of walkers. I held my breath as more of them walked past. Then I saw Sophia running away into the woods. I did not hesitate as I came out and ran after her and Rick was right behind me.

Please not her! Don't let her mother lose her!