They raised their weapons at me and I slowly put my gun down next to my bags. Nodding gently, I raised my hands and cleared my throat.
"I'm not bit, or scratched. I ran out of gas, and I'm alone." The older man nodded and stepped forward.
"I'm Dale, welcome to the group. I'll show you around."
"Wait, Dale. How do you know we can trust her? She could be with someone who is waiting for a signal or something like that." A man with dark, curly hair asked. The others were silent as Dale and Shane stared each other down.
"Shane, if I trust her, you should too." Dale stated and held a hand out for me. "Come along." I slowly made my way to the older man as Shane grumbled to himself, annoyed.
WDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWDWD
My house was located outside a big city. Next to it was my home city, the place where I was born and raised. We lived in a little quiet brick house, and next to us were my neighbors, my family.
People always asked me if it was weird that family members lived on the same street as our family. I always said no, but I always had look out when my parents were away. I never really had the rebel streak, besides when I went out with some friends. All we did was drift in the snow when it was winter, or sneak out of the house and fork people's lawns. After that, I kinda grew up fast. It got old to try and be a rebel.
I missed home. After a couple days with the group, I started to think about my home. I thought about my family, friends, and my bed that I had left behind. Sleeping in the RV with others, I stayed awake at night while others slept. This is when I thought most. And here I am now, on top of the RV, with my blanket and pillow to keep me in comfort. I starred up at the stars, and wondered if there was an actual heaven. I didn't think so. If God made my life hard before with my Momma's cancer and Daddy's heart attacks and now this, I didn't think God would do this. He was supposed to be nice and kind to everyone equally, but I felt like my world was hard. Not to mention confusing as well. It was shattering in front of me and I couldn't do anything to stop it.
"It's gonna rain. Ya might wanna git yourself inside." I heard someone say. I looked over to see Daryl Dixon. I met him yesterday when he came back with his brother, Merle, from hunting.
He wasn't like the others. He was more into the outdoors and kept most to himself. He was hot too. The weird thing was that he wasn't like the other guys I dated. I dated city boys, all of which wanted one thing. That's why I only dated three guys in high school. Considering I was at the end of my high school career.
"Okay, thank you." I said, sitting up and grabbing my stuff, throwing them off the side of the RV.
"Goodnight." I told him, making my way down the ladder. He didn't respond, and I didn't expect him to.
It sure enough started to pour right after I got inside the RV.
The next day or so, I started to study that redneck. He kept to himself, just like I did. Of course, I did my share around the place, but I didn't say much to the others. When early morning came, I grabbed my shoes and headed into the woods. I had my hunting rifle and it was my goal for the day to bring back dinner. I climbed high in one tree and sat and waited. A couple hours later, and deep into my thinking, I saw it. It was a deer. Looking at it, I raised my rifle, and took the first and only shot. It went down fast, and I heard cussing.
Climbing down from the tree, I heard Daryl muttering over the loss of his game.
"Sorry." I muttered, and he looked over.
"That was yers?" He asked.
"Yep." I replied and he took another look before walking off deeper into the woods. He was muttering about how I scared away the good stuff anyway.
I looked down and started to pull the deer in the direction of camp. When I came through the trees, everybody stopped at looked.
"I got dinner." I muttered before stopping next to the fire. Hoots and hollers went around and I smiled gently and started to walk down near the lake. I was a bloody mess, and I wanted to clean up before dinner, and before it got dark.
After I "bathed", I made my way back in time for the meat to be served with corn. Laughter went around for the first time in ages, even if it was just giggles. Seeing the kids laughing, made me feel better somehow. I don't know how the kids can survive living in this world where all there is dead walking around.
Daryl came back and went to his tent without eating. Was he mad? I don't know. From what I saw, he had a temper like me. When I got mad, everybody knew it. The glares I gave were enough to make people step back. I wasn't a violent person at all; I just hated conflicts with family and friends. Then there was also the fact that when I got mad, I cried. I could count how many people have seen me cry on one hand. Mama told me I was a quiet and happy baby.
I excused myself and went into the RV, sitting down on Dale's bed; I put my head down and started to think. Not that many people liked me before the world ended, and of course, some people don't like me now. I knew that in life some people would like you and some people wouldn't. I just thought that since the world ended that the survivors need to stick together.
When everybody went to bed I was still awake. I sat there, and finally decided to go down to the lake, just to clear my thoughts. I always think too much outside the box.
Walking down with my gun and flashlight, I finally made it. Getting undressed, I stepped into the warm, lake water. Running my hands over the top of the water, I took a couple steps further until the water was under my collarbone. Smiling softly, I felt peace. This reminded me of our boaters club. When all the adults went to sleep, the kids would play in the water. We always had the shushed giggles and the wide smiles.
I turned around suddenly, when I felt the water move. I turned around and saw somebody a meter or two away.
"Holy shit." I screamed, and the person turned and took steps back.
"What yer doin out here!?" The person yelled.
"Daryl?" I said, covering my chest.
"Yeah." He replied.
"What the hell?" I muttered, and went a little deeper in the water.
"I just came to take a bath. Jesus." He muttered and I had the chance to look over him. He had an amazing body. Thank the moon for the glare.
"Girl." I heard him mutter before I looked up.
"I'm not a girl." I glared at him, shivering slightly.
"Fine, man. Whatever." He muttered before I looked at him once more, and he started to walk towards the shore. When I looked over at him again, I saw him getting dressed in a hurry.
"Yer comin out?" He looked over and squinted.
"I will when you turn around." I replied and he huffed but turned anyways.
"I didn't think you'd be the one to be shy." He replied gruffly.
"Well, you don't know me than." I replied. I shuffled out of the water and got dressed in a hurry. When I turned around, he was still facing the other way.
"Are you mad?" I questioned, crossing my arms.
"Why?" He muttered, turning around.
"You didn't eat dinner when I brought the deer back." I said, feeling stupid.
"No." He looked over and starred at me. I nodded and started to walk back, flashlight and gun in hand. I made it halfway up before he was next to me, and we walked together. When I got the RV, I nodded at him before opening the door gently and walked inside. Closing it behind me, I turned and saw Dale starring me at.
"Hi." I whispered.
"Where were you?" He asked, standing up.
"I went down to the lake." I told him, putting my gun by my bag.
"Ellie, this is a world where you can't go out on your own. It's not safe." He said, looking at me.
"I'm sorry. I understand." I replied, and he nodded and then went back to his sleeping area. It felt like the time when I snuck out of the house with my cousin. We were both wearing black, and wanting to cause trouble. Of course, I had a I love beer shirt on and black boxers that said stud on them. We were barefoot and we messed with the old lady across the street. We rearranged her yard decorations and forked the other neighbor's yards. We only got caught cause she was drunk enough to call my mother. She came home early from being out with her boyfriend. But, I wouldn't change that for anything. It was fun, and it was summer. I fell asleep thinking of that.
I hated camping before the world went to shit. I would stay inside the cabin and listen to my iPod, locked in my room that my sister and I would share. That's between the two. I didn't like the bugs, or the snakes. I enjoyed the lake though, swimming and fishing were my thing. But sleeping in an old, smelly cabin wasn't my thing. I didn't mind the outdoors now, but there were things that we needed. Some of those things being toilet paper, and food. That's why Glenn and some others were going to get supplies. Merle, shockingly, was going as well.
"I ain't gonna cause no trouble." He said, standing tall. Daryl, who was behind him, rolled his eyes, and I smiled.
"What chu looking at sugartits?" He said, grinning. I shook my head and walked away while the others argued over Merle going. I sat down next to Carl and Sophia, who were doing homework with their mothers.
"Hey, Ellie." I smiled at him and sat down next to Carol.
"I really hate it when the guys argue over trips like these. I wouldn't mind going, but Dale is being over protective. I'm not his daughter." I stated, and looked away.
"He never had one before, and he cares about you." Lori said, patting my arm awkwardly.
"Well, still." I muttered.
"You never told us how old you are." Carol said, changing the subject.
"I'm 18. I was a senior in high school." I told her, and she smiled gently.
"Maybe you should be doing homework too." Lori laughed lightly.
"No thanks, I passed all my classes. I was going to graduate early anyway." I replied, standing up and making my way into the RV. Amy was in there, but she shuffled to the table and sat down. I looked over at her and smiled before I went to take a nap on the bed.
When I woke up, it was still day time out. The guys left early in the morning along with Andrea. It was quiet now that Merle was gone and everyone figured that he would cause trouble sometimes. But it was really quiet. I looked out the window and saw that Lori and Carol were making lunch, with Ed watching their every move. Shane was over with Carl and Sophia, teaching them something. Lying back down, I started to fall asleep.
I was in my home. I stood by my couch and looked out the window, seeing a black and green sky, with thunder clapping in the background. I called out to my mom or my sister but nobody would answer me. Opening the door, I went outside and walked over to my Aunt and Uncles house, yet nobody was there. Walking back, it started to rain, and I ran the rest of the way home, but for some reason I stood outside for a bit longer. Turning around I saw my Mom, as a walker. Half her face was falling off and a bite mark was on her shoulder.
"Mom?" I quietly said, before she lunged at me, and bit me in my neck. She was tearing my neck apart when I was awaken by Dale. I was shaking and sweating.
"You okay Ellie? You were screaming." He said, rubbing my arm.
"Fine." I said quietly, before I sat up. He looked at me with pity until I rolled my eyes and got out of bed.
"I'll be back in a bit." I muttered before walking out of the RV.
Ignoring everybody that looked my way, I walked into the woods, with my arms crossed over my chest. When would the world start to feel normal again? It would probably never feel normal again. I sat down on a stump and held myself while tears slid down my face. Why did it have to be this way? Why did everything I knew and loved leave? Would I ever live my life like I wanted to?
"Why yer cryin'?" A voice said and Daryl sat down beside me.
"I had a nightmare." I replied, wiping my face, taking the teardrops away with my sleeve. He didn't say anything, but I continued to speak. "I had everything planned out... college, where I wanted to travel, everything. And it got ripped from my hands." I muttered, picking at the stump's old wood. "What were you doing when this all happened?" I asked lightly.
"I worked here and there, mostly in construction." He replied, looking over at me. I nodded and he stood, shaking his head and then motioned me to follow him. We went deeper in the woods to a clearing, where the sun shinned brightly. He leaned up against a tree, watching me as I looked around the area.
"This is great." I told him, as he watched me. I smiled over at him, and he smirked at me. "Thanks." I quietly said.
"We should get back." He told me, as I followed him through the woods, taking the memory with me. Have you ever looked at something so beautiful and it was forever stuck in your memory? That was one of those times. I've been to many places in my time here on Earth. The ocean was so beautiful with its colors and sounds. I've also seen the biggest sand dunes in upper Michigan. We climbed them, and at the top, we saw everything; the lakes that were a mile or so out, and the sky and the birds floating through in peace. I smiled as we made it back to camp, feeling better.
I sat down beside Carl and Sophia, and colored with them while Daryl went back out to the woods to look for kids and I laughed over the pictures we drew of the group, while
while everyone else did their thing. I never had younger siblings. I was the baby of the family, and Momma and Daddy were going to adopt a baby boy before he died. The plans changed after that. I loved being the youngest though, but my sister and I grew up as best friends. I wouldn't change that. I looked at Sophia and Carl, and felt protective of them. Not in brother or sister type of way but as their God Mom or something of the sort. I looked around the camp and realized that I was getting attached to these people when I needed to find my Nana. But I haven't thought of Nana in a little while, instead, I've been thinking about the group and a certain Dixon boy. He was invading my thoughts now.