Chapter 2

"Did they follow you back?" Tanyon asked, voice very serious.

"No, I don't think so. I just ran. The one guy wanted me to go, so I doubt they are going to track me." Blake said as she finished her story.

"This is exactly why you shouldn't be allowed out their on your own, Bea. You have no one to cover you and I can't even walk far enough or keep up with you yet. This is exactly why I think you should stay here till I can atleast move again, we need to-"

"-do this as a team. I know, Tanyon, I know. But, I can't just keep sitting in here with my thoughts."

The siblings remained quiet till Tanyon broke the silence.

"We always found peace out here…in the woods," Tanyon started as he looked at his swollen ankle resting on a cooler, "but the woods aren't the safe haven they once were. We don't know who is out there and we don't know whats out there. I shouldn't have let you go-"

"But, I'm fine-"

"And what about next time Bea, huh? What's going to happen if these assholes roll up and decide not to give you a second chance?"

"They aren't coming back, Tan." Blake said, voice very tense as she stood at the sink of the RV, blankly staring out into the trees of the forest. "You know, Tanyon…you know that I just can't sit in here. We're running low on water and we can't just sit here and wait for you to heal while there are things that need to be done. I can handle myself and you know that"

"It's a different world Bea," Tanyon said solemnly as he glanced his eyes up to his younger sister. "This world is dark, its brutal, Bea. Things aren't going to be the same-"

"You don't know that!," Blake interjected

"I can't lose you too. Not now. We need to stick together," Tanyon said, hoping to maybe knock some sense into his sibling.

"I know, Tan. I know," Blake agreed resentfully as she walked toward the door of the RV. "I know," she said one last time before pushing open the door and stepping back out into the Georgia forest. She headed to the fire pit she built upon arrival, and began the process of preparing their rabbit dinner.

The next day was a scorcher. Blake and Tanyon had sweat through the whole night and she was prepared to head down to the quarry to fetch water to boil.

Blake immediately regretted stepping into the muggy wilderness of Georgia as mosquitoes feasted on her skin and all kinds of nasty creatures buzzed past her ears. She grabbed two water buckets and made her way down to the quarry, bow and arrows strapped to her back. It was about a 15 minute walk from camp and Blake knew she could be back with water before her brother woke.

The walk down to the quarry was hot and muggy. The sun started creeping over the mountains. You don't appreciate the beauty of nature until you see just how brutal it can be. Blake shook her head of her thoughts and walked along the dirt to the water's edge. She sat upon a rock along the quarry, watching the water flow and appreciating the peace that it brought with it. Blake closed her eyes and listened to the slapping of the water and the quietness of the forest. She didn't hear screams, she didn't hear the moans, she didn't here gunshots…..It was just peace.

CRICK!

Blake immediately snapped out of her peaceful state and snatched up her bow and arrow, lining up her vision with the tress behind her as she waited to see what was on the other side. The bushes rustled and out came a man.

"Huh. Didn't think I'd see you 'round here no more. My dumbass brother didn't scare ya enough?"

Blake slowly lowered her bow and arrow, "Are you alone?" she asked the man that saved her from that giant jackass yesterday.

"Yea... I ain't even gonna be here long." the man said as he walked to the edge of the quarry and filled the canteens.

"Are you staying close to here?" Blake asked, concerned if her camp and these brothers were in close proximity of each other.

"What's it to you, huh? Scared we gonna come raping and pillaging your camp. Nah, we ain't like that." The man said, once again silent.

Blake stared at the man, he was dressed in baggy denim and an old beat up shirt with a denim sleeveless jacket with wings on the back. He had short hair, he wasn't anything special. But, he was very intriguing to Blake.

"I just wanted to see if you had a camp," Blake said in hopes that he didn't get the vibe she was nervous about him and his brother. The man continued to remain silent. Blake sighed and continued watching the quarry, keeping this mysterious man in her peripheral.

"What' s your name?" she finally asked, wanting to break the tension she was feeling. She doubt he felt it, but she needed to break the ice. He remained silent, dipping another canteen into the cool water. A few moments later he spoke.

"Ya know, my brother was pretty pissed last night. He didn't think the alive ones were skin eaters too," he said, still not looking at her, and still filling his canteens.

"Well, he fucked with me, and I wasn't taking it," Blake said, wondering why she got so defensive.

"Well, that was stupid of ya. We aren't murderers, so you're lucky it was just us you mouthed off too. Merle ain't scared to hit a girl who runs her trap," the man said as he finally turned his head to make eye contact with the girl.

"Yeah. Thanks for the advice," Blake muttered, finally growing annoyed with the conversation. She was ready to drop it when the man finally spoke up again.

"Are you with a camp at all?" he asked.

"I'm not telling till you tell me. And I also would like a name, please," Blake said as she turned her head to face the man completely, finally noticing his piercing eyes and the defined muscles of his arms. The man remained silent again for a long bit when Blake finally convinced herself he wasn't talking to her anymore.

"It's just me and my brother. No camp." He said facing down. It remained silent for a few long moments when he finally said, "Names Daryl…Dixon. You?," he asked as he packed up his canteens and threw his crossbow over his back.

"It's just me and my brother too. I'm Blake…. Carter." Daryl gave her a nod and started walking back to the edge of the forest.

"Well, be smart. Stop mouthing off to strangers. You'll get yourself killed," he said as he disappeared back into the woods.

Blake stared at the tree line for a little bit longer than she liked to admit. The sun finally made its way over the mountains, shining its rays on the water when she finally decided to fill up her buckets and walk back to camp