It only took us five minutes, if that, to find the camp. We got there before dark, at least. The sun was just dipping over the tops of the trees; it cast a beautiful orange glow on the few clouds that floated freely above the tortured world.
There was a campervan and a couple of other cars parked round a huge campfire. It was a cosy little set up. Someone sat up on the roof of the campervan called something down to the six or seven people huddled around the campfire, but we weren't close enough to hear it. It truly was a sight for sore eyes.
The woods looked like it could either offer some much needed protection or hide the very monsters that we're running from, ready to come and bite us when we least expect it.
The moment that thought entered my mind I knew I'd never be able to get it out, it was the kind of thought that would just linger and catch you off guard.
Daryl turned the car off after getting a reasonable distance away from the camp, causing both Merle and Rebecca to jolt awake without the comfort of the car vibrating to keep them asleep.
I was the first to step out of the car and head over to the campsite.
The person on the roof climbed down the ladder and came over to greet us.
"You must have seen our message; I'm Dale, I'm glad to see some new faces." A kind faced elderly gentleman said.
"Emilia, yeah, I can't tell you how great it is to find someone stuck in the same boat as us." I said firmly shaking Dale's hand. I could feel the scrutinising eyes of the other camp members fall upon our mismatched group, but they soon came over and got to know us.
It didn't take very long to meet everyone, there weren't many people here. There was Jim; he seemed pretty quiet, seemed like he'd keep himself to himself. I'd been told that he escaped from Atlanta, he'd come here for the safety on time, but when everything went bad, he got out.
Another was Glenn, but I hadn't had the chance to meet him yet, he was in Atlanta apparently getting supplies for camp.
Carol and her young daughter Sophia were a pair that was a little detached from the others in the group. I hadn't really spoken to Carol much, but I had talked to Sophia about the flowers near camp.
There was also Dale, the older man who owns the RV. He seemed friendly enough, I think I'd thanked him over twenty times already for letting us stay here at his camp; he'd got here first with the two sisters, Andrea and Amy. They were nice too, Amy was only a few months older than me, but it was Andrea who I felt I got along with most. Porcelain
I was sat in Dale's RV talking to her now.
"So you arrived with Dale, how'd that happen?" I asked.
"I was driving Amy back to her college, when it all hit, we heard the broadcast on the radio about how Atlanta is safe and all, but we ran out of gas; Dale picked us up in his camper. When we got here though it was the same story as everyone else, they'd already closed it, walkers had already got in."
"That means everyone's dead, there must be millions of walkers in there! But that guy, Glenn, goes in there every day? Is he mad?"
"He's tactful; he knows how to move around the city before the walkers can surround him."
"For his sake I hope he is as good as you say he is."
"Anyway, enough of Glenn, I want to know how you ended up with those people, they're a family right? The brothers seem the complete opposite of you and the other girl." I smiled a little; I wasn't smiling at what she'd just said though. I was smiling at how I no longer had to be cooped up in that tiny car with Daryl.
"I was at the hospital and Daryl, the younger brother, saved me from..." I paused.
"A walker?"
"Yeah." I didn't need to tell her it was my brother that had tried to kill me, did I? "Merle, the older brother, and Rebecca, their sister, were waiting in the car for Daryl to return, they all allowed me to tag along. After that it's the same story as you pretty much, heard the broadcast made it here."
"Daryl, he doesn't seem very pleasant."
"Let's just say I'm glad to be out of the car."
"I hear you." She laughed, and I couldn't help but join in, she was such a happy person.
"Andrea! Glenn's back!" Amy called as she threw open the RV door.
Everyone had gathered outside to welcome Glenn back. I say everyone, neither Merle nor Daryl were here.
"What've you got for me Glenn?"
"Loads of cans, toilet roll, detergent, err, I got some weapons too." He was rifling through his duffle bag as he was listing the items. "Oh, and I found some chocolate. But we're going to save it."
"What weapons have you got?" I thought, but he looked up at me so I must have said it aloud.
"Newcomer." He stated more to himself than to me. "Err, depends what you're looking for, I got gu-"
"Anything that doesn't make a noise?" I smiled. He looked a bit flustered, as if he didn't expect anyone to ask about the weapons.
"I've got a couple baseball bats or some golf clubs." I nod.
"Do you think I could have one of the bats? I feel like I'll sleep a whole lot easier if I had a weapon close."
"Yeah, I mean, I don't see why not at least." Smiling at him, I grab the bat the he pulled out of the bag and handed to me.
"Thanks."
The sky had darkened somewhat since we arrived about an hour ago, but neither Daryl nor Merle had returned from wherever they'd gotten too. Everyone else, however had retreated to various tents and cars to try and get some sleep, but I'd volunteered to take first watch.
Glenn had given me a hand pistol so I could shoot any walkers that came too close, which was good because using the bat probably would've been hard from on top of the RV.
It was pretty lonely up here, and was oh-so quiet compared to what I had experienced since I arrived at this camp. There aren't many people here, but they sure can talk.
Being alone isn't a good thing, it gives you time to think. Thinking is exactly what I've been trying to avoid since this whole thing started. It's a shame I'm not very good at it, I've never been very good at just turning my mind off, it would always be thinking about something. How am I going to get the promotion I want? Do I go to college or not? What car should I get? How am I going to deal with this new world and the changes it involves?
I've already changed, I know that. I changed when I made myself feel better about killing the walkers. It's not right that anyone should have to accept that killing people is right, but in this world, everyone has had to. That's just it though, they're not people anymore. They're walkers. They're dead. The people they once were have gone.
Then my thoughts turned to poor little Sophia, she would probably forget that the world wasn't always like this, that everywhere was once safe. Those of us that were older would never forget that. But Sophia hasn't been in this world very long; she can't be older than six. That's only six years to have experienced the old world; it's only meagre compared to my eighteen years, or Rebecca's twenty years.
"Any walkers?"
"Holy shit!" I spun round so fast to face the person who just caused my heart to explode out of my chest. Glenn.
"No, it's a quiet night." I said giving the horizon a once over.
"That's good then, you should go get some shut eye."
"I'm good; I won't be able to get much sleep even if I tried. Might as well make the most of being awake."
"Yeah, I suppose." I caught the strange glance he gave me.
"Insomniac. Always have been."
"Ahh, I see, maybe you should get that sorted. Sleep's too valuable."
"Oh, I'll just ask the next person I see and just hope they don't try and eat me." We both laugh quietly as not to wake the people sleeping in camp.
"We got a couple of walkers up ahead; I'll take 'em out for you." He say's aiming his gun at the one on the left.
Time seems to slow down as my brain processes the 'walkers' entire demeanour.
Then I see it, they're not limping, there are no low groans coming from that direction, they even appear to be laughing along with each other.
"Stop!" I shout at the exact moment that Glenn pulls the trigger. I was too late.
I've never moved faster in my life, I practically jump off the camper and run to the person Glenn just shot. It wasn't a walker. I know that for certain.
What must have been mere seconds felt like an eternity as I ran to them.
Merle.
Glenn had shot him clean through the forehead, Daryl was stood next to him in shock at the scene that unfolded in front of his very eyes; he was powerless to stop it from ending the way that it inevitably would.
Merle was dead.
I know Merle's alive in the series, but this is a fanfic. Just in case you think it's wrong. (:
