I open my eyes to the singing of the birds around me. Nothing came close to me last night...

Wait.. Its morning already?!

I need to be able to protect myself before I continue looking for Daryl

My feet are still burning. The little blister I had grew to the size of a grape. Its gonna be hard to walk like that.

I see a small bundle where I put my shoelace and the sticks and approach it

It is a squirrel. Sadly, the thing is around it's neck meaning it choked to death, but I got something to eat after the last can of food in my bag.

I check around me as I put my boots back on. I'll be lucky if I still have feet when I find my brother

I look at the can I didn't open last night and think of opening it. The last one.

Yeah, I'll find more food later. I still have the squirrel

I take it, shove my knife on the top and start opening it like I've been doing with the others, but stop when I see something moving inside.

What the fuck?

I pull my knife out feeling confused and then yelp throwing the can away and letting go of my knife in disgust when I see hundreds and hundreds of tiny white worms inside it and coming out of the can as if nothing happened

What the hell?! How?! It's a damn can! They're supposed to be sealed!

I get up as fast as possible to get the ones on my clothes off me and shiver grossed out. I kick the can further away from me and shake my knife until no more little worms are on it.

I sigh. I'm still hungry...

I frown frustrated and think of what I'm gonna do next. I could hunt more...

Right, no ammo... Just useless arrows since I don't know how to use the bow

I guess I'll have to keep going and save the squirrel for later. I need to set another trap tonight.


Back in the road I see a car with the trunk open. I move closer to it feeling curious of what might be inside it.

I chuckle when I get there. Its a rope and a map

Just that... Who would just leave a map out here? It even has some blood on it

I could use the rope to get on trees or somewhere else if I get in trouble, and maps are always useful when you don't know shit about your surroundings.

I take both things, putting the rope in my bag and unfolding the map to get a better view at it. I do my best to read it properly

According to this, Atlanta is about 60 miles from here. If I wanna get there in about 3 days I need to move faster to the point I walk almost 20 miles daily.

I'd have to walk 6 hours a day, and that is if I stay in the road, which means no food or water unless an abandoned car has some.

Well, shit. I'm already starving

At least I'd have shelter in the cars and I'd be able to sleep without walkers noticing me

Cant say the same about people, though.

Closest town ahead is Forsyth. I think it is totally worth it. If I'm lucky I'll find someone before getting to the city

I fold the map then. I keep walking after that


Its past noon and I'm really starving! I need to eat now. I sit next to a truck to rest.

I am about to untie the animal's tail from my bag when I hear the engine of a car approaching. I get all my stuff together and move quickly under the truck to avoid people.

The black vehicle passes so fast I almost couldn't see it. I just know it is black and it is on its way south. Did it come from Atlanta?

I crawl out rubbing my back against the truck accidentally and growling out of pain. I hear a walker growling in the distance and then another one and suddenly a lot of walkers making me get on the bed of the truck to get a better look at them. A pretty fucking big herd is heading my way.

Am I ever gonna get a damn chance to eat?!

I look to the other side, where the car went. More walkers.

Of course it attracted them all!

If I run I'll catch up with those ahead, if I don't they'll catch up to me.

I think of what to do quickly.

I knew I'd have to climb another tree soon, so I kind of thought of how to use the rope in this.

Uuuugggghhh... No, like I said cars can protect me from herds if the walkers don't see me.

I check if the truck is open and close the door when I'm inside. I lie in the floor in front of the backseat, soon hearing some walkers crashing with the vehicle

My stomach growls softly

I sigh and look at my bag. I really need to eat


Ah, shit...Just another day in my life...

Damn it my back hurts.

At least I can stretch my legs..

Being in here all day made my whole body hurt and made me waste a lot of time.

I cant stay here tonight. I need somewhere else to rest

I get out of the car carefully and walk out of the highway, then through the woods feeling stressed

I look around since I need to find somewhere else. I see a sign and move to read it.

'Forsyth' it reads with an arrow pointing north west '2 miles'

Forsyth, I think, according to my map, is a small town which I think is close enough for me to get there. I imagine if it didn't have much people before, it won't have anyone now.

Worth a try


Forsyth seems creepier than Macon. Smaller place, maybe 3 or 4 blocks maximum, and most of it burnt.

I wont find food here today. I'll have to wait for tomorrow since the traps wont work here, but luckily I still have a little more than half a bottle of water the Redhead guy gave me

I stop walking deciding which place to stay in standing in the middle of the town where the railroad divides it right in half. I could go anywhere, really, the thing is the fire deteriorated most of them and I don't want them falling on my ass.

I look behind me still trying to decide.

Why cant I just be lucky for one day and come across Michonne, or Maggie, Glenn would be nice too. It would be easier to find the others

I think I've been alone for almost a week. I mean, without them. I wish Jared was still here...

POW! I hear a gunshot that lucky for me passes right next to me without hitting me at all.

What the fuck! Not more people...

I look behind me and see two people running in my direction. I widen my eyes and rush to the closest establishment, burnt or not, I hide behind the counter while looking around for something to defend myself

I hear the people panting really close to me and a young woman say "did you hit it?"

"No" another one tells her "since when are they so fast?"

"Must be around here somewhere. Keep looking" I hear

My compound bow...I need it

I open my bag quickly to get the arrow I got in Macon.

I kneel peeking from over the now useless register and use it to stabilize my bow. I'm surprised they haven't seen me, but I still shoot and fail completely getting one of the ladies on the leg.

I was trying to kill her...

I hide once more hearing how she screams and the other one replies with "An arrow?"

"Someone must be here! Get it out!"

"I cant!" The youngest one says "I don't know how to do it!"

I try again, but this time I feel the string vibrate weirdly. I let go of it before its even ready to shoot and see how it bounces and hits the floor making a sound I've only heard once in Daryl's crossbow.

I remember it well, and I'm glad it didn't hit me. The string ripped and broke making almost the same thing Daryl's crossbow made when he got the owl and the thing hit him in the face

He had a small cut and a bruise close to his eye.

I curse under my breath

"It hurts!" I hear the woman saying.

"Shh! You heard that?"

Shit.

I walk out with the broken weapon faking to be ready to shoot another arrow and get close enough for them to see me aiming at them. I wont miss this time... Maybe...if the bow was ok...

The one with the arrow on her leg looks Asian, the other one looks just like a pretty casual brunette. Both super skinny

"Drop it" I tell the brunette when she takes what seems to be their only weapon

"Wait!" The Asian one says "you shot me?!"

"I could ask you the same thing."

Both widen their eyes "No, you don't get it. We thought you were a rotter"

"A rotter?" I ask

"Well," the Asian continues our conversation "we saw you just standing there..."

"Yeah, and after that you kept looking because you were curious of the walker that runs" I say sarcastically

"You call them that?"

"Who gives a shit" I growl still waiting for the brunette to lower the weapon and give her a death glare "I swear to god if you don't put that gun down..."

She's about to put it on the back of her jeans but I shake my head. I hold my bow and arrow with one hand now and stretch the other one "give it here"

"But it's the only thing we have left!" She argues "you can't take it from us!"

"You can lose a shit ton of things that are way more important than just a gun." I say "hand it over or I take it from you anyway and fix my mistake here with your friend. I wasn't aiming at her leg"

"You're outnumbered here" she threatens

"Am I?" I ask looking around causing them to do the same "wouldn't be so sure."

I actually am outnumbered and have no weapons,other than my knife, but they don't know that.

They share unsure looks and then the Asian nods. The brunette puts the gun in my hand.

"So," I start checking the type of bullets. 9mm. Hell yeah "where were you headed?"

"Terminus" The Asian replies holding her leg with the arrow still through it and breathes in pain

I take the bullets from them and hand them their weapon back, Then move to her leg.

I need my arrow back.

"Terminus?" I ask

"You don't know about it?" Brunette notices how I kneel next to her friend's leg "the sanctuary. Those who arrive survive? Ring a bell?"

"No." I shake my head and then look at the asian woman before pulling my arrow out of her leg as hard as I can "this'll hurt."

She screams in pain even after I get it out and start cleaning it on my jeans. I rip a piece off my already ripped shirt before wrapping the cloth around the woman's leg.

Not like it's useful to me anymore, really.

"Get your friend up and keep moving" I tell the brunette while I stand up

"But you took our bullets, how are going to protect ourselves?"

"I gave you your gun back, and I bandaged her leg as well. Like I said, I could've taken more; water, whatever food you have, your friend's head. I suggest you get her up and moving before I change my mind"

"Come with us" The Asian woman grunts in pain while her friend seems to dislike the idea, does like I said and helps her up "You and your people. We could all go together to Terminus"

I think about it.

A community... More people... What if my people fell for it and went there?...

What if they're lying? What if there is no community at all? What if there is, but its all bullshit?

Rick could be there... what about Atlanta?

Atlanta is further, and full of walkers... A community sounds more like a chance

Change of plans then, but I ain't going with them. They're not stupid, they want protection.

I cant give them that.

I shake my head "No. We don't trust people anymore. Not communities, Not loners on the road."

"I understand" she says nodding to my squirrel "got some food to spare?we only got a little."

I chuckle. I shake my head once more "just get the hell out of here"

"I get it..." She mumbles "If you change your mind follow the signs in the railway. They'll take you there"

You don't want me to change my mind.

I nod anyway. And so they turn around to keep moving.

I take a deep breath thanking my imaginary group for helping me here before heading back in the empty store to eat my squirrel after waiting all day.

They only had two bullets...


Hi!

I still have the damn block on my brain, I'm updating slowly, but I'm sure it'll pass.

BTW, sneak peek for the next one (lol as if this was a movie!):

Mac is losing hope. She doubts she'll find the group, she's hurt, depressed, she wont trust anybody, but there is still someone out there who can help her find Rick and the others.

Enjoy!