Chapter 21

"You know what I miss?" Andy said.

"What's that?" Amelia smiled at the young man.

"Pizza. You know, just like ordering a pizza and – "Andy waved vaguely, "like 30 minutes later a guy in polyester pants shows up on your doorstep."

Amelia laughed. In the 2 weeks she had been here she had grown very fond of Andy. He was young, early twenties maybe, small, blonde and fast on his feet. She had shared 4 watch shifts with him and in that time she had learned just about everything there was to know about him. She knew he had a crush on Beth, Hershel's youngest daughter. That his parents had died in a car crash when he was 6. His aunt and uncle had raised both him and his older sister. His sister had married a man from England and moved overseas not quite 3 years ago. Andy had no idea if she was dead or alive and they had spoken at length of his worry for her.

"What do you miss most Amelia?" Andy bent and began to fill another container of water from the lake.

Amelia thought about it as she screwed the cap on to her full container. "Showers." She said finally. "I would sell my soul for a hot shower."

She looked up at the thick blanket of trees. For a moment she caught a flash of light; the sun reflecting off the binoculars Frank was using to keep an eye on them. She carried her container to where the other three were lined up neatly.

She decided that part of the reason she liked Andy so much was that he kept her mind off Daryl. His non-stop talking was a good distraction from her thoughts about a certain redneck. The last two weeks had been hell. After she had seen him leaving Carol's cabin, Daryl had pretty much completely ignored her. She knew it was for the best. The less she had to do with him, the less often she would think about him or dream about him, but she couldn't shake the hurt and the betrayal she felt. She supposed she deserved it. Judging from the look on Daryl's face when he had caught her in Michael's embrace, he had felt the same way.

She sighed. Things were still awkward with Michael. A few days after kissing her, he had made it perfectly clear to her that he wanted to be more than friends and that he was willing to wait until she was ready. Unfortunately, she didn't think she would ever want to be more than just friends. She had told him that bluntly but he had just smiled and brought her hand to his mouth, kissing it gently. "I'm here when you change your mind Amelia."

She turned around, "Andy, are you ready to –" she paused, staring at the large man who was embracing Andy. For one stupid moment she thought the man was a friend of Andy's until Andy turned his pale, sweating face towards her. "Amelia..." he whispered in a small voice completely unlike his usual speaking one.

She cried out in horror as Andy fell to the ground, a large hunting knife embedded in his chest. She stared at the man who had just killed Andy as he yanked the knife from the young man's body and casually wiped it on Andy's t-shirt. He was dressed from head-to-toe in camouflage and his face was covered in black and green paint.

He glanced up at Amelia and smiled almost tenderly at her. "Why hello pretty lady. What's a nice girl like you doing out here?" His eyes were blank and shiny as new quarters.

Amelia started to back up, her hand dropping to the small knife at her belt. If she could make it to the trees, she might have a chance. She prayed to God that Frank was still watching them.

"Where ya' goin' my pretty one?" The man crooned. "Let's get to know each other better."

Silently Amelia took another step backwards. Adrenaline was coursing through her body, making her heart pound and her limbs shake. She turned and darted for the woods. The man behind her yelled and just as she was about to reach the trees, another man in camouflage stepped out from the woods and caught the end of her braid, yanking her cruelly to the ground.

Gasping, tears of pain in her eyes, Amelia punched and kicked but the man didn't even seem to feel the blows. He dragged her back to the other man standing at the shoreline, dropping her to her feet in front of him. One hand pinned her hands behind her back and the other pulled her knife from her belt and held it loosely.

"Shh, shhh my pretty one." The man in front of her smiled. "We're not going to hurt you; we just want to say hello." He traced one dirty finger down her cheek and throat and then down her chest to the hollow between her breasts.

"Don't be scared." He grinned again, revealing broken and yellow-stained teeth.

"I'm not." Amelia said scornfully.

He pursed his lips thoughtfully at her.

The man behind her bellowed laughter, "We got a tough one here. That's too bad ain't it Freddie? We like 'em scared."

"My friends will be here any minute. And when they get here they'll kill you both. I promise you that." Amelia said quietly.

Something in her voice must have spooked Freddie because he stepped back and scanned the trees for a moment.

"Freddie, ignore the bitch. Let's just take her and get – " the man holding her captive screamed as Amelia suddenly and viciously stomped on the top of his foot. His hands loosened and she tore free from his grip but the man recovered quickly and grabbed her by the shoulder turning her roughly to face him.

"You stupid whore!" he roared, and looking into his eyes Amelia realized with sudden, terrifying clarity that the man was completely insane.

Snarling, he raised her knife and plunged it into her left shoulder. Amelia screamed; the pain was immediate and enormous. She sank to her knees, staring in disbelief at the handle sticking out from her shoulder.

"Aww, Jesus Henry. Why the fuck did you do that?" the man named Freddie shook his head in disgust. "Now she'll bleed to death before we can have any fun at all with –" he screamed, a shockingly girlish sound, as pale hands slid onto his shoulders and Andy bit into the side of his neck. Blood sprayed from his neck as Andy tore a chunk of skin from his neck and chewed at it.

"Rick. Come in Rick." Frank's voice came through the radio.

Rick pulled the radio from his belt as the others in the lodge quieted down.

"What is it Frank?"

"We could have some trouble."

"Walker trouble?" Rick looked at the others. Daryl picked up his crossbow, and T-Dog reached for the bat lying on one of the couches in the lodge as Michael strode to the corner and picked up the axe resting against it.

"No. Looks like a man. He's approaching Andy and Amelia at the lake. They don't see him yet." There was a pause and then "Oh holy Jesus, he's just stabbed Andy! Oh my God, Rick! Rick! There's another one; he's got Amelia."

Rick turned to Daryl but he had already bolted out the front door of the lodge; Michael followed closely.

"Daryl, Michael wait! God dammit!" Rick ran after them.

"Andy?" Amelia moaned. She raised one shaking hand to the handle of the knife but just grazing it with her fingers sent a nauseating bolt of pain through her entire body.

"Help me!" Freddie squealed and twisted but Andy had latched firmly on to his neck and was pulling and chewing at the exposed flesh.

Henry stared in shock as Freddie flailed his hands at him. "Henry, please!" he cried out. Blood was soaking into his shirt, turning the dark green of the camouflage to black.

Henry staggered forward and pulled at Andy's body. He ripped him away from the bleeding, swaying Freddie and tried to push Andy to the ground. With a low growl Andy grabbed the man's arms and bit into his wrist. The man tore free and stared at his bleeding wrist.

"No." He whispered. "No." Blood poured from his wrist in a steady stream. Andy leaped on him, knocking him to the ground, and tore a flap of the man's cheek off. He began to chew at his face and throat. Henry howled in pain and tried to beat Andy away as Freddie fell forward on to his face in front of Amelia.

Moaning and shaking, Amelia fought desperately to remain conscious as Henry's dying screams filled her ears. She shimmied backwards on her butt; every movement brought agony to her shoulder. Gritting her teeth, she kept sliding backwards until she felt a fallen log behind her back. She rested against it, gasping for breath, and trying to ignore the squelching sounds of Andy snacking on Henry's face.

Her heart stuttered to a stop as Freddie stirred on the ground. "Oh Jesus, please no." She whispered. Her pleas fell on deaf ears as the dead Freddie rose to his knees. He peered around him and when his gaze fell on Amelia he moaned hungrily and began to crawl towards her.

Amelia pedaled frantically with her feet; she had to get up. She had to move; had to run. Crying, her heart thudding painfully in her chest, Amelia tried to rise. She made it to her knees but a wave of gray washed over her. She breathed deeply; she was dead if she fainted. Despair flooded her body at the realization that she didn't have the strength to get to her feet. She shuddered and stared with wide eyes as Freddie, blood still dripping from the wound in his neck, crawled closer.