The damsel in shining armor
A large city with deserted streets is not something that you see often. And a big city like Atlanta is always awake, even at the break of dawn.
At least it was, until the outbreak.
The day apocalypse began... Eleanor Sherry, of 22 years old, knew that everything about her life would be lost in oblivion. Hell broke loose; undead creatures started to roam the earth, eating humans and turning them. What irony... Ellie thought. She had enjoyed horror movies all throughout her childhood, but this hit too close to home. Living around zombies was just too ridiculous.
"Damn it Ellie, walkers... Walkers" she corrected herself. It may look like it, but this wasn't a horror movie. Panic spread, people died... and she was left alone. Maybe her own town wasn't lucky enough and the walkers appeared there before other cities; but it didn't really matter. Be it five months... or five years, if felt as if she had nowhere else to go.
Plan A was simple for her; to find a large camp, and start anew with her family. At first, she was hopeful and options appeared from time to time... but violence, injustice and mistrust were always surrounding her. She ignored it, until she couldn't anymore; until she lost what she most loved. Now she preferred to step away, and find somewhere where she could be safe and unbothered. Atlanta was the last try... the last change. Having said that; it had been some days since she arrived in Atlanta..., and there was nothing.
Those days had passed in repetitive disorder: going through her supplies, finding water, sleeping when she could, and keeping watch on the nights that the walkers were trying to enter her building... anxiousness and darkness as her only company. But slowly, another desire started boiling to the surface. She didn't want to keep on searching for food and water, she didn't want to have sparse hours of sleep. She no longer wanted to hear the grunts of corpses during every night. Like a dried well, she felt that she was spent; that she struggled enough... that it was really no point in struggling.
She smiled, thinking that in the end... she could be with her family again. It might have been disappointing to her parents; they must be worried for her somewhere out there. But at least they would be certain that their daughter didn't die because she was not capable; but because she got tired of it. A small sigh escaped her lips... she could hear her father's protests in the back of her mind. His absence hurt her the most, thinking that he could have also been able to survive this apocalypse, if he had been there to see it.
Through the nailed window, her dark brown eyes searched the reflective flare of the skyscraper windows... her brown curly hair, tied in a loose bun, served as a head cushion as she lolled her head from side to side. Slowly, she changed the morning light of the outside for the darkness that surrounded her.
Her last emplacement was a little torn-up apartment that she found locked and barricaded, no walkers inside... and plenty of food. Setting her unfinished canned soup to the side, she rummaged through her backpack. Between the bottled water, protein bars and medicines... stood a pair of handguns and a pair of large hunting blades. Taking out the latter, she turned them around, admiring the carved handles that made a set. Choosing the larger one, she got it out of its holster, and played with the blade against the little light that entered. With the poisonous idea of suicide still in her mind, she reflected... it could be only fair to use her father's last present to her to put an end to her life.
Kneeling, she turned the blade and with both hands, she aimed it to her throat. It was going to be messy, but it would end sooner than she would notice. Her grip faltered and her hands started trembling. There were only a couple of centimetres between the blade and her exposed skin, and yet, she felt it closer. She closer her eyes, a primal fear growing inside her; a strong sense of self-preservation, struggling to find the smallest proof it was not the end.
Suddenly, a loud noise broke the silence in the room, and even made her jump. The small VHF radio she carried went on; a voice came by... it was a male voice.
Broadcasting on emergency channel, will be approaching Atlanta on highway 85. Anybody reads, please respond.
Eleanor looked at the little black thing overwhelmed... it had to be a lie. So many weeks of hearing static and suddenly a voice comes to speak to her. Her body leaped to the front, grasping the radio and turning on the mic. Her hand trembled as she opened her mouth but hesitated for a moment, as if her voice left her body. She closed her mouth again and swallowed... trying to calm herself down, if it were her mind, nobody should respond... right?
"I hear you loud and clear, whoever you are. Over" she said as she waited.
Hey! Hello Miss... I'm officer Rick Grimes, have you any contact with a refugee center. Over
It was a police officer... the real thing. She huffed in disbelieve, but before she could ask for help she reviewed the question he asked. Once her brain connected the dots, the sudden emotion diminished. He was looking for a refuge... just like her.
"Hey, Officer Grimes... I'm Eleanor Sherry. Sorry to inform you Mr. Grimes, but here in Atlanta the refugee center is no more. The military barricade couldn't hold up. This place is full of walkers and dead people. If you value your life, Go back... Over" Ellie sighed... there was no use at calling an innocent person to their grave. Thinking this was a sign to keep going was also a mistake; the best she could do for this person was to keep him away.
She was about to shut down the little machine for good when the signal came again.
Miss Sherry, are you alone? Over
Ellie froze... and her surprise turned into annoyance. It could not be possible. This man didn't want to search for her in whatever form of transportation he used... she assumed, a police car. It was ridiculous. She just told him the place was filled with walkers. Had she not been clear enough? Not even considering how risky the whole idea was... with all the cars blocking the roads he wouldn't even get close, it was delusional.
"Yes, I am alone and there is no shelter here for you Mister Grimes, if you value your life... Turn back. Over and out"
No... wait, wait! Are you trapped? I can help you! Where are you located? Over _ said the voice with a combination of uneasiness and determination.
Something inside her snapped.
"I'm not-!... Listen" she stopped taking a large and loud intake of breath "I... I really appreciate what you are trying to do. But I mean it... it's too dangerous to try to come here, only for me. And I'm not trapped, I just... prefer to be alone. Over" after her rushed answer there was a 3-minute silence. She even thought that he got it and left her alone. But again, before she could turn the radio off, the signal came in.
I'll pick you up... Where will you be? Over
She sputtered, and then screamed at the little machine. She was fuming, and still caught in that wave of rage, she raised the little machine and motioned to throw it across the room. But then... she stopped. Her eyes grew wide in sudden realization, and her angered expression evaporated. She put her arm down and looked at the little machine... and the silence surrounding her was broken by her own laugh. She frowned again, and she cleaned her watery eyes in a haste.
She missed him so much, that she heard his words in the ones of a stranger.
Sniffing, she let her muscles relax. With a crooked smile, she turned on the mic again. "Fine... you win, Officer Grimes... I'll come with you. But first, I have to know how far are you from the city. The streets are barricaded, so we have to do this right,"
I'm around an hour away, do you have a secure place to wait for me.
"You could say I have, but... wouldn't it be better if I waited for you outside?... I was thinking of searching at least for some medicines..." She began "also ammo, since I'm running low"
I have ammo with me and a bunch of other firearms. So there is no need for you to search such.
Ellie couldn't help but lift an eyebrow; feeling that her 'knight in shining armor' and she were not on the same wavelength. He couldn't mean it, It was as if he came from another dimension and did not know what kind of bullshit he was getting into... There was never enough ammo.
"I'll wait for you for the next hour, I am on the 5th floor of a skyscraper, so you might want to contact me by radio before arriving. The telecommunications center VMN, 45th avenue. It's actually easy to find, there are some military tanks and jeeps around. Over"
Okay, I'll contact you, don't worry I promise I'll come for you.
A warm sensation surrounded her heart and she smiled. Pressing the button one last time, she bit her bottom lip and snorted.
"Don't die on me Grimes, and be careful, over and out"
She put the radio down and hugged her knees. Gazing at the small machine, her eyes shone with an unusual spark of appreciation. A burst of energy ran through her arms and legs and reached her fingertips... like when someone was about to jump into a large dark void but turned back at the last minute. She also felt like an idiot, and an unpleasant sensation of shame made her want to turn that page of her story... and never mention it again.
Taking the little can of soup on her hands, she returned to her previous spot by the window. Once comfortable, she proceeded to finish it.
Rick Grimes looked at the receiver of his radio... not completely understanding the exchange he just had.
At first, he hoped he could contact a large group of people. With a little luck, his wife and son would be there too. But then, he got in contact with this woman... and he could not turn his back on someone that was alive, alone and probably in danger. It was just not himself... and he knew how that felt. He could still that dread and fear of isolation when he woke in the hospital alone. He was still trying to get over it, and the voice over the speaker made him guess she was talking to a young woman... maybe in her late 20s. Her denial for help might mean that she needed it more than ever; he was like that sometimes. He hoped also hope that... with a helping hand, he would be able to get more information about a safe place to be. He could not give up hope on finding his wife and son.
Rick glanced again at his radio, as he didn't know why, but he had this urge to talk to the woman... Eleanor... again. He found it odd; it was not like him to seek for conversation. If there was something his wife always was angry for, was the fact that he was shy about his emotions... and not always prone to speaking his mind. Maybe it was this whole situation that urged him to it, never before he felt so alone.
Ellie stretched around as she reviewed her stuff again. The hour had already passed, and she was starting to worry. She had checked her small backpack three times... and as far as she was concerned, she had everything necessary. But the military tanks on the street were just too much of a temptation. The soft voice of this stranger gave her the motivation to do something; she wanted to search, to be of use. She wasn't sure if she should trust him but something in the way he spoke and how he reminded her of her father moved her to do so.
Her gaze lingered on the military corpse on one of the tanks and she thought... there could even be some grenades down there. She had to try. Tapping around, she grabbed the radio and put it on; then, she dialed the emergency line again.
"Hey, officer Grimes... How is that highway going? Got any disturbances?" she tried to sound casual.
But nothing came from the other side, only static. She found it rather odd; thinking his frequency wasn't picking up. She moved the frequency a couple of times, trying to catch on something. She called out to this Officer Rick Grimes, but here was only silence. She started growing nervous. Did he encounter problems? Will she wait longer?
Wait if her desperate mind had played the worst trick on her? What if she imagined that whole exchange... with someone that didn't exist?
She groaned in frustration; and moved to stand, taking her back pack and weapons with her. Under her breath, she mumbled while pulling away the furniture she had used as barricade. There was no reason to start doubting herself; if she kept doing this, she would go insane for real. So, she carefully climbed downstairs to the exit of the building and then to the tanks in front of her. Pushing the hanging corpse inside, she entered behind him, and gave a last look at the opening before she started looking around.
"...And you are giving me all these for free? My, Are you coming on to me?" Ellie whispered, pulling out her blade of the crane of a soldier's corpse. She giggled at her own joke, while making some space for the extra ammo, a fully operating grenade, a sterile stitching kit and the analgesics. It was almost Christmas for her; Eleanor wondered why she didn't thought of risking it inside the tanks before... but she assumed it was because she was no longer motivated to loot useful stuff.
She was supposed to leave that behind her. Right, she better forget.
Rustles alert her, and the strange clacking sound against concrete on the road tempts her enough to peek outside . She frowns as she gazes into the distance... entering the city, there was a brown horse and over it... a sheriff of some suburban city, with a bag of shotguns.
"You can't be serious" whispered Ellie in a mix of amusement and annoyance. She was about to come out completely... but lowered her head again, considering her options. It could be too risky to call him out loud... she didn't scout her surroundings either. She hoped the clueless bastard could see her before he got them both killed.
She came out of the vehicle at a slow pace. Her upper body was visible, but she risked waving her hands to call his attention. She contained a gasp when the horse turned around... and she could see the moment the face of the stranger illuminated, and the horse began to trot.
"No! No! ... just ...Sh! Stop!" whispered Ellie waving her hands and signing for him to stop. The man stopped dead in his tracks... and Eleanor took the chance to beckoning him with slow movements. Catching up on her body language... the police officer slowed his pace and the clacking sound was less evident. She sighed relieved, this police officer really knew how to get on her nerves. Still, she wanted to make a good first impression; so, when he was close enough, she gave him a welcoming smile.
"Officer Grimes... I was wondering why were you taking so long; but not anymore," she laughed while crossing her arms and resting her body weight on the entrance of the tank.
"Ms. Eleanor Sherry?" he said, and Ellie smiled.
"That's me. Though I'm used to be called Ellie instead of Eleanor,"
"Why did you go out? I thought you were waiting in a safe place" he asked with a commanding tone... However, it only made Ellie's smile widen.
"But this is also a safe place!" she said, looking around, "Moreover, your signal was not picking up. I imagined something bad happened. And Look! I was right! You lost your police car,"
"It ran out of gasoline" He corrected, but then did a double take "How did you know I was in a police car?"
"Any other form of transportation with a radio is not that easy to find; and the way you were trying to make contact by radio? That's no civilian speech," she tapped her ear grinning. Yet, the police officer wasn't amused by it and Eleanor lifted her shoulders, "Relax, Mr. Grimes. It's sad you lost it, but maybe it is for the best. Most streets are blocked by abandoned cars, it would have been too dangerous for you. Correction! It's still too dangerous for you. Your four legged friend is really loud... the walkers will notice it," She impulsed herself to sit on the entrance of the tank "We should hit the road now... before we get surrounded," she remarked in a serious tone, now sliding down the tank to walk to him.
Eleanor stood in front of the horse, her hands over her waist, a big smile on her face. Rick Grimes let out a defeated sigh and her smile turned into a grin... until they heard something. It was continuous, distanced, and Eleanor could have sworn she heard it before. Then, an helicopter flew by, and she gaped at it. Under her breath, she cursed and opened her arms in disbelieve... What was happening! Was it April fools and she wasn't aware? She turned to hurry the police officer and help her get on the horse, when she noticed it was no longer beside her.
"He-he-hey, Were- Were are you going!" She half shouted- half whispered. Panicked, Eleanor looked around her, and tried to catch up to the horse... there were still no walkers near. "Are you out of your god-damned mind!" she raised her voice exasperated, she was again ignored. "Get back here! Grimes!... Rick!" Ellie watched him turn around and disappear behind a building. She stopped all together and let her arms fall to her sides. This was stupid, he was stupid, she was stupid.
Dragging her feet, she kept going in the same direction the horse had disappeared; until the loud galloping could be heard, along with a distinct buzzing in the background. Eleanor paled, and turned around to run back at the tank.
"Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!?" She cursed over her breath. With effort, she jumped and reached the top of the tank. Eleanor looked behind her, and she wished she hadn't. Right on Rick's heels, was a group... No, a hoard of walkers. As if things couldn't get any worse, Rick seemed disoriented or overwhelmed by the moving corpses around him; he lost control of the animal, and he was pulled down while the walkers attacked the horse.
With no time to think about her decisions, Ellie pulled out her handgun and started firing. The walkers that were too close to Rick fell to the ground defeated and the police-man had the time to rise and make a run for the tank. More walkers appeared from the sides, they were attracted by the sound of gunfire, and Eleanor knew that they would have a harder time getting out of their 'secure place'.
With much effort, Rick Grimes climbed the tank and proceeded to stand beside Eleanor. "Get inside, now!"
"Oh! For the love of-" She began, and decided to take on his offer. He followed soon after, and closed the lid behind him. The clang of the locking device echoed trough the reduced space of the vehicle, and Eleanor moved to take out her flashlight and turn it on.
Rick was face to face with the military corpse she just stabbed. With a drowned yelp, he jumped backwards and fell on his ass. Over the sound of the walkers outside of the tank, Eleanor's laughter resounded inside it. Rick spared an annoyed glare at her.
"It's so funny, because we are so screwed!" She commented, and laughed again. Rick shared a confused look, and Eleanor cross-legged to say, "Oh right; because before you came, I pierced my blade on his head just like a screwdriver," she said between giggles.
Rick was still not laughing. If anything, he was looking at the young woman with a worried expression, a mix between caution and fear. At that, Eleanor stopped laughing, and her expression turned fast to show her concern and annoyment. The shift in attitude seemed to unnerve the Police officer even faster, and she leaned on her arms.
"You know, I could just get angry at you for trapping us in here. But I guess, I've been alone for too long," She sat straight, reaching for her back pack and pulling out a flashlight. She let it roll to where he was, the opposite of her, and she returned to her previous spot. "Keep it, we'll have to wait for the moment when the walkers disperse, and that's not going to happen until tonight,"
Her serious expression and the useful information made Rick to slowly ease up. The police officer seemed to want to say something, until there was a horrendous sound of static inside the vehicle. Eleanor moved to her bag again, and pulled out her VHF. A voice came in...
Hey you... dumb-asses... the couple in the tank... cozy in there?
Eleanor snickered while Rick glared at the walkie-talkie. Of course... that was a given.
