First thing: I want to apologize that i update that late ... I am really sorry! Hope my favs & faloowers are not too mad -_-' But thank you guys still staying with me ;o)
So new chapter online! Hope you enjoy it xxx

I woke up in the back of the car, still in my seat. I blinked and stretched my legs. I realized I was alone and panic grew inside me. Where were the others? Outside there were just trees, but no one of my group. Did they leave and left me all alone? Have we been captured by? I felt like going crazy and immediately opened the door to look for them. I stepped out of the car and wanted to run, when I heard someone clearing one's throat.

"Hey there sleepyhead." I turned and saw John and Mark sitting on top of the SUV.

"Where is Alex?" Was my first reaction. I was shocked to not see her with the guys.

"She needed to pee." John talked to me but wasn't looking at me. His eyes concentrated on the trees to our left. Was Alex in this direction?

I thought about the last time I went to pee on my own and was pissed. "You idiot. You let her go all by herself?" I was about to stomp away, in the direction John was looking, when I saw Alex coming out of the trees.

"You awake!" She began to run at me and almost knocked me over. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. What the hell …" I wanted to scream at her for going out on her own, but then I remembered me passing out. Why did I pass out? "What happened?"

"Yeah … What happened to ya?" John still was not looking at me.

Mark climbed down the SUV. "Maybe some kind of shock. This was all a bit too much stress in the last days for you girls." I was about to protest, but John silenced me with a don't-dare-to-argue look. "Now that everyone is awake, we should stay here."

Where exactly was here? I turned around. We were still in the woods, no road. "Where are we?"

"Now that sleepy-ass is conscious, we make two groups again." I looked at him annoyed. Why pick on me? Wasn't my fault. Breath lil' one! Calm yourself! Right, I needed to calm the fuck down.

"Me and Mark take first watch." I told John. I wanted Alex to be safe. And she was more safe with John than with nervous Mark. They looked at me but John nodded, he seemed to understand my intention. "Okay. Let's eat, rest together, and then you two take first watch."

We sat together in silence. Real world had kicked in and it hurt pretty bad. I looked at Mark … there was a bandage around his neck. I remembered a bullet smashing the window. Don't panic bad ass. This world won't bring you down. Again I breathed in deeply.

After a while Mark glanced at his watch. "It's time to go." I looked at him confused. "Why you got a watch? Time is nothing but a word with no meaning. There are no more deadlines to keep but dead to kill."

He just smiled at me. "It'll be dark soon." I looked up into the sky. The clouds masked the sun and it was hard to tell what time of day it was. Birds flew by and I realized I didn't know what time it was and didn't even know which day. There was no school, no appointments, and no place to be on time … Mark was standing in front of me, his hand outstretched to help me get up. John eyed me. "Don't pamper her. I want our bad ass here to stay strong and don't get all whiney."

I shot him an evil look. "Whiney your ass." I grabbed Mark's hand and got to my feet. I went to the SUV, took my gun, and checked my bag: Ammo, check. Water, check. Dressing material, check. I took my stuff and went back to them. "Ready to go."

Alex was on her feet too. "Don't go too far. Just check the …" I interrupted her. "We'll be okay. We …" Now she interrupted me with a tight hug. When she let go off me, she winked at me and joined Mark who was at the car loading his gun.

"We won't stay here long. We will drive a loop home." John checked his gun too. With a low voice he turned to me. "What about ya passing out in the car before?"

I shrugged shoulders. "Like Mark said, just a shock or something like that." I wanted to walk over to Mark, but John grabbed my arm. "If ya don't feel good, you'll come back asap. Don't need you to hero around."

I glared at him in disbelief. "Hero around?"

"Don't!" He said in an assertive tone. "No time for joking. This is no game. There is no reset-button at the end. We need to stay together, need to stay safe." He starred me down and upheld his gun. "Go for the head, shoot always in the head."

"Ella, get your ass over here. Let's make a quick round! Want to be back before dark." Saved by the bell. I looked at Mark and nodded. John let go off my arm. "Ya heard me?!" I simply nodded.

When Mark and I walked away John screamed at us. "I want to see you two back here in two hours max." I raised my hand and waved goodbye without looking. We won't need two full hours. We just needed to check the woods around our car, clear up a safe zone.

We walked on and on without talking. I thought about John. When I first met him he had been all Merle. A real bad ass and his smile had always been kind of cocky. But now he had grown … he was a leader and his Merlish-behavior was kinda gone … I really liked him, liked his character. It felt like having a big brother again. I looked over to Mark who had changed too. At first I liked him, he ^had been nice and caring. Hell, he had saved my ass. But now I got the feeling he was too sensitive for this world. He wasn't rough no more but nervous. I didn't know how long we have walked but Mark suddenly stopped. "You heard that?"

I looked around, my gun raised. "No. What?" I was looking for a walker or a wild animal, but saw nothing. I hoped it was a deer or a rabbit. I was hungry for meat.

He took the shotgun, his voice unsteady. "Don't know. A rustling?!" Why did he ask me? How should I know what he had heard? I watched him looking around all nervous.

"Calm the fuck down." I was getting mad at his behavior. He needed to be strong and not all jumpy. I walked on. How high were the chances they followed us so far? Don't you dare let down your guard! I immediately raised my gun, ready to shoot anything. This time I was happy the voice in my head told me what to do. Suddenly a boot was coming at my face. In the last second I drew aside so the boot couldn't meet my face, but it kicked away my gun. I looked into a malicious face. "Hey lil' princess." I wanted to grab my knife but he grabbed my hand and turned me around. I felt like a cop was grabbing me to body search. As he turned me around, holding my arms to my back that it hurt, I saw a man behind Mark. I couldn't believe Mark just stood there all frozen … his face was frozen, all pale. "Mark! Watch out!" I wanted to warn him, but he didn't move. Then he slowly raised his gun, but it was all too late, all too slow. The guy behind him shot Mark into his right leg. Mark went to the ground, kneeling in front of him. It looked like in medieval times, a guy on his knees, ready to be executed. Suddenly the guy behind him took out a huge knife.

"No!" I tried to fight the guy behind me back, but his grab around me was too firm, too tight. Mark looked down to the ground where his gun lay. He quickly took it and shot in my direction, I tried to turn to the side and suddenly the man's hold on me was loose. "Oh shit!" He could have shot me. Although it all happened fast, to me it was like someone was playing my life in slow motion. But you should better move fast!

I pushed the guy away from me and immediately took out my knife. But the guy fell back. I watched him meeting the ground hard. He wasn't moving and his gun fell out of his hand. I took it and looked to Mark who was still kneeling, holding his gun. I saw him trying to turn around, but the guy behind him grabbed his shoulder, steadying Marks' position. I wanted to run at them, shoot this bastard, but in the moment I started running the guy behind Mark pushed his knife directly through Marks temple … pushed it through his head. I could see the tip of the knife coming out on the other side of Mark's head. I couldn't believe the guy was smiling when he killed him. The fucking bastard was smiling.

I stopped dead in my tracks. Turn and run! Again I obeyed the voice and started to run in the other direction. Suddenly a loud pang echoed at the trees and with the last reverberation I fell down. I was too slow to react and my body smashed into the ground. I tasted blood and dirt, and felt a hot and burning pain in my left shoulder. "Fuck!" I immediately stood up and without looking back, I shot. I shot all the ammo in the gun I had back at the fucking freak that had killed Mark until I heard the gun clicking but not firing anymore. I heard a scream. Had I shot him? I ran as fast as I could, ignoring the pain in my shoulder, ignoring where I ran. I was running for my life …

I didn't know where I was running and how long I had been running at all. I looked back and there was nobody following me. Had I outdistanced him? Where was I? I needed to find John … protect Alex … Thoughts came thick and fast while my shoulder burned like hell. Breath!

"Ella?" I jumped at the voice and turned around, the empty gun raised. "Oh my god, it's you!" I couldn't believe my eyes. As soon as I recognized her my eyes started to fill with tears. I dropped the gun. "Andrea!?" Was I dead and dreaming? Did I hit my head too hard? But no … there she was standing in front of me. "Andrea?" I asked again to make sure it was really her. She walked over to me and hugged me. "Ella!" I hugged her bag. I wanted to touch her, know if she was real. I felt her hair tickle my nose. She was real.

She pulled away, her hands on my shoulders. I flinched at the pressure she put on my wounded shoulder. "Where have you been? How did you find us?" She looked into my eyes and said something, but I wasn't listening. I still couldn't believe it. I was standing in front of one of my group. I starred at her, fixing her with my eyes. I didn't dare to blink, I was afraid if I would she would disappear … just go poof! "Where are the others?"

"They are close. We found shelter at a farm …" I felt tears stir up inside me. Andrea looked good, healthy. They had found shelter … I was relieved and smiled. "Ella, how did you find us?" She examined my body. When she let go off my shoulders she looked at her bloody hand and her eyes grew wide as she noticed my injured shoulder. "You are hurt. What happened to you?"

"I looked for all of you … every day I …" My words stuck in my throat. I couldn't find the words to tell her how happy I was to see her. I smiled at her. "Andrea. You are all alive!" And if you don't move they won't stay alive! Her smile was warm but sad. The sadness in her eyes frightened me. The first thought that came to my mind was Daryl. "Is Daryl …?"

"He is fine." You got your answer, now go!

"I have to leave."

"What?" Her eyes showed bafflement.

"They sure are close on my heels. We need to move." I had to move. They should follow me, I shot at them. Andrea was innocent. I wanted to drag her with me, but she stopped me. "Ella, no." I took her hand and pulled her with me again. But in the moment I pulled her arm, my shoulder hurt like hell. Due to the pain I felt, I let go off her. "Who is after you?"

"Some men … I don't know. They killed one of my friends. If we stay her talking we are both dead flesh." Could her eyes grew any wider? She pulled out a gun from behind her bag. "I'll protect you." She seemed a lot stronger, grown up, like last time.

I shook my head. "That won't do. They will kill us." I had seen one of them killing Mark with a smile … they were bad to the bone. They would kill us the moment they saw us. Reminding the killing of Mike I hectically looked around. "Daryl kept on looking for you."

She got me. "Don't do this to me Andrea." Don't talk about him, please.

"He is alive and … he definitely wants to see you. When I told them that you had sneaked out, he went all Daryl. I know he wants to see you."

I smiled sadly. "You knew?" I saw him in front of my inner eye, his sly smile. My heart ached. I found my group and they were alive. Andrea was alive, Daryl was alive. And if you don't move you won't see them alive. I pushed her forward.

"Amy told me before she died." So she knew what I was referring to. I stopped. My sad smile was joined by tears. I couldn't help but cry … just couldn't hold back the tears any longer. "Amy is dead?!" Andrea nodded and hugged me. Amy was dead, Daryl was alive … it was too much. I began to grow weak in her arms … Now is not the time to be weak. The voice was right. I pushed her away. "Go Andrea. Please. I am injured and slow. You run back to the others as fast as you can." I looked at her bewildered face and saw my blood all over her jacket. I touched my wounded shoulder and looked at my hands. Blood … I began to feel dizzy. We had to act fast now.

"I will not leave you like that." She protested eying my wound.

"You have to. Run for help. I will run this way." I pointed to the setting sun.

"You want to run to the highway?"

Yeah, if there was one, than yes. "We'll meet at the street." I wanted to run but she grabbed my arm. "You are no longer the smiley face I've known. Ella what happened to you?"

Why was she arguing with me? "You haven't seen what I have seen." I freed my arm from her grip. "Listen to me. I need help. You are the only one who can help me now. You get Daryl and the others, get all your guns and stuff. I'll lead them to the street in this direction." I pointed at the setting sun again. "Please Andrea. I need your help!" I couldn't wait for an answer and started to run towards the orange sun. I looked over my shoulder, she wasn't following. "Tell Daryl I'll wait for him!" With that I saw her moving in another direction.

While I ran I felt my body flying over the ground. I felt lightheaded. It was like there wasn't much blood left in my body. Only the thought of meeting Daryl at the street kept me going. I tripped and fell down, my cheek kissing the leaves on the ground. It didn't hurt, I couldn't feel anything anymore. My body was moving on adrenalin. And so I stood up and ran farther. Was there a car between the trees? The highway Andrea mentioned must be just behind the next row of trees.

"Stop right there honey!" I didn't want to stop, but I heard the click of a gun. This voice … "Turn around and let me see ya pretty face." This fuckin' voice … I turned around to see a man pointing a gun at me. "Unarm yourself!" He was the one who had killed Mark. He was way older than me, maybe I could run farther … Who was I kidding, I was bleeding like hell.

He interrupted my chain of thoughts. "Or I tell my little friend here to do the job." He nodded to the man next to him who I really didn't want to touch me. I took my gun, but instead to unarm me, I pointed it at him. He couldn't know I was out of ammo. "Someone trying to play the hero over there …" His smile went to an evil grimace.

"Don't be so quick judging. She is a hell of a shooter." John came out of the trees on my right.

"You brought your boyfriend missy? Thought we could have some fun on our own." I suddenly heard Randall's voice in my head, telling me to run or to get raped. But I couldn't see Randall with these guys. Where was he?

"Hey yo, son of a bitch. Not over my dead body." As soon as John finished his sentence the guy shot him. I screamed in horror and fell on my knees beside John. "Damn it." John's voice was already weak. I looked at the wound in his chest. "John." I began to cry. This was a nightmare. "Run bad ass!"

"No. I can't …" My tears fell on his face.

"Listen. You go now! I will back you up!" I heard footsteps and turned around. The man with the mischievous smile came closer. I instantly pointed my gun at him. "One more step and I'll shoot you." He laughed at me.

"Don't think so." I heard the older man say in the back, he seemed to be their leader. As I looked to him I saw him having his pistol pointed at Alex, who was in a firm grip of another man. Where did she come from? I had hoped she was hiding somewhere safe. "Alex."

"What a pretty name." He pressed his gun to her throat. "Don't want that pretty head to blow off, do you?" My hand which was holding the gun began to tremble. "Let her go!" Alex face was pale, shock was written all over her face.

"Don't worry Alex, you're not gonna get hurt." The men laughed as if I had told a joke. My hand began to tremble harder, like it was out of control. I could feel my body weaken by the second. Not enough blood left to run, to fight or even hold a gun. "I said let her go!" The leader pointed his gun now at me. "Don't think you are in the position to negotiate."

"Ella! Run!" I heard John's voice behind me and a shot. John killed the man closest to us. I heard another shot and ran. But I didn't run off, I ran at the guy holding Alex. I was afraid he would shoot her. I wanted to be very close to him and push my knife into his damn smile. At that moment I didn't care if I would survive this or not. I knew I was at the edge.

I threw my unloaded gun at him and took my knife. In the moment I had my knife almost at his face, something bit me. I looked to my left and saw the leader with a bloody dagger in his hand. I looked to my left arm which had a deep cut. "Fuck!"

I wanted to attack him, but he put his gun to my temple. "Ah ah … wouldn't do that!" The guy I had my knife pointed at pointed his gun at Alex. Her eyes were all on me. If she was in shock I couldn't tell, she just gave me a warm smile. "Love you!"

"No Alex, we're gonna get out of here!" Tears streamed down her face but she nodded.

"Are two you lesbians not realizing the situation?" The man next to Alex began to sweat, he seemed nervous. The leader hit me with his gun against the head. I stumbled but in no time was balanced again. He came at me with his dagger again. He tried to wound me, but I sidestepped his attacks. I didn't know why I was still on my feet. Lightheaded I was wondering how my arm could be bleeding, thought I was out of blood minutes ago.

I tried to focus on the man attacking me, but when I blinked it was all foggy. I blinked again, blinked away the fog and dizziness. I was too focused on his dagger that I didn't see his fist coming straight at me. He hit me hard and for a short time everything went black. I felt my back meeting the ground. When the darkness slowly cleared away, I heard myself screaming in pain. My leg, the one that had been injured before, was cut open. Did I see my bone? I looked up on the leader staying above me. I couldn't stand up, my leg felt like dead. I heard Alex screaming my name and saw her behind the leader. She broke free and was running towards me.

The nervous guy behind Alex shouted something. I couldn't hear anything, my blood was rushing through my ears loudly. But I heard a shot and saw Alex flying down. Was she hurt, was she dead? "No!" No matter how much pain I felt, I tried to stand up. But the leader put his right boot onto my chest. "Don't worry. We'll have some good fun!" He pushed me back to the ground with all his weight on my chest. I looked to Alex who wasn't moving. To my left I saw another guy kicking John's body and screaming at him. „We snatched a tough bitch here!"

"Just kill me!" I spat at him. I would be bleeding to death anyway. I felt the rest of my blood dripping and I grew cold. The leader pressed his food with more pressure on my chest. "Ain't gonna kill you like that."

I couldn't breathe and coughed strongly. I heard steps coming closer and something hit my head hard. Everything turned dark. At first I still heard the voices of the men. "Are you nuts killin' the blonde? Look at her body, could have used her." Than it was all a blur.

Killed by a bunch of fuckin' assholes. I couldn't believe life ended that way. Damn this was a bad day … And then I remembered Andrea. I met her before, right? That was no dream, was it? Suddenly everything felt so nightmarishly. I could hear Andrea's voice, how she had told me Daryl was looking for me. Daryl … I didn't really know this guy. You do know! Didn't know why he always appeared in my thoughts and dreams. And now he was the last thought in my life. The one thing I was holding onto the whole time … Was I crying? Didn't know … but I felt like crying.

I felt my body moving. They dragged me somewhere. I felt leaves under my moving body. It suddenly felt so soft, like a bed. A bed would be nice, sleep would be nice. Don't you damn sleep right now. Open your eyes. Fight! The voice screamed at me, pleaded. I tried to open my eyes, but failed. I wanted to fight them, to kill them. I wanted to know if Alex was okay, but I already couldn't feel my left leg anymore not to speak of my head. Don't give up Ella, don't … But I just couldn't.

Wohoo ... there is the action i was working for ;o) What do you think? Too bloody? Too bad? Sorry for the cliffhanger, but no worries, i swear next chapter will be online on friday! Special thanks to my fav and followers, you keep me going! See you in a bit