Author's Note:
I just wanted to take a minute to stress two things: the rating, and that this story is of course a fanfic. This story is rated M for a reason. Swearing, violence, and adult content are just some of the reasons. Secondly, I reserve the right to change any original plot points. I have tried to keep the rules of The Walking Dead, but still can bend the minor ones for my own plot purposes. Thanks for keeping that in mind, and I hope you enjoy the story.
George Romero lied to us. He lied to all of us when he made Night of the Living Dead. These Walkers were nothing like the movie. I know it was made in 1968, but he still fucking lied to us all. Before the world went to hell, I saw that movie once. That was when horror movies were safe; the monsters could never be real. Now man's worst nightmares plagued the streets consuming what once had been their own kind. What was worse was the growing numbers, as the city had become overrun with more Walkers than people. The suburbs were safe for now, but there were never any other humans either. That's the thing about the woods; it hides danger and safety with equal abandon.
Living out in the woods is harder for most people these days, especially being a woman. Luckily I hadn't bought into that shit. These days people were afraid to even eat meat, which now just seems funny. I bet those people turned into Walkers first, and now they're eating anything with a pulse. Sure it sounds pretty bitter, but if your world went to hell you'd be bitter too. A woman shouldn't be alone by twenty, and certainly not left to the elements. Thankfully it didn't take long to adjust, and a starving stomach will eat almost anything. Each day out in the woods it got clearer just how true that statement is. Even worms start to look good after a few days.
Bigger game is harder to come by, especially when they spook so easy. I wish I could say I had more than a few knives, but I can't. The knives are both a resource and a liability, as they can keep you alive or kill you slowly. Hunting bigger game with a knife is like trying to cut bricks with a butter knife, only bricks don't run away when you spook them. Some Walkers are dumber than deer, and unfortunately more popular. A simple twig breaking will spook a deer, a Walker just has to smell you. Their thought process is gone, and if one is careful a knife is all that's needed to take one down. Only problem with a knife is the closeness when attacking. One bite from a Walker and you're dead, rather slowly too.
Wandering the suburb from the city outskirts wasn't a bad idea. The only downside was the city was too overrun to go into for weapons. People probably cleared them out anyway, lot of good it'll do them. Following the highway was at first a good idea, but then the Walkers got smart about it. People trying to leave the city had tried by vehicle; the traffic jams allowed Walkers a feast for months. Broken glass often littered the highway, and the sound of it crunching under my weight drew their presence. First time having to take down a Walker was the hardest. A part of you still thinks their human, until they bite at your throat like a deranged animal. After that first kill on the highway, I feel nothing taking down a Walker.
Sticking to the woods was safer, and you found a stable food supply. The trick was to store stuff up, and not just eat what you saw. Avoiding the temptation of the road however was another matter. Once you made it far enough out of the city, the cars eventually dwindled off a bit. Less cars meant less Walkers, and the road could be followed. It wasn't like there was a place to go, but the endless road helped. At least on a road, you felt like you were going somewhere. Walkers seemed to like both night and day, and so traveling during the day or night made no difference. The only advantage to the day travel was you could see further. Rows of cars still filled the highway, and I suppose my senses dulled the longer I went without a threat.
I heard the gun go off, and then the bullet making contact with the concrete nearby. Pieces of concrete broke up, and at first I thought one hit me. Second time I heard the gun go off though, I felt it too. The bullet ripped through my leg, and honestly I got knocked down by the force. Pain both consumed and avoided me. A small bit of shock must have taken over, as the pain soon seemed not to be as bad as it should have. Trying to stand on my two feet went well at first, until having to put my weight down. I couldn't stand on it for long, and more or less either had to lay there or drag my entire body down the highway.
I hadn't seen humans since the Walkers started, and now the first ones I'd seen had shot me. My leg was useless, and I began to crawl towards the side of the road. A bullet landed only a few inches to my left, either I was lucky or they had bad aim. "Shane stop! She's not a Walker!" The voice was surprisingly a welcomed thing to hear, even as urgent as it was. As rough the voice sounded, it matched the man's appearance. It was obvious he was the leader, even if he hadn't been wearing a sheriff's uniform. What was also obvious was the fact the other man didn't like taking orders. "How do you know she's not a Walker! She hasn't said one word to us!"
Despite not wanting to get into the middle of the argument, I feared they might shoot me first. "I'm Sarah…" There was a pain that filled my voice, and it cut off words before I could even finish a sentence. Their guns lowered at my words, and one of them knelt down to my level. "My name is Rick…how bad is the leg?" My eyes moved from the other man to Rick, accepting his concern. "Not that bad really…I'll be okay." Smirking, Rick wiped a little bit of sweat off his forehead. "Seems like it'd be a miracle if you can even walk on it." Perhaps I'm a bit too strong willed for my own good, but I certainly wasn't going to ask for their charity. "I'll be fine really…" My words were cut short, and Rick looked up. "Shane, help me get her up. We're taking her back with us."
There was no protest, and inside I was grateful for their kindness. Rick managed to stand me on my own feet again, this time my weight shifting onto him. "Shane I said give me a hand here!" I looked up to see Shane protest. "We can't take her with us! There isn't enough room for one more!" For a moment, I thought Rick would drop me just to argue with him. "You're the one that wants to shoot first and ask questions later. I'm not leaving a human being to die! Now you fix this!" Reluctantly, Shane grabbed my other arm shifting my weight between them. The wound still bled, and the walk was a rather long one. With two people being burdened down, it was even longer than expected. Blood loss wasn't something they'd prepared for, and sleep came even before the walk was finished.