A/n: I own nothing but Jon, Callie and anything you don't recognize. Reviews are lovely :)

Chapter Three: The Walking Dead

Her eyes couldn't seem to focus right when she opened them. Small streaks of light were plastered on the walls and ceiling, but it was fairly dark. There was a pain her torso and when she struggled to sit up on the bed, she clutched her stomach. As she did so, a book fell to the floor. She picked it up and saw it was Daryl's bible.

Looking around swiftly, she saw that she was in her own bedroom. When she saw the door was closed, she stood up and noticed a body out of the corner of her eye. Glancing back, she saw Jon lying still on the bed. She rushed over as quickly as she could, finally remembering all that had happened before she had been knocked out by the bookcase.

"Jon," she whispered, afraid of breaking the silence in the house. She had no idea where Daryl was and she had no idea if there were more of those things just outside of the bedroom door. "Jon, wake up. Wake up!" When he didn't move, she rested her head on his chest and listened closely. It felt like she was in that bent over position for hours, hoping, wishing, and praying for a heartbeat.

But there wasn't one.

Callie covered her mouth and fell to the floor beside him. Her little boy couldn't be gone. It didn't seem possible. She picked up the bible and laid it in his arms, as she was sure Daryl had done to her. Oh, God, he must think I'm dead. Tears blurred her vision. She didn't know what to do. Should she stay with her son or go out in search for her husband? Her mind was trying to cope with the recent discovery of her lost son.

She held her knees up to her chest and cried into them. Callie wished Daryl was here, but what was the chance of him having lived through the explosion? For all she knew, he was much closer to it than the two of them were.

Getting up, she wiped away her tears and stroked her son's cold cheek, "May you rest in peace, my son." She choked out a sob and walked over to the door. She wanted to open it quickly and get out, but it was locked. She hurried and unlocked it, not wanting to stay another minute in the room her dead son was in. As she walked the halls, she noticed all the doors locked and closed as well as the windows boarded up. A little spark of hope rose in her. Daryl must be alive and he must have done this to make sure they weren't eaten alive.

Callie ran downstairs as quickly yet quietly as she could and walked into the study. It looked like a disaster. She saw the bookshelf quite a few feet from where it was supposed to be. She sighed. The only thing left standing was the piano. Callie ran her fingers across it. She remembered the time when she had first played the piano for Daryl when she was merely sixteen. She had fallen so in love with him, she thought it would tear her apart before he ever knew.

When she had finished playing a song for him, he kissed her on the mouth and she ran away, feeling scared of what happened. Callie laughed at the memory. She was afraid of loving him then and she was terrified she had lost him now.

Callie gazed through the cracks between the boards to make sure there weren't any creatures waiting for her outside. She saw all the bodies lying lifeless in her front yard. She carefully unbolted the door and walked out.

She was sure to be quiet as she made her way to the shed, checking for Daryl. She examined everything. His crossbow and rifle were gone as well as many cases of bullets.

He was still alive, she knew it.

Looking through the shed, she found a small handgun and put it in her dress pocket. Thankfully, it was large enough to hold a small gun. She then walked out, heading towards the two suitcases she noticed were right inside the shed door. Picking them up, she headed through the cornfield in hopes to find Daryl wherever he may be.

-x-

Her felt ached, her head ached, her entire body ached.

Callie wanted to stop and rest, but she knew she had to keep going. After a few hours of walking, making it across the highway and into a large forest, she was worn out and sick of walking. The gun in her pocket felt heavier than it really was and the suitcases she had slung over her shoulders made lines on her skin.

Sighing, she dropped the bags and sat down against a tree. Letting depression take her over, she placed her head in her hands and cried.

-x-

She jerked herself up and noticed it was pitch black out. Thankfully, none of those creatures were anywhere in sight. She grabbed her and Daryl's suitcase and began walking again.

Her stomach growled and that's when she realized she hadn't packed any food. How could she have been so stupid? All Callie could do now was ignore her hunger and continue walking, wondering if she would ever run into someone alive and human ever again.

It seemed many nights had passed without any food or end to this damned woods. She wondered where she could sleep without worrying a creature would sneak up on her. She then thought that the trees were the best option. She climbed up on one and tugged her bags with. Callie climbed as high as she could before resting on a nice, evenly grown out branch in which she could lay on without out falling.

Resting her head back, she closed her eyes. All she saw was the angered look on Daryl's face and the dead body of her little boy. The world was big and she had no way to travel it quickly, so how was she supposed to look for a single person amongst a bunch of walking dead ones?

The following day—which she assumed was the fourth day—she jumped down from the tree and noticed some rustling brush a few feet away from her. With suitcases in hand, she backed up slowly, not wanting to know what it was. Suddenly, a tall woman with a beat up face, bloodied gums and half-eaten torso emerged from the bush and limped slowly over to Callie. She took the gun out of her now-dirty summer dress and pointed it at the creature. When she shot it in the heart, it didn't even so much as stumble. Callie panicked, wondering how it could take a bullet through the heart.

Suddenly remembering that Daryl had shot the thing in the head before they were separated, she shakily pointed the gun at its head. Callie was terrified and hate to shoot something that looked almost human, but it was either the walking dead person or herself who was pretty alive. Pulling the trigger, a shot echoed through the forest, the creature falling to the ground.

Callie shook as the thing made a loud clumping sound when it reached the ground. She grabbed the bags and ran away, hoping nothing would follow her or hear her fast footsteps.

When she felt too tired to run any longer, she stopped to catch her breath. A smile spread across her face when she glanced up to see a highway. Looking at a sign across the road, she saw it said Atlanta: Next Exit.

Many cars were scattered across the highway a ways to her right. She didn't want to bother thinking about what all had happened and just turned left to head into the city of Atlanta. As she got closer, she heard a loud siren going off. It sounded like one from when a car is being highjacked or something. She stopped in her spot, dropped her bags and covered her ears, wanting the thing to shut up.

She then saw a red car zoom past her. looking ahead, she noticed another white truck driving behind.

Callie began waving her hands for the thing to stop. She began shouting and jumping up and down, doing everything she was sure the walking dead didn't so they knew she wasn't one of them. the white truck stopped and she saw a police officer driving in the front seat and the passenger was a black man, looking as down as Jon had looked when he thought Daryl was telling the truth when he said they didn't get him a thing for his birthday. Of course, Daryl gave him the little action figures Jon had wanted so badly.

Tears streamed her face from the memory of her son.

Picking up her bags, she ran towards the truck. The black man rolled down the window and asked, "Been bit or scratched?"

"By those creatures?" she asked, sure that he was talking about being bit by them, "No." He gestured her to get in the back and she noticed that a girl had opened the trunk for her. When Callie got in, the blond girl who opened it for her, then slid the door down and sat across from her. They then began to keep driving again.

As Callie looked around, she saw blood streaks all over. Silent tears streamed down her face.

The blond girl tilted her head, "You got anyone with ya? Ya know, family or friends…"

Callie sobbed, finally letting most of what she was holding in, "No. My son died and I have no idea where my husband is. I'm sure he thought I was dead so he left." She then laughed remembering how she was left before she woke up

"That's funny?"

Callie shook her head and wiped away her tears, "No. I was just remembering how this all started."

The girl frowned, "You can tell me if you like. I'm sure we are both going through the same kind of pain. I lost my dad…however, my sister is back at camp. Her birthday is in a few days and I needed to go into the city to get her something. I am thankful I have her left, but I am still sad that my parents are gone as well as the rest of my family."

She nodded in understanding, "My parents live in Illinois. I don't know what happened to them or whether or no they're still alive… For right now, I don't want to know."

"What happened to your husband?" she asked.

Callie leaned on her hand, "We were going home from church and we noticed one of those creatures—"

"Walkers?" the blond asked.

"If that is what you call them. Anyway, we hit the Walker and then, I didn't know it was deadly. My husband and I walked out to the Walker. It then grabbed me with its bloody hand and tried pulling me towards it. That's when I lost all feelings of sorry for it because I knew it wanted to eat me. I just had that sick feeling around it, you know? Daryl took out his gun and shot it in the head and it no longer tried grabbing me. We were packing once we got home. My son was terrified, not knowing what was going on. As we were making our way out of the house, a sudden mob of Walkers came towards us. My husband told my son, Jon and I to go inside and we did. I locked us up in the study when I noticed an explosion from the cornfield. The flames were racing towards us…. That's when I was knocked out and my son died."

"Wait…" Andrea said, "Your husband's name is Daryl?"

Callie nodded, tears still blurred her vision. Before the woman could say more, they were at their stop, the black man opening up the back and letting them out. As Callie jumped out of the truck with her bags, she gave him a whispered thank you. He nodded, his face not showing a hint of a smile.

The police officer went up to Callie and nodded, "The name's Rick Grimes."

Callie gave a small smile, feeling so worn out now, "I'm Callie Dixon."

"You have family?"

suddenly, she was tired of that question. She tried not to look irritated, but said, "Yeah…well, I used to anyway. My son died and I'm not sure where my husbands at."

He chuckled, "I am looking for my wife and son. I woke up from a coma to see this world has gone to pieces. I really wish I wasn't in that damn coma."

"I'm sorry. I'm sure you will find them eventually."

He nodded, "And I'm sure you will find that husband of yours soon enough."