Hi! Sorry for the long break in between chapters, and the fact this one is very short. I literally just wrote this after track practice today, so the quality of this might be a little sub par. After having such a long time for an update I decided I really should write something before League Meets and State Qualifying starts. This chapter might be short but it does introduce a new OC and goes more in depth on another that has been briefly mentioned. Please review and follow!

ContestingGirl

My footsteps echo down the long corridor of the prison barracks. Rick and the rest of the group is currently moving towards the more infested area of the prison while Maggie, Beth, and I wait to catch any strays that break through the lines. It has been a month since the failed supply run and a two since I finally decided that what I had done was the only viable option. The first two weeks were bad- really bad. At first I thought I couldn't live with what I had done, but Rick quickly put me to work which gave me no time to think any more of my self-hatred.

Daryl and I have had several semi-friendly conversations, and I'm pretty sure I'm beginning to earn his trust. After the rest of the group heard what I did to save Glenn they began to trust me a lot more. Maggie and I have become close friends, as have her younger sister Beth and I. Carol is kinder towards me, though I think she isn't fast to trust people much like I am. Glenn and I have become seemingly inseparable. By day you can find us cracking jokes, and by night telling old "war" stories around the fire. Sometimes I catch Rick staring at me, but I pretend not to notice. I think he is just making sure I don't snap. Overall, life isn't too bad considering the situation. I have settled into a sort of pattern that makes it almost easy to forget that just beyond the prison walls lies a world filled with the walking dead.

Maggie shifts anxiously besides me, drawing my thoughts to the present. Her green eyes shift uncomfortably along the corridor as though she is expecting an entire herd to jump through the door at the far end.

"Maggie, are you alright? You look a little nervous." I say hesitantly.

"I'm fine. Just worried is all." She replies in a jittery voice.

"As long as you say so, but don't freeze up on me and leave me to fend for myself."

Maggie scoffs besides me, "This ain't my first rodeo cowgirl."

I give a large grin, "Ain't my first either."

To my somewhat cheeky reply, Maggie simply rolls her eyes. Suddenly the door at the far end bangs open and Rick steps out. I look at him curiously and am about to ask him why he's here when he says, "I figured you guys could use some help….just in case, of course."

I roll my eyes, "Of course."

"What's that supposed to mean," Rick says irritably.

"We can take care of ourselves Rick. They need you more back there than we do up here."

"She's right Rick. We're alright by ourselves, you can go back to the others if you want," Maggie pipes in.

Rick mumbles something under his breath and then grumbles, "I'd rather just stay now that I'm here. Don't wanna waste any time running around like a lunatic."

Maggie shrugs her shoulders and replies, "Suite yourself."

I give a yawn and slide down the wall to sit on the ground. Carefully I rest my rifle on my lap and face the door. I don't understand why we're working so hard to clear this prison. Personally, I think we should pack up shop and move. It was relatively easy for me to sneak in, and I would've gotten away with it if I hadn't cut my leg on the fence. What's stopping a large group from getting in and killing us? What about the Governor?

Glenn gave me the full story about a week ago regarding the Governor. When he finished telling me I couldn't believe Rick had decided to stay here. Sure it's secure for the most part but the Governor could easily come back. That man is a like a post-apocalyptic Hitler, he can convince anyone. What's stopping him from convincing a whole new group of people to come massacre use? Nothing.

I've tried talking to Rick several times about the matter but he just brushes me off. My idea is doable too. If we syphon off enough fuel before we leave from cars in Woodbury we can make it easily out of Georgia. Then every time there's a car on the road we syphon its fuel to keep up a decent supply. If we keep doing that, I think we could make it up to Tennessee or even Ohio if we're lucky.

"Why are we doing this, Rick?" I say tiredly.

He frowns and asks, "Doing what?"

"Clearing all the walkers from this place. We could move some place better."

Rick gives an exasperated sigh, "We've talked about this before Carly."

"No we haven't, Rick. I've done the talking while you've brushed me off," I say angrily, "Give me one good reason to stay."

"It safe." Rick replies tersely.

"Not really! The Governor could come back at any time, or someone else could try to take this place! I almost got away with it. If I can what's stopping a larger group?"

"You're you. I doubt anyone else could get in."

"I'm me! What kind of explanation is that?"

Rick growls, "The only one you're going to get! I don't have to explain myself to you."

"I thought you'd want a better life for your son and daughter than growing up in a prison! But I guess I was wrong!" I say angrily before turning on my heel and barging through the door towards the group fighting the walkers.

-Page Break-

Meanwhile on a Farm in Rural Ohio

My boot clad feet crunch against the gravel drive as I walk towards the old white farmhouse at the center of the farm I've found refuge on since the world went to shit. My boyfriend of one month at the time started a refugee center of sorts here and has been the leader ever since. We broke up not long after the world went to hell, but have remained close. I am his best intelligence gatherer, and as a farmer's daughter I know the ins and outs of crop growing.

This farm used to be his sister's before this whole ordeal, but she has yet to turn up. It is a nice property with good pastures for cattle and horses. In the two years that have passed we have built several small cabins close to the original house that the several families living here call home. Horses fill the pastures, as do cattle. Since gas is hard to come by, if we need to leave the farm we take some of the horses. Life is pretty good here on the farm, compared to the lives of others of course.

Quickly I bound up the stairs to the porch and push open the old screen door into the front hall. My head turns to the mirror just inside the door to inspect my appearance. I have light blue eyes, jet black hair, and pale skin. Overall, I'm pretty good looking. The one thing I hate about my appearance is my height; I barely reach five feet tall. Oh well, can't change genetics I guess.

Expertly I maneuver my way down the cramped hall into the living room. A muscular frame with shaggy blonde hair and suntanned arms bends over a map in the center of the room, oblivious to my presence. My cover is quickly blown by the old creaking hardwood floors. Immediately his head snaps up and his electric blue eyes meet mine. His stance quickly relaxes and a smile appears on his handsome face.

"Hey Jesse! Mica said you needed to see me?" I say curiously.

His smile quickly fades and his face turns serious, "Yes, I wanted to talk to you about a pressing matter."

My brows furrow and I can't help but ask, "What matter? Is there a hole in the fence or something? Are walkers getting in?"

"Not exactly," He says with a shake of his head, "I want to talk about my sister."

"Your sister?" I say slowly.

Jesse replies impatiently, "Yes."

"What about her?"

"I want to find her."

"What! You can't leave the farm! That's a suicide mission. For all you know she's dead."

"I know she could be dead, but Carly's strong. If anyone can survive this thing it's her."

I put my hands on my hips and say, "Well if she's alive why hasn't she come back?"

"She was in Atlanta when the epidemic hit there, maybe she got stranded!" He bites back.

I shake my head in disagreement, "She could've easily syphoned fuel out of cars on the highway."

"What if she took the back roads to avoid the traffic jams?"

"That's a big if Jesse."

"Still, that would mean fewer cars so she wouldn't have been able to find more fuel most likely."

"I guess, but how would she find food? Tell me that."

"She's a good hunter. I don't doubt she could find her own food, "Jesse replies matter of factly.

I grumble, "Carly didn't drag a weapon with her on vacation did she, so how would she have hunted?"

That is the last straw because Jesse is suddenly seething with anger, "SHE IS NOT DEAD!"

Quickly a shrink back against the wall. Anger and pain are obvious in his expressive eyes. I feel a slight pang of sympathy for him, but the fear running through my veins outweighs the empathy I feel for him. Slowly he regains control and runs a hand through his tousled hair.

"Sorry," he says quietly, "I just…."

"Lost it." I say irritably.

Jesse gives a tired sigh and hangs his head. "I just have to find her, Liz. She's all I've got left. Lucy and her family died pretty early on, Carly's the only one still alive. Or, at least I hope she's alive."

"Fine," I say with an exasperated sigh, "I'll let you go, but I'm coming with you."

Again I apologize for the brevity of this chapter and the fact that the part in Carly's POV was so short. How did you like Jesse though? In my mind he is smokin' hot, like swoon worth gorgeous! Then again, I like my blonde guys. Also, what did you think of Liz? I haven't really though of much of a back story for her yet, but expect more in the coming chapters.

Let me know how you like my OC's. They need some more developing, but I have a whole story to do it in and I have just begun. Please review and follow!

ContestingGirl the Extremely Busy