a/n:
Yo! I've been brewing an idea for a Walking Dead fic for a long time, and eventually realized my character would actually fit in so much more with the game than the tv series, or at least for the beginning of her story. So here's the prologue! The next few chapters are on their way!

Primary Pairings:
Mark x OC, Lee x Carley

Disclaimer:
You know what I own and don't own. Catherine Raynes is my OC, however, and belongs to me, although she is heavily inspired by the blonde succubus from the game, Catherine.

Prologue: "Consider Us Even"

The smell of blood was the first thing to jostle him into consciousness. His blurred vision went in and out of focus as he strained to see where he was. He felt an intense, wild, burning sensation along his lower back and legs, and soon realized he was being dragged, slowly but steadily, across asphalt. As his world stopped spinning and came to a sensible image, he glanced up to see a figure towering above him, dragging him. It was a young woman, with wavy shoulder-length blonde hair, tightly gripping the thick collar of his jacket. He wanted to ask her who she was, or where they were, or what had happened, but all he could do was try to part his dry lips before slipping back into the darkness.

"Wakey wakey~" the female's soft but chipper voice rang out like music, and his eyes opened once again. After a moment of squinting and straining, his vision finally focused and he saw that young blonde leaning over him, her bright sapphire eyes wide, a sweet and eager smile across her lips. His brow twitched and her smile widened into a grin. "Well it's about time you woke up!"

His eyes glanced around, and he noticed he was sitting up. They were in a currently empty street, lined with deteriorated buildings and loose papers and debris rustling softly in the occasional breeze. He tried to stand, but realized he couldn't move – his arms were stuck at his sides, and his back was tight against something hard behind him – a street sign. He looked down and saw rope wrapped around his chest. "Wh-what… what is…" His shoulders shifted as he tried to wriggle against the restraints. The blonde took a step back, giggling to herself.

"Well, your group did try to attack me. Don't you remember? Don't tell me I hit you too hard." His bewildered and still half-out-of-it expression seemed to annoy her, her smile fading as she reached to the holster on her thigh and pulled out a long hunting dagger. He blinked, forcing his eyes shut for a second to clear his mind as well as his vision, but as his lids flicked back open, he saw her slowly closing the gap between them. "I guess it doesn't matter whether you remember what happened or not."

"Who… are you?" His mind was beginning to sharpen as she drew dangerously close with that knife in hand. "Wh-what do you want…?"

She stopped to look him in the eyes, her friendly smile returning. Her face was only inches from his, her knees on either side of his legs. "Oh, well that's pretty simple." With a quick, sudden movement, she drove the knife into the side of his leg. He let out a painful cry, but quickly bit his lip to keep himself quiet. They both fell silent as they heard the curious growling, followed by a series of slow shuffles. His eyes widened in panic as he stared at her wide grin. He suddenly winced as she yanked out the blade, biting his lip to muffle his groan. Just when he thought he'd gotten it under control, she thrust the dagger into his leg again, and he let out another cry.

The shuffling grew closer, and from every direction. The growling became louder and more aggressive. His lip began to bleed as he bit down to keep from yelling, and the female took it as a challenge. She pulled out the knife and rammed it into his other leg, and when she was dissatisfied with his quiet groaning, she gave the blade a sharp twist. She could see the effects running through his entire body, and he couldn't muffle that yelp. He caught a glimpse of the walkers rounding the corner just past the girl, and she withdrew the bloodied knife before standing up.

"Now stay alive long enough to keep the next street clear, and I'll consider us even." Turning around, she darted into an empty alleyway, pausing to turn and watch the growing herd fill the street behind her. They were attracted by the noise, but were now hooked by the fresh blood spilling onto the ground. She heard him yelling and screaming and struggling against his ropes. As the growls became loud snarls and his yelling became spine-tingling screams, she grinned and quietly maneuvered through the alley onto the next street over. Only a few walkers wandered around, and even they started to move to the corner once they heard the screams. Once they were gone, she ran down the street, passing small businesses and hand-painted wooden signs, until coming to a tall, plain building surrounded by a chainlink fence. The letters were still visible above the front doors.

Georgia Orthotics & Prosthetics, Inc.