Hey! Hope you like the newest installment of Annie Get Your Gun. Thank you for reading, you wonderful readers! Also a big thanks to my helpers, I can't even explain how thankful I am for you guys. Anyways, ENJOY!

27: A Purpose Driven Life

March was just looming there. Two weeks away. I thought that after the world was over months would mean less. Guess I was wrong about that. It'd funny when I think about it now, before all this time had such a small significance to me. Of course there were due dates and deadlines in school, but other than that the months didn't matter. Now it was important. Months meant time slipping away, and so little to show for it. What had I done since I left home? Stayed alive. Tried to find safety. Found relative safety. That's it. I was one of the last people in the world presumably and I wasn't even really living. All I did was take up space, use resources. I needed to do something to give my life purpose, or what was the point. To top off my general feelings of restless uselessness, Daryl's 'promise of soon' as I had begun to refer to it had yet to be fulfilled. Two weeks. That was all that was left. I couldn't be the only one who knew this, right? I mean, where's the haste? In two weeks I will be nothing but a memory to these people, and at this rate none of those memories would involve Daryl and me and sex. I am sure the others noticed my new grouchy demeanor. The stomping strides, the heavy sighs, the constant need to be doing something with my hands. These were all telltale signs of my disdain, and the way they ignored them only made it worse. Maybe I was too good at hiding. Maybe I had gotten so good at pretending to be cheery that they couldn't see.

"You think you'll be able to manage the field alright when we leave?" I was sitting across from Hershel at lunch, finishing the last scraps of my meal.

"I'll try not to fuck it up too much, but I'll probably have to cut back on everything. I don't think I can manage all the stuff I added for you guys." I picked at my food, and the table cleared slowly but surely. I just stared down at the plate shifting the leftovers around, until the silence told me I was alone.

"I wasn't aware you had added crops for us," I looked up, surprised he was still sitting there. There was something different about him. Hershel's eyes were kind; in fact they were my favorite part about him besides his occasional wise gem. In that moment there was something else there. Sadness? Confusion? I couldn't be sure, but those eyes were altered.

"It was nothing." I moved the fork around on the plate, the tinging of the metal against the ceramic only emphasized the pause in my speech, "You guys will find someplace safe soon. You should take some seeds for when you do, I have a bunch extra."

"That would be kind of you. We'll make sure to put 'em to good use, that is once we get to wherever were going." I smiled at him before getting up and taking my plate into the kitchen, my idleness making me uneasy once more.

Two weeks. Time is running out. I needed to do something, something productive. After I cleaned my plate and put it away I went into the garage and threw some seeds in one of the bags I was going to let them take. I wonder if I forgot anything? I scanned through all of them,, double checking a few times; I'd thought of everything already. Damn my being thorough. I decided it wouldn't hurt to look through Carl's bag, too. I'd thought of everything again; book picked, goodbye written, goods packed. I needed to do something, and there was nothing really left for me to do here. I went and grabbed some of my textbooks, opening each up as it to study. I've already been through this one too many times. And this one. And this one, too. I threw them back in their pile. Things to do… Supplies were sorted. Carl's gift was complete. The books were read. There was only one thing let to do, and I'd been putting it off for a while now. Half because I was scared, and half because I hadn't wanted to have to make the move. Why did I have to? Why couldn't he? My stubborn nature gave way. I had two weeks, and I sure as hell wasn't going to waste them. In fact, I was done wasting time altogether. What does it matter that live as it had once been was over? This is life now, and as long as my heart was still beating I would be damned if I didn't do something worth while. But first things first…

I went to the bathroom and began with the ritual, still ferociously set on a purpose-filled life. I couldn't help but be thankful for the water heater as the downpour seared my skin. The baptismal heat cleaned my thoughts of any of the leftover worry and stagnation that had been plaguing them lately. Showers always seem to have that effect; they clean everything up. I shampooed my hair thoroughly, taking my time to make sure no part of my scalp went untouched, nor any part of the length. My hair used to be a thing of pride for me, the only thing that I thought was even remotely beautiful about myself. I tried to cling to that, but the truth was that now it was nothing more than a luxury. Hair is nothing but dead weight. Once they leave I'll have to address that. I had much too much to do now to have something weighing me down. Then I moved to scrubbing my skin, it used to take me a good hour to get rid of all the grime, but ever since the plumbing became functional it took seconds. I wonder if I'll stay here? It is safe, but maybe safe was a bad word now. Maybe I needed danger? I mean, I might not be a certified doctor but I know enough to help people. What's a better purpose than helping people? I turned my attention back rinsing before I picked up the razor. A part of me, the deeply masochistic part, missed the days of scrubbing in the river. In the winter, when the water was almost frozen, it was invigorating to toss the bucket of water onto myself. I might be back to that soon. I'd have to enjoy this luxury as much as possible while I still had it.

The steam stifled the coldness of the air in the bathroom when I stepped out. I wiped off the mirror before toweling myself off. Job well done. I was well on my way to conquering the final issue that had been bothering me. Staring into my reflection I noticed my eyes. They weren't dull, not anymore. My reignited drive almost radiated off of me as I continued with the final preparations. The insecurities were forgotten, the fears were scorched, and the only remaining feeling was excitement. Excitement for my fresh mission. Excitement for climbing out of the rut. But most importantly, excitement for tonight.

Here I am: Annie exhilarated, Annie driven, Annie utterly irresistible.

Audience Participation Time! How do you like Annie's new mindset/life goal? I mean, who hasn't gotten to a point in their lives when you think 'Screw stagnation! I want to do something!' :) Also, how do y'all feel about the imminent sexy times? Stoked? Angry? Worried?

And thanks again for reading! :)