New Chapter! Big chapter, so prepare yourself! ENJOY!

35: Falling Into the Darkness

"I could've been a professional one day, coach always used to tell me that, you know," Joey threw the baseball towards me and I caught it in the mitt.

"I know. And I would've gotten to go to all your major league games for free," I tossed it back, and for a while it was just us in the sun throwing the ball around like we used to. It felt like we were talking, but all I could really focus on was the warmth and how good it was to see him happy again. In the distance I could see my parents, sitting on a park bench, smiling at us and waving every time I looked over. We were so much younger, but I didn't mind. I was happy. I was complete. Life was easy and good and just the way it was supposed to be.

"See, aren't you glad you got some sleep?" He smiled at me after I caught a fast one.

"You were right. I needed this." I was winding up to throw another one when it all stopped. The sun was gone, Joey was gone. I was alone again.

The diffused light was pouring through my window. How long had I slept? Must've been for most of the day by the look of it. And what was that thudding noise? I started to sit up when the door burst open, the dresser screeching across the floor. The snarls and dead hands meant only one thing. Walkers. But how? I grabbed the pistol on the nightstand and shot. The monster fell back, only to be replaced with two more. I shot. And shot. I kept shooting until the clip was emptied, but they just kept coming. I grabbed the nearest weapons; a pair of hunting knives, there was no time to be picky.

I was a whirl of headshots and kicks, and whatever fatigue was left in my muscles had been overcome by the newfound adrenaline coursing through my veins. With all my fury my mind couldn't figure out just how the hell did they get in here? I battled my way down the stairs. There were so many of them. How did they get through the fence? I finally broke through the throng and made it outside, leaving a trail of bodies behind me.

The gate.

I hadn't locked the gate.

I always lock the Goddamn gate. Always. But there it was in the distance, swinging as the onslaught continued to come up the hill. Where were they coming from? And why were there so many of them? I kept stabbing, kept fighting, it was all I could do. If I could just get to the car, I just needed to get to the car and then I'd be able to make it. I just needed to get out of here away from this place. The blood kept spewing out from the wounds I was inflicting, and the rank smell filled my lungs. If I had anything in my stomach it would have come up, but I just kept hacking away. Just keep fighting Annie. Just get to the car.

Wait.

My bag.

The notebook. I never read it. I can't just leave it, or my supplies.

"Shit," I sighed between kills. I'd have to go back. I couldn't leave without my things. I changed directions and began my move back to the house.

One second of a blind spot. One second of weakness. That was all it took. And in that second I felt the teeth. I felt the teeth ripping through my arm and I let out a guttural sound that was meant to be a scream, but it wasn't. It was more than a scream. It was all of my hope leaving my body.

In a fluid motion my right hand slammed down with full force on the corpse gnawing at my arm. I had been bitten. The end of the line. In a few hours I would be just like these bastards. In a few hours I wouldn't be myself anymore. I kicked the nearest walkers back as hard as I could and ran to the house, praying for a second wind. I needed something to get me through these last minutes. I needed to do something with my last hours. I shut the front door behind me, took out the biter nearest me, my panting grew more desperate. I clasped my arm and ran to the garage door. Weapons. That's what I needed. Automatic weapons. My blood-drenched hand slid over the knob as I panicked, trying to open the door. Please just open. Please just open. I pulled my shirt over my hand and tried the door again. Perfect. I'm in. I shut the door and did a quick run to the medical supplies. I grabbed some gauze and speedily wrapped it around the wound, not paying attention to the technique, just trying to get the thing covered so I can kill the rest of these bitches. Once it was wrapped up I grabbed the nearest roll of tape, duct tape? What was duct tape doing by the medical supplies? Who cares? I fumbled with getting the edge up, but only for a second before I got it.

I began to wrap the duct tape around the gauze manically as the pounding began. My heart, the dead men beating against the door, everything was throbbing as I wrapped the silver tape around my arm. "Just get this done already, Annie!" When I was sure the bandage wasn't going anywhere I ripped the tape with my teeth and ran to the guns.

I loaded as many clips as I could into the various guns. I remember once having the lazing thought that I wanted to get a chance to shoot all these things a few months ago. How stupid was I to tempt fate like that? Guess I would get to shoot them now. I walked to the garage door and took a deep breath. Now wasn't the time for that, I needed to focus. I'd have to beat myself up about it when I'm dead, until then I had zombies to kill and lots of them. I jerked the door up and sent a spray of bullets out. I kept shooting, and they kept falling. Once a clip was emptied I'd switch to a different weapon. Then repeat. Suddenly the months of brain numbing safety were gone, and I was the killing machine I had been when I first went on the road. The pounding of my heart had become a steady beat, my own personal funeral drum, and all of my pains and worries were gone. It was just the bullets and my heart beat. Just the bullets and me blazing through the horde.

The walkers in the house made it through the door after a few minutes, but they didn't make it even a foot into the garage. I was ready. Annie was back on her game. After the bulk of the horde lay slain I made a walk through the field and house, killing off any stragglers. Once I was sure they were all double dead I went and made sure the gate was locked. I wasn't sure if it was going to be keeping walkers out, or keeping zombie me in, but I felt better once the locks were in place. When I finally got back inside I was disgusted by the bodies. Their stench, the way they reminded me of what I was going to be in a few hours, I needed them out. I started dragging them out. I was too tired to take them much farther than the porch, but it felt better once the rotting smell was out of the house.

There were only a few precious minutes left before I'd turn. And there was only one thing to really do. I walked upstairs and pulled out the notebook. I brought it down into the garage with me. I opened up to the second page and began to cut the tape off of my arm.

A long letter from Carl.

I smiled as I read the words. I was so happy when he came here, he was my little brother. Once the tape was off I scrubbed the bite. I'd be dead by morning because of this. One damn bite. I redressed the wound as I read the letter. I didn't cry. Not then. I was too happy. Carl felt like I was his sister, too. He said we were family. I still had family out there. Once the bandages were neatly placed and perfectly taped I took the notebook with me to the kitchen. I needed a drink. A large drink. I wonder if it will hurt to die? Or will it be like falling asleep? Will I be there when I turn? Will I still be in here, somewhere deep underneath? I grabbed a bottle of vodka and walked upstairs. I slid off my gut covered shirt and underwear and replaced them with a new set of each before climbing into my bed and turning to the next page.

Lori.

Then Carol.

And Theodore.

Everyone, even Rick had written something for me. I kept it together for the most part as I took large swigs from the bottle. That is until I got to what Daryl had written me. It wasn't much. Just a simple thank you. Just a thank you and the words 'Don't die.'

Don't die.

Don't die.

The one thing he asked me to do, and I couldn't even do it. I didn't even get through two weeks. I re-read everything over and over. Eventually my swollen eyelids got heavy and my head began to ache. It wouldn't be long now. I set the notebook down on the nightstand and rolled over onto my side.

I was scared. I was scared to fall asleep. If I fell asleep then I wouldn't wake up. As hard as I willed it not to happen, my fatigue got the best of me and fell into darkness.

Dun Dun Dun! So, Annie has been bit. Life is hopeless. Love isn't real. And all that other stuff that no one wants to hear. Review! For God's sake review! For Annie's sake review! Or PM me if you don't feel like reviewing. Either way, let me know your thoughts! PS: The story isn't over yet.