I woke up as soon as the sun hit my eyes. I immediately stood up and stretched my aching body, sleeping in trees and in car seats where one thing, but nothing is more uncomfortable then falling asleep sitting on a hardwood floor. I was so use to being alone I almost forgot the little girl sleeping on the couch behind me, until I heard a soft moan, and on instinct I had my knife in my hand and almost mistook her for a walker.

"Jesus..." I said as I re-folded my knife. What the hell is wrong with me? I thought as I retreated into the kitchen to try to see if there was more food, considering I didn't exactly look that hard the night before, I didn't find much, just some dry cereal and a can of pears, but again I say, better than nothing. I put the food on the kitchen table and I went through my bag to try and find something else, but all that was in there was an apple I took from two squirrels who where fighting over it, and a can of spam. I figured the pears and cereal was enough so I just went with that, and put the other food back into my bag. I looked back to Sophia, who was now awake, rubbing her eyes. She looked around the living room of the once abandoned house and she buried her face into her hands. Like she was hoping that what she went through was just a crazy dream.

The last thing I wanted was for her to start crying again, so I quickly used a can opener to open the can of pears, found a plastic fork, and I walked over to Sophia.

"Hey." I said softly, sitting next to her. I handed her the can of food as I sat back into the couch, absorbing the awesome comfort of it. I must have been a sight to behold, though. I mean I haven't exactly bathed since the apocalypse happened, my black hair was probably coated in blood, dirt, and everything in between, and the scar on my left cheek probably want helping even though it's faded a lot since I got it. But how I got it? that's another story. But I imagine if I was the picture of health, she would still be terrified.

"So kid, question time don't you think?" I asked trying not to get the same reaction from last night. But instead of jumping up from her seat, yelling and crying, she just took a deep, shaky breath.

"I was on the highway with my mama and the rest of the group I was with, and all of a sudden there where like, a thousand walkers coming towards us-" she started to explain until I cut her off.

"What did you just call them?" I asked, wondering if I heard right.

"Walkers? That's when the adults call then, that and 'Geeks'. Why what do you call them?" Sophia asked looking confused.

"Walkers. Huh, small world," I said, "go on to your story, sorry for the interruption."

She then though for a minute, probably back tracking to where she was until I interrupted her, and then she continued. "Then Mr. Grimes told everyone to get under the cars, which we all did, until they just walked away. I got out from under the car I was under too soon and one of the walkers saw me," she started to cry again, but I put my hand on her shoulder, trying to encourage her to finish her story. She wiped the tears from her eyes and continued, " told me to hide in a dam while he took care of the walkers, but he told me if he didn't get back, try to get back to the highway, to keep the son on my left shoulder, so I tried but there where other walkers and so I ran. And that's when you found me."

She finished on that and started crying and shaking uncontrollably, she put her face on my lap, her tears soaking into my black jeans. I started to pet her head, like I'd do with a cat, and it seemed to be working. But oh my god, was I uncomfortable, I literally had no idea what to do, but what ever I was doing, it was doing the trick. After a couple of minutes she sat up and started to wipe her eyes.

"Hey it's okay. Your gonna find your mother, and I'm gonna help you." I said while giving her a napkin from my bag.

"You will?" She asked, her eyes filled with hope.

"Yeah, it's not like I have anyone to get back to..." I said as I looked out the window. It was a beautiful day, sun was shining, the sky was a beautiful shade of blue, the type of setting you would read In a poem. It had to be around noon, but without a watch it was

Retry much just guessing.

"You don't have a group?" Sophia asked, officially calmed down.

"Nope, just me. It's easier that way, no people to worry about." I said.

"Don't you get lonely?" She asked.

I pursed my lips together. Hell yeah I got lonely. Sure the was no one who depended on me, no pressure whatsoever, but if anything was gonna get to me in this world, it would probably be that.

"Not really." I lied. Right now I just needed to be strong for this kid, someone needed to.

After that I got a map out from my bag and I tried to find the highway Sophia was on, and while I was doing that she silently ate the makeshift breakfast I fetched for her. I managed to find the highway, and at least got a good ides on where we are. I tried to find a way back to the highway, but from the looks of it, that would probably a three day trip or so.

"So here's around where we are now," I explained, showing Sophia where we where, " and here's where the highway is. From the looks of it, it should be a three day hike from here." As I said that, Sophia's face quickly lit up. I had to admit, seeing her happy like that made me smile. At least there was some small hope in this dim world.

"Can we go now?!" Sophia asked excitedly. Her blue eyes sparkling.

"If you want to. Which you obviously do. So we should get a move on if we want to cover anything before night falls." I stated. And with that I put the map away, put my sword sheath back on my belt, and slung my backpack on my shoulders, then we made a move out into the world, leaving behind the cabin. But before we left Sophia lingered around some white flowers that where planted around the side of the house.

"What are these?" She asked, picking one from the small bundle.

"If my memory serves, I think those are Cherokee Roses." I said crouching down to see them.

"Cherokee Rose?" Sophia asked, looking confused.

"Yeah, there was a story that went with these flowers. I don't remember all of it but the story went that during the time when Native Americans where being forced into reservation, a whole lot of kids died, and their mothers where crying so much, their tear drops on the ground created these flowers. Or something like that, I think they symbolize hope, but then again, Cherokee myths don't really interest me that much." I explained. I then took the flower in Sophia's hand and put it in her hair.

"We should start moving." I said as I grabbed her hand leading her away from the house.

...

As we where walking, Sophia started to talk about the people in her group. It was obviously a good topic, she beamed when she was talking Bout her group members.

"How many are in your group?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Ten." She said.

"Can you tell me something about them?" I asked, and with that she started stalking about every one in her group. She started with her friend, Carl, who was her age and ' son. Then she talked about Mr. Walsh who she thought was Carls dad, but turned out to be just a friend of the family's. She said she saw that Walsh guy with Carls mother, but her mom said that they where just friends. But from hearing that, I had a feeling there was more to that story. But I decided not to pry into that, considering I didn't even know who those people where.

Then she started talking about the other people in her group, the third youngest guy in her group, a guy named Glenn, there there was a guy named T-Dog...

"T-Dog?" I asked with a smile on my face.

"Yeah, he won't tell us his real name though..." She said. And as racist as it might be, I couldn't help thinking that T-Dog was a black guy. She then talked about a women called Andrea, who apparently had a sister but she died, and was apparently all messed up about it. Which I could totally see, considering I was messed up about my brother, and not even knowing whether or not he was alive, but I didn't interrupt Sophia and she continued.

She then talked about a guy named Dale, who was pretty nice in her description, and apparently old. I smiled when she emphasized on how old he was but I didn't interrupt her. But the person she described the most was her mother. She was apparently a kind spirited lady, and the way Sophia described her parent kinda reminded me of the mother I've always wanted. But one thing did kinda run through my mind. Where was Sophia's father in this? So I thought I might as well ask, even though I already had a feeling about where he was.

"What about your father?" I asked. Sophia just got a far away look in her eyes.

"He's dead." She said shortly.

"I'm sorry." I said sincerely.

"Don't be. He always hurt my mom. He wasn't a nice person. To her or me or anyone" She stated. I kinda saw where she was coming from, except that was the case with my mom. I never even knew my dad, and I always found it best to just not ask questions. Then it went silent for a few minutes, so I tried to keep the conversation going.

"Well, so far you've explained nine of the people In your group so far, so whose the last person?" I asked.

"That would be Mr. Dixon." She said after a moment of thinking about it.

"Tell me about him then." I said. But she just shrugged.

"I don't know that much about him. He always keeps to himself, the only person I've ever seen him have an actual conversation with was his brother, and I didn't like that guy at all." She said.

"Then tell me what you can." I suggested. And she went along with that.

" he has this big crossbow, and he rides a motorcycle. And he usually just yells at people. He kinda scares me..." Sophia explained and just kinda left it off at that. This Dixon guy was just a dude with a crossbow that yells at people, that was at least what I got out of it.

"Well they all sound like nice people." I said as we kept walking.

"What about you? Do you have a mom or dad or brother or sister?" She asked. I just gave a sorrowful sigh.

"My mom died at the beginning of all this, and I never knew who my dad was, and I do have a brother, or possibly had a brother, but I'm not certain where he is..." I explained. I did tell her the truth, I just didn't tell her all of the truth. Like how not knowing where my brother is is slowly killing me on the inside, but I figured it wasn't exactly relevant.

"Sorry about you mom." Sophia said.

"Eh... Don't be. She was a mean spirited woman with a lot if anguish inside. We weren't exactly close. I just stayed out of her way whenever I could. My brother was the one that raised me, my mom just gave birth to me." I explained in a sorrowful tone. And with that we just walked in silence. After maybe twenty minutes of walking in awkward silence, I heard rustling in the direction where we where walking and I pulled Sophia behind me. I then saw three walkers eating at a dead deer carcass. It was kinda revolting, though at the same time it did make me hungry.

They seemed so consumed in eating that they didn't notice me and Sophia. I thought about just leaving the walkers there, figuring they weren't hurting anything... Well except for the deer, but I then thought if we did just leave them, it would probably just come back to haunt us both, so I decided to take care of the problem now, leaving behind no regrets.

"Stay here, cover your eyes if you want." I said to the little girl next to me. And with that note I drew my sword out of its sheath and stabbed one of the walking corpses in the skull. Then did the same to another one before they noticed I was there. As one lunged towards me I stabbed it it in its eye, and the final one grabbed ahold of my pant leg, and before it could sink its teeth in my leg, I thrusted my sword right down the middle of its head, killing the dead son of a bitch for the second time.

Sophia took my advice and shielded her eyes from the small massacre, and so I whistled to her, signaling that it was over and motioned my head into the direction in which we where originally going. And she followed without hesitation. At least she trusts me I thought to myself. Sophia seemed more than happy to follow me, and I did have to say, it was pretty nice to be needed. And even though I've only spent a day and a half or so with this kid, she was growing on me. She was like the little sister I've always wanted.

But I couldn't help but wonder, what would the rest of the people in her group think about me? I'm no saint, I've had to do things that would be deal breakers with these people. These people had women and children to thing about, and I'm certain that they didn't take to kindly to strangers. And I wouldn't blame them, hell, even the idea about them make me suspicious as holy hell, but there was no way what so ever that I would say that in front of Sophia, this little girl trusts me, and I sure as hell don't want her to think I don't trust her. So I decided to just keep quiet and deal with that later.

"Where you going anywhere before you met me?" Sophia asked, bringing me back to reality.

"Not especially. I was considering on just heading up North, I think it's safer up there than down south." I explained. That was true, at some point I did think about going up north, but that was a long time ago. At that point we just stopped talking all together. I just started humming 'The Man Who Sold the World' by Nirvana. After a while the sun started to go down and there was nothing in sight for us to stay.

"Suns going down." I said. I was kinda thinking out loud but just as we'll she hear it.

"Is that bad?" She asked, also looking at the sky.

"How do you feel about sleeping in a tree?" I asked, completely serious.

"I don't mind." She said, sounding almost chipper, and with that note, I helped Sophia up a tree and threw her my backpack, then I climbed up. Compleat lay wiped out from walking all day.

"Hey Zach?" Sophia asked.

"Yeah?" I responded, wondering what she needed.

"Thank you... For everything." She said, and with that Sophia drifted off to sleep, and not to long after, so did I.

n

not too bad for an update! I. So happy I got it through so early! Anyway for a couple more chapters your gonna have to deal with Zachariah and Sophia, but eventually we'll get to the other main characters!

reviews, favorites, or ideas are welcome, and if you do give me something to work with you'll be given full credit!

thanks for reading =)