Months passed before we saw any other people. I don't know how we would survive, but I was the only one to take care of walkers (that's what others are calling them). There was a few time Layla would try to take one out, but she would throw up at the sight of them. But that was okay, because she would handle hunting with the grey bow she had found in a school gym. Whenever we would go hunt, Keith and Luke would stay in the car. I would always go with Layla just in case she ever got attacked. It was during one of these hunts when we ran into them.

Layla and I were tracking a buck. It would've been the best meal we would've had in a while. We had found it eating in a clearing. Layla lifted her bow and focused on the buck. She let out a breath and released the arrow right as a gunshot was fired. The buck fell and Layla and I were left wondering who fired the gun.

I gave her a signal telling her to get up high and pulled out my cross, now sharpened since the last chapter. I carefully began to walk toward the buck. When I got there I examined it. There was a bullet wound in its shoulder, freshly put there judging by the pool of blood pouring out from it. I looked back and saw Layla alone in a tall tree. I let out a sigh before signaling to her that it was safe for her to come out. I watched as she climbed down swiftly.

"Did you see anyone?" She asked. I shook my head.

"Walkers might be here any minute. Help me get this up high." I said. She nodded and pulled out some rope. Together, we manage to get the buck out of arm's reach and headed back to Keith and Luke.

"Nothing?" Keith asked when we got back.

"We got something," I began, "but someone fired a gun, so we had to leave before walkers show up."

"So we're not eating tonight?" Luke asked.

Layla was about to say something when I interrupted. "Yeah, I'm going to go get something small." Then, before anyone could object, I grabbed Layla's bow and left the car. I went back to where the buck was, and saw a hoard of walkers reaching up and trying to get my game. I ignored them and begin to walk toward the direction I believe the gun was fired. About a couple feet away from the hoard was the sigh of other men. I began to follow their tracks.

I probably should've just forgotten about it, like Layla has, but if there were others out there... I continued to follow the tracks. If these people knew how to take care of themselves, they might be able to help us.

I was too busy looking at the ground and checking for walkers to notice the man following me, that is, until he tackled me to the ground, causing me to drop Layla's bow. I looked up and saw a boy hauntingly familiar. His skin was a dusty-olive, his hair went just above his eyes, and it was thick and was the color or polished oak wood and his eyes were a beautiful silver color. I saw instant recognition shine in those eyes.

"Kayla?" He asked, his voice a beautiful melody of lies that rang in my heart.

"Morgan." I said nonchalantly, or at least as nonchalant as I could be. I probably sounded small to him. The boy had ruined me in the tenth grade, and I still haven't healed. Probably because there was no one to heal me. I looked at him. He had changed, but I still saw the boy I thought I knew.

"You're alive?" He asked, dumbstruck.

"Obviously." I said. I narrowed my eyes, "Are you the one who fired the gun?" If he knew how to use one, he could help me take care of Luke, Layla, and Keith.

"No, that was Brianna." He said. I tried not to groan. Brianna was his fat brother's, Conner, even fatter girlfriend, who was a total bully. To me at least.

"Brianna's alive?" I asked. I thought she would be the first to go, her being fat and all.

"Her, Conner, you apparently..." He said.

"Not just me," I said, not letting him finish.

"Your brother?"

I nodded. "And Layla and Keith." He smiled.

"Got room for a few more?" He asked. I wanted to say yes at the chance of having more protection, but this was Morgan, and the last time I said yes to him I regretted thirteen years later.

"I don't know." I said. "How many more?"

"Four." He said. "We have this guy who's been taking care of us, but Brianna doesn't like him."

"That figures." Brianna never likes anyone. Morgan got up off of me and held out his hand to help me up, but I didn't take it. Instead I pushed myself up and grabbed Layla's bow. "I'm going to need to talk to the others and see what they think." I told him. I was replying on Keith's hatred toward Morgan at this point, since I still can't say no to those beautiful eyes. I lead Morgan back to where everyone was. Keith and Layla were surprised. Keith pulled me aside.

"What's he doing here?" Keith demanded.

"I found him while I was hunting." I explained, "He said he's been looking for a group, him and his group anyways."

"Well he can find one somewhere else." Keith said.

"Keith, more people means more protection for us." I said.

"We've been doing just fine."

"No we haven't. We're living in a car with only one person to take care of walkers and one to feed us." I said, "I don't want Morgan here anymore than you do, but it would stupid to turn down protection, especially now."

"She has a point." Layla said.

Keith looked at the both of us. "Fine." He sighed. I walked over to Morgan.

"My people are fine with it." I said.

"Want to come inform mine?" He asked. I shrugged and followed him.

As we walked, Morgan told me his story of how him and his brother got away from the walkers and found Brianna.

"We knew it would be safer in the woods. More places to hide, and not as many walkers. We managed for a month or so when Brianna found this man. At first we thought it was a walker, but then he spoke. His right hand was missing. Brianna had managed to clean his wound and wrap it properly. He had this weird metal thing he put on his nub, but he's been teaching us how to shoot us how to shoot. Not the best teacher though."

By that time we had arrived at a small clearing with three tents, and a white truck. Brianna and Conner were sitting in front of a small campfire. Beside me hung dead rabbits and squirrels. My stomach turned at the sight.

"What's she doing here?" Brianna demanded. World's ending and that's all she can say? I sighed and looked at Morgan. He sighed an explained what was going on. "Who says I want to join your group?" Brianna sneered at me.

"Maybe it's my group wanting to join yours." I said evenly.

"What's this talk about joining groups?" A new voice said. It had a deep southern accent apart from ours. I turned and saw a man with a buzz cut hair style and the slightest hint of a beard barely poking out. His hair was a dirty-sandy-blonde. "Who the hell are you?" He asked.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I could be asking you the same thing." I said coldly. He looked at me for a moment before laughing.

"Where'd you find this one?" He said through a laugh. I didn't know whether I could trust him or not. I noticed his right hand was missing, replaced by what looked like a metal cast. "What 'cha looking at, girl?" The handless man asked.

"Obviously not your hand." I muttered. I didn't think he would laugh this time. He didn't.

"Do you know how I lost this hand?" He asked.

"Nope." I said, popping my 'p'. I honestly didn't care about his non-hand.

"I cut it off." He said, making it sound like it meant something.

"Did you get bit?"

"No, this—"

"What does this have to do with me?" I asked before he could go into a veteran story. "I just want my friends to be protected." The handless man raised an eye brow. "By someone beside me. What are they going to do without me?"

"They'll learn to take care of themselves." He said.

"Only if they have someone to teach them." I countered. "I don't know how to fire a bow, let alone a gun."

The handless man looked like he was in deep thought. "Fine." He said after a while. I wanted to clap my hands together and jump up and down in triumph, but remained calm and collected.

"I'll go tell them the good news." I said to the handless man. Something told me he saw the joy I was trying to hide.