Oh, I needed that day off from writing this story lol. So if some people hadn't noticed I posted another new story on my page and don't worry, I'm not abandoning this story in any way. But I will say that the other one is going to have more relationship development then this one because it's a new character, not someone from someone's past. And I think it turned out pretty good. But I need reviews to see if people like it or not and to see where I should go with it. So that would be great if I could get some on this and that story. It would be a great help. Love all the readers, just reviews help. That's all.
And OMG ten days until walking dead comes back! What do you think is going to happen? I hope Judy is alive. I kept her alive in my story but I hope she's ok on the show. It wouldn't be fair if they killed her off. Then again, it's the Walking Dead. You don't know what the fuck's gonna happen in that show XD
Onto the story!
Anna had always been a forest girl. Ever since she was little she loved to go into the forest and climb the tall green tree's and look out into the landscape. She had this one place that had the perfect view of everything. It was high up, one of the tallest trees in the world, she though at the time. She could see the lake that she went to swim in on the right, and to the left she could see the town and the city in the distance. She was able to see anything from high up in the trees.
She loved to look at the little creatures wondering around on the bark, not to mention she loved to hunt from up there. No creature from the ground would expect a human to jump from a branch above them and pounce on them. But no, she had done that many, many times. And had always come home with something for her dad to grill up and eat later for dinner.
Right now, all she wanted to do was climb the tree next to her and relax. The past few days had taken its toll on her. She was almost killed twice, she had killed Carol, hurt her leg, and now she just couldn't sleep. She had insomnia. Of fucking course she had insomnia.
But, even if she had it, it gave her something to do during the night. She kept watch.
She knew that one day she was just going to collapse on the ground and pass out. But she really hoped that that didn't happen anytime soon. She needed to stay awake and alert. For her daughter and the group. She needed to find the rest. She needed to find some people alive.
It had been eating away at her mind that these people she had grown so close too might not be alive. That they might be gone from her life forever. But whenever those thoughts popped up into her head, she pushed them back with determination and alertness. She needed to be strong. If not for her then her family.
The group had been staying in this clearing for the past week. They would search miles upon miles for anyone, but hadn't come in contact with shit. Even Aria noticed that half the time it seemed completely hopeless. But she still continued to search with her parents and with her friends.
Now, it was almost a week and a half after the prison attack, and Anna needed a shower so badly. Her clothes were covered in muck. She needed to at least clean them.
And that's what brought her down to the river today.
She had to say, for what it was worth, the place was pretty good. It didn't seem contaminated, so they had been eating the fish from it every night with the occasional meat from the forest. It was partially warm as well. The water wasn't as cold as someone would expect it to be, which often made Anna wonder if it led out into the ocean or something like that. If it did, well, that's be a nice day.
A day at the beach.
Oh, she would give anything for that.
She had loved going to Robert Moses down in Long Island. It was so much cooler there during the summer then it was in the city. She would lay in the sand and try to get somewhat of a tan while watching her children play in the water or make a sand castle. And ironically, whenever she went to the beach, she always never really wanted to go in the water, but she somehow always ended up in it when a certain someone always threw her in. And she would be mad, but she would get over it sooner or later.
Even now, she would give anything just to have those moments again.
The last time she had gone to the beach was a few months before the outbreak. It had been bright and sunny. Her daughters had been at school, so she and Lily decided to go and have some fun.
"How's Aria doing in school?" Lily asks as the two lie on the beach and watch the other people play in the water. Anna smiles, rubbing some sunscreen on her legs.
"Great. She's already on high honor roll. She had taken so much out of a horrible experience and turned it into something great. I'm so proud of her," she praises, leaning back against the umbrella pole stuck in the sand. Lily chuckles.
"You should be. That girl's been through a lot in the past few years. Almost as much shit you went through during high school in senior year. But she really had made herself something special. I saw her paintings the other day in her room. She's gonna end up being the next DiVinchi or MichaelAngelo. Amazing talent. And she's only 14," she laughs. Anna smiles.
"She'll be fifteen in a month," she sighs. "God, fifteen years. Has it really been that long?" she laughs. Lily nods.
"I can't believe it either. But look at you now. You're a money making machine in Broadway, already won two Tony's…I mean come on. You really took your life out of the gutter." Anna rolls her eyes.
"My life wasn't in the gutter like some other peoples stories. In fact, I lived in a very nice house. My life just sucked. I was harassed by people I didn't know, raped at 15, pregnant at 15, harassed again in senior year, and then left it all behind to start a new dream. I mean, I DID get a free ride to NYU, so it just proves that I'm smarter then everyone in that dumb ass school. God, please just shut their mouths." Lily smiles.
"I wonder what they think now. You're making more money than anyone of those asshole's." Anna snorts.
"They're probably thinking 'If I be nice to her now will she give me money?' Ha! Not a chance dickheads," she mumbles, adjusting herself on her towel.
"Good. They don't deserve your talent." Anna smiles.
"How have you and Dana been? I'm pretty sure I saw you all googly eyed the other day during break when you were talking on the phone." Lily chuckles.
"It's great. We're planning on moving in together soon. I can't wait. I just wish that some form of marriage between us would be ok. Maybe we should head to Vegas," she laughs. Anna nods.
"Well, then our life could turn in to 'The Hangover,'" she chuckles. Lily laughs.
"That would be the best vacation ever. I'm calling in. We're doing that," she laughs, taking out her magazine and looking at the front page. She dramatically sighs and points to her cover. "And even though I'm dating a girl, look at the motherfucking body on JT! Jesus, that makes me weak!" Anna snickers and takes the magazine from her hands.
"You like him way too much," she laughs, skimming through the pages filled with celebrity gossip. Lily shrugs her shoulders.
"I can't help it. He's just so hot!" And he's our age," she says knowingly. Anna rolls her eyes.
"We're taken, Lily," she chuckles, handing her the magazine. Lily laughs, her shoulders shaking.
"Doesn't mean we can't stare at guys," she snickers, looking at more pictures. She glances up at Anna and thinks for a moment. "How are things with you and you-know-who?" she asks. Anna stares at her for a moment.
"Voldemort?" she says shocked. Lily rolls her eyes and pushes her friends shoulder, causing her to laugh. "I'm just shitting you, Lily," she says.
"You know who I'm talking about," she laughs. Anna sighs.
"After two years? Still pretty pissed off. But I do love him. I talk with him almost every day. It just feels so weird not having him here with us."
"He made a stupid decision," Lily chuckles, taking a sip from her Pepsi. Anna nods.
"I agree with that. But who knows? Maybe he'll suddenly show up at my doorstep or some shit like that. Wouldn't that be romantic?" she gushes. Lily raises an eyebrow.
"You're talking about a Dixon here. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't do something like that."
"He's a whole different person around me then he is around you, Lily," Anna smiles. Lily rolls her eyes again.
"Whatever you say, Belle," she laughs, looking back out to the ocean.
Anna would give anything to relive that memory. But she couldn't. Lily was gone now. Dana probably was too.
When she was younger, she had wanted to live on the beach. To wake up and see the ocean at her fingertips. Ready to explore and swim in. She didn't need no swimming pool. She had THAT. Even though sometimes it would be freezing cold, she would still end up going in.
She scrubs hard on her tank in the river. She needed to get the blood stains out or she was going to lose her shit. She had gotten used to everything now, all the dirt and grime, but she still at least wanted clothes that didn't stink.
While scrubbing, her mind travels back to the little boy in the group. Hunter. Aria and Scarlett had found him. Anna had been observing the three and they already acted like siblings, always driving each other crazy. But Hunter also seemed like he didn't care. He was just happy to be with people.
Aria had told her how he had been alone and how he had somehow fixed a gun so no sound would come out. Anna was incredibly impressed, as was Daryl. This kid could do something that Anna knew none of them could do. And he was eight.
But he was also a sweetheart. He was always helping everyone, even though he didn't really know people that well yet. He really only talked to Scarlett, who was two years younger than him, Aria, and Anna and Daryl. He had even asked Daryl to show him how to use a crossbow, to which Anna started to snicker very quietly that day.
Daryl had told her earlier that if he wanted another kid he wanted it to be a boy. Someone he could teach how to hunt and really have those father/son bonding moments that he never really had when he was a kid. Anna never knew how much he wanted to switch his life around until that statement. She thought he already had, but she knew that in no way he was ever going to be like his father. She had assured him of that later that day.
Now, he actually had a kid who was following his every move, trying to be just like him. Anna had never seen a kid so fascinated by Daryl. Now, Hunter was practically his kid doppelganger. And it had only been a week. She wondered what he would do next that would be like him.
She finished up scrubbing and placed the tank next to her. From the distance she saw the leaves rustling in a bush and she automatically took out her knife, but there was a small part of her that wished it was some of the old people. But, of course, it wasn't.
It was just another damn walker.
She throws the knife, kills it, and goes back to the river to scrub up some more clothes. She takes out her other shirt and starts on that.
Then she thinks about the dog that the girls had brought back. It was a beagle, its name Pepper. It was adorable. It was always following Aria though. She had been the one who found it, so it was most loyal to her. One day, the dog surprised both her and Daryl by coming back with a rabbit in its mouth. It was a hunter dog.
And that just made there day right there and then.
No one was allergic, so they just decided to keep it right there and then. It was just so fucking adorable and Anna was a dog lover, so she wanted it around.
She starts to hum a song under her breath as she scrubs. Done. She had sang this to her boyfriend in freshman year of college when she broke up with him.
'Mama always told me that I should place nice.
She didn't know you when she gave me that advice.
I'm through, with you.
You're one bridge I'd like to burn.
Bottle up the ashes, smash the urn.
I'm through, with you. La di da.
I don't want be your 'just for fun.'
Don't want to be under your thumb.
All I wanna be is DONE.
DONE.
"I remember that song," she hears from behind her. Her head turns and she sees Daryl leaning against one of the trees. She hadn't even noticed he was there. He had been probably watching her. 'Hunters feet' she thought, chuckling slightly. "Sang that to your piece of shit boyfriend back in college."
"Yup. Kind of just popped up in my head. No clue why, though," she laughs, taking out the tank and laying it beside her. "Hey, how far away are we from camp?" she asks, laying them out. He comes to sit next to her.
"About a mile. Not that far. We could walk back within ten minutes," he says, picking up a stone and tossing it into the water.
"Do you think we'll ever find the rest of the group?" she asks, looking at him. He shrugs his shoulders, looking out at the river flowing down.
"I really don't have a clue, for once. They're everywhere, and we've only found three people. But maybe we'll find more." She nods.
"But you don't want to get my hopes up?" He nods, making her roll her eyes.
"Exactly." She sighs and brings her knees to her chest.
"I want to talk to you about Hunter," she says, chuckling slightly.
"Nice kid," he says nonchalantly. But she sees the corners of his mouth up in a small smile. She snorts.
"Nice? That kid fucking worships you. He follows your every move. Seems he wants to be just like you," she adds at the end. "Has a ring, right? Hunter the hunter. I could see that." He chuckles slightly and turns to her.
"What do ya wanna talk about?" he asks. She's silent for a second before taking a deep breath and making sure she had eye contact with him.
"What do you think about adopting him?" He looks surprised at her for a second.
"Adopting?" he asks curiously. She nods, a smile on her face.
"I mean, he already likes the girls, and follows you around like a dog to its master. He helps me with cleaning up the area and cooking the fish. And he's so sweet and nice. I mean, his parents were killed when all of this happened. He's had no one for the past year and now he has us. And he seems to really like it. What do you say?" she ends softly. "I don't want to do anything that you're not comfortable doing or anything like that," she adds on. "If you don't, I'll understand." He shakes his head at her, but it wasn't a 'no' shake.
"Adoption….sounds good," he replies, looking back out at the river. She chuckles and shakes her head at him.
"It's more than good. I see the huge grin on your face. You can't hide that shit," she laughs. He chuckles slightly, looking back at her. But behind the happiness, she could see a smidge of worry. She sighs and crawls over to him. Then, she gets up a little and positions herself over his lap and then straddles him. She could feel his heartbeat increase ever y second. Her arms go around his neck and she pulls him in for a deep and passionate kiss, to which he returns gratefully. When she pulls back she smiles at him. "You will be a great father, nothing like your old man. You'll be hundred times better. So I need you to stop worrying and start thinking of when you're really going to teach him how to use that crossbow of yours." He snickers and she chuckles a little, but pulls him in for another kiss. "Or we could just have some fun right now," she suggest playfully against his lips.
"I'm up for that," he breathes huskily, pulling her back to him. She laughs and kisses him again, knowing that no one from camp would hear.
The group decided to head out later that day to find a more secure place to stay. The area they had been in was ok, but it wasn't going to prevent them from being safe. They needed to keep the kids ok.
Right now, they were walking in the woods, taking out the occasional walker. Daryl and Anna were in the front, keeping a lookout for anything in front of them. Hunter was behind Daryl and Scarlett behind her mother, while Aria had Judy in her arms and Lizzie was next to her. Mika was behind both of them, And Tyreese was in the back.
"She's just so adorable," Lizzie coos to the baby, who had a small smile on her face. Aria nods.
"She's so cute," she chuckles, playing with the little baby's fingers. "Sometimes I wish I had one of my own," she laughs quietly, hoping her parents wouldn't hear. Oh, but they did.
"You're not getting one of those until you're thirty," Anna says to her daughter, making the whole group laugh. "No way in hell. Ain't letting you go down that path," she chuckles. Aria laughs.
"Not now, mom. The future. I want a little girl just like her. Someone I can dress up and play pretend with."
"What if she doesn't like that stuff?" Lizzie says. Aria laughs.
"What girl doesn't want to pretend to be a princess?"
"Your mama didn't," Daryl says. "She wanted to be Spiderman." Anna chuckles and nods her head.
"I didn't want to be Cinderella or any of those people. I wanted to be someone who could shoot webs and climb up buildings."
"But aren't you afraid of spiders, mommy?" Scarlett asks.
"That's what I asked her when she told me that," Daryl chuckles. Anna rolls her eyes, opening her mouth to fight back, but stops when she hears the rustling of the bushes in front of them. Anna points her gun at the bush, but out step two people. She didn't recognize them.
"Whoa, don't hurt us! We mean no harm!" a woman says, putting her hands up in the air to say they didn't. The man next to her did the same.
"We don't want to hurt you but we heard you earlier and heard you were looking for a place to stay?" the man says carefully. Anna lowers her gun and tells the others to do the same. When they do, she could viably see the man let out a shaky sigh of relief.
"You did, did you? And do you have a place?" They both nod profusely.
"It's protected like hel-heck," he says, referring to the word change in front of the little kids. "And very safe. It's a little college campus, but there were apartments there for the students and that's where people stay. Some in the residence halls."
"And we have plenty of food and medicine. Even a little rec center for the children to go too. We've been living there for a year. It's actually a really nice place, well, despite the fact that the dead are walking around," she ends, chuckling slightly.
Anna takes in their appearance. The man had dark blonde hair and somewhat muscley arms, but nothing compared to Daryl. He had blue eyes and wore some jeans and a white t-shirt. The woman had black hair that was slightly curly, and brown eyes. She looked to be Puerto Rican, just like Anna. They seemed harmless, only a gun in their hands.
She turns to Daryl. She could see he was mentally asking her 'can we trust them?' She thinks for a second, then shrugs her shoulders slightly, saying 'what more do we have to go on?'
"I'm Anna," she says, introducing herself. "The man in the back is Tyreese. That's Lizzie and Mika. They're sisters. These are my daughters, Aria and Scarlett, Hunter is right there, and this is Daryl, my husband," she says, saying all the names. She had never said that word out loud, but it sounded really good to her.
The two young people smile at them. "I'm Drake," he says, shaking her hand. "And this is my girlfriend, Layla." She smiles at them.
"Nice to meet you," she says. Anna smiles back.
"So do you have a car or something?" The two smile.
"A whole truck. It'll be easy to get you back. Just follow us and we'll lead you to it." Anna nods and tells the rest to follow them. A few of them stepped in front and Daryl grabs her hand.
"Ya know what ya are doing, right?" She nods.
"We'll be fine. Plus, they only have a gun. We have you. They're no match."
Anna stares outside the window of the apartment they had given them. The campus wasn't small. It was huge. And it seemed almost untouched by the world. They must have had REALLY good security there.
She hadn't met the rest of the group yet, but Anna could tell that it was just a bunch of sweethearts. They didn't seem to mean no harm at all.
The apartment was nice too. It was on the fifth floor, the highest floor, and it had three bedrooms. The two sisters could share one, Hunter could have his own, and Daryl and Anna had one to their self.
She chuckles and goes to the small kitchen. It was just perfect. She hadn't seen a real kitchen like this in ages. She had wished that she could see one and now she did.
Maybe the campus would be good for them.
The kids were meeting the other kids in the rec center, and Daryl was out with Drake talking about the security there. Anna had stayed behind. Now, all she wanted to do was go outside.
She grabbed her jacket and put it on, but not before blowing out the small candle that was there. ITt had been scented, and now the apartment smelled like cinnamon. She missed those little things like these every once a while.
She goes to the door and opens it, intending to run down the hall to the stairs, but knocks right into two people. She rubs her head against the wall, it painfully hurting now.
"Oh, I'm sor-Anna?!" she hears. She looks up through rubbing her head and she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Maggie and Joey. Alive.
"OH MY GOD, YOU'RE OK!" she yells, hugging both of them, to which they laugh and hug her back.
"I was so worried about you," Maggie says.
"Me too," Joey adds in. Anna shakes her head.
"I don't care. As long as you're ok, I'm fine," she says softly. She felt like crying! She had found two of the people that she loved the most.
They were ok.
They were alive.
DONE! Lol, so that song I put earlier, I have recently fallen in love with that song because it kind of explains my life right now. I had a messy break up the other day and I sang this the whole entire day. It's kind of my anthem now XD But I'm surviving by writing these two stories. So they've found a safe haven, Hunter's gonna be their kid soon enough, and Maggie and Joey are ok. I wanted them to stay alive so much. I became attached to them while writing the story. But don't worry. Just because they have this place doesn't mean there's going to be less action or drama. I can't wait to write the rest. And in my other story, there is also a campus. I just think a college campus would be a good place to survive during an apocalypse because those are basically towns. And new people are introduced! Let's see what they look like in my head. These are my picks, so don't judge.
Drake: Tom Felton
Layla: Vanessa Hudgens.
My picks. And you don't have to picture them as that. I just do. XD REVIEWS HELP THE STORY SO PLEASE…REVIEW! Hope you enjoyed!