Jolting wake form a nightmare I scan my surroundings. There's barley any sunlight left and also the cars stopped moving.
"What's going on?"
I ask but nobody's in the car. Oh no, did the Zombies get them? Looking out side the window I see my mother and Carl talking to a lady with a little girl. My heart instantly relaxes.
"Oh good you're up."
Shane opens the door and helps me out.
"Why have we stopped?"
I ask but soon know why once I take a good look in front of us. Traffic Jam.
"There's something going on in the city there not letting anyone in."
An unfamiliar voice pops up on the side of me so I quickly turn to see an Asian guy dressed in a pizza delivery outfit.
"I'm Glen by the way."
Holding out his hand I gently shake it.
"Dakota."
Smiling Glen scans me, I feel Shane tense.
"Hey Dakota come see real quick."
My mother calls so I excuse my self and walk over to a van where the lady with the little girl hands Carl a chocolate bar.
"This is my Daughter Dakota, Dakota this is Carol and her daughter Sofia."
Smiling kindly I see a man step up to Carol and whisper vicious threats about sharing food.
"How are you holding up?"
My mother runs her hands through my curls making me sigh.
"I'm still hanging."
Kissing my forehead she goes back to talking to Carol about how we got here. Taking a look around I notice that everyone's out of their cars chatting with one another about if they'll make it or what's their next plan. Why aren't they letting us into the city?
Suddenly military planes fly over us, so close that the wind lifts up my hair. Shane rushes over to us.
"What's happening?"
I hear Carol ask, we all follow the planes with our eyes, they're heading into the city. Watching them drop bombs onto the city people scream and gasp in horror.
Feeling uneasy Shane wraps an arm around me, pulling me against his chest along with my crying mother and confused brother.
Terrified screams become pain filled screeches, pulling away I see people getting torn apart by Zombies.
"Walkers!"
Glen yells pulling a gun out of his bag. Shane curses under his breath and pulls out a pistol.
"Take this, keep your mother and brother safe."
Shoving the gun in my hand I begin to panic.
"Where are you going?"
Cupping my face with his hands he lowers his voice.
"I have to go help, you have experience with shooting guns so I know you can do this."
"You want me to shot these things?"
Gun shots begin to go off, Shane nods and then runs off shooting left and right.
"Stay behind me!"
Standing firmly in front of my family I hold up my gun prepared to shoot what ever i have to. Keeping my guard up I spot a "walker" heading towards us.
"Dakota shoot it!"
My mother screams but my body's frozen. I've shot deer, squirrels and even frogs, but never have I ever thought I'd kill something that was once human.
"DAKOTA!"
Ears ringing the walker come face to face with me until an arrow impales through it's skull dropping it to the ground. Staring in front of me I see a guy with a cross bow, his sleeves to his t-shirt ripped off.
"Don't just stand there girl, yall gotta move!"
He yells gesturing to follow him. Looking back at my mom I have to make a decision. Following this guy off the road and into the trees I look back to make sure mom and Carl are behind. They are and so is Carol, Sofia, and Carols husband. Approaching an opening in the woods I spot an RV along with other cars and people.
"Shane!"
Carl shouts running over to Shane who's tending to two girls.
"Hey buddy."
Shane pats his head and looks at me with a proud grin, I nod at him. Turning to thank the guy who saved me he's gone. So keeping my eyes open I walk over to Shane who pulls me into a tight hug.
"Are you guys okay?"
He ask but I'm to distracted. Who was that guy?
"Dakota?"
Concern fills Shane's voice, I spot the guy.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
I absentmindedly say walking over to the guy all the way at the far end of the clearing, he's not alone, another man stands near him. The older guy notices me first.
"Mmm, well hey their dolly."
He grins scanning me head to toe, I shift nervously as the guy who saved me looks up from his crossbow.
"What you want girl?"
His bitter voice makes me regret coming over here, put I push the emotion away.
"I just wanted to thank you for helping me and my family over here."
I keep an eye on the other man, making sure he keeps his distance.
"Aw, ain't that cute, Daryl got himself an admirer."
"Shut up Merle."
Daryl sets down his crossbow and walks up to me, I slightly step back.
"Next time, don't freeze up like a deer caught up in the head lights, its how ya get killed."
Feeling belittled I slightly nod and make my way back to where Shane is.
"I don't want you around those men."
My mother brushes through my hair looking back at them.
"One of then saved my life, I had to thank em."
I try to explain but Shane interrupts.
"Just stay around me for now, until we get things settled."
Obeying I go sit in our car that I'm guessing Shane drove down here. I notice the Asian boy, whats his name, Glen helping an old man look at a RV. Walker?
Is that what he called them?
A month latter
Scrubbing last nights rice and corn diner out of plates and pots I'm distracted by Shane's voice.
"Daryl, I want you to come hunting with me."
Looking behind me I see Shane Pulling a rifle over his Shoulder. Now is my chance to get out of mom duty. Setting the pots and plates to dry I wipe my hands on my pants and approach Shane and Daryl.
"I want to hunt."
I say catching both their attention. Daryl grumbles but Shane gives me a serious stare.
"You asked you're mom?"
Giving him a dumb look I cross my arms.
"I'm 20 Shane I don't need my moms permission."
Sighing exhaustively he pulls me to the side.
"So what happens when something happens to you, you're mother blames me, Carl freaks out and I have to live with myself."
Getting frustrated I clench my fist.
"Nothing will happen, I've been hunting before I can take care of myself."
"I don't want you're blood on my hands, I care about you to much."
Trying not to pout I can't help but feel hurt.
"I just need some time away from here and hunting's always so peaceful, I just need to hunt Shane."
He stares me down for a good bit then surrenders in understanding. Handing me one of the smaller rifles Shane closes the trunk to his car.
"Let's go."
Getting used to the heaviness of the gun I smile to myself.
"She's commin?"
Daryl scans me with the ugliest look. He thinks I'm weak, but I'll show him.
"She's a good shot."
Shane explains as we walk into the trees.
Going our assigned paths I quickly find a tree to nest in. It might not be a deer stand but what I've learned is that sitting up high helps with seeing more and staying quite.
I can't believe it's been a month since everything's become strictly survival. We made a camp right out of the city that's now over run and there's quite a few of us. We've barley have any trouble with the un-dead but every now and then one will make itself up the hill. We can take care of that we're just waiting for then to leave the city...
Catching something out the corner of my eye I ready my gun. A squirrel. Smiling I carefully aim making sure not to miss. Finger on the trigger I go to shoot. That's until the squirrel screeches then grows still. What the? Climbing down I walk over to the squirrel to see an arrow impaled into it. That son of a bitch. Pulling the squirrel off the tree I angrily yank the arrow out.
"That's mine girl."
Daryl walks out from behind the tree I was in, a slight smirk placed upon his face.
"You knew I was going to shoot it!"
I softly yell, he tries to grab the squirrel but I step back.
"I ain't knew nothing about you shooting it, I've been following this bastard all the way from the lake."
Looking at his waist I see several squirrels tied together.
"This ones mine, you have plenty to take back."
Face red he looks like he wants to argue back but instead he sighs.
"Give me my damn arrow back."
Forgetting I even had it I hand it out to him. Grabbing his arrow he quickly grabs the squirrel and with his other hand pulls out a machete cutting the squirrel into two spilling blood all over. Gasping I jump back still holding the top of the squirrel.
"You're an Ass!"
I curse watching him chuckle.
"You wanted me to share."
Turning on that sentience he heads back towards the camp so I follow him shooting daggers at the back of his head. At the camp I watch Daryl go up to his brother Merel and show him his prize catchings.
"What the hell happened to that one?"
Merle looks at Daryl so I look at the piece of squirrel in my hand. Stomping up to them I toss the top half of the squirrel at Daryl's feet.
"You can take you're damn squirrel back."
Merel watches in amusement.
"What's wrong sunshine thought it was yours?"
Daryl spits. Sunshine, really?
"I'm not taking anything you touched."
"Oh grow up why don't you. You're nothing but a brat who thinks she knows what she's doing but you don't know the first thing when it comes to surviving."
Swallowing hard I spit a flat whatever and turn to leave before he sees me cry.
"Damn little brother, didn't know ya had it in ya."
"Shut up Merel."
Storming away Shane comes out of the woods with a couple frogs in his hands.
"Whoa whats' going on?"
Shane stops me looking at my bloody hands.
"Daryl's an ass and doesn't care about anyone but his brother and his self."
Shane looks back at Daryl and Merel who are skinning squirrels.
"What happened?"
Pointing at my hands Shane places a hand on the knife on his belt.
"He crossed into my path and took the squirrel I was going to kill, I told him he had plenty so his way of sharing was cutting the thing in half."
Looking around Shane puts an arm around my shoulder.
"You can't let stuff like that get to you, now go wash up before your mother sees you."
Sighing I nod. He's right Daryl knows he was aggravating me, that's why he kept that stupid smirk on his face. Heading towards the lake I quickly scrub the blood off my hands.
"Hey Dakota."
Back at the camp Carl walks up to me, Sofia at his side.
"What's up Kiddos?"
Carl holds up a deck of cards.
"Go fish?"
Messing threw his hair I slightly sigh.
"Not right now buddy, I have chores to do."
Pouting Carl follows me as I head towards the dishes I left out to dry.
"So when you're done we can play?"
"When I'm done we can play what ever you guys want."
Excitement fills their faces as they begin saving the dishes for me. Smirking I turn and join he rest of the women folding clothes.
"Hey baby, where's your brother?"
My mom ask as I start folding a basket.
"I told them when I'm done with my work I'd play with then, so their putting the dishes away."
Everyone giggles and Andrea and her sister Amy talk about their childhood.
"I used to trick Dakota in to cleaning her room."
My mom starts and I instantly roll my eyes with a smile.
"And for the longest time I believed there was a monster hiding in the trash on my floor."
Everyone laughs.
"What you girls laughing about?"
Shane wraps an arm around my shoulder.
"Mom things."
Carol says and Shane slowly steps away.
"Then I don't want to hare this conversation, just came to tell yall foods cooked."
Patting my back he walks away.
Gathered around the small fire at the center of the camp Daryl passes around plates of food.
Stopping in front of me he smirks and hands me a plate of squirrel.
"Cooked this one specially for you Sunshine."
He whispers chuckling as he moves on to the next person.
"Jerk."
I grumble and he shoots me a look. Should I be concerned to eat this? Looking down at my plate I notice the jagged cuts where he angrily cut it in half. My squirrel. Getting a weird exciting feeling in my gut I realize hes not doing this because he hates me, it's because he likes me. Well it's a guess, why else would he always smile like that?
Done with my plate I wait till everyone's done before I gather theirs to set soaking. Grabbing Daryl and Merels plate I glance at Daryl.
"It wasn't half bad."
Giving my best smirk I probably fail miserably because he just laughs licking the meat off his fingers. Setting the dishes in the soapy water I'm dragged away to play Go fish with Carl and his friend Sofia.
"How is it that you always seem to win when we play."
I toss down my cards for the fifth time, the suns almost gone and the cards are getting harder to see.
"I think it's because you're letting me win."
Carl gathers up the cards and starts to box them.
"I think you're right about that one, I've seen your sister take down a whole group of men in poker before."
Shane kneels down on the side of us. Carol calls Sofia to head to bed.
"Why don't you two head to bed, it's getting dark."
Nodding I yawn in agreement. Helping Carl up I lead him to our tent.
"Night Dakota."
Carl curls up on the side of me, pulling him close I lightly squeeze him.
"Night little bro.
Tossing and turning I give up on trying to sleep. So silently climbing out the tent I'm welcomed by complete darkness. Grabbing a couple logs to toss in the fire I struggle to move around chairs. Slightly tripping on one a log tumbles out of my hands but doesn't hit the ground.
"What are you doin out here?"
Daryl's voice rings my ears. Taking the logs out of my hands he starts the fire.
"I...I couldn't sleep."
I finally say taking seat next to him.
"Join the club Sunshine."
His growing nickname for me makes me smile.
"Sunshine?"
I question watching his face glow from the fire.
"What gotta problem?"
Shrugging I poke the fire with a stick.
"Just wondering why Sunshine?"
"It's cuz you always so positive, playin with your brother and joking with the others."
I smile, that's not what I was expecting.
"You're weak though, you ain't ganna last."
"Excuse me?"
Feeling a sudden tension I grow aggravated.
"You have to be able to let em go if you need. Playin nice, it'll get ya killed."
"Is that why you're such an ass?"
Daryl shifts to face me.
"Call me what ya wish, when this place goes down all I gatta do is leave."
Baffled by his words I sit back. Wow.
"Don't judge me girl, this place ain't like it used ta be."
Nodding I drag my hand down my face.
"I completely understand, kind of like how it was when this all started. So
many people where left behind, my own father."
Stopping I bite my lip, Shane said he was dead but we still left him to get bit or eaten. Daryl's silent for a moment.
"Sorry about your old man."
Shrugging I toss the stick in the fire.
"I'm not weak Daryl, I'm just trying to keep my family together."
Rising to my feet I leave him at the fire as I crawl back into the tent. Curled up tightly on the side of Carl I hold myself. I have to be positive, but not for myself, for my mother and Carl. I can't show that I'm broken on the inside. I just can't...
"Hey Dakota time to wake up."
Opening my eyes I see Shane towering over me.
"'What's going on?"
I instantly grab the knife that's under my pillow.
"Daryl and I are going hunting, want to come?"
Releasing the knife I roll over.
"If it'll be like anything as last time then no."
Shane slightly smirks.
"I had a talk with him, he was just pickin."
"Yeah well, its' kind of hard to tell because one minute he might be "pickin"then the next he tells me I'm weak and wont last."
Shane kneels on the side of me."Everyone here has been through a lot Dakota, can you really blame them if they snap every once in a while."
Shane's right I was the one who snapped at Daryl first. He was just trying to defend himself.
"Fine, I'll be out in a bit." Patting my head he leaves the tent.