Surviving As One {A TWD fanfic}

2. Changed

My eyes flickered open, I try to swallow but my mouth is dry, my throat hurts and my head still throbs. My body shifts feeling a soft surface underneath me, my eyes widen as I look around, sitting up. I must have jumped up to fast as my head throbbed more, forcing myself to stand through the pain, it felt like someone had hit me hard against the back of my head with a shovel. I look around and notice I'm in a small dark blue painted room, my clothes still on me and my knife placed on the bed side table. My backpack was laying on the floor beside my feet. Picking up my belongings I walked out of the room, holding my knife close. Hearing a small clutter from down stairs, I take small careful steps toward the sound. Raising my knife slightly as my eyes fell onto a boy sitting at a table.

"I see your awake" He says with a blank face staring at me. I just nod, holding my knife higher. "Hey I ain't gonna hurt ya. I saved your ass out there" He stood walking slightly closer toward me.

"Why?" Was all I said, my mouth was dry and my words came out quiet.

"Why what? Don't people normally say thanks" He chuckled handing me a bottle of water.

"Thanks" I took the water taking a big mouthful.

"Ya got a name?" The boy with a sheriff hat asked sitting back down at the table, his hair is fairly long and I can't help but wonder if he's alone?

"Yeah, names Isabelle" I offer a slight smile lowering my knife, my thoughts still wandering around but the questions remain unanswered.

"Well, Isabelle I'm Carl" He returned my smile, glancing over to a man walking inside the front door.

"Carl is" The man stopped and his gaze was on me "I see the girls up"

"Yeah, her names Isabelle" Carl smiled at the man "This here is my dad, Rick"

I stare at the man named Rick as he offered me a smile "What were ya doing out there"

"I couldn't run anymore" I sighed softly, my gaze falling to the ground slightly as I nervously shift my weight from one foot to another.

"Well, we're leaving. We got a safe place you're welcome to come with us" Rick gave me a small nod as he walked toward the door.

I stood there watching him, these people seemed friendly, I chewed on my lower lip lightly. I didn't feel the urge to run? Honestly I didn't feel anything. No fear? No happiness? No nothing. Just emptiness. So I decided to go with them. Walking behind Carl, following him out and into a car.

"Where is this place?" I asked realising I hadn't asked many questions, but I didn't see the point. If they were going to do something why stop them? I killed a person, I deserve it.

"Not far, it's a prison. Maybe an hour or so away" Carl explained "There's more people there"

"More people" My lips tugged into a small smile "How many?" I asked glancing between Carl and Rick, I'll admit I had my doubt but if they wanted to do something they could have done it while I was unconscious but they didn't, they helped me.

"You'll see" Rick chuckled turning a corner

I just nodded, leaning back into my seat. My gaze fixed out the window as the wind blow in, pushing my thick brown hair back. The sun was hot beaming down, but I started to find myself a little excited to see these people. To see the prison they had.

"So Isabelle, how long ya been alone for?" Rick asked running his fingers through his sweaty hair

"Uh" I nervously rubbed my arm "It's been awhile. I uhm.... Never really counted the days"

Rick nods lightly "It's alright. How about walkers? How many of em have you killed?"

"Walkers?" I tilted my head lightly glancing over toward Rick, I'd never thought about naming them? It felt weird and Rick said it so normally. "Is that what you call em? Those dead things"

Carl nodded, glancing toward me in the mirror "Yeah. Walkers. Seemed like the best name, or I've heard someone call em geeks, or biters."

"Well, I think I'll call em walkers." I chuckled lightly, and nervously "Can't say I've counted. I killed two yesterday. That I remember"

Rick shrugs "Who counts right?" He lets out a small chuckle but it barely passes his lips. "How about people. How many people you killed"

I swallowed the big lump that had formed in my throat. The image of the man came rushing back, the blood and I felt like throwing up, my hands started to shake slightly. "Uhm. Just one" I said nervously, my voice was shaky and I half expected him to pull the car over and kill me then and there. But he didn't. Instead he nodded and continued to drive.

"Why?" Rick asks, and this simple question gets me the most. Why? Why did I kill that guy?

"Because. I didn't know what he was capable of and it was either him or me" My voice trails off as my words die down, the sick feeling returning to my gut as I imagined the blood dripping off of my knife.

"We've all killed someone these days" Carl said glancing back to me.

Maybe he noticed my shaking hands. Or my voice gave it away. Whatever it was I forced myself to nod before I held my own hands tightly in my lap, staring out the window. We've all killed someone. Maybe that was the truth? That's what this world did to them, to me. It changed us. changed the rules? Whatever it was I felt it. I felt something change inside me, like a click and suddenly I saw things so differently. I no longer felt sick, my hands stopped shaking and I didn't feel bad or like I had done something wrong, he attacked me? I did it out of defence, the more I thought about it. The more I realised I did it to survive. It was either him or me, Right?