Survivors- The walking Dead fanfic

On the road

After rejoining the others, Rick had me pair up with Jim, Alison, and Jacqui. I didn't like being among strangers even though the only one I really knew was Jim and I was still a bit unsure of the man. For some reason the group made me feel uncomfortable. I longed to find my own group again; that is if they were still alive.

The group had found a small open field and decided to take precaution before setting up camp there for the night. So Daryl, Rick, and Shane went out and searched the place before giving the all clear that it was safe. The sun was setting and with little light left the two groups hurried to scavenge for whatever food they could find and wood for a fire.

Just as night fell, I was able to get a fire started for my group. While standing near the fire, my gaze wandered over to see Jim and Jacqui standing near the RV setting up a tent for the night. When he looked up Jim caught me looking and he returned a displeased glare in my direction. I scoffed and folded my arms across my chest before turning my back to him and walking off towards the edge of the woods.

"Hey, don't go too far!" He called out after me, but I just ignored him and continued walking.

Ever since he had rejoined his group, I seemed to become less visible to Jim and the group. I didn't fit in with the others it seemed and they didn't seem to want me there either. Rick always seemed to keep a close eye on me and always question whatever I did or said. He didn't quite trust me and I wasn't sure why but it made me not trust him either.

I soon reached the edge of the woods but heard a twig snap which scared me as I made a frantic dash back near the fire to grab my gun, but there was nothing there when I returned. After the incident I stayed closer to the group while exploring the grounds. While wandering around the area I stumbled upon something near a tree and kneeled down and picked it up; looking it over. It was some kind of animal skull. Jim noticed me out of the corner of his eye and lifted his head to see what I was doing. He finished putting up the tent before shortly after walking over to investigate. My gaze tore away from the object to see Jim approaching.

"That's not uncommon nowadays." He said, pointing to the animal skull in my hands.

I looked from him to the skull and back. Then it hit me. I had forgotten the horrible situation that we were in for a split second but now it was there, like a slap in the face. That tragic constant worry about death chasing us wherever we were seemed to never end.

"Let me see that a second." Jim said, extending an empty hand.

I carefully handed the skull over to him, placing it in the palm of his outreached hand. I watched with anticipation and waited to see what he would do with it.

"Looks like a coyote skull." He said. "Hold this a moment. I've got an idea."

Then he carefully handed the skull back to me with a smirk. I watched as Jim walked over to the small pile of wood near the fire and return with something in his hands.

"Found these while we were out gathering wood. Figured we'd find something to do with them. And I was right."

He had me hold the skull in place while he placed the two objects on the skull. This raised suspicion as I stood there watching him tinker with the skull. It wasn't until he had finished his work that I had realized he had placed two small deer antlers on the coyote skull.

"So what do you think? Pretty neat, huh?" He joked, smiling.

I gave a small smile and looked at the masterpiece he had created. When I had asked what we should do with it Jim snapped his fingers as another idea crossed his mind. Jim grabbed a hammer and a nail from his tool box in the back of the truck. Then I followed him as he walked over to a tree near the fire and watched Jim hammer the nail into the tree. Confused at first, I didn't quite understand what he was doing until he asked me to hand him the skull. I did as he asked and handed it to him while Jim reached up and hung the back of skull on the nail he had just hammered into the tree.