Keep The Faith ▹ TWD

 prelude.

zero, the end of it all.

NIGHTFALL HAD CASTED A cool breeze and made the humid Atlanta air bearable to withstand. It was supposed to be a peaceful night, but horns cut through silence and the wails of people was enough to make ears bleed, soft prayers were just barely audible in the crowds, and the whirs of helicopters either brought calmness or more anxiety- depending on the person. Despite the ruckus, the noises and the cries and the fires, the night sky was mostly clear and some stars could be seen over the light pollution from the city.

Faith Parker was alone, and sat on the trunk of her 99 Monte Carlo. Somehow, she was able to push away the distractions that the noises caused. For a few moments, Faith was able to ignore the car horns, the screams for lost loved ones, and she was able to focus on the stillness of the stars in the skies. She trusted that government was helping- that's why there were helicopters, from the military- sent by their government. Faith trusted that her God would keep these people safe, she hoped that was the case because she hadn't been in a church for quite some time.

She opened her eyes when another child scream, and she knew it was child by high shrill- she heard enough of them during her residency. Her heart broke, it shattered; the screams of children were part of the reason she quit her residency.

With a heavy sigh, Faith hopped off the trunk of her Monte Carlo and landed on her feet. She rounded the back of her car and opened the back seat door, she gripped the large book bag and slung it over her shoulder before closing the back door softly. Everything of importance, a old family photo, her identification and clothing, was inside that large bag. Faith left the keys inside the vehicle, maybe somebody needed it more than she did.

And she took off.

Faith didn't know if she was heading into Atlanta, or away from the city, but she didn't quite care. She had no idea in what was happening, but whatever was going on, Faith didn't want to be alone either. Maybe she was in search of companionship.

Her footfalls were quiet against the asphalt, unheard due to the wails. Faith passed many people, many families. Nobody said a word to the woman. Nobody cared about the woman. She was simply a stranger on the highway, another person who simply die due to her stupidness possibly. Faith simply minded her own business.

"Woah," the air had been knocked out of her lungs by surprise when a child ran into her legs. By instinct, her arm went to his back, to prevent the boy from falling. The child looked up at her, a guilty smile on his face. Faith only back down at him. "You're alright, don't worry about it."

"Carl," an older man shuffled towards the boy while a woman stayed at the car. Faith guessed they were the boy's parents.

"He's alright." Faith reassured the man as she motioned for the child to go back to his father. "Just playing around, being a boy." By now, she had noticed the uniform that the man was dressed in. "You're a sheriff?"

"I am," the man nodded. "Officer Walsh, with King County."

Faith shifted her weight, and stood on one hip. "You have any idea what's going on?"

Maybe it was a long shot, but it was something, and it was worth it to try.

a/n → here we go, let's do this!!