Ballad of The Dead (TWD)

I

A low melody can be heard throughout the woods.

A girl, humming.

It was a simple melody that could get stuck in your head for ages. For some, this symphony is pleasant, and for others, displeasing.

Though the girl did not quite care for the complaints of others, she would cease her medley if told to do so.

And she was.

"Knock that off right now, Ada." The girl's father said in a surly tone. The look on his face was scary. She only dreamed of disobeying him.

She quickly stopped her humming, and the woods were once again silent. The only sound heard was the crackling fire that burned brightly.

She couldn't stand the silence. It hurt her. She needed something to keep her mind busy.

She sat on the cold, hard ground next to her big brother. Her head rested on his shoulder and his head on hers.

Her brother always wished to bite back at his father, but his rampages were not pretty, and their mother would most likely take the worst of it. Like she always did.

Her mother prepared their food close to the fire. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep them on their feet.

Ada was grateful for her mother. She admired her more than anyone.

Looking up from the other side of the fire, her mother smiled lovingly at Ada as if apologizing for her father's words. That one smile instantly calmed the girl's nerves, and she smiled back at her loving mother.

Next to her brother sat his twin sister, Jane.

Jane didn't add anything to the conversation, but like her brother, she always wanted to say something, to argue with him and give him the same treatment he gave them. Alas, Jane lacked the confidence and bravery it would take to confront her father. But fear came in abundance.

The family slept in the woods that night, protected by the moonlight, warmed by the fire, and most importantly, in each other's company.

It wasn't easy, but they did it together.

_____

1 year later.

Screams.

Gunshots.

Fire.

Ada slept peacefully in her cabin, sleeping close to her sister, when they were woken by shrieking. The smell of smoke rose to their noses as it crept beneath the cracks of the door.

She and the rest of her family jumped from their beds, rubbing their sleepy eyes and fumbling for their weapons.

Together, they ran outside to see the cause of the screaming, and they were met with a blazing fire and the shadows of the dead walking through it.

These things happened in the blink of an eye. The camp that they had built was under attack by the dead.

Her father ran forward, lifting his gun to shoot them.

Her brother and sister went after him, wielding their weapons, ready to defend themselves.

Her mother grabbed Ada's arm and knelt in front of her. "Ada, baby," She began, "I need you to go inside, pack your bags, food, water, clothes, all of it, okay? Okay, Ada?" Her mother cried.

Ada nodded quickly, tears falling from her eyes. Her mother stood up and pushed her child away into the cabin. "We'll meet you back here, okay? Don't go anywhere, my love." And she ran swiftly towards the roaring flames.

Ada turned quickly back into the cabin, slamming the door shut and locking it. She ran to her bed and grabbed her backpack, shoving her belongings into it. Then, she packed bags for her siblings and her mother. They were going to need their stuff when they got back, right?

As she finished her siblings' bags, someone started to bang on the cabin door.

"Ada!" She recognized the voice as her brother and quickly ran to open the door. Scott busted through the door as soon as she unlocked it, almost sending Ada to the ground. He immediately went to grab his bag and the rest of their supplies.

"Scott! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Ada almost couldn't breathe due to the anxiety.

"I'm fine, I'm okay. But this place isn't, okay? We need to get out of here." He informed her.

"What about mom? And Jane?" Ada cried. "We can't leave them, Scott, we just can't!" She sobbed.

"Hey, hey, no, it's okay." He knelt to her and wiped her tears, speaking calmly. "They'll meet up with us later at that old gas station, you know the one from last month?" He attempted to calm her down, wanting to cease her panicking.

Ada nodded, sniffling. "Are you sure?" She asked warily.

Scott smiled at her through teary eyes. "Yes, that's what'll happen. But we have to leave now, okay?" He stood up and walked to the door. He held his gun up cautiously as he opened the door.

Ada stood behind him, waiting for his next move. In front of them, the flames still burned, though most of the gunshots and screaming had stopped minutes before.

They thought the coast was clear when they began their descent through their now perished camp when a group of the dead walked towards them.

Scott began to kill them, but just steps behind him, Ada hadn't even noticed. She was too focused on the bloody sights in front of her.

Right in front of her eyes, people were killed and ripped apart by the monstrous creatures.

One of them stumbled slowly towards her, snarling and reaching out.

And Ada stood, frozen in fear. All she could do was stare at her impending death.

Moments before it grabbed her arm, its head was blown off from behind. When the body fell, her brother stood behind it, covered in blood, much like Ada was now.

It was the first time she had seen her brother in the light. Through the light of the fire, she saw his face, his clothes, and his arms were coated in a layer of blood.

He ran towards her and grabbed her arm. "We need to run, now Ada. Please don't panic on me now." He pleaded with her to get her to run.

She snapped out of her trance and tried not to focus on the blood that dripped down her face from the walker.

She ran with her brother into the woods, leaving their camp behind.

She only hoped her mother and Jane made it out alive.