When The Dead Start Walking (The Walking Dead fan fiction)

Chapter 13- Stand Your Ground

Austin...where is he? It's been a while since I have seen him. Oh, right...he's...dead. Reality finally sinks into my mind as I open my eyes, viewing the dark store filled with tiered, sleeping people. The small light reflecting off the moon is the only source allowing me to see where I'm walking. I step over people, careful not to awake them as they huddle up with their family and friends. I head to the front of the store, my eyes carefully watching the dark figure standing outside of the building.

I open the door softly, careful not to make any noise. I faintly see the figure turn around and face me, standing as if they're rest to attack.

"Oh, Nicole. Sorry, I didn't see ya there.," Saywer's soft voice speaks, filling me with relief. He lets out a sigh, turning back around. I realize what he must be thinking about: Austin. I softly walk up next to him, placing my hand comfortingly on his right arm. I barely can see as he uncrosses his arms, looking over to me in the darkness of the night.

"I'm sorry...I miss him too.," I say as I unexpectedly pull him into a hug. He tenses up for a moment before he realizes what I'm doing. He returns the favor as he too embraces me, locking his arms tightly around my back. Without another word, we pull apart, gazing out in the distance in search of something we know we will never find--safety.

Sawyer and I watch as the sky barely gains light, telling us sunrise was approaching soon. Although the sun is out of sight, I feel relief, for we have survived yet another day.

"You getting hungry?," Sawyer asks, looking over to me with his eager blue eyes.

"You're always thinking about foo-" I am cut off by the screams of people inside of the small shop. "Aw, what now!," I groan as I bolt towards the entrance. The room is still barely lit, the night still clinging on to its last moments of life.

"A herd!," someone screams, pushing their way though the startled crowd of people. I look in shock as I see a group of rotting, flesh devouring walkers breaking in through the back of the store. The screams of the people seem to draw even more; walkers one by one begin to feed in through the front too. Rick and a few others are yelling out directions to evacuate as they kill the walking corpses.

The touch of a hand on my shoulder brings me back into reality as I ten around to see the half rotting away face attempting to steal my flesh for breakfast. I react quickly, kicking its legs so it can fall to the floor. Once it hits the ground, I stomp on its head, remembering the Governor kept most of our weapons.

I race for safety behind the front desk of the shop, using it as shelter from the dead. More light begins to fill the room, allowing me to see Glenn and Maggie clearing the way in the front so they can make an escape route for everyone.

"Crap!," I whisper angrily to myself as I see a walker limp towards me from the entrance of the counter I'm hiding in. I maneuver around it, heading for a hallway in the back of the store as several more have spotted me. Ryan and George stand in the hallway too, fighting off walkers. I gnash my teeth in frustration as I realize I am cornering myself.

"In here!," George yells, directing us into a room as fast as possible. I look around for the light switch as they barricade the door. Once I turn on the lights, I look around to see that we are stuck in a one-person bathroom with nowhere else to go but the load of walkers waiting to devour our flesh.

"Ah dang it!," Ryan yells as he locks the door. "This door isn't going to hold much longer!," he finishes as he continues to hold the door with his body, taking away any hope for survival I carry.

"It sounds like most of them know we are here.," George says solemnly, assisting Ryan with holding the door.

"Good, then they won't hurt my wife.," Ryan says, a sign of giving up breaking through his voice.