SURVIVE.
❝ Let the end of the world be
inside you, then you don't
need to fear the end
of the world out there. ❞
THE WALKING DEAD.
DARYL DIXON.
BOOK ONE of the LANCASTER SAGA.
[ SEASONS 1 - 3 ]
******
I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its...
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[ xlv. fractured memories ]
october 11th, 2010
➸➸➸
"SO, WHAT DO YOU think?" Dominic Lancaster asked of his younger sister, voice tired as he peered through a pair of small, battered binoculars.
Astrid Lancaster stood on the desolate street corner, her arms drawn tightly across her chest, her frame trembling from both the bitter cold and gnawing hunger that had become her unwelcome companions. It had been four uncomfortably long days since her last real meal, and her older brother was now determined to secure food even if it meant risking his own life and limb in the process.
Dominic and she had taken refuge on the fringes of Atlanta in his apartment for the past week, but now their meager supplies had dwindled to nothing, and desperation had driven them to this precipice of exploration. Dominic's familiarity with the city's streets was their only lifeline, and Astrid clung to it as if it were her last vestige of hope. But she still needed a little more to be convinced.
She extended her hand, demanding the binoculars, her eyes still locked on the tiny store down the block. She needed to see for herself.
"Here." Dominic reluctantly passed the binoculars to Astrid. He stepped back, concern rippling across his weathered features.
Astrid's breath hitched as she scanned the distant surroundings, searching for any lurking threats or signs of life. The eerily silent street, juxtaposed against the heart of the city, sent shivers down her spine, but she could not afford to let fear sway her judgment.
"I don't know," Astrid murmured, her voice barely above a whisper as uncertainty clouded her thoughts. "I didn't see anything . . . but I'm not sure how I feel about this. Just because there's nothing on the outside doesn't mean that there's nothing on the inside."
Dominic nodded in acknowledgment, his eyes never leaving the abandoned storefront. His gaze seemed to penetrate the walls and shadows, as if he could discern the hidden dangers that Astrid feared. "You've got a point," He admitted. "But I'm really hungry, Astrid."
"I know. Me too, Dom," Astrid replied genuinely. "I just don't want anyone to get hurt. We've been in your apartment for three weeks, and no one has come to help us."
Dominic's expression hardened as he met Astrid's gaze. His sense of duty to protect his little sister seemingly warred with the pressing urgency of their hunger. "Exactly," He prompted. "Which is why we have no choice but to help ourselves."
"There has to be a reason we haven't seen anyone," She attempted to protest.
"It's a good thing for us, all right?" He reminded her. "Right now, it is."
