Broken Arrows (Daryl Dixon)

1.

Devore's POV~
Silence. The word that describes all I've heard in weeks since the incident that brought down the world. That doesn't include the sounds those things lurking outside make outside the door. I know they're out there, but they've changed. They aren't the people I once knew and loved. My parents. Friends. Neighbors. They're all gone, and it seems I'm the only one left. A fifteen year old girl like myself with the personality I once had wouldn't give up so easily, but all I feel is emptiness now. We didn't know it was coming, didn't have time to prepare and leave everything behind. I'm starting to run out of food now. Everything that was in the refrigerator and freezer is rotten as the power went out a long time ago. I've been living on what's left of the junk and canned food in the house. It's dark most of the time, but it only bothers me at night. I have nightmares of that day those people came into our neighborhood and everything turned for worse. I've had to cover most of the windows to keep those things from seeing me, but mainly so I don't have to see them. I left the top floor windows so I can keep an eye on things just in case. The things seem to follow noise and movement by the way they tend to stay toward the right side of the neighborhood. That's where the Johnsons' have their chicken coup. The only way those chickens have survived is because they locked it up tight in a big enclosure after they had problems with coyotes. They left quite a few big bags of chicken feed in the enclosure that the chickens have picked open to eat from. During the day I go around the house searching for things that will be useful like weapons and medical supplies to provide when I plan on leaving for somewhere safer. I have a small amount of medical supplies, but I have enough pills and liquid medicine to help if I get sick. I got the canisters of gas from the garage and placed them by the door and grabbed both sets of car keys. I have my driving permit so I can drive just fine. It'll be up to what car I decide to take when it comes time. My dad was a hunter and I was taking gun training before everything changed so we have a few weapons and enough ammo for awhile. In our safe we have four rifles, six hand guns, and ten knives of different varieties. I couldn't find the key for a couple days, but after awhile I found it hidden on a high up shelf near the safe. I've gathered warm clothes, a couple small blankets to use and lay on, and some hygiene products. I've sorted through the food that's left and set it out next to the other supplies so I can see how much is left. I'll have to find more when I leave. I found some old camping gear like a small tent, a couple huge boxes of matches, a few lighters, a small pan, a rain poncho, hand sanitizer, some paper plates and plastic spoons, and couple flashlights and a pack of batteries. I also grabbed a few important family photos, a calendar and watch to keep track of the days and time, a couple empty journals and pens to keep me busy. I'll probably have to minimize all the supplies because I won't be able to carry everything, but I'll worry about that later when the food is almost gone. I spend the rest of most of my days looking outside and writing in my journal. I write about what I do in a day, even though it's not much. I also write about how I'm feeling and how the world changes in that day. I write an entry a day and plan to keep it that way even after I move on so if there is anyone else in this world they can hear my story. I wrote about that first day everything went to shit. I don't revisit that page or the ones near it. I can't. It's too painful and I already have to deal with those memories at night. Right now it's about 7:45 PM and I'm sitting on the living room floor eating half of a can of corn and looking through old family albums trying to remember the good times. After about ten minutes I finish eating and put the albums away. I grab my journal and a pen off the coffee table and start to write.

Dear Survivor(s),                 August 19th

          Hey, it's Devore again. Today was pretty uneventful just like the days before. The things were fairly quiet today, only one seemed to notice my presence and was standing at the front door.  There seems to be the same amount of things walking around, maybe a couple more. Otherwise the neighborhood looks undisturbed. For breakfast I mixed some oatmeal with water and it was disgusting, but food is getting low so it'll have to do. I stared out the window for probably 3 hours and still no sign of anyone else around. I found another knife when I was searching the house so that makes a total of 11 now. I have all the supplies I've gathered lined up on the dining room table so it's ready. I feel like I am capable to make it past those things with only having to hide every once in awhile. It should be like a game for me. As a child I always won when we played hide and seek. As for the things, with every passing day that I catch a glimpse of one they seem to be changing a bit. They look more and more like something out of a horror movie everyday. For lunch I ate a little bit of stale chips I found hidden in the pantry and a piece of bread with a little bit of jam. I had a small glass of Gatorade with my meal too. After lunch I took about a two hour nap. I don't get much sleep at night, only three to four hours or so. That's why I get some more sleep during the daytime, when the nightmares don't haunt me as bad. When it's not dark like it was that night. I decided to read the book that was once my favorite after I woke up, just to bring my mind to a different place. I looked at the calendar again today and counted the days crossed out in green marker to confirm that what felt like years was only a few weeks. I noticed that my birthday is only 9 days away from today. I was super excited to turn 16. I was going to have a big birthday party and invite all my friends, I would be finally able to date, and best of all I would've been able to drive. Anywhere and everywhere. For dinner I ate half of a can of corn while looking through some photo albums. In conclusion for the day, nothing 'exciting' happened and the day was like most of the others. In ending this entry I only hope to find another person who is struggling like me so we can live till we die together. I would only like to have a friend in this lonely world.
                                        ~Devore Caverly

    By the time I get done writing its 8:27 PM and the sun is almost gone for the day. I look out at the darkening blue sky and the fading pink and orange streaks. I used to enjoy watching the sunset. The warm summer Georgia breeze across my skin and the peacefulness as the world seemed to settle down for the day. I grab the lantern from the window sill and close the curtains. Turning the lantern on, I place it on the coffee table. I had set up a bed the upstairs living room couch so I can keep an eye on things better. I feel like staying in my room might make it so I can't hear those things and I don't want to risk it. Every night I go and check that the sliding doors are in the locked position and that the front and garage door is locked too. I change into some sweat pants and brush my hair before sitting on the couch. I stare at the front door for a bit before turning off the lantern and laying down. I close my eyes knowing that I won't actually be able to fall asleep until about four or five in the morning. I pray that the nightmares won't be too bad tonight.