The Undead

Nightmare Shift

*Erika's POV*

I wasn't too fond of the dark and I felt like Rick and Hershel could see that, I kept close to Rick. We ended up camping out in the forest until we get to the city or find another gas station.

I closed my eyes lying on the floor my head down on my backpack. "Rick?" "Yeah?" "Do you think we'll be okay?" I turned onto my back looking up at the stars. "Yeah." He responded but he didn't sound too confident about it.

I closed my eyes and drifted asleep.
I know it's not ideal to be sleeping out in the open like this with demonic possessed creatures lurking about. That's why we have night shifts. First hour Rick, then Shane,  me and finally Hershel.

Nightmare begins**

I was lying  down on the  ground, I was trying to get up. But I felt paralyzed I could feel the roots of the tree from nearby slither around me tying me down, hostage.

A voice alerted me, it was Jazzmin, "Wake up, lil girl." Then Stephanie, "Mommy's calling your name." Caitiln, "Daddy's not coming back." And all at once they chanted, "Mommy's dying because of you, its all your fault." My mother stood by my cold feet, blood on her hands a gun shoot wound through the middle off eyes. " You did this. " She looked at me with eyes fill of death an anger. Phin came to stand next to her, his hands covered in blood. Jazzmin, Caitlin, Stephanie they all came into view. "You killed us all. Now you can join us, in death."

I wailed struggling to get free from this confindment. "Help!" I called screaming for Phins name. I cries, but I felt as through all the life in me was being sucked out. I couldn't scream  no more.

Then there was Rick standing next to me shaking me, calling my name.

End of Dream.***

I think its been an hour, I was harshly being shaken by Rick. "Erika." He yelled whispering. "Wake up, Erika!" I opened my eyes and quickly sat up beads of sweat running down my head. "What!" I asked Rick looking at him in the eye. Shane was sleeping 5ft away next to Hershel who was snoring. "You were tossing and turning. And then you started sobbing." I sigh, "Sorry." I admit to Rick. He sits next to me looking at me, "Bad dream?" I nod, "Wanna tell me about it?"

I explained the dream, as again I felt vulnerable to Rick. Halfway through occasional tears slipped out my eye.
"Whenever I had bad dreams, I'd tell Phin about them. He'd comfort me he'd stay awake with me until I'd fall asleep again. He'd help me cope and comfort me when I was having struggles." I sigh, now I can't and won't be able to sleep . "I can stay up with you well you watch your shift?" Rick suggests. "No, its okay you sleep. " He tries to deny my idea by opening his mouth but the quickly shuts it.

He goes to an empty sleeping spot where his gear is and lies down to sleep. I warm up my hands by rubbing the together an putting my knees up to my chest. To past the time I walk over to a tree which is only 10steps away. Looking out in the distance I see mountains and trees, the stars and moon are really beautiful at night. I sing to myself,

"Mr.Sandman give me a drink, make him the cutest that I've ever seen, give him to lips like roses and clovers. And tell him that his lonesome nights are over. Sandman- I'm so alone, don't have nobody to call my own. Please turn on your magic beam, Mr.Sandman give me a drink-" I hummed the rest on repeat.

And in that time of sitting, singing and waiting to fell tired once again it takes me 3hours then to wake Shane whose shift I've taken over with.

He  wakes up stunned to find me awake. "Did you take my shift?" He asks me. I nod, " I couldn't sleep so I took you shift to bypass my time instead of making you get up. Rick was awake when I was so he didn't bother to wake you." Shane nodded, "Thanks I guess." I sigh, "Its fine, although I don't think I can sleep again. So I'll sit with you. Until whenever or whatever next happens?" He nods and sits to his duty.

We sat in silence, long awkward silence for the first half hour. Until I broke the silence by humming once again. A song which reminds me of home a tradional Maori, New Zealand song 'Iwha ipo'.

" what's that song?" Shane questions me, "Oh, uhm it's a song I use to sing growing up. " I sung abit louder and sat next to Shane, "I hope this is alright". He nods as I continue to sing.

Hershel wakes up. Shane's goes to sleep once again, he thanked me for singing and being up with him and hoped I'd be well. I was feeling it droopy and so I laid back down to close my eyes.

"Sorry Hershel. " I mumbled, he sighs with confusion and I fall asleep once again with no nightmares.