The Undead

The Path Way Down.

The trip was not long, we carried out towards empty parking lots.  And surprisingly we didn't run into many zombified people. "Come on-" Rick hustled. Daryl was not far behind Erik, she'd occasionally turn her head to check if he wasn't talking about her.

"I saw a highway just up ahead, a lot of cars piled up along on it. Maybe we can find something." Glenn muttered running towards Rick, Rick just grunted. "Okay-Everyone stays together," Rick shouted turning his head towards me. I rolled my eyes. I jog up to Rick and keep nearby.

-20minutes later-

We ran towards the rusty metal cars up ahead. Sharp pains shooting up my back, I ignored it. Daryl kept a lookout with his crossbow and arrow, he chewed on a piece of wheat. Glenn looked for supplies occasionally I gained a look or two from him, he was always worrying. Rick also pondered around seeing if we could take anything for ourselves. I just looked around.

I saw old comic books which I stashed inside my bag for Phin to read. Can food which I graciously took, "Lookie Lookie." I showed Rick which he smiled. I moved next to a rusty broken down Jeep. Inside it we're people, bitten, bruised and ripped up. I expected no less.  I scanned the back of the Jeep. A bundle of light blankets, stuffed under the seat. A light pink flask which I took. "Sorry-" I whispered to the dead people. Married, I saw a band on a males finger and a wedding ring on the females.

"Walkers!" Daryl yelled. We scrammed into the trees once again. Hoping to not get caught anytime soon, and once again a sharp pain but this time in my hip. Once again I take no notice but attend to the situation at hand. " We'll head back to camp reassess," Rick concluded and everyone but Daryl nodded. We heard 'walkers' moan, horrifying and stumble about along the highway. We laid cautiously low staying still. Waiting out.

-30minutes passing by like Sonic speed.-

Theel 'walkers' horde was merely over as a few still lurked near pickups and wagons. "Pst." Daryl signaled me, he made all these hand signals which I clearly did not know. But some I knew from action movies growing up. I rolled my eyes tapping Rick on the shoulder I pointed to Daryl.

"Goddammit." Daryl sighed in frustration. " Everyone looked confused as Daryl started taking aims at the walkers from behind a Willow tree. One after another he took them all down, I flinched at the sound of each walker toppling over. Until it finally stopped. Glenn looked at me and then at Rick. "Lets move-Now!- get your stuff and let's move," Rick ordered which surprisingly I obeyed.

Erik slowly walks with the guys grunting occasionally at the surging pain in her hip. She promised she'd get looked on when they got back, "We'll stop at a pharmacy maybe they have some pain meds. It'll be a long shot but better to try." Rick suggested turning to face the oncoming road. Luckily within the first hour, we came across a very small township known as "Cattlesburg."    , passing one petrol station on the way in we bypass small pickup trucks and wagons rusted and broken, windows were smashed in and a bumper fell off we the passenger side caved in. "We best be careful, if it's not the walkers, it'll be the people." Everyone nodded expect Erik.

 Erik's POV

We slowly and cautiously walked further into the town, scanning the deserted like the place, like a predator, within reach, I spotted a pharmacy. "I'm going to head in there-" Pointing to the smashed to the white building. Rick tossed me a hunting dagger, "I'll go with her." Glenn volunteered willingly. There wasn't any need but at the end, Glenn was well respected and trusted, and loved by all, well the ones that didn't wanna kill the poor bastard. 

I turned and started walking to the white and yellow building with the words "Pharmacy." written boldly and capitalized each letter.  "So how you been doing." He asked trying to ease the awkward tension between us

"Great." Smiling sarcastically, "I mean the worlds shittier, not that it wasn't before."
I pushed through the doors and embraced by a mess. I expected none the less, "Considering-"
"Considering what?" "Well, we weren't all born with a specific purpose." "Well, you're still young-" "And that's it, as terrifying as it sounds we're all going to become 'walkers'." I walked around kicking boxes and picked up a few plastic bags and randomly tossed whatever was on the shelves into the bag. "That's morbid thinking," Glenn said picking up a box of bandages which he tossed towards the bag and got it in. "Bulls-eye!" Glenn said fisting up into the air. 
"Quietly honestly sometimes it's all I think about, especially at night. I'm almost 20." 

I walk up to the back of the counter rummaging through the back shelves. Picking up three pregnancy tests. "Whose is those for-oh-" Glenn said startling me from behind, "Shit Glenn don' do that- these are for no one." Great save!   I really didn't know what to say to get me out of this awkward situation.  Instead, I ignored and walked straight passed him. "Anyway, we should be going-shit, we have a situation" 

A horde of walkers was trying to get in from the outside, an entire horde was coming into town. "Fuck-fuck-fuck." I'd like to say I wasn't slightly not going to hyperventilate but that would not be true. Glenn pulled at my wrist dragging my weightless body to the back, but walkers were already at the back exit. "Fuck-" I heard him curse under his breath.  He then snatches a knife from my holster around my waist and slices my hand, blood gushing out. He lathers my face and my neck and shirt with blood. He does the same thing. And we let the herd in, "What the fuck-"

They passed us with our bags and equipment. "It works." Glenn praised himself. We saw the guys run down the street with now a duffle bag and AK-40 rifle. "Shit-" Daryl cursed, "You bleeding". Rick said looking at our hands and clothes. "Just a diversion, Glenn came up with."

1hour passed and we were leaving the town.

We walked about a mile up through the trees. The farm was blurry from the distance we were at. From there on out we sprinted in my defense it was a good idea at the time but to Glenn, his gaze at me was worry full.

"Don't worry about it," I said to him. He shook his head,

We made it

Hershel greeted us once again with open arms. But I grunted in pain as a small but painful hurt coursed from my spine. "Fuck." I grunted, "What is it?" Hershel looked at me full of concern. "Nothing, I'm fine." He didn't look convinced. A neither did Rick which honestly does not surprise me one bit.

But, they leave it to be.



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"Come on guys, now that Jazzmin is back on her feet. Don't expect us to keep staying here. " Caitlin argued with the group. "Well, then what's the plan. Enlighten me!" Phin responded, "We just leave, pack our things-" "We'll work for our keep." I butted in, "Pay our due, agreed." Stephanie justified folding her arms like an FBI man.

"Agreed."
"Fine."
"Urgh."
The rest of the group agreed in final testament Stephanie stepped out and spoke to Hershel. Which I tagged along with.

-------
Hershel was out in the fields walking towards a well just a 15minute walk out from the farm.

We sat awkwardly waiting for Hershel to speak, but let at least Stephannie started.

"Look we don't expect us to stay here for free."
"Glad we agree."
"Look, we'll pay our due. Hunt for supplies. Gather and assess, our team will supply respect."Stephanie stated, "Already Erik, here went out twice."
"Grateful, and with all due respect even though it's my home. You will pay, agree to terms on one condition."
I and Stephanie nodded heads.
"The walkers are mine."

And so we left it there.
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But little do we know what consequences of our actions lead us to that day. And we hope to find out never for what laid ahead was so miserable and saddening.