The Undead

Loss Of Innocents

She felt fury fuel her ever waking moment numbing her to the core where sentimentality was rarely and ever so slightly seen it scared not only her friends but Rick.

Unexpected, is what it was. Erik was always so delicate and seemingly some what innocent dealing with the darkest mindset that haunted her , never known to be shown around anyone but Stephanie and Phin.

So when she looked around peering out into the open air night with pale skin and wrecked emotionless, eyes stained darkly haunting it caught everyone attention, especially Daryl.

It was a sickly sweet feeling, there was nothing to help Phin in his state. We were running out of supplies and they'd know we had to go on another run. Overhearing the males husky and quite demands Glenn adjusted himself stating the literal obvious, "We are going out more and more these days. I'm not sure if we can keep up. Look what happened last time-" His point was cut off by a demeanor change in Rick which was subtle but his angry restricting, " I know, trust me."

She needed out, get out of the white picketed farm house that isolated her most of all and it was only a matter of time till hordes bound themselves sickly to the front door step in hunger. Her eyes lit up with motives, hungry with curiosity seeping through her veins she staggered over towards the two men debating what to do about the inventory situation.

"May I be of service to you?" Her voice was bittersweet and it made Glenn flinch for an unknown reason. Rick nodded open for any sort of idea that prodded along. " Voluntarily I am in. I need out, and in any needed cases to hit something.  " Both mouth gaped unsure of what to say at the lady's words, stated and clearly all to serious by her demeanor and eyes narrowing her knitted brows.

"I don't think you're in much of the correct mindset to be placing yourself at the sign of danger." Daryl strode in abruptly and stopped to where she stood a few feet away. Arms crossed.

"I really don't give a flying fuck about what you think, Daryl-" She snapped like someone had stepped on a twig on the forest floor and attracted something deadly.

"Quiet honestly you need me. And it would be a mistake not taking me, don't mistake my height I am quiet capable and resourceful. But then I don't need to explain myself to any of you. So why should I now? Look, you don't have a choice I am going whether you want me to or not." Erik for once left them rendering speechless but yet not surprised by the sudden outburst, it was bound to happen.

"That girl is breaking the rules and I quietly growing fond of her, better keep a tighter leash on her, I might snatch her up for my own one day." Daryl smirked and stated to Rick and Glenn. Both Rick and Glenn rolled their eyes and heard as Erik closed the front door shut.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

"You don't have to deal with it alone you know? Keep that crap bottled up your goig to break ,you know?" A sense of familiarity alarmed Erik , a warm sense of acknowledgement and sensitivity lurked and withered into her mind. As Shane Walsh stepped into the moonlight just under a willow tree in which Erik sat on uneven twisted roots.

"One day, Walsh. You'll get it. " Dumbfounded his eyes held a confused gaze but they peeled off of Erik, gazing into the night like a owl.

"Rick told me-" His voice turning into a whisper barely audible but she still made it out.
"News runs faster than you can gossip around here, why ain't I even surprised though." Erik sharply inhaled, prepared to take account of the protests he was bound to pour on her.
"I don't want you to go. We all know you're your not clear in the head and damaged goods doesn't make any use of a good time, Erik. But I am not going to stop you, you do what you got to do." Erik nodded pleased about the males words.

"I don't think you guys will fully ever comprehend this world. Not for what it is, I think it is so much more. And to even fucking wake up to this bullshit not knowing if your going to live through the day is a hard concept to grasp, until now. It's a dog eat dog world beyond these fences. We ain't innocent, not anymore. " Erik declared shaking her head. Well Shane listen to the words of the young lady that withheld deep downgraded emotions, Shane was still trying to recover from his once newborn child.

"It to me long enough to realize how fuck up life can get now. No more fucking about, I need to step up. And situate myself. Admit that this is not is going to be over until someone kills us all one by one or miraculously finds a fucking cure. And I'm not going to die-" Shane was not fully listening and alarmed by this sudden word of death on row. "- not trying. I'd rather fucking try to find some sort of way of long lasting survival Shane. And if that means risking my life. I'd take that bullet or that bite." Her words were sharp and stern, cold like brass and some words stung his ears.

But she was right they needed a safe haven. This was not their haven but a obstacle, temporarily useful.

Shane tossed her a whiskey bottle no doubt it was stored for a more than a few years. She accepted it gratefully, opening it and taking only a mouthful. "First time for everything, right." She laughed. "First ever drink?" Erik nodded to his question, "Steph is probably going to kill me when she finds out that I drunk without her ." Erik stated smiling down at the ground.

Shane gulped down a mouthful before passing it to Erik where she took a couple of swigs. It actually tasted bittersweet but good, she wasn't even hesitant on the first sip.

_-_-_-_
Some drunken confessions and an empty bottle later Erik felt as though some of the edge seeped away from her.
Erik knew she still stood by what she said as did Shane. Shane's lingered along with his undying love he hid from Erik.

"Are seriously drunk!" A pounding voice alarmed the two as they turned their heads to see a tall figure walking in long strides to them. "Come on, give us a break. We bent on breaking our backs for plans that aren't lasting us a fucking week, man." The voice was quiet after that as it seemed to belong to none other than Stephanie accompanied with Glenn. "You even drunk without me." Stephanie gasped at the empty whiskey bottle but quickly retracted her reaction.

Glenn snatched Shane's drunken body and pushed him away to be alone no doubt to scowl him for being irresponsible.

"Your letting her drink?! You must be stupid in the head." He whispered in a demanding and angry voice it caught Shane's attention. "She's not mentally stable, you idiot!"

"Don't you think I don't know that!" Shane pouted, "Miscarriages to almost dying and from that to almost losing the person she cares the most about." Both of them stood in defeating silence but Glenn opened his mouth to close it again. "Your intentions weren't all there, Shane. " Glenn was usually intimidated by Shane by his masculinity , broadness and sense of logical claims but seeing him drunken in logic eased Glenn from his uneasy demeanor.

Although it pitied them to see her like this and it was not for vanity. But for justification and solitude, shed put her life at risk for those shed loved.