𝙨𝙤𝙛𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙨 ♔ 𝙙.𝙙𝙞𝙭𝙤𝙣

3

        THE GROUND BENEATH HER converse crunches as she makes her way through the woods with only a knife to protect her. Having already set up a few traps for some animals, she doesn't feel the need to go killing some herself. Crouching down in front of one of her makeshift traps, a small whoop of victory sounds from her mouth as she sees a rabbit caught between the rope.

Reaching out and untangling the dead rabbit from the rabbit, leaves crunch behind her and she jumps to her feet, her eyes wide. The rabbit drops down to the ground and Aria takes a step back as a walker stumbles towards her, its sight dead set on the female. Grabbing her knife with trembling hands, she keeps her eyes on the corpse, fear and adrenaline pumping through her.

As the walker gets closer, Aria's breathing begins to quicken and she feels her body getting hot. You can do this, Aria. She thinks to herself. By distracting herself, the walker grabs ahold of her wrist and she lets out a fearful yelp as she struggles to get away from the corpse. Letting out a few whimpers, she begins to thrash around in its hold. Stepping back, she feels herself beginning to fall backwards with the walker falling on top of her. A scream escapes her mouth as the walker snaps it's jaws at her.

Using her legs, she pushes upward, throwing the walker off of her. Raising to her feet, she quickly grabs the rabbit before darting away from the walker and back towards the camp.

Little did she know when she screamed, she attracted more walkers.

♚ ♛

Wiping her hands on her jeans, she stares into the bright flames of the fire, the heat of the flames warming her up. Amy leans onto the younger twin, wrapping her arms around her.

"I've got to ask you, man. It's been driving me crazy." Morales speaks up and Aria looks away from the flames, her eyes darting to where Morales is looking.

"That watch. I see you everyday, the same time, winding that thing, like a village priest saying mass." Aria chuckles, wondering the same thing.

"There's you every day winding that stupid watch." Aria lays her head on her sisters shoulder, listening closely to the conversation.

"Time — it's important to keep track, isn't it? The days at least. Don't you think, Andrea? Back me up here." Dale replies, looking over to the trio of sisters.

"I like — i like what, um, a father said to son when he gave him a watch that had been handed down through generations. He said, 'I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire, which will fit your individual needs no better than it did mine or my father's before me; I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you may forget it for a moment. Now and then and not spend all of your breath trying to conquer it.'" Goosebumps race up Aria's arm and a shiver runs down her spine as she completely understands what Dale is talking about.

Raising her eyes to meet Andrea's and Amy's, she sends them both a huge smile. "I love you both." She whispers and Andrea reaches over, joining the hug. As Andrea pulls back, Amy looks over at Dale, shaking her head.

"You are so weird." She says and Aria laughs along with the others, finally feeling normal again.

"It's not me, it's Faulkner. William Faulkner. Maybe my bad paraphrasing." Dale chuckles, a bright smile on his face.

As Amy unwraps her arms around Aria, Aria leans off of her so she can stand. "Where are you going?" Andrea asks her, her eyebrows furrowing.

"I have to pee. Geez, you try to be discreet around here." Aria laughs lowly at her two sisters, looking back at the fire.

After the world had ended, Aria figured she would never have a time of peace or have a time where she would feel like it was the old times, but she was wrong. With the right people, anything can happen. Spending time around here with her sisters and a newfound family put her at peace, despite the problems in the world. But maybe, she spoke to soon.

A scream snaps her out of her thoughts and she looks up, fear covering her face as she watches blood gush out of her sister's, Amy's, arm. Jumping to her feet, she lets out a cry as she watches walkers fill in the camp. Pulling her knife out of its holster, she clutches it tightly in her hand, tears filling her eyes. Stumbling backwards, she raises a hand to her mouth to prevent her from screaming out as a familiar walker takes a chunk out of Amy's neck.

Andrea pulls Aria's hand down and begins to pull her over to her sister, the two females trembling. Falling to their knees next to Amy, Aria pulls her hand out of Andrea's and grabs ahold of her twins, tears falling down her cheeks. "A-Amy?" Aria whimpers, looking into her blue eyes which match hers.

"Help me." Amy croaks out, blood pouring out of the side of her neck.

"Don't leave me." Aria cries out, watching as the life in her eyes begin to fade.

The grip on her hand falls limp and her throat tightens up as she feels a part of her leave her. Moving away from her older sobbing sister, she presses her back up against the tire of the RV, staring at the destroyed camp. It's her fault and she knows it.