Genesis (The Walking Dead Fanfic)

Chapter 1

In the middle of the forest, surrounded by the neverending darkness of the night, she ran.

She moved her legs like she never had before, and even though she was used to hating pain, she felt her eyes slowly watering in happiness as she welcomed that kind of ache. Her skeletal limbs worked like never before, carrying her as far as they could. But even though the young woman embraced the sensation, her limbs failed her, making her fall onto the ground.

Wet, humid soil covered by dark and dry foliage, which dirtied her clothing and skin. The sweat and blood that covered her body mixed with the many aromas of the forest, creating a raw and wild scent. A high-pitched whimper coming from the little mutt she carried in her arms made her look at it to check if it was fine or hurt from the fall. She allowed herself to relax for an instant when she found no wounds on his dark fur.

She knew it would be of no use to try to get up. Her body wouldn't be strong enough to keep the rhythm, not after barely moving all that time.

So she crawled.

Using all the strength she had—which wasn't much—and her free arm, she slithered across the fallen leaves, the trees' roots, the sharp rocks. She breathed in and swallowed the dust. When her belly slowly began to get cut by the unforgiving woods and her nails cracked against the harsh surface, no sound escaped her lips. She continued to snake around until her whole body was covered in dirt and moisture, tainting skin.

Her arms were no different from her legs—thin, untrained, frail—and the time came when the girl couldn't move anymore. She rolled onto her back so she could stare into the wide night sky, touching and grabbing and feeling the nature that surrounded her with her hand.

She could hear them. The groans, the uneven steps. The dead were getting closer. She knew she had to keep running, even if she couldn't comprehend what was happening.

And yet, as she looked up upon the full moon while her back slowly soaked and her fingers become stiff from coldness, she knew she had never felt so alive.

She cried, but not because her whole existence had changed in a matter of hours. Not because of the horrors she just witnessed and committed. Tears covered her face because she had finally found her purpose. The reason to keep on living.

Freedom.

She was small. She was fragile. She was weak.

But she was free. And that was enough.

For in that freedom, she would find strength.

Regina and Gavin shared a look of disbelief at the words of the Savior, who now stood in front of the Savior's leading council. They were clearly having a hard time believing what he was saying, a feeling that was shared by Simon, who arched a brow and scoffed. Dwight, the last of the chosen lieutenants, simply stared at the Savior's leaders, awaiting orders.

"So lemme get this fucking straight." said Negan while rubbing his chin, sending a shiver through the man's spine. "You're saying that you didn't only lose the fucking truck and the cargo, but you also claim y'all were taken down by just one guy?"

"I've never seen anything like that before. It was like a ninja—a fucking ghost.." he tried to explain himself. "Punctured one of the wheels and came out of the woods using smoke and shit like that. We were taken by surprise. Had a dog too. It was fucking gigantic."

"U-huh. But you were seven. Seven guys armed to the brink against one. Oh, and a dog—let's not forget about the damn dog." Simon interrupted him, clearly not satisfied with his answer. "And to top it all up, three of those men were sent to the infirmary and aren't waking up. Care to elaborate?."