━ CHAPTER THREE,
30 days without an accident?

"WHERES RICK?" GLENN ASKED.

As the little boy with a sheriff hat on his head led Glenn and Daryl to the apparent leader, Rick Grimes. The woman with the buzzed hair named Carol had led the family newcomers to the picnic table to make them some food, saying it's the least she could do.

Cassandra looked out into the distance, mostly to the large land as she pets Birdie's head. She zoned out as her father talked to her mom about how they felt about this place, these people.

Carol gently pressed her hand on the teenager's shoulders and even with that small action, Cass flinched. When she noticed it was just the older lady, she let out a small sigh of relief. "Sorry, I'm just a little jumpy." Cassandra apologized. Carol smiled, "It's okay, I understand." The woman handed Cassandra her food and she took it with a thank you.

Carol noticed the dog once again, "What's her name?" "Birdie." Carol leaned down to Birdie's level before looking up at the girl for permission, she nodded.

As she pet the German Shepard, her smile began to falter before stopping her movements and taking a glance at Cassandra. "We could really use these types of pets around here. It could uplift everyone's spirits." Carol politely smiled and stood up.

"I'll go see if I can find her anything to eat." She offered. "Thank you, Carol." Once she walked off, she ate her food.

Not so long afterwards, Glenn and a few other people she hadn't recognized yet. One blonde girl who resembled Carol and an old guy, but she believed one of them was the leader from him sitting down at the picnic table, crossing his hands in front of him. "I was told that you," He pointed at the youngest girl, "that you found them and were alone." Cassandra was struck for a moment, caught under his stare. She nodded.

"I mean, I was just away from my family. Not alone." She explained. "But you've gone on runs by yourself?" He asked and she nodded again, confirming his assumption.

He turned and looked at Glenn standing behind him, leaning on a pole and arms crossed. She didn't understand the look between them but either way, Glenn nodded. Seemed to be enough for the Grimes from the way he shrugged, turning back to the new family. "There will be jobs for each of you." He warned.

The family beamed at the words; not the whole job part but just the confirmation that they're staying. Roman acknowledged, grabbing his wife's hand under the table and giving it a small squeeze.

Cassandra's mouth curved into a smile as she spoke, "Can my dog stay?" Rick looked around, titling his head with a grin on his face, "I mean, we have the room." The blonde smiled big, giving him a nod as a thank you.

Apollo who sat next to his friend, wrapped his arm around her shoulder and shook her a bit with a chuckle. The Hastings parents laughed at their daughters' antics while Drew just shook his head in disbelief, giving Birdie a pat on the head.

Cassandra couldn't wipe the smile off her face, she took a look around at her family before seeing someone come walking by behind her brother. Her smile slowly faded, looking him up and down and when she glimpsed back up at his face, he had already seen her. They held eye contact, Is he looking at me? She thought before her mom had gotten her attention, breaking that eye contact before she could catch it again as the boy started to walk off.

If you had asked him before if he ever had a crush on someone— I mean, he was seventeen, why wouldn't he have? But he hasn't until he saw that girl. Who has a dog? Well, she did, and Theo thought she was beautiful. He knew that he just went from bored doe eyes to lovey dovely eyes or whatever Beth calls them.

What the newcomers didn't see was when Rick walked away, he was momentarily stopped by Hershel. "Are you sure this is a good idea? Letting in strangers?"

Rick gave him a look, stepping closer to him, "We're going to need them if we find the Governor. That girl— she's gonna be good for this place."

He didn't let Hershel respond before walking back inside the prison to check on his kids.

CASSANDRA WALKED WITH her dog beside her, Birdie had run ahead to go jump on Daryl. Bob was also walking beside the girl with his usual bright smile he wears. They approach the group that was on their way out to do a run.

Bob had come up to Cassandra, wondering if she wanted to go with him and she said yes. She's been meaning to ask to do more around here, she has too much free time. Even with being here for three weeks now.

They made their way towards the car, Sasha who was about to jump into the front seat of the car. "Hey. I'd like to start pulling my weight around here." Bob said. "And I would like to come." She chimed in.

"Bob, it's only been a week." Sasha voiced. "That's a week worth of meals, roof over my head. Let me earn my keep." Sasha looks at the man, sighing and stepping a bit away from the car.

"You were out on your own when Daryl found you." Bob agrees, "I just want to make sure you know how to play on a team." Cassandra sees her dog running back to her when Daryl comes walking over, "We ain't gonna do it unless it's easy."

"You know he was a medic in the army." Glenn helps out. Bob looks at Sasha with raised eyebrows and a look that says "See."

As Bob and Sasha have their stare down moment, Cassandra just smiles to herself. "You a hell of a tough sell. You know that?"

When Sasha says yes and Bob begins to make his way into one of the cars, Sasha looks back at Cassandra not forgetting what she asked for. "You wanna come?" The girl beamed. She motioned for the girl to jump in.

Cassandra leaded Birdie to the back of the truck and when she sat willingly, Cass gave her a pat on the head before jumping into the car with the others.

DREW HASTINGS FOLLOWED the noise of the loud walkers outside the gates and when he saw some kids a few feet away from them, he did not expect them to be waving and sounds of cheer. He walked down, meeting up beside Carl and Patrick when he started speaking.

"You're naming them?" The four kids turned around, alerted by two others and the walking over older teenager. "Well, one of them has a name tag, so we thought all of them should." Mica spoke.

"They had names when they were alive. They're dead now." Carl defended. Lizzie disagreed, "No, they're not. They're just different."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Carl's voice rose higher, and Drew put a hand on his chest, telling him to cool it. Carl looked at the older boy and sighed. His next few words were quieter, "Okay, they don't talk. They don't think. They eat people," Cannibals, Drew thought with a sour face on, "They kill people."

"People kill people. They still have names."

"Have you seen what happens? Have you seen someone die like that?" Carl asked the girl with such high views on this new world. "Yeah, I have."

Carl sighed, "They're not people and they're not pets. Don't name them." Lizzie looked up at Drew, wondering if he had anything to say and he just shook his head. "We're supposed to go read. Come on." The kids followed the blonde, but Mica stayed back, speaking to Patrick.

"You coming to story time tonight?" Drew smiled at the thought of Patrick going to Carols famous story time readings. "Uh," Patrick looked at his two cool friends, "Yeah." Mica smiled big and ran off with polite.

Patrick looked at Carl who gave him a confused look before a somewhat teasing smile, "I go sometimes. I'm immature." He defended. "You wouldn't dig it, it's for kids."

Drew put a hand on the young man's shoulders, "It's not immature to like a lady reading to you. It's okay." Patrick sighed; his mouth curved into a grin as Carl looked like he was about to laugh. Drew took that as a win.

Patrick changed the subject, "I'm going to head up there." He looked up from the field and back at the two. "Catch you later young sir and Drew sir." He waved bye.

"You know it wouldn't hurt for you to go." Drew said to the young sheriff. "Nah, it's for kids." Carl shook his head. "You're still a kid, C. Go have fun." He motioned towards the direction of Patrick walking up and away.

When Carl shook his head again, looking at his soccer ball in hand. Drew got an idea, "Alright then I'll just have to beat you at soccer." He called, stealing the ball from his hands and kicking into the air. He ran after the ball and not so far behind was a cheered-up Carl Grimes.

THE GROUP ALL jumped out of the cars when we arrived, Cass grabbed her Shepard out of the truck and stood next to Glenn with only her knife in pocket and gun in hand as Daryl had talked to Bob. "So, they all just left?" Bob questioned.

"Give a listen." Music played in the back, loud but still faint. "You drew 'em out." Michonne stated. "Put a boom box out there three days ago." "Hooked it up to two car batteries."

"Cool." Cassandra said, dragging out the O's. Zack gave her a weird look, shaking his head amused.

"Alright, let's make a sweep. Make sure it's safe, grab what ya can. We'll come back tomorrow with more people." Daryl advised.

We all snuck inside the gates, Cassandra only found empty tents and a bad smell. She followed the others, heading to the abandoned store. Daryl banged his elbow on the glass window, "Just give it a second." Cassandra sniffled a laugh, standing next to Michonne and looked up at the tall store.

"Okay, I think I got it." Zack spoke. "Got what?"

"Oh," he stands straight, "I've been trying to guess what Daryl did before the turn." He sits down next to Daryl against the window.

"He's been trying to guess for six weeks."

"Wow." Cassandra mumbled under her breath. "Yeah, well, I'm pacing myself." He cleared, having heard the girl and Daryl's statement. "One shot a day."

"All right, shoot." Daryl made a finger gun and looked at the boy, waiting.

The boy took a deep breath, "Well, the way you are at the prison, you being on the council, you're able to track, you're helping people, but you're still being kind of. . ." He took a pause to think of a word, "Alone?" Cassandra blurted. Daryl looked at her with an amused look but a hint of playful betrayal. Zack raised his finger and motioned it back and forth as a no.

"Surly." Michonne seemed intrigued. "Big swing here. Homicide cop." By time he said his guess, Michonne laughed. Almost fully leaning over to the brick wall she was already leaning on that it made Cassandra chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. It makes perfect sense."

"Actually, the man's right. Undercover." Daryl admitted. Zack looked shock that he looked at the two girls faces, making sure they weren't in on this prank. "Come on, really?" "Yep. I don't like to talk about it 'cause it a lot of heavy shit, ya know?" Zack gapped with joy.

"Dude. Come on, really?" Daryl looked at the kid with a look, clearing his throat and Zack looked up at the sky, "Okay, I'll just keep guessing, I guess."

"Yeah, you keep doing that." Daryl joked as two walkers come up behind them, banging on the window. Daryl stood up, they walked to the front door. "We're gonna do this, detective?" "Let's do it!" Zack follows behind Cassandra and the Shepard.

"All right, we go in, stay in formation for the sweep. After that, you all know what you're supposed to look for. Any questions?" Sasha takes leader. Cassandra followed after Glenn and Birdie stayed near as they did the sweep. But then, the girl and her dog went on their own.

Cassandra pushed the cart, looking at the food aisle. She grabbed a few things before she kept walking, passing a pet aisle. Birdie glowed at the sight of all these new toys, running straight to a red and orange crab. The Shepard squeaked it a few times before deciding this is the one. Birdie handed it to Cassandra to put in the cart and so did she, with other toys and dog food as well.

As they walked, Cassandra saw a small puddle of water on the floor. Furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, she looked up at the ceiling, seeing a leak coming through before a crash from the other side of the store. Birdie barked and ran towards the crash, Cass met with them not long after as trying to lift up the shelf to get Bob out.

"What happened?" Glenn shouted from the other side of the store. "Everyone's all right. We're over in wine and beer." Zack called out in response. The four successfully pick up the second shelf behind up and was getting ready to pick up the next which was piled on Bob.

"I was moving fast, man. I drove right into the drinks." "Man, you lucked out. If this thing had come down on you the wrong way" Tyreese said.

Suddenly, a walker comes through the roof but lucky, tied up in the roof wires and everyone was taken back. "Could only be one, right?" She questioned; her voice laced with uncertainty rather than confidence.

Then, more and more came down. Birdie barked but nothingness, ran from the walkers trying to eat them. Two were coming for Glenn. Cassandra raised her gun and shot the one in the head coming up at his leg. He nodded at the girl, silently giving thanks before reaching for this own gun and banging it into the walker's skull.

Cassandra wanted to go back to Bob but got caught in between a few of them. She shot them all down besides the one that was stuck to crawling on the floor, making a disgusted face as she lifted her foot up and stomped on it. "Come on!" Cassandra called out to Birdie.

Zack and Cassandra pulled the shelf high enough for Daryl to get Bob out of under. "Come on, time to go." They ran for the front door to get out of the store.

Zack was following along before he started screaming. Everyone turned and saw that he had gotten stuck in hold by his foot before the walker had bit him. He doubled over, walker climbing up and taking another bite out of his face. "Zack!"

Birdie barked, knowing that whatever was up on that roof was about to come down and lead them all to their death. "Go! Go!" Daryl motioned and they all continued running out the door, right in time as the roof fell apart.

THE WHOLE RIDE back was silent. Cass sat in the back of the truck with her dog, she wanted to be alone instead of the car between Glenn and Tyreese. It was already nighttime, so she made sure to help unload before she headed inside the prison. Birdie had followed Daryl to Beth's room so that left Cassandra to walk alone.

Her demeanor was down and when she walked inside her room, Apollo knew that. He would always wait for her when she was out on runs, he just wanted to make sure she was okay after going out there.

He looked up from his lap, anxiously shifting weight side to side and saw her. She leaned against the doorframe, too tired to even stand. "Hi" He whispered. Cassandra forced a smile. She missed him, she did and she loved going out there; but times like this, she never wished she had. Cassandra was just glad she had Apollo to be there for her afterwards.

She kept forcing a smile before the images of Zack falling over in pain and screaming reached back into her mind, her smile fell and into a pout while the tears came in. Apollo stood up from the bed, walking over to Cassandra and opening up his arms for her. She leaned into them.

Sometimes that's all you need.

( word count, 2811 )

authors note.
we've finally met the group!!
and then finished the first episode
of season 4.
it's only going to get more
exciting from here!

thank u for reading <3