CHAPTER ONE

          IN A WORLD SO BROKEN AS THIS ONE, IT WASN'T EASY TO FIND THAT GLIMMER OF HOPE EVERYONE SO DESPERATELY SEEKED. No matter how hard they tried, a new horror would form as soon as the first one had been destroyed and on it went. On and on, death and decay followed like a cancer that spread through veins with a ferocity.

It would have taken Vienna too, had she not been found and taken to the settlement she currently resided in. It had been the only light she had come to known since the outbreak had happened and one she clung to with both hands in a desperate attempt to feel some normalcy.

The brunette had been on the brink of death when she felt someone shake her shoulders, dark eyes hovering above her as she managed to open her own, furrowing them to shield herself from the sunlight. Vienna recalled getting pulled a top a horse and the rest is quite hazy, but then she woke up in a bed all bandaged up. 

It had taken her a long time to warm up to her rescuers, no matter how grateful she had been.

"What's on your mind, kiddo?" Vienna heaved a sigh, hand tightly on the reins as she urged her horse, Buck, to fall into step besides him as they headed back toward Jackson from a five day patrol through Wyoming. "You've been awfully quiet the last couple' hours."

"I'm actually forty-two, you know." she smiled toward Eugene Linden.

"You'll always be a kid in my eyes." he said, offering her a comforting smile. One only reserved for her and she knew this. Eugene was old and had always liked the woman, even if she cursed out everyone in Jackson when she had first arrived. "Now, do you want to tell me what's on your mind or are you going to keep sulkin'?"

"I was thinking about how bad you smell." she retorted, shrugging her shoulders before she adjusted the straps on her backpack. "Should have packed another shirt for the trip."

"You little shit." he scoffed, shaking his head in amusement. 

"I was going to suggest getting dinner at Tipsy first but I don't think Seth will let you enter the premises smelling like that."

"Yeah, no." Eugene shook his head and tilted his head to the side. "You need to work on your deliverance. Anything that comes out of your mouth sounds strangled and the insults are childish. And have you smelled yourself? Like a drowned rat."

"At least I washed this morning." she shot at him, brows raised. Vienna peered down at her attire. There was mud caked on her top and at the knees of her cargo pants, but other than that she was fairly clean. Patrol had been quite uneventful and she had washed that morning in a small stream they had come across. It could have been a lot worse. "You can't even bent your seventy year old knees that far."

"And you wonder why I want to change patrol partners?" he declared light-heartedly as he lifted his lips in another smile, fingers brushing through his long beard while his other hand held the reins.

Eugene was a grumpy old man and didn't really seem to like anyone's company in Jackson except her own. Well, maybe Tommy Miller, but that was because they had known each other since before either of them had gotten to Jackson.

Vienna and Eugene had been patrol partners ever since she began doing them for the community. Vienna had thought he might have been too old when she first met him, but she was pleasantly surprised when he took out three runners by himself. 

The two of them fell into a comfortable silence after that and the woman's mind began to wander again, which always happened when she couldn't find anything to distract herself with. 

Perhaps it was the quietness surrounding them, or the fact she was outside. Vienna didn't know. What she did know was that whenever she had a moment to breath, her mind went spiralling.

It didn't take long before Jackson came into view in the distance and she urged Buck to go a little faster, ready to wash away the filth from patrol and take a hot bath and eat a shit ton of steak that Seth always made just how she liked it.

"The meat doesn't walk away, Vie." called Eugene. "It's already dead."

VIENNA SAT IN A BOOTH BY HERSELF THAT SAME EVENING, FRESHLY WASHED AND WEARING A PAIR OF CLEAN CLOTHES. The woman had a hoodie around her shoulders to keep her warm, despite the heat within The Tipsy Bison. The brunette watched people eat and converse around her in silence, lip pulled between her teeth.

Her hands had wrapped themselves around the cold glass of ice tea in front of her, straw brushing against her chin every now and then as she leaned forward on her elbows. 

Eugene wasn't there yet and even with her stomach rumbling loudly, she decided to wait so she could eat with him. It wasn't as busy tonight, most always ate in the dining hall and left Tipsy for special occasions or to have a drink at later during the night. 

Vienna preferred the smaller space over the dining hall, it was too rowdy and it gave her anxiety. The Tipsy Bison always felt comfortable even if it filled with towns folk, though Seth could be a bit of an arsehole.

"I thought you'd be on your second helping by now." Eugene slid in the booth in front of her, smelling of fresh soap as he waved toward the bar keep, ready to order their food.

"I'm not a complete animal." she shrugged. "I can be civil."

"Hmm," he hummed as Seth stopped beside their table with his arms crossed over his chest. His fly was undone and Vienna grimaced.  "just the usual for us, Seth."

"Just so you know," he grumbled. "we're out of steak."

"What do you mean you're out of steak?" demanded Eugene, slamming his fist against the table. "We've been on patrol for five days, you always keep some on hand for us?"

"Hey," Seth held up his hands in defence as he took a step back. "you should go whine to Tommy about it. He came in earlier to get the last two for some new people in town. His brother and some kid I think. Was real adamant to get them, too."

"Oh no," groaned Vienna. Not because of the new people but because she was hungry and didn't want to eat stew on their first night back. "do you have anything good left?"

"I can cook you up some fries." he suggested, peering toward the kitchen. "I also have some chicken sandwiches left."

"Fries." nodded Vienna, offering him a small smile and added once she noticed the older man's scowl. "And a chicken sandwich for Eugene."

Seth gave a single nod and walked away wordlessly and disappeared into the kitchen. Eugene rolled his eyes behind his back and leaned further into his seat, one arm slung over the backrest as he peered around the fairy light lit room.

"Tommy's brother?" muttered Eugene, meeting her gaze. "That boy always talks about him it's annoying. He was in town a few weeks ago with a kid, they were gone the next morning, though."

"Your face probably scared them off." deadpanned Vienna.

Eugene heaved a bemused sigh. "Getting there. Anyhow, they're saying he's quite the brute."

"I heard." she hummed, taking a stop from her drink as she shrugged off her hoodie. "It's a small town. People talk. Probably Maria mouthing off at everyone like she always does."

"Pregnancy hormones my ass." said Eugene, twinkle behind his eyes as he looked at her. He had dark circles underneath his eyes from the lack of sleep but he didn't seem tired.  "Maria is a sweetheart, but that mouth never stops spreading gossip."

Vienna had to agree with him and took another sip when Seth arrived, setting a big plate of fries in front of her and handing Eugene his sandwich. He was gone before she could say her thanks, like he usually did. The two fell into a comfortable silence as they ate. 

It was late and most had already decided to leave for the night, but neither seemed to mind. Both preferred not to talk too much anyways.

They didn't linger this time as Vienna was too tired from the last few days. Eugene walked her home when the sun had set, stars bright in the sky above. The moment she kicked off her boots and let herself fall onto her mattress, she was gone.

hi, everyone! this was the first chapter in my new joel story and i am so excited to write it. i am starting it of very slowly as i like to take things slow. more of her backstory will be revealed from time to time and what happened to her before she came to jackson and why she doesn't really like anyone but eugene. i am so excited! i am going to try to make the joel and vienna banter so good but joel isn't as bitter as during the game/show because he's finally showing emotions <3

Thank you for reading x