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𝑺𝑰𝑳𝑬𝑵𝑻 𝑺𝑪𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑴𝑺
chapter one

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✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦
｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
‿︵‿︵‿୨ ୧‿︵‿︵‿

➥　 ⁺　 ₊　 ✿

( 𝘥𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘺𝘦 𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘥𝘦 )

My eyes hurt. I cursed at who I assume was my mom who left the tent cover wide open. The bright morning sun shone right in my eyes causing me a very rude awaking. This was probably mom's way of waking me up without actually waking me up herself. She use to do this back home. She would walk in my room, open the blinds then walk straight out ignoring my protests for a sleep in. I could imagine her smirk as she walks from the room feeling triumphant in awaking me. It probably caused her a good laugh or two.

Oh what I would give to see her laugh. Not the fake laugh she does from time to time but the real one. The one only one of dad's crappy jokes could draw out of her.

I pushed up on my elbow, placing the palms of my hands on the soft material of my sleeping bag, pulling myself into a sitting position. Both mom and Carl were gone. I had no way of telling what time it was but by the way the sun was I could guess around mid morning, sometime around ten.

I leaned over to where my mid size navy blue worn out backpack sat. I reached into the open section to pull out my hair brush. My hair sat in the now lose braid mom had done the night before. She hadn't braid my hair since I was twelve. But ever since arriving here it's been a thing she's taken to doing every night. I didn't question it though. Normally I would but I could tell it was something mom wanted... no needed. It was one of the only constants she had I guess.

I pulled the small elastic that sat at the bottom of the braid and began to undo my hair. Using the brush, I pulled my hair, brushing out my blonde locks that now had small waves due to the braid. I placed the hairbrush back in my bag and grabbed dad's sheriffs jacket which sat on top of my sleeping bag.

When I emerged from the tent I immediately caught sight of mom sitting in the middle of our make shift camp. She sat on one of the few crates that were placed around a fireplace Shane and a few others had built when we first arrived. She was staring into the fire and I could see her hand running alone the ring that hung around her neck.

"Morning mom."

Her head turned and she gave me a tried smile. I knew she wasn't sleeping well. None of us were. But seeing those bags under her eyes always made my heart tug. I walked the rest of the way and sat myself down next to mom's left leg. She still smiled and I felt her hand cup my cheek giving it a gentle rub.

"Good morning sweet girl." She said in her smooth southern accent that always put me at ease. My mother's voice was always like that with us... unless we were in trouble. I smiled a genuinely at her and rose my hands to overlap on her knee. My chin came forward to rest on them.

"How'd you sleep?" I decided to ask already knowing the answer.

Mom ran a tried hand through her dishevelled brunette locks and stared into the fire out that had yet to be lit. We usually only ever lit it when we had food to cook or it was after dusk.

"The best I could." She answered. My mother hadn't really lied. If the best she could sleep was none at all then that's what she did.

"How bout you baby?" Mom asked raising a hand to brush a lock of my hair behind my ear. My shoulders shrugged.

"Good." Was my answer. Was it the truth... not at all, but it was what I was saying. I heard laughter from behind me and turned my head around. Playing near one of the tents on the other side of camp was my little brother Carl. He along with Sophia were playing in the dirt seemly having a good time. I met Sophia and her mother on the road to Atlanta when we were first heading for the city. After that failed we tagged along with them and a few others who now made up our camp.

I remember the night vividly. Mom, Carl and I were all stood around the car in the sea of traffic that crowed the roads. We were all exhausted and tried and Carl complained of hunger. We had brought food but not enough. A woman in the car in front of us offered a few protein bars that we all took with gratitude. She had introduced herself as Carol and then gestured to a man behind her calling him her husband Ed, who looked none too pleased his wife was giving food away to strangers. A blonde little girl had run up to her side and Carol introduced her as Sophia.

When mom wanted to catch up to Shane who had run ahead to see what was going on, Carol offered to watch us. I talked with her a little bit and even ended up showing her some of my drawings, all of which she had complimented well and said that if they were ever at an art auction she would make the first bid.

Carl had immediately grown attached to Sophia. I guess they bonded over the fact that they were similar in age. The two twelve year olds often played together at the campsite and sometimes down by the quarry at the bottom of the hill. But only if one of the grown ups was with them. I found myself envying my brother for having someone to bond with. I'm not much of a people person and never had many friends in school but it would still be nice to have someone. Someone who I could possibly relate to in a way.

The closest I had was another blonde girl in the camp, Amy Harrison, who had come here with her older sister Andrea. But she was a few years older then me and way to perky for my taste. She was still nice to talk though.

"Hey? Hello?" My head snapped up to the radio we had set up next to the CB. Amy, who stood with the object in her hand, was gripping the radio fiercely and was yelling into it. My eyes widen as both mom and I along with a few other members of the group, Shane and Carl included, jogged over to where the blonde was stood.

What the hell was this girl doing?

"We're just outside the city. Damnit. Hello? Hello?"

I watched Amy slump in defeat and turn to the rest of us.

"He couldn't hear me. I couldn't warn him." Amy's panicked voice said. My mind begin turning as I tried to figure out what she meant. Someone must have used a radio and tired to see if any were around and picked up on ours. If that was the case then the guy was on the road towards the city.

Who the hell is this moron and why on earth would he head into that death trap?

I mentally cringed at myself. Our group too sent in people to go on what Shane had referred to as "Runs". A few of our people who go into the city, take a path to avoid the hundreds of geeks, and get us some basic need supplies. A few of them were out there right now getting supplies for us and among them was Amy's sister.

"Try to raise him again." Dale, an older gentleman with graying hair and wrinkled features, spoke. His gaze then turned towards Shane.

"Come on, son. You know best how to work this thing." Dale said holding the object out for Shane to take. I watched him walk over and quickly take the radio out of the old man's hand, holding down the button and begin to speak in what I called his "officer" voice.

"Hello, hello, is the person who calls still on the air? This is officer Shane Walsh, broadcasting a person unknown, please respond." Shane spoke removing his finger from the button and awaiting a response.

None came.

"He's gone."

My mother shook her head, her eyes angled at Shane.

"There are others. It's not just us."

"Yeah, we knew there would be, right, that's why we let the CB on." Shane spoke gesturing to the radio. I felt my body shift as the tone he used on mom didn't sit right with me. My mother scaled.

"Lots of good it's been doing." She snapped at him. When we all first came together all of us were scared and confused. Shane, who was the most confident had taken on a sort of leadership role with us guiding us and making the rules. Not that there were many. But he was the one who made all the calls and came up with most of the plans.

"I've been saying for a week, we ought to put signs up on 85 to warn people away from the city." My mother angrily spoke. I stood next to her and felt myself nodding. It was true. Mom proposed we put up a warning on one of the main signs that led into the city to warn them of the over population of the dead. It was the right thing to do. Help your fellow traveller. It was something dad always grilled into me and Carl.

"Folks got no idea what they're getting into." Amy spoke up, her arms folded and head shaking. I could see Shane was beginning to become fed up with the conversation.

"We don't have enough time." He snapped. Apart of me understood where he was coming from. It was dangerous enough sending a few of us in for supply's and to go after a man we didn't know who was god knows where. It was a risky decision that could result in not only the man's death but one of ours.

"I think we need to make time." My mother snapped in a voice that almost made me take a step back if it had been directed at me.

"Yeah, that, uh... That's a luxury we can't afford. We are surviving here. We are day to day." Shane again argued looking my mother dead in the eyes. I felt my brother come to my side and we both exchanged a look.

"And who the hell would you propose to send?" Dale joined in looking at my mother.

"I'll go. Give me a vehicle." I felt myself do a 180 and look at my mother as if she'd grown a third head. Mom had just volunteered to leave the safety of the camp and her children to go after some stranger that could possibly be dead already. It was a noble act but a horrible one for her. I felt my brother tense at my side.

"No!" The word escaped my mouth before I could stop it. Mom turned her head and gave me a look and I felt myself shrink back a bit.

"Nobody's going anywhere." Shane butted in before my mother could say something. I watched mom give Shane a look that could rival any of mine and scoff.

"Yes, sir." She snapped before storming off towards our tent. When my mother got angry... she got angry. It was best to leave her alone in times like this. I had learnt it the hard way. Carl went to go follow our mother but Shane steps in front of him and lightly grabs his arm, pulling him to a stop.

"Hey, hey, hey, come on, take a sit, buddy. Stay with your sister go on, you're alright!" He spoke in a soft yet firm tone. Shane looked at me a moment before he walked off in the direction mom had gone in.

"What do you think Shane's doing with mom?" Carl asked me. I looked down at my brother who stood at my elbow and shrugged

"Beats me."

After a few minutes both Carl and I began to wonder over to the tent. The tent flap was down but I could tell both mom and Shane were in there. However I could hear no voices.

"Mom?" Carl called out before I had time to even open my mouth. Like a reaction, Shane immediately emerged from the tent and gave us both a nervous grin.

"What's up, guys? She's in there, go on." He said rushing straight past us not looking back. I felt a pit of nervousness dwell in my stomach but I pushed it aside and entered the tent. My brother was already there with mom looking at him. She briefly looked up at me and gestured to the spot next to Carl on his sleeping bag.

"Hey. I don't want you too to worry. Your mom is not going anywhere. Okay?" Mom waited for both me and Carl to give a nod of approval.

"Yeah? Yeah? Yeah?" I finally nodded causing my mother to smile. "Go finish your chores." She spoke giving both our cheeks a rub. I mentally groan as I realised I'm getting a late start on mine given my sleep in. My brother was already up and out the tent heading towards the main area of the camp. I looked at mom.

"What was that about?" I asked her suddenly. She looked at me in confused and raised a silent brow in question.

"You and Shane; looked pretty intense and he just rushed out. Everything ok?" I asked my mother in concern. She let a soft smile grace her lips and placed both her hands on my cheeks.

"Everything's fine don't you worry." She said. I felt her thumb rub against my cheek. I didn't believe her but I gave a nod. Mom looked ok. It was probably just a small fight she didn't want me to worry about.

"Ok." I mumbled. This seemed to convince her as mom leaned forward and placed a motherly kiss on the crown of my head.

"Good, now go do some of those chores. I know you need to catch up after that sleep in you had this morning." Mom grinned mischievously at me and I knew right then and there that she had left the tent flap open on purpose. A gasp escaped me.

"You're cruel!"

"No I'm a mother."

"Aghhh!"

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✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦ . 　⁺ 　 . ✦
｡ﾟ•┈୨♡୧┈• ｡ﾟ
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.
‿︵‿︵‿୨ ୧‿︵‿︵‿

➥　  ⁺　  ₊　 ✿

𝑨𝑼𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑹 𝑵𝑶𝑻𝑬!!!

First chapter of the re write done!!

Are we liking it so far? I'm really happy with the changes I've made and can't wait to write the rest

Also Lori and Rory moments are my absolute fav but I'm so excited for Rick because him and Rory are just... oh your daddy issues will not cope