The Apocalypse: The First Year

Small Sacrifices

"Tim the children are exhausted and it's cold." Jo tells her husband.

"We need to find shelter or we're going to freeze to death." Tim says.

It's the dead of winter and we've been running from walkers all day. I don't know why I thought because we're in Nevada shit doesn't get cold but fuck does it! I mean, it doesn't get very cold very often but when it does...you try running in this weather. See how it affects your lungs.

"Dad I'm really tired." Francisco whines.

"I know son, but we gotta keep moving." He tells Francisco who drops his head but keeps running nonetheless.

"There's a house up there." Glen says pointing to his right.

"Go!" Tim says and we all start running in that direction. Well everyone except me. Why is that you ask?

Well because my ass just hit the ground with a loud umph.

"What the-" I look down and see two bodies on the ground. One a woman and the other a man. "Ahhh!" I scream and scoot away from them quickly. Everyone stops running and comes back to me. Glen made it to me first. I wordlessly pointed to the bodies on the ground. "Are they dead?" I ask a moment later as my brother and Tim examine them.

"They will be if they don't get inside." Tim says. "Help me with this." He tells Glen. They pick up the man and carry him towards the house. Carmen, Jayden, Jo and I all stare down at the woman on the ground.

"Come on." Carmen says lifting her up. It took all four of us to carry the tiny woman to the house.

"Mom, are they gonna die?" Jessica asks Jayden.

"I don't know honey." Is her reply. We throw as many blankets on the two people as we can find in the house and just wait...either for them to die or wake up.

"Ugnh mmm." The man moves. Those sound like zombie noises to me, I think to myself and jump up from my spot next to them, gun in hand.

"Spencer he's not a zombie." Tim says chuckling, and I lower my weapon.

"Well..." I say and shrug.

"Where am I?" The guy asks, looking around at us.

"We found you laying outside on the ground. We brought you and that woman inside." I say and point to the woman on the other side of him.

"My wife." He says turning around to her. "Santana honey." He shakes her and she stirs.

"Hmmm?" She asks, clearly tired.

"These people saved our lives." He says and looks around at us appreciatively.

"Wow." Santana breathes out. "I thought we were gonna-"

"Well we're not now." The man interrupts his wife."Thank you all so much." The man says. "I'm Rick." He adds after a moment.

–

"Why is that Rick guy even apart of your group? He's a major ass." Ashley says as we keep watch outside the house Tim, Carmen, Aiden and Glen are scavenging.

"He wasn't so bad at first. We found them alone and cold one day in the winter. It'd gotten really bad and we felt bad for them, so Tim decided to take them in. I think he's regretting that choice now." I saw and laugh and Ashley joins in. We finish our laughter with a sigh and she smiles at me. "Last night..." I start after a moment. Her demeanor changes. She looks sorta embarrassed.