Have A Little Hope (Dixon's Daughter)

Chapter 1

---{Hope's POV}---》

I clutched my small deer to my chest as I walked along the old dirt road leading to a single-lane. My legs burned and ached from the days of walking and my small backpack was drained of its supplies. There was only so much I could carry, seeing as I'm so small, but I remembered to pack what was important.
Daddy told me that we need food, water, and something to keep us warm to survive. I now know that we also need to know how to protect ourselves, maybe that's why he taught me to hunt, so I could use those things we used for protection.
I walk up onto the road, finally having solid pavement under my feet, and walk out into the middle of it. Seeing a rather large farm, knowing that this may be my only chance to rest in a long while, I started walking towards it. The Georgia heat has been beating me down lately and it's starting to become unbearable. My brown hair is glued to my neck and my clothes are sticky. Wandering through the big open field, and walking towards the fence.
I could see a man standing by a tent, I kept focusing on him, not wanting to break my focus because I had a feeling that if I did my legs wouldn't keep moving. He turned to look at me and pointed something at me, I froze, remembering Daddy and his words.

"Now listen Hope, If ya ever see one of these," he said holding something in his hand, "Remember it's dangerous. This is called a gun, ya never want to have someone point one at ya. Ok?" He always had a really thick country accent. I nodded and he smiled, picking me up and placing me on his shoulders. "Now, let's teach ya how to hunt!" he said. I clapped and yelled, "Yeah! Let's go Daddy," and we went out the door.

I looked at the gun and my knees buckled underneath me, I fell and hit my face on the ground. I went to stand up but I couldn't, I was just too tired. I heard the man yell and start walking over, his steps crunching the different plants along the ground. I looked around trying to find where he was.
I was terrified, he had a gun, what if he was gonna try and hunt me? I tried to get up, this time pushing off the ground only to have my arms collapse. I lay my head on the ground and take a breath, then I hear a gun cock.

I look up at the man and met with blue eyes behind a small gun. He froze and looked at me then lowered the gun.
"Are you alive?" I heard him ask. I nodded. He helped me sit up. "Are you bit?" He asked.
I shook my head. "How old are you?" He asked another question. "I think I'm 6" I stated, my accent showing through. "So you do speak," he said smiling, "I need you to Hang on for a moment, ok?  I'm going to take you to that farm and we'll fix you up, food, water, shelter, then we can talk about maybe making this a more permanent solution."

I nodded and he picked me up, then started walking. "I gotta tell ya, you're awful light, when's the last time you ate?" He asked. I shrugged, not really knowing. I ran dry of food and water a bit ago, I've been living off of berries I've found in the woods and such.

He looks at me in shock, "You can't remember?! Who were you with?" He asked. "Been by myself," I stated. He looked at me like I was wearing deer antlers. "How on earth did you survive on your own?" I look at him and shrug. "You collapsed, why?" I look down and shrug, leaning against him "just tired..." He nods, "Ok, I understand. I need you to stay awake a little while longer, ok?" I nod slightly.

<----Rick's POV---->

I looked down at the girl, she couldn't even walk, it was sad really. She was so young and it amazed me how she even lived this long. It was as if her bones were hollow.
She's a beautiful child, behind all the dirt, her hair is dark brown and her eyes are a blue. I can swear I've seen them before.
"How you holding up?" I ask, seeing as I was nearing the white fence surrounding the house, only to get no response. I look down as she goes limp. Shit. "Hang on, little one, I need you to wake up!" I yell, as I bolt to the property.

"We need help over here!" I yell, running through the gate and towards the house. Maggie runs out and looks at me confused, "Rick, Who is this?" She asked. "I don't know her name, I know she's six and has been on her own. She just collapsed." I stated. "How do you know she ain't bit?!" She yelled. "I don't. She told me she wasn't, I wasn't going to leave her to die." "Fine, sit her down and we'll decide what to do." She says. I nod and sit her down on the grass.
Maggie starts feeling her head, "she's awful warm, You positive she said she wasn't bit?" "Look if it turns out she is bit, we'll put her down, but we don't know for sure and there's no way I'm ending her life unless we're positive." She nods at my words and starts checking the girl for bites.

"She doesn't have any wounds, at all, This blood isn't hers." I hear Maggie say, I turn around and look at her. "She's probably over heated, I'll go get my Dad, he'll help." She says before standing up and running inside to get Hershel.
I turn to look at the girl, "Hang on, ok? It'll be alright." I say.

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End of chapter 1
1004 words

Have a great day!
-Author