(Unedited) Stage One: Hope in Darkness

Detour (Lara)

We were met at the gate by a woman with short blond hair and a bad attitude

"The hell do you want?" She asked with venom in her tone

"We're no trouble just trying to stock up on some supplies and maybe find a friend" Ryan figured it was best if he spoke to any people seeing as he was going to be the new Chief when we got back he needed to make allies outside our own camp.

"Can't you morons read?" She said talking about the sign posted on the gate.

'This gate will remain closed until further notice. No Trading

No entry'

"We did see the sign but-"

"Then keep walking" she snapped and the small slot in the door slammed closed. We all looked at each other confused before Ryan knocked again. The guards on the watch tower looked down on us looking like they were debating on just shooting us regardless of if they were given permission. The small door was opened again and she was very angry now. "Do you have a death wish?" She asked

"Well not today anyways but why is the gate closed?" Ryan asked her. She saw a little humor in his answer to her question. Very little.

"It's none of your concern, outsider " she snarled at him. He didn't seem phased at all

"Well in this whole state you're the largest camp we've ever come across. And we have our own camp. Maybe we can help each other out and form an alliance?" He said being very political

"We don't trust outsiders" she said, not quite as nasty but I could tell she was thinking about it. Ryan shrugged

"Well... we don't trust outsiders either. But how is anything ever going to get done if we don't pull together?" He replied. He sure did have a way with words.

"A couple of our men have vanished and until they return or are found this gate stays closed" she explained looking at us up and down "say if you found them. And reported back to us. We could open the gate"

"God I hate arrends " I mumbled. Needing one thing to get the main thing.

"Or you can just turn right around and go back to the hole you crawled out of " she told me like a mother scolding her child.

"Don't mind her, she's easily controlled by her emotions. But very loyal" Ryan stood up for me with a calm smile

"And the others?" The woman asked

"Our best tracker, and medic" Ryan said trying to be as cooperative as possible. She nodded

"Our men have a sheriff's station just west of here. They go there sometimes but they didn't go back. Find them and report back. Then we'll talk" the woman said and slapped closed the small door. Ryan sighed and turned to us

"Let's get moving" he ordered and started walking. Sam and Rose followed him and I reluctantly followed despite the pain in my feet.

We walked straight west and it took us into the woods. It didn't take much time to get there though. We saw a small cabin with some walkers eating something. Thank god for the trees. Each of us took up our own tree and peeked around to scout out the area. Four men lay dead on the ground near a small sitting area and seven zombies. Four huddled around one (the largest one of the group) and the other three were spaced out to the other bodies getting their own.

I saw Ryan trying to get my attention and turned to him. He made some crazy hand signals I couldn't for the life of me make out what the hell he wanted. He rolled his eyes seeing my very lost mind