FADED SCARS | the walking dead

[ 01 ] radio silence

[ season one, episode two ]

JJ ALVERO LEARNED at a young age how to take care of herself. She had always been more advanced than other kids growing up. She learned how to read quicker and was always the fastest learner in all her classes at school. Going into her teens she never lost her natural talent for learning as she gained more responsibilities.

JJ was expected to take care of her sick mother and help her through her struggles when her older brother couldn't. Having a Mom that couldn't work due to her condition and a barely present Father, JJ had to pick up a few jobs here and there. Although, still being young, she couldn't get a real job due to child labour laws, she would help out anyone that would pay her to do so.

This included Lawn Mowing, Baby and Pet sitting, and Washing cars. Her favourite job, however was helping her neighbour fix up his Motor home.

Dale Horvath had always lived next to the young girl's family, which meant he heard the screaming matches that took place between the adults of the house. He saw the bruises left on the oldest son's face after a particularly loud argument. And so he wanted to get her out of that house as much as he could, plus she wasn't bad help. He quickly found that she was a fast learner and had a passion for mechanics, considering her brother was one as well. The two got on well and JJ soon began to spend all her time over at Dale and his wife's house.

Fate seemed to work in mysterious ways because Dale was the reason she was now in a camp in Atlanta with a handful of other survivors as the last Alvero standing.

JJ was sitting beside the camp's radio, something the brunette did when she had free time, in hopes she would hear someone trying to contact them, other survivors. She needed something to prove there were still people out there, that they weren't the last ones.

As if a miracle, the radio that hadn't made a sound in forever started to crackle before a voice came through.

"Hello, can you hear me?"

The young girl rushes to pick up the radio and quickly answers the man, "Hello? Yes, I hear you. You're coming through. Over."

"Anybody who reads, please respond. Broadcasting on emergency channel. We'll be approaching Atlanta on Highway 85. If anybody reads, please respond." Amy comes to stand by her side as the man on the radio continues.

JJ shoots Dale a worried look as he comes over. It starts to sound like the man is not hearing her, but before she could try again Amy puts her hand over JJ's, bringing the radio closer to her as she speaks into it.

"We're just outside the city." The radio then cracks and JJ lets out a curse and fiddles with the frequency to get it working again, while Amy still tries to talk to the man.

"Hello? Hello?" The blonde looks at Dale. "He couldn't hear us. I couldn't warn him."

"Try to raise him again." Dale speaks to JJ, then looks over to Shane as he approaches and speaks, "Come on, son. You know best how to work this thing"