𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗟𝗗 , the walking dead

[00] prologue

PROLOGUE
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KEPP RUNNING. Is all Maeve could think as she forced her tired legs to move faster than they ever have, with her lungs on fire and the cold wind slicing her cheeks like knives, she just kept running. Through the woods, up hills and down, through puddles and through mud, over broken trees and fallen leaves. She just kept running.

Even with her body aching through to the bone, she knew this was her only option. If she stops, she'll die. They'll all die. she can't stop, she just has to keep running. Even when she feels her skin get cut and her clothes get ripped from the sharp branches or when her hair falls in front of her face and sticks to the skin on her forehead from the thick coat of sweat covering it. There was no stopping, not when their lives were on the line.

Time seems to have become a blur, for it could have been several hours or an hour and she wouldn't know the difference. What she did know was her body was about to fail her, her mind and body working against each other in a tired battle, one begging for rest and the other refusing it. Soon, even against her will, her body was going to win and Maeve could feel herself wavering and her pace slowing. With heavy pants, it was only a matter of time before she gave up.

"Maeve! I-I can't... k-keep running!" Kai, Maeve's youngest brother, shouted from a foot behind her. Feeling the exact same pain she was, weakness, tiredness. Nothing that could lead to something good.

That's when Maeve could no longer hear the heavy steps behind her, her brother's footsteps came to a quick and sudden halt. Making Maeve's heart stop for a moment, the rapid beating froze as she panicked and was forcing herself to stop.

"Louis!" Maeve called out to her second youngest brother up ahead, catching his attention and making him stop in his tracks. He turned back, his face red with sweat dripping from his forehead. Concern covered his face with his mouth open gasping for air.

When Maeve had to suddenly stop running, she felt sharp pains shooting up her legs, starting at her toes and working their way up. Then turning around to see Kai haunched over, hands on either knee, panting heavily like a dog. Mouth opened, gasping and begging for air to enter his lungs even if it burned. Soon, Maeve was doing the exact same.

The air burning her lungs as it entered and was exiting like lava, her throat dry like a desert, lips cracking and licking them only once before she forced herself to speak.

"Keep running." Maeve forced out in a raspy, painfully dry voice.

Kai looked up, opened his mouth to reply but the sound of the dead's hungry groans filled the air. Making both of them snap their heads in the direction they had just been running from, reminding them what they were running from.

"Keep. Running." Maeve demanded, grabbing her brother's arm and pushing herself forward while pulling him along. Maeve started to sprint again with her brother by her side, refusing to let him fall behind.

Louis led the way by running ahead and at a much faster pace than them, his years of being on the track team were finally paying off.

Once more, they ran. Heart pounding so loudly in her ears, she couldn't hear anything but the blood pumping to her beating heart. It was impossible to focus on anything but the sound, thump thump thump thump thump.

It was getting to the point where Maeve wasn't sure they would make it, they didn't know where they were running to. They didn't have a home, not anymore. It had just been torn down by the dead, now they had nothing. No people, no home, no food or water. Just the three of them and their tired bodies that were fighting against everything to get them somewhere, anywhere.