Red Stains

Chapter Two

Day 27

When I startle awake, my breath hitches in my throat and I panic for about five seconds before I realize where I am. Light shines into my tent, gentle, almost peaceful and normal. I groan and clutch my head in my hands, taking deep breaths.

I can hear people's soft chatter outside and I sigh as I reach for some clothes to throw on. Not clean of course, but clothes. I choose a white tee, and cut off Jean shorts, along with the black pair of hiking boots a size too big that I scored out of some poor souls trunk a week ago.

I pull my long dirty blonde hair into a tight bun on-top of my head and sigh as I step out of my little tent.

The group of survivors me and Glenn and Shane ended up with wasn't large, by far, but we were spread pretty far in the canyon clearing that we had stopped in 25 days ago. I had met nearly everyone and learned everyone's names now. Lori and Carl, Amy and Andrea, Jacqui, Jim, Dale a little old man with a RV which everyone has found some use for at some point in time since we started to stay here. Carol and Sophia her daughter and Carols husband who from what I've learned is a piece of crap.

Everyone else was quiet or had stuck to themselves for the most part, like two brothers named Daryl and Merle who have been brooding and staying away from the rest of us. I haven't said even one word to either of them.

I spot Glenn standing talking to Shane and I walk over to them quickly. Glenn smiles slightly as I approach and I smile back, waving quickly. "Mornin' sunshine." Shane chuckles and I roll my eyes. "Morning." I state simply and look between them as they just stare at me.

"What? What're y'all talking about? Am I not allowed in the big boy secret talk?" I laugh and Glenn laughs nervously.

"We're talking about making one more supply run to Atl-," before Glenn can finish I curse.

"Well shit Glenn just go run off a bridge why don't you! May as well, you're getting yourself killed either way!" I turn on my heel and walk away, my blood boiling.

The last run they went on the building they were sneaking through was overrun when one person made a single mistake. Three of us died. And it angered me that Glenn kept on risking his life the way he was.

"Elizabeth! Liz." I feel Glenn grab my arm gently and I turn on him quickly.

"What?" I ask curtly, looking up at him, his height advantage only about half a foot, but I feel smaller in this instance in my anger.

"This run is different, I promise! We will be fine. I scoped it out, new building, better vantage points of the city, easier access and no way of being overrun or caught going in. I'm not going to get myself killed, and besides, even if I did I'd make the first good looking Asian walker we've seen!" He jokes at the end and I roll my eyes.

"If you're going so am I." I look past him to Shane, who's watching and listening from about four yards from us. "If he's going so am I."

I turn and keep walking and hear both men chasing after me now. "Liz, you're not doing anything of the sorts." Shane retorts, and I turn back to them again. His hair is slick with sweat and the vein on his forehead is throbbing with quite obvious annoyance.

"Why not?" I snort, kicking the dirt in front of me. "I'm pretty good with a gun if you don't recall." I say pointedly.

Shane's grumbles and rubs his forehead. "Alright, sure, but you ain't have no business with a gun in the middle of Atlanta!" He seethes. I roll my eyes.

"Ok then I'm just going because I can hold my own and protect people. I'm sick of people dying. And sure as hell not going to let him die. He saved my life Shane." I say, looking at him with a look that says 'stop because it's happening'.