Real intimacy usually starts from afar

Episode 1. A chance

What is despair. Pain? Tears? No. Despair is understanding the inevitable. Despair is volunteering to kill your loved ones, lest they turn into walking, dead creatures. The loss of the people we love affects us. It's buried inside us and becomes this big, deep hole of pain. It won't magically disappear even if we stop mourning. But when you lose someone you love, you gain a familiar angel.

When did I lose hope that things would go back to the way they were? When did I become a cold-blooded killer of not only the dead, but people as well? And I didn't even notice. Wherever there is a beautiful soul, though, there remains a trail of beautiful memories.

The apocalypse has spared no one.

The rising sun shines its caressing, warm rays all around. A picture of morning nature is pleasing to all and beckons the eye with its splendor. Forest is a world apart and has a life of its own. Every plant has its own place in the forest, plays a role in its life. How does something so beautiful continue to exist next to this rotten world?

***

The walkers had become too numerous, I had to find safe shelter. Gambling is risk, and to live life to the fullest, you have to be able to take risks and give something back. I had nothing more to lose. I run through the forest, killing walkers in parallel. There is blood splatter on my face and hands. It's often amusing. I don't notice when I step on wet, slippery ground. It's the stupidest possible way to get screwed up like this. Sloppiness as a personality quality. It's about me. I tumble down the ravine, trying to grab onto the branches, but only scratching my skin.

I open my eyes. I'm lying in a pool full of blood... my own blood. In that moment, many thoughts rushed through my head. My ears were ringing. I don't know how long I've been unconscious, but I'm lucky there are no dead people around. We need to get out of here. Just as I try to pull myself up, there's a sharp pain in my hip. A tree branch has embedded itself in part of my leg, it's going to be hard to reach on my own. Attempts to get up don't end well, and the smell of blood and noise has attracted the walkers. I can't find my holster, I probably dropped it when I pitched. Not this.... A walker was walking about ten metres away from me. I have nothing on me to defend myself with, I can't even stand up. Is this the end? This is not how I imagined it. The dead man was already there, and he lunged at me. I fought back as hard as I could. But the sharp pain was restricting my movements.

A gunshot. The dead man fell beside me.

Everything in front of my eyes blurred. The last thing I saw was several figures approaching me. I tried to understand what was being said to me. I heard several different voices, but I couldn't make out anything. My consciousness was like a fog.

***

- Not bitten?

- No, but the wound on her thigh is still bleeding and there's a mild concussion. She should rest and recover.

I heard voices, but I didn't understand who they were? I felt like I was lying on something soft, where am I? I don't like it. When the people came out, I started to come to my senses. I'm in someone's house now and these people have helped me. I feel terribly weak and have a headache. A man came into the room. It's an old man with a glass of water.

- Good morning. I'm Hershel Green. - He introduced himself and handed me some water.

I looked at him in disbelief, but drank it anyway. The thirst was stronger.

- Rick's team found you wounded at the bottom of the cliff. You're injured in the thigh and have a mild concussion.

- Thank you for your help. - I thanked him, still not fully accepting the situation. But then several people came into the room at once.

- Rick Grimes. - A middle-aged man introduced himself. - Daryl and Shane found you wounded and we brought you here. Who are you and what were you doing near the farm? - he spoke calmly but confidently. They both had guns and were looking at me with a kind of suspicion.

- I'm Gabby Morville. - I waited for a short pause and then continued. - I was looking for a safe haven.

- Are you alone? - the other guy asked. He looked at me with a kind of disgust and disgust.

- I am now.

- You mean there used to be more? - Rick was still questioning me.

- Yeah, I was with my family. - Something so sad took hold of me now that it took my breath away. Memories of the past would soon destroy me.

They stood for a while, and then walked out. I noticed another guy just standing there, listening. It was him. He was the one who first found me and killed that walker.

He had such a familiar face...