Serendipity ~ Dakota Dixon ~

Chapter 1

Season: 1
Episode: 1,2,3
Word count: 1178
Warnings: mature language

It was a warm day and the birds were chirping, the camp had an unfamiliar laid back feel. My dad was scavenging in the city with a group and Daryl was out hunting. Sometimes he let's me go with him, but not always. I wasn't too upset about not being invited today, I don't mind spending the day with Carl, Sophia and Morales's kids. Sophia is one year older than me and Carl is one year younger. There parents always keep an eye on them, especially when I'm there. They don't like my dad much, but there's not much I can do about that.

I have a small compound bow that Daryl and my dad got me for my birthday last year. I used to only bring it with me when I went hunting, but nowadays I almost always have it with me. It makes me feel safe, and a little bit grown up.

"Hey Dakota, think you can help me with this?" Amy said, after seeing me boredly fiddling with my bow. She pointed at two buckets of water. "I have to get these over to Lori, so we can boil them". 

She picked up a bucket with ease, hers was full, and mine was half full. I assume she did this on purpose so I could lift it. I picked up the bucket with both hands and walked along side her. I like Amy, she's nice and she always has time to talk.

I dropped off the half full bucket with Lori but left quickly. I had spotted Sophia planning with dolls near he families tent and I ran to join her. This was something I rarely did. Usually I would spend my day with my dad or Daryl. Though I liked playing dolls with Sophia, I was worried this would make my dad think I was weak. He always praised me when I caught a fish or shot a squirrel, and not so much when I played dolls.

After I while, we were disrupted by all the adults rushing over to the RV, where the radio was, I wasn't sure what it said but I worried it might be bad based off everyone's worried looks.

"Should we go see what's happening?" Sophia asked. "Yeah, let's go." I said as I stood up. I walked over to the RV and Sophia followed behind me.

It was only now that I realized the clouds had darkened and the air was humid. "Hello, Hello? Receptions bad on this end." Dale said into the radios microphone. A frantic voice came answered, but it was choppy and full of static. I was eventually able to make out what it said. It was T - dog speaking, and he said something about the group in the city being stuck somewhere. I was immediately worried about my dad and I hoped Daryl would come back soon. He would know what to do.

"T-dog, can you repeat that. Repeat?" Dale said nervously. "He said the department store." Lori said as thunder rumbled in the background. "I heard it to." Dale agreed.

Lori turned to Shane, "Shane?" She said with a questioning tone. He knew immediately what she ment. "We do not go after them. We do not risk the rest of the group. Y'all know that." He said as if he had told us hundreds of times before.

I was scared for them, though I would never tell that to anyone. I tried my best to stay calm and look calm, though I doubt I actually did.

"So we're just going to leave them there?" Amy spoke in disbelief. "Look, Amy, I know that this is not easy---" Shane tried to calm Amy down, but it didnt work. "She volunteered to go. To help the rest of us" Amy retaliated. "I know, and she knew the risks right?" Shane asked. Amy looked like she was about to cry. "If she's trapped she's gone. We just have to deal with that. There's nothing we can do." Shane continued. "She's my sister, you son of a bitch" Amy said angrily as she ran away. Lori looked to Shane before running after Amy.

Shane didn't care about anyone's feelings. He's a needs of the few over needs of the many kind of guy, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

Everyone went back to what they were doing before, but the silence was heavy in the air. It wasn't long until it started raining. I'm sure it will pass quickly though, this happens all the time.

Everyone went into there tents or into the RV, I went and sat under a tree to try to stay dry, though it didn't really work. I stayed close, but made sure to sit were no one could see me.

I had friends at the camp, but I wasn't really close with them. Kinda like the friend you see at school but wouldn't hangout with after school. I often try to convince myself that I prefer my own company, but I know deep down that isn't true. My dad and Daryl we often not around and I was scared to talk to other people. I was worried that they wouldn't like me, or they would be confused as to why I was suddenly talking to them.

The rain cleared up quickly and everyone came back outside. I decided to go sit ontop of the RV with Dale and help keep watch. As I was walking over I saw Carl getting a hair cut from Lori and Shane was there too. I think I heard him say something about frogs but I'm not too sure.

"Hey Dakota. Where did you go? You disappeared for a while there." Dale asked as he saw me climb up the ladder. "Oh, just to my dads tent" I lied. Though it wasn't completely untrue, I was near the tent. Dale went to answer but was interrupted. A loud noise started going off in the distance, he stood up quickly and looked though his binoculars.

"Talk to me Dale!" Shane yelled as he ran over. The car alarm was getting closer. "I'm not sure yet!" Dale said back . The noise was getting closer and closer.

"Well I'll be damned" Dale said as he lowered his binoculars. "What is it!" Amy asked. "Stolen car is my guess" Dale answered.

A red car came out from behind the trees, alarm blaring. The car was going dangerously fast and drifting around the corners down the hill towards us.

Everyone was silent until the red car arrived and Glenn got out. "Holy crap, turn that damned thing off!" Dale yelled. "I don't know how!" Glenn said happily. Dale and I climbed down from the RV and ran over.

Amy ran over and frantically asked about Andrea "Yeah, yeah. She's okay, she's okay" Glenn answered defensively . Shane quickly opened the cars hood and unplugged the battery. "Everyone's okay, well Merle not so much." Glenn continued.