Surviving the Apocalypse

Prologue

        Daryl Dixon has always suffered in silence, never asking for help or charity. When teachers asked about the bruises, he slipped. When they asked if he had breakfast, he forgot today, he'll have some tomorrow. He brushes off the stares when his stomach rumbles loudly during silent reading. He ignores the whispers about his dirty clothes, or his unbrushed hair.

But at night when he's lying in bed, holding in his tears, he wished someone would help. When he's pulling on his clothes for school and his shirt brushes against a welt on his back, he wishes he could stop lying to the teachers. Walking to school with an empty stomach, praying it's someone's birthday and their mom will bring enough cupcakes for the class to share. Seeing the car riders embracing with their parents, curious if his dad would ever be that happy to see him one day.

In his ninth grade year, they got a new student, Oliver Harper. The girls thought he was the cutest, the boys thought he was the coolest. The nerds liked him because he was smart, the jocks liked that he was strong, the band kids liked that he could sing. The "outcasts" liked that he wasn't stuck up, the teachers liked that he was respectful. Everyone liked Oliver Harper. Including Daryl.

Daryl had watched as this new kid became the hottest gossip, wondering what was so great about an average kid that had average hair, an average smile, average grades. Until they got paired up for a history assignment, Daryl had never spoken to the other boy. When their names got called, he could feel the eyes of his classmates piercing his skin, muttering apologies to the new golden boy.

Oliver had ignored the judgmental looks, walking to the back of the classroom, and plopped down right next to Daryl. He introduced himself like he had done to so many others, he didn't turn his nose up, or comment on the black eye. The Dixon boy didn't know what to do, normally the teacher let him work alone, knowing he preferred the uninterrupted time alone. He muttered his name, and the boy got straight to work, talking about the project and asking questions, never once looking up at his peers who were watching in disbelief.

The thing about Oliver was that he was raised to be nice to everyone. His mom had told him a thousand times that you never know what someone is going through, so the best way to treat others is with kindness. Oliver had noticed the Dixon boy a few times, he never really hung out with anyone, he kept his head down and ignored those around him. Anytime Oliver got close to introducing himself, someone would step in the way, pull his attention elsewhere, or the boy would simply walk past him.

Daryl never expected that one assignment could lead to friendship, he assumed the guy was being nice just so he could get a good grade and then move on. But the week after, the teacher allowed Oliver to swap seats with Kaylee. So now the boys sat right next to each other everyday, and Oliver spoke to him as if he had known him for years. He never pushed Daryl to talk or to explain the busted lip or bruised cheekbone. He allowed him to move at his own pace, which Daryl was grateful for.

Summer break was right around the corner, and Daryl was worried that his only friend would ditch him once they started the new year. He couldn't hang out during the break, in fear that his friend would no longer want to be friends, once he realized what went on in the Dixon household. But on the first day of tenth grade, Oliver saw him walk into their new math class, smiled and pointed to the seat next to him that he had saved for Daryl.

The other students still liked Oliver, he was still well known around the school, but when he was around Daryl they steered clear of his company. Daryl cherished the friendship, he knew that a kid like Oliver could be friends with anyone, but the fact that he chose him meant everything to Daryl. On his fifteenth birthday, Oliver had given him a candy bar and invited him to the arcade, with him and his mother over the weekend. It meant the world to Daryl, normally he would have declined but he knew his dad was planning a fishing trip with uncle Jess.

The Wednesday before the arcade, school was canceled and everyone was told to evacuate. An illness was spreading, causing people to come back from the dead and eat others. It was the wildest thing Daryl had ever heard of, something his older brother would have made up when he was younger, to scare him. Merle was on a bender when the evacuations started, showing up at the house yelling and panicking.

Daryl's dad had already said they were staying put, that nothing could kill a Dixon but a Dixon, and they were safer at home than jammed in traffic with strangers. Will and Merle got into an argument, yelling with spit flying until it got physical. Daryl had seen his fair share of fights between his dad and brother, but never this violent. Merle was on top of Will and wouldn't stop swinging, not until the door burst open and uncle Jess ran in bleeding. The brothers watched as their uncle checked Will's heartbeat, ending with a headshake. Merle had killed him, and Jess was next, due to the bite on his arm.

Merle and Daryl left their house with grave faces, in shock of losing both of their elders in such a short time. The oldest made sure his brother got anything worth taking, before heading off to Atlanta. Daryl could only pray his friend had made it out with his mom, and they could reschedule their arcade plans for when the cure was released.