lonesome , the walking dead

01

CHAPTER 1. SHADOWS

The Greene family farm was a world unto itself, a patchwork quilt of sun-drenched fields and shady groves that sprawled beneath the wide Georgia sky. For Charlotte, the farm was more than just a place; it was a living, breathing entity, a home that hummed with the rhythm of the seasons and the cadence of her family's laughter.

The townspeople knew Hershel Greene's farm well. They would gather in the old wooden barn, swapping tales over sweet tea and slices of Annette's famous pecan pie, the scent of fresh hay and sawdust hanging in the air like a familiar embrace. Hershel, with his easy smile and twinkling eyes, was the embodiment of Southern hospitality, his warmth as bountiful as the bushels of peaches he harvested each summer.

Charlotte's mother, Annette, was the family's beating heart, her presence as constant and reassuring as the gentle rise and fall of the fields. Her slender hands tended to the vegetable garden with a loving touch, her calloused fingers coaxing life from the rich soil, a living testament to her nurturing spirit.

Then there was Shawn, Charlotte's older brother, whose hearty laughter echoed through the farm like a familiar melody. His work-roughened hands spoke of his dedication to their land, his strong shoulders carrying the weight of responsibility with an easy grace.

But it was Maggie, Charlotte's older sister, who truly captured her imagination. Maggie was like a breath of fresh air; her visits home from university were filled with tales of adventures beyond the boundaries of their farm, her eyes sparkling with the promise of a world waiting to be explored.

Beth, the youngest of the Greene siblings, was a fragile, gentle soul whose innocence and kindness seemed to radiate from her like a beacon. Beth saw the world through eyes untainted by cynicism, her smile as radiant as the sunflowers that swayed in the fields behind their home.

As for Charlotte herself, she was on the cusp of change, her high school graduation looming on the horizon like a distant storm. Her heart was torn between the familiarity of the farm, with its well-worn rhythms and routines, and the thrill of the unknown that lay beyond the boundaries of their little slice of heaven.

Life on their little farm was idyllic, a snapshot of an existence untouched by the chaos and clamor of the outside world. But even as Charlotte reveled in the comfort of her family and their familiar surroundings, she couldn't help but wonder what adventures awaited her beyond the rolling hills and sun-drenched fields of the Greene family farm.

But perfect things aren't meant to last.

The day that changed everything began like any other on the Greene family farm — a tapestry of golden sunlight and gentle breezes, woven together with the laughter of Charlotte's loved ones. The rhythm of their daily routine was as familiar as the beat of her own heart; each task and chore a comforting ritual that bound them together.

But then, the tranquility was shattered by a scream, raw and primal, that tore through the air like a jagged blade. It was a sound that Charlotte would never forget — an anguished cry that signaled the end of life as she knew it.

Charlotte's heart lurched in her chest as she recognized the voice as her mother's, panic and fear lacing through her veins like ice. Dropping the basket of freshly picked vegetables she had been carrying. As she crested a hill overlooking the back pasture, the sight that greeted her was like something out of a feverish nightmare.

A gruesome figure, its skin mottled and gray, lurched towards her mother, teeth bared in a grotesque snarl. Annette stumbled back, terror etched onto her face, as the monstrous creature reached for her with gnarled hands.

Before Charlotte could even process the horror of the scene, her brother Shawn was there, charging towards the creature with fierce determination. He lunged at the monstrosity, tackling it to the ground and grappling with its twisted limbs in a desperate attempt to save their mother.

The struggle was brutal and savage — a primal battle for survival that seemed to unfold in slow motion. Shawn's shirt was soon soaked in sweat and blood, his face contorted with the strain of holding the creature at bay. But even his strength and bravery were not enough.

With a sudden, vicious movement, the creature lurched forward, its teeth sinking into the soft flesh of Shawn's neck. His eyes widened in shock and pain, his hands weakening their grip on the monster's throat.

It was then that Charlotte found her voice, a scream tearing from her throat like a wounded animal. The sound seemed to snap their mother from her frozen terror, and she hurled herself forward, shoving the creature off of Shawn with a strength born of desperation.

Annette stumbled back, blood streaming from the bite wound on her arm, her eyes locking with Charlotte's in a shared moment of terror and disbelief. And as the creature lunged once more, its jaws snapping like a rabid dog, Charlotte knew that their lives had been changed forever.

Their idyllic world had been shattered, their family torn apart by a gruesome monster that defied explanation. And as she watched her mother cradle her wounded brother, Charlotte knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

In the days that followed, she found herself huddled around the old television set with her father, Hershel, her sisters Maggie and Beth, Patricia, Otis, and Jimmy. The air was thick with tension, the flickering glow of the screen illuminating the worry etched onto their faces.

It had only been two days since the horrific attack that had taken her mother and brother from her. Two days of watching them succumb to the mysterious illness that transformed them into monstrous versions of themselves. Two days of praying for a miracle that never came.

Now, as they watched the news reports pouring in from around the world, it was clear that their personal tragedy was just a drop in an ocean of horror. The images on the screen were like scenes from a dystopian nightmare — cities overrun by shambling, rotting corpses, their once-human faces now twisted into grotesque parodies of life.

And yet, even as the world seemed to crumble around them, Hershel clung to the hope that his wife and son could be saved. He had moved Annette and Shawn to the barn, locking them away with the other grotesque creatures that had once been their friends and neighbors. It was a desperate act, born of love and denial, but Charlotte couldn't bring herself to share his blind faith.

"They're not sick, Dad," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the drone of the newscaster's voice. "They're gone."

Hershel's eyes flashed with a mixture of pain and defiance as he turned to face her. "You don't know that, Charlotte," he insisted, his voice hoarse with emotion. "We can't give up on them."

Charlotte swallowed the bitter retort that rose to her lips, knowing that arguing would only cause more pain. Instead, she looked to her sisters, seeking solace in their shared disbelief. Maggie's gaze was fixed on the screen, her eyes haunted by the knowledge that the world they had known was gone forever. Beth, ever the innocent, clutched her knees to her chest, her face pale and drawn with fear.

As the night wore on and the horror continued to unfold before them, Charlotte found herself slipping deeper into a sense of despair. The farm, once a haven of warmth and security, now felt like a prison, the rotting corpses in the barn a constant reminder of the nightmare that had consumed their lives.

No one would be saved anytime soon.