AMBER | Daryl Dixon

Where Had The Years Gone

Amber's POV

3 years later

"Ay Dixon! Why don't you go fetch us some fire wood while Jackson and I build the pit?" Asked Rob.

"Yeah, sure thing." I replied, grabbing my bow and heading off into the forest.

"Hey! I'll come with." Yelled a boy, who goes by the name Hunter.

"I'll be fine. Just stay and keep watch with Angie." I replied, continuing my way into the forest.

On my way back to the small camp, I heard a twig snap behind me. Shining my flashlight in that direction, I found nothing. I brush it off but still kept a good ear when I heard it again.

Flicking my light off, I crouched down, dropped the wood, and grabbed the small knife from inside my boot. Leaves began to crumble under each other of the person's footsteps. I then saw a silloette of a person as they came closer.

"Who the hell are you and why are you following me?" I asked as I held the knife over their neck, throwing them onto the ground.

"Amber. Amber, it's me Angie." They said in a rush all while they raised their hands in surrender.

"Damn it Angie, I thought you were back at camp." I replied taking the knife away and stood up before reaching down to help pull her up.

"I thought I heard something so that's why I'm here." She replied, dusting herself off.

"Yeah, that something was me." I said placing the knife back into my boot. I picked up the wood and walked back to camp with Angie behind me.

"Put them here." Rob said, pointing down at the small pit. I dropped the wood and walked back to where my belongings were set. I layed out one of my flannels and sat on it, setting my back against a tree.

"Hey Dixon. Who were you with before we found you?" Asked Rob. He was the leader of the group. 38 years old, surviving along with his son Jackson, 17 and daughter Angie, 15.

"I was with another group. It got over run, I fleed with others who made it. One by one they slowly died along the way either by just giving up or just running off. The only ones left were Hunter and I, so we've stuck together ever since, jumping from group to group. Your family is the first group of people we've seen in weeks. So, now we are here. The end." I said, pulling my knees to my chest and placing my arms over them.

"You one tough little duck, aren't cha?" He asked, looking up towards me as he blew into the fire.

"How old are you anyway?" Asked Jackson as he walked around the small camp with his rifle in hand.

"12. I was 9 when everything happened." I said, looking up from my hands.

"Who were you with? You know from the start?" Rob asked, sitting back and placing his hands into his lap.

"My neighbor." I replied, playing with my thumbs.

"Where were your parents?" Angie asked in confusion. I smiled at the familiar question.

"Parent. I had one. My dad, and Uncle. They were out on an arrend that took longer than expected and when they got back, I was already gone." They nodded.

"My neighbor Joe, had already taken me with him. We drove away as they pulled up to the house and that was the last time I ever saw them." Everyone grew quiet and I could feel their pity.

"Do you miss them?" Angie asked. I sighed, placing my hand across my chest.

"Very much." Rob smiled.

"Wherever they are, I'm sure they miss the hell out of you too." He stared and I just shot him a thin smile before returning my gaze to the fire.

"Hunter, I assume you like having her around considering how long you both have stayed together." Jackson said, causing a smile to spread across both our faces.

"Eh, she's tolerable. Saves my ass once in a while." Said Hunter as he tapped my leg.

"Were you the only child?" Asked Angie. I turned to look at her and nodded.

"Have you seen it happen?" Angie asked.

"What do you mean?"

"When it all first started, did you see someone get bit and turn?" Rob just nudged her arm. I laughed nervously, thinking back to what I saw outside the living room window.

"I did see someone get bit but didn't stay very long for them to turn." She nodded. Then there was silence, and the silence became awkward. Jackson soon noticed and broke it. Thank god.

"Wow Angie, way to keep the mood up. Come on. We should get some sleep. We'll start up again tomorrow." He said, sitting down next to Angie. Everyone nodded and then settled.

"I'll take first watch." I protested before they drifted off to sleep. Not long after that, they were all sound asleep, slight snores here and there, well at least that's what I thought.

Quickly glancing around one more time, I pulled something out that would normally be tucked under my shirt. I pulled out the familiar chain, along with the familiar sunshine charm.

"My only sunshine, Love Dad." Read the engraving. I clenched the familiar object in my hands as tears welled up in my eyes.

"I miss you Dad." I thought as I looked down at the ground.

"What's wrong?" Hunter asked as he rubbed his eyes. Startled, I quickly put the chain back behind my shirt, blinking my eyes dry and spoke.

"Nothin. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" He asked, sitting up.

"Yeah, it's nothing. Don't worry about me."

"Want me to take over watch?" He asked with a look of concern in his eyes.

"Do I have a choice?" I asked, looking up towards Hunter. He was always like an older brother to me. He was 16, and we slowly bonded at the old camp until, well you know what happened.

"Not really. You need the sleep." He said before looking into the fire.

"Fine." With that said, I layed my head back against the tree, and draped Daryl's flannel over my body as a blanket. The last thing I heard were the cracking sounds of the firewood.

____________

We woke up at the break of dawn this morning and have been on the road ever since. It believe it's around noon, maybe even 1 in the afternoon. But we haven't stopped walking. We were all following Rob, looking for whatever Rob is looking for, in which case, I don't mind. Looking is better than doing nothing at all.

"Dad, what are we doing?" Angie asked as she stopped mid-way on the road.

"Infected up ahead." I said, pointing my bow in the direction I was talking about. I pulled out an arrow from the holster on my back, loaded it then let go, hitting it's target right in the head.

"Right." Hunter said behind me just before he came and impaled his knife into its skull. I looked at him and nodded, in others words, thank you. Once the infected were clear, we continued on with Rob infront, Jackson, Angie, me, then Hunter taking rear. We soon arrived at an opening to an open field to either sides of us.

I breathed in the fresh air, feeling the sun beam down onto my head. For a second, I felt at ease when a sound we never thought any of us would ever hear came to our ears.

"Is that-"

"A helicopter?" I said following the flying object with my eyes as it flew over us.

"Holy shit." Said Rob. Soon enough, the helicopter crashed maybe a few miles away into the forest.

"Come on! There could be survivors! Come on!" With that said, I ran off towards the smoke that erupted from the crash.