Always and Forever

Chapter 1: A Day in Hell

*^outfit^*

*FLASHBACK*

"BOO!!"

"Ahh!" My 13 year old self jumped from the tree I was leaning against while the book I was reading fell to the ground. My clear blue eyes fell on to the only other person who knows of my secret hiding place, where I read, is none other than the asshole that scared me.... My best friend.

I glared up at him as he leaned against the tree I was just sitting at, while he held his stomach laughing. "Scared ya, didn't I?" His southern accent more prominent when he finally stopped laughing as his blue eyes held mine. Rolling my eyes, I took a step to grab my book from the ground only for it to be swiped away by my best friend.

"D, give it back!" I reached for my book as he held it over his head out of my reach,"D, come on, it's not funny."

"Com'on reach for it." He chuckled as he held it further above his head as I stood toe to toe with him. Huffing, I rolled my eyes before taking my seat back against the tree.
"On another note, where were you today?" I asked as I looked at D while he sat beside me flipping through my book in silence. He gently closed the book as I watched him begin to bite on his thumb in nervousness.

"D?" I spoke softly as I laid my hand on his shoulder only for him to hiss in pain as he flinched away. Moving in front of him, I gently placed my hands on his cheeks as I carefully and gently lifted his head to meet my gaze,"He hurt you again, didn't he?"

His silence is the only answer I need as my eyes filled with tears before I gently wrapped my arms around his neck, careful of his back and shoulders.
"I'm fine," he spoke softly as he hugged me back,"it's nothing really."
"It's not D! It's not right that he is hitting you... I don't like seeing you being hurt." I leaned back to look him in the eyes as tears rolled down my face.
"I promise it's n'thing," D spoke as he took my hands in his before looking away at my now forgotten book,"I don't see how you can read this ... there's no pictures."

"It's called an imagination, something you lack my friend." I smiled softly as I wiped my tears away before standing holding my hand out for D,"C'me on, dad is not home yet so let me clean those before he gets back."
"You ain't gotta do that-" He spoke as he took my hand while I helped pull him to his feet.
"I know, but we are best friends.. I can't have you dying of infection then I would have to find a new best friend." I joked as I began the trek through the woods to my house.
"I'm your only friend, beside who would want to be friends with you." He nudged my shoulder as he walked beside me with my book in hand.
"And I couldn't ask for a better one," I looked at him smiling while I held my pinky out for his,"Always and forever?"
His eyes connected with mine as he wrapped his pinky around my finger as he spoke his famous words,"Damn straight."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One month.

One fucking month that I have been waking up in my truck with my dog, Chaos.

One damn month that the dead had risen and begun to walk this fucked up world.

"Another day in hell," I sighed deeply as I contemplated getting up to face the horror of the day ahead. Looking out my truck window I took a deep breathe before climbing over my center console to the drivers seat. "You ready for the day boy, hm?" I pat Chaos on the head as he laid in the passenger seat. Grabbing my pack from the passenger floorboard I opened the door after checking to make sure the dead was nowhere near.
"C'me on boy!" I called Chaos out of the truck before closing the door as I looked at the two miles we had to walk to enter Atlanta. "Gonna be another long day,eh boy?' I looked at Chaos before I grabbed a granola bar and bottle of water from my pack as I split it and gave Chaos his share and some water. While he ate, I got ready for the 15 minute walk to the city as I put my boots and jacket on and grab my crossbow that my best friend metal stamped our initials into for my 14th birthday.