𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 - The Walking Dead

ᴏɴᴇ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇ || ꜰʟᴏᴡᴇʀs
ᴘʀᴇ sᴇᴀsᴏɴ

The memory of that fateful night clung to Ottilie Bates like a second skin, haunting her dreams and turning her waking moments into a silent reel of horror. Five months ago, the Bates family had huddled in an abandoned church along with the group that took them in, seeking refuge from the world turned nightmare. Flickering candlelight cast eerie shadows on the stone walls as the group prayed for safety. But the prayers went unanswered.

Ottilie and Aderlee cuddled in a corner together, trying to comfort each other whilst also seeking warmth. Aderlee, the oldest of the two but still only being 7 held her younger sister in her lap. Ottilie was just turning 6, both the girls way too young to understand this world.

The groaning of the doors and the echoing footsteps of the dead shattered their fragile sanctuary. The girls will forever remember the chaos as it erupted and the group scattered, each person fighting for their own survival. They remember how the group fought for safety, holding the doors, grabbing their weapons as the women held their children. Ottilies heart pounded in her chest as her body shook in fear, her small hand gripping Aderlee's.

The monsters filled the room, almost like someone had purposely let them in. The girls could only watch in fear as they watched people, their friends taking them last breaths. Aderlee wanted to do something, she wanted to save the people around her but how could she when she was only 7 herself, she was no match to the undead.

Children screamed for their parents, praying that they would save them for the unruly monsters that have invaded their homes. Ottilie wanted to scream, she wanted to call for her dad and he come running for them but the truth was she knew he wouldn't come and she wasn't allowed to talk.

With her eyes wide with fear Ottilie grabbed her leopard print backpack, holding on to it as the tears came down her face. The pair heard the monster before they seen it, one of the monsters had made its way to them and fell to its knees ready to take a chunk out of the girls. Aderlee screamed as Ottilie panicked, her breathing increased and her body started shaking as she pushed herself in the corner even further. Just as the monster reached to grab Aderlees foot a man from their group named Jack had pulled it from them and stabbed it in the head making the blood splatter all over the girls. They almost died and their dad was no where to be seen.

"We need to run, Ottie!" Aderlee's shout was frantic, her eyes wide with terror. But Ottilie could only stare, mute with dread, her voice trapped somewhere deep inside.

Aderlee stood up almost tripping over as she pulled Ottilie up too she started running, pulling her sister along as they both had tears in their eyes. They took a back exit, passing some monsters which were luckily distracted with the other members of the group.

Suddenly, their father was there, his grip iron on their arms, dragging them away from the dying and the dead alike. Ottilie tried to keep up but they were going to fast, making her dad practically drag her the whole way, it burned her arm but she wouldn't say anything because at least she was alive.

He didn't look back as their friends were torn apart, their screams echoing in the darkness. Johnathan's focus was singular, his drive unwavering—survive, no matter the cost.

As they run through the forest they could hear the screams of terror following them, haunting them. John Bates didn't care, as long as he was out of there. The little girls however, those screams would give them nightmares for months.

---

The sun had barely risen when Ottilie woke, the pale light filtering through the cracks in the dilapidated shutters of their shared room. She lay still, listening to the rhythmic breathing of her sister beside her. Aderlee stirred, her eyes fluttering open.