A World Like This [1]

[3]

Edited 12/29/16

I found myself wandering down an empty street, leaves rustling underneath my feet. I was looking for food and possibly water. Aiden and I finished the last of our canned foods about a week ago, and as for the water I can't even remember the last time I had any. We split up so we could get more. There were no biters in sight. I heard nothing but the leaves beneath my feet and the growl of my stomach. I just had to keep moving, it was getting harder and harder to continue but I did it, I did it for Asher, I did it for my mom, and I did it for Aiden.

I pulled my cross bow off my back and prepared for anything that might come at me. I swept around the small house at the end of the street. I walked around not seeing anything that would be a threat until I got to the kitchen. One of them was on the floor, its hair was stringy and it was crawling around on the tiled floor. I immediately realized the blood following behind it and that whatever caused it to turn ate all around its legs. I put my cross bow back on my back and took out my pocket knife. It was easier this way there's not a chance of me missing. I pushed my small knife through its skull and it quickly fell to limp on the ground.

This biter made me think of Asher. he made up the term we now use as biters. Did he turn? Is he one of them? Or did he just die there and not come back? I quickly thought back to the beginning, when we didn't know what they were or what to call them.

*Flashback*

Aiden, Asher, and I all sat around the fire. Silence surrounded us, we had just lost our mom, well mine and Asher's mom, Aiden lost his step-mother but she was almost his mother. She treated him like a son and I don't think anyone would even question it when he introduced her as his mom.

"What do we do now?" Asher softly asked. I could hear the pain in my brothers' voice.

"We do what she wanted, we keep going and we take care of each other." I responded. Asher and Aiden both nodded their heads. I could tell they weren't sure about my 'plan' we need a lot more then each other. We need food, water, protection from those 'things'.

"I just can't believe the biters got'er." Asher said, his southern accent clear.

"The what?" Aiden asked.

"The biters." Asher said looking down at the ground. "Because they bite people and then they well... you know." I watched as my brother stared off into the small camp fire.

"I like it." I told him causing him and Aiden to look up at me.

"I do too." Aiden said. I could see a smile form on Asher and Aiden's faces it was the first I'd seen them smile since the world went down. I smiled a bit too. I had to come up with a plan though, and fast. Those biters are gonna come and I have to protect them, they're all I have left.

*Present*

I fell onto the kitchen floor and let the tears come. I couldn't help it any longer my knife dripped with blood and It was all over my shirt. I guess I should have used my bow after all.

"You okay?" I heard someone say. I quickly stood up and held my cross bow out in front of me pointing it where the voice came from. "Woah, woah, put the cross bow down." I finally see the boy who was speaking, he looked about my age he has dark brown hair and ocean blue eyes. He wore a blue flannel and a brown cowboy hat. His eyes just made me melt, no, no Ava focus. I stared him down but he stared right back. "Just put it down, no one has to get hurt." I didn't listen to him I just kept aiming at his head. "What's your name?" The boy asked me. I don't understand why he keeps talking to me. I haven't listened. I just stared at him not able to even speak. "You don't talk much huh?" He asked. I just continued to stare at this boy. "Just put the weapon down and we can talk, I promise I won't hurt you."

"Give me your gun." I said referring the gun he had in his holster. He pulled it out of his holster. "Put it on the ground in front of you." He did as I said and put it on the ground. "Kick it over here." I commanded. He again did what I asked and kicked the gun towards me. I swiftly bent down, never talking my eyes off the boy in the hat and picked up his gun. "You got anything else?" I asked.

"You want to check?" He asked with a smirk plastered on his face. I rolled my eyes at this immature boy.

"Do ya or no?" I asked getting frustrated.

"I'm not telling you have to check." He told me the smirk never leaving his face. I rolled my eyes at him again and began to check him for any other weapon he might have. I checked his boots then pockets. "Someone's getting handsy." The boy said laughing. I again roll my eyes at this perverted boy. He ended up only having a knife tucked into his boot. "So, what's your name?" He asked as I stood up.

"Ava, what's yours?" I asked after slinging my cross bow on my back.

"Carl, Carl Grimes." He told me.

"Well Carl Grimes I should be going." I began to walk away his gun and knife in my hand. I shouldn't leave him without it, he could die but I don't want him to kill Aiden or I.

"Wait- do you have a group?" He asked. I turned around to face the boy named Carl.

"No, I'm all by myself."

"Ava?"

"Yeah?" I asked.

"You know you're a bad liar, right?" my heart started racing at his words. I've always been a bad liar but now it could cost Aiden and I our lives. "You can trust me." His words really got me, could I really trust him?

"Yeah well I ain't lyin'."

"Ava come on. Just admit it."

"It's just my brother and I." I suddenly confessed.

"Do you guys need a place to stay?" He asked.

"You got somewhere safe?"

"Yeah, my group and I, we have a prison. It's safe we have fences to keep the walkers out." He told me.

"Walkers?" I question.

"Yeah what do you call them?" He asked me.

"Well... my brother... he... we... uhh I call them biters." I stuttered. Just calling them biters brings back the painful memory of his death. Carl nodded his head, in understanding.

"So, you want to come with my group?"

"Yeah. I just have to go find my brother." He nodded his head again and we left the house. I gave Carl back his gun and knife. I don't know why but I trust him and we have a better chance against the biters if he has his stuff. We continued to walk down the street. "So why are you out here by yourself if you have a group?" I ask Carl after the silence begins to slowly kill me.

"I just needed some air."

"In a big prison, you needed to leave to get air?" I asked laughing slightly.

"Well I guess I just wanted a break from my dad." He sighed.

"You okay?" I asked. I don't know why Carl decides to confide in a complete stranger, but maybe he just needs someone to talk to.

"Yeah, I'm fine, he can just be over protective." I nodded my head. "What's your dad like?" He asked as we began checking a house for Aiden.

"Oh, uhh... I never met him. So, I don't really know." I confessed.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Carl told me.

"No, don't be." We continued to search the house when I found two water bottles. Thank god. I put one in my bag and began to drink the other. We left the house once we realized he wasn't there. We went to the house next to it and saw him in the kitchen room looking through the pantry. "Aiden lets go." I said. He turned around immediately.

"Where are we going and who's this?" He asked.

"This is Carl and we are going with him, he has a prison and its safe."