The Desert In Her Eyes ((TWD)) Season(s) 1(2)-11

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄

                I could hear them... The voices outside of the moaning and the growling and the sounds of them tripping, I could hear voices. It was distant but still somehow close. I kept the windows and doors locked.
The power stopped working but that was okay. I ate the frozen foods first; I still had a bunch of leftovers, though... The house was starting to smell and the dogs... They were running out of food... I didn't have the strength to get more on my own. So I just lay in my bed, lifeless, staring at nothing.
The voices only got louder, as did the screaming. It was enough to make me look.
                  "Fuck! They're coming from all sides! We need cover!" Someone yelled, only causing a loud thud to echo in the next room. I open the window, drawing up the curtains, to look. To watch.
                  "Shit- there's too many!" The other shouted. Both males. Probably around the same age.
Quickly, I slide from my bed, grab my bow and arrows, and then crawl back on the bed, removing the screen from my window and eyeing their situation calmly.
Around ten of the dead were surrounding them, five more from each side dragging themselves across. I load my bow, pulling it back and pointing at one of the dead, aiming it as best I can, then let go, watching my arrow shoot out and hit the ear of one, killing it instantly, the men look at the arrow, then in the direction it came. Then go back to fighting them off. I load another, point, and shoot, watching as it hits another of the dead. This time, they look again.
                  "Hurry!" I yelled, not recognizing my voice. They looked, killed two more then ran down my driveway. Then through the screen door, slamming it shut. I shot two more arrows, killing the ones closest to the yard; then I closed the window, drew the blinds back down, and quickly ran out into the kitchen, pulling out two knives from the knife block and eyeing the window. Two fully grown men stood outside catching their breaths.
Now that they were closer I could see them more clearly.
One with vibrant red hair, and the other with brown hair one with a beard and one with scruff. I shuffle toward the door, unlocking it hesitantly.
Their heads snapped in my direction. No one spoke for a moment, a tension filling the atmosphere. And despite it all, they had a look in their eyes. A sort of hope.
                  "Drop your weapons," I said calmly, hidden behind my screen door. They looked at each other and then back at me, seemingly contemplating something. "I said drop your weapons." I scowled, watching as they again looked at each other, then carefully put their knives and guns on the ground. Stepping away from them.
I open the door, stepping out with my knives, snatching up the guns carefully, my eyes never leaving them. "Are you bit?" They shook their heads, my gaze only narrowing. "Show me your arms" They again looked at each other, then back at me.
                  "Kid we're not going to hurt you, we- we just need some food and water. Then we'll be gone" The one taller man stuttered, trying to keep everyone calm. I only scoffed.
                  "I don't care. Show me your arms, or you can go back out there and deal with them." I glanced into their eyes, a look of anger and annoyance flashing across the shorter ones' face. "Just-" My voice faded, feeling a lump in my throat. I tried to clear it away, and in a second, I saw their gaze soften before going cold.
Finally, they sighed, pulled up their sleeves, and showed me their arms. The shorter man had a tattoo on the crevice of his arm - by his elbow. A butterfly with small flower patterns above it. The other man had no tattoos but instead, scars. Small ones are barely noticeable anymore.
                  "Believe us now?" The shorter man said, scowling. "We don't need this we could just go to the next house"
                  "Get in" they didn't hesitate. As soon as they were I closed the door, locked it, and held a knife up to their throats. "Who are you?"

✧༺𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐒𝐊𝐈𝐏༻✧

                A heavy sigh leaves my lips, dawn rising below the treetops. I hurt. A lot. Even if it was safe it still wasn't very comfortable. Two of the dead stood below, scratching at the tree I was on, trying to grab me.
For a moment I just watched, desensitized by the blood and rotten smell they emitted.

𝐒𝐍𝐀𝐏

                I sat up straight, eyeing my surroundings cautiously. My hand slid down to my thigh, grabbing the handle of my knife. The dead, now uninterested in me, headed toward the sound. Again, I just watched, waiting for a minute before climbing the tree, and reaching for a large black camping bag that was tied back by a thick rope used for mountain climbing.
Quickly untying it I slip the bag on, nearly falling from the weight change. The dead, limping away with tattered clothes and gutted bodies.
After they were out of sight I wrapped up the rope and climbed down from the tree. Still barely touching the handle of my knife. I moved swiftly, hiding behind the trees and brush, running in the opposite direction of the noise. I didn't stop till I came across a road; the path was clear beside a broken-down car. We'd traveled far despite the roadblocks. I run toward the car, looking around for any sign of them. None. So I kept going, running as far as I could till I found the building.
                  "Hey, Abe, Dexter, you in there?" I hummed, knocking on the door cautiously and peering into the windows. A shadow crossed but no noise. I entered. Everything inside was a mess; furniture was thrown down, and some bodies lay on the ground.
                  "Kid is that you?" Dexter groaned from further in; quickly I walked over, my boots thudding against the ground. When I got to the second hallway there were four doors.
                  "Yeah. It's me. Where's Abe?" I asked, the silence stretching into an eerieness that became almost uncomfortable.
                  The door at the end of the hall opened and out came Dexter holding his knife with blood on his clothes. My heart sank. "He's sleeping" Dexter spoke, his expression distant. I couldn't relax, not knowing that the people I traveled with were hurt.
                  "I found some supplies. Not much, but enough to stop Abe's bleeding." He only nodded, walking in with me and closing the door behind him. Lights from outside shine down into the room, lighting it up. Abe lay on a cot, eyes closed with a poorly done fabric bandage around his wrist, his blood, a bright red, soaked the cloth and part of his clothes.
I crouched beside him, slipping the bag from my shoulders, grabbing out some medical bandages, tape, and some cleaner from the small pocket, cleaning the cut as best I could. The silence was louder than my thoughts at this point. Abe winced, flinched away then stopped moving. I had to place my knee on his arm to make him stop.
                  "Can you hand me the um..." I sighed, my voice cracking. Dexter didn't need to hear anything else to know what I meant. And finally, we got Abe's wrist wrapped up. "The easy part is done." I sighed, moving to sit on his hips, lifting his shirt to reveal a deep cut on his abdomen.
For the rest of the morning, Dexter and I fixed up Abe's injuries and our own. Agreeing that once he woke up we'd keep moving. We had to.

                  "Just a few more blocks and we can stop," Dexter grunts, carrying Abe on his arm. I gulp, looking back as more of the dead stalked toward us.
                  Abe, the poor baby, groaned from discomfort. "Leave me," I scowled, killing the ones that came from the alleys and nearby streets.
                  "Not an option, Abe, you're stuck with us just as we're stuck with you." This caused him to chuckle. All of us moving as fast as possible toward a building. "I can run ahead, draw them out and away," I offered. Panting heavily as I carried the heavy camping bags.
                  "No" Dexter growled, to which I nodded. "We stick together. It's too dangerous" Finally, after what felt like forever, we reached the building. The three of us shove our way inside. I kill one of the dead, shove it toward the other ones, and slam the door shut, locking it in the process.
Hearing their snarls, and growls made my stomach churn. I felt dizzy. Stars blurring my vision.
                  "Mickey, come check out Abe real quick. I'll clear the store," Dexter stated, approaching my side. I nodded, watching as he pulled out his knives and moved toward the cash register.
I moved over to Abe, grunting as I sat down beside him.
                  "Hey, kiddo," Abe coughs, throwing his hand on my thigh and patting it nonchalantly; I just look at his wrapped wrist. "How are you holding up?" He asked, shifting with a wince.
                  "I should be asking that. You're the one hurt," I hummed, laying my head back and watching the knife shine as I wiped off the blood with a cloth. Abe only laughs. Which causes him to cough.
                  "I might be hurt but you're the one without family, that house, those people," Abe hums, rolling his head to look at me. I only sigh, looking down at my legs.
                  "It was bound to happen one way or another" Was all I said. It was all I could say. Abe only hums and pulls me into a side hug, his arm once on my leg now wrapped around my shoulders, keeping me close.