Like Fallen Leaves (working title?)

In the Beginning

The picture isn't really important, just setting the place. Plus, I took the photo and really liked it.

Al fought back the stinging feeling from her eyes as she brought the monkey-wrench down with a shattering force. Which is exactly what she intended. The crunch, that should have been unbearable, has become a familiar sound. There was a scatter of plips as the blood that had arched off the wrench sprayed onto the leaves above her head. She wiped her face with the back of a shaky hand trying to keep the blood, that had mixed with her sweat, from getting into her mouth. She rubbed her scar, a long reminder of the pain she had suffered when the breakout began. The scar stretched from her middle finger to her wrist, wrapping around like a ring attached to a bracelet. It ached whenever she had to kill, even if it was for food.

She got to her feet after a while, since her knees had started to hurt, and headed back to camp. The path they had marked was long and winding, she had simply gone to use the bathroom when a walker had stumbled up behind her. She didn't risk yelling, for fear of bringing the attention of more, so she hiked her pants up and she started at a skipping pace. God only knows how far she had gotten, but now she was out without a flashlight and only a wrench to protect herself. There were faint but constant orbs of light, probably from the camp. She headed in that direction, stepping as lightly as she could. As she got closer she could hear voices, softly crying out. Calling for her.

"Al, you hear me?" The feeble voice called out. She said nothing but quickened her pace, she wanted to get to where Cal was calling from. She could hear muffled sobs and hics as she rounded on a clump of shrubs. She crept slowly up behind and stopped a few feet short of the figure.

"Cal?" She whispered out.

"Nah, it's Dan. Where the hell've you been? We've been callin' for hours?" Dan was pretty tall and now that she looked, she could see that the shadow was much larger than Cal.

"Well, I heard Cal. Where is he?" Her voice was a bit harsh, but it was for the safety of the group. Dan was silent. "Where?!" She asked again, more angrily, threatening. There was a rustling behind the pair. They turned raising their weapons, quickly and silently. The rustling got closer and the sound of quiet hics grew louder.

"Al?" the voice was weak and trembling. "Dan? where are you?" Cal had stumbled upon them.

"Oh, thank god." She breathed and reached around in the dark for the small shoulder. At the touch cal's body jumped back a they could hear him spin around searching for any glimpse of a face or lack-there-of.

"It's me. Cal, it's me. C'mon let's get back to camp." She held him close as they all walked back toward the lighted site, weapons ready.

After they had checked for walkers or survivors they all started to clean up. When everything they had was packing to the trunk of the minivan, they all climbed in and got settled for bed. Al was ready for Cal's nightly questionnaire. Right on cue, it began.

"Hey, Al?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"What was your favorite birthday?"

She had to think for a minute. Then she sat up and looked into the backseat.

"Cal, my favorite birthday? It was my 10th birthday. My mom had made me a homemade cake and had spent all day on it. She poured her heart into that cake. It looked like a castle, you know like a king and queen would live in? It was blue and had special glitter. All in all the glitter tasted gross, but the light from the candles shimmering off the tops of the icing..." Al's eyes wandered over the inside of the minivan.

"Wow." Cal looked at her with amazement. While Dan turned back and forth in his seat. Cal opened his mouth to say say something but quickly shut it.