Shattered

Chapter Eleven: Brains

I ran down the dirt road smiling for the first time in a long time. Mary met me on the porch smiling. "He finally did it!" "What did he do?" "He told he loved me Mary. Someone loves me.." I didn't know why I was crying but it made me feel like I wasn't worthless. It was our six month anniversary and I finally got to hear it and knew he meant it. We both sat outside for hours talking about it. That was the thing about us. We were as close as could be and never got tired of talking to each other. We were both happy for the first time in years.

I looked down at the herd knocking the building down finally. I grabbed onto the tree branch right before the shed collapsed under me. I looked at the guns near the house and then at the stables. If there's a horse left I can make it out. I jumped out of the tree and started running. I dodged the walkers coming for me and jumped over a dead body. The night was falling and the new day was beginning to reveal itself. I was only up to my back up gun. I decided to get to the stables before grabbing the guns not wanting to risk losing my way out.

I shot a walker right in front of me ignoring the blood splattering across my face. I pushed it into the walkers behind me and kicked in the door of the stables. I shot the walker eating one of the horses and turned to see Nervous Nelly. "Of course it's you.. You kill me and you end like your buddy over there." I pulled myself up and she knocked me into a hook on the stable wall. I covered my mouth blocking the scream. I quickly put reins on her and got out of there. I weaved through the walkers and got to the house. I jumped down shooting the walkers nearest to me and picked up the bags. I got back on the horse and grabbed another gun and started shooting. I barely made it out to the gate and went over it. The last place they were together would be the highway. I was heading up the road when walkers were blocking the way. I knew there was no way of me taking them all down. They spotted Nelly and started chasing after me. I turned back and ran into another group of them. "Shit.." I turned and Nelly jumped over the barb wire. We went through the woods ignoring the sticks and vines smacking into us. Every time I ran into a walker I had to change route. All I hoped for was not to get turned around.

It was dark once again when I made it to the highway. There was no way Nelly could run anymore but I also couldn't stay there. I saw Daryl's truck covered with blood and remember T-Dog took it with Lori and Sophia. A few walkers were scattered across the road but too close for comfort. I needed to find the group before too long. I don't need Daryl or Carol to think I'm dead because of them. I went further down the highway and stopped for a bit. I had one of the energy drinks in the bag and lit a cigarette. Nelly nudged at my bleeding leg. I lifted her head and ran my hand down her face. "It's ok girl. You saved my life." I grabbed a granola bar and fed it to her. I kept looking around for any sign of where they went and kept an eye on any walkers. I stabbed one in the head coming near me and got covered with more blood. I was too tired to really care. I've been up shooting for over twelve hours. By the first sight of daylight I was on the move after barely resting my eyes.

I traveled into a nearby town and tied Nelly to a pole. I walked into a gas station looking around. I opened a bag and started throwing in the rest of the food that was left. I jumped over the counter and picked up cigarettes. Behind me I heard a click and pulled out my gun. "Be careful Miss. I'm not hear to hurt you." I looked back and saw a man in a vest standing behind me with three men backing him up. "I don't want any trouble." "Is that your horse out there?" "Yeah why?" He shrugged and walked up to me handing me my bag. "Are you alone?" "Isn't everyone? I need to know if I can leave or if I should shoot you now."

He made his men lower their guns and I walked outside with my gun still pointed. I untied Nelly and got the hell out of there. I kept looking over my shoulder making sure no one was following me. I didn't exactly know where to go but I wasn't going to give up not after a few days of looking. I kept moving down the road looking and listening for any sign of them. It was a long shot but I had to try. Everyday i just had to move a little further until Nelly had to rest. Hope is the onyl thing keeping me going and it's running out.

*Daryl*

"Rick is losing it Dary." "What do you want?" "A man of honor leading the group." I shook my head and walked away from her. I walked out on the porch and pulled Grace's rosary out of my pocket. She left it in her jacket pocket. I grabbed it before we left. It made me wonder how she could get so much comfort out of such a small thing. I heard her saying it made her remember her mother one day when she was talking to Dale but that's about it. "You still thinking about her?" "Yeah. Same with Andrea. What if they lived and we left without them?" "I made a call." I slammed my hand down on the rail and looked at him.

"You always say that when you know you're wrong! She made me take Carol and now she's gone." "I'm starting to think you care about her Daryl." "Please.. I don't care about Ellis I just don't want her blood on my hands."

"Keep telling yourself that." He walked back inside leaving me outside. It was getting closer to winter and you could feel it everyday. I shot a squirrel running up a tree and pulled the arrow out of the skull. 'I know it seems weird but I like the brain. My mom used to fix them up real good. After we came back hunting.' 'Go tell someone who cares.' "I did.'

I tied it to my belt and pushed the memory aside. Damn woman won't even leave me alone inside my own head.