Haven (A Walking Dead fanfiction)

Chapter 2

It's been about a few weeks since Daryl saved me in the woods. It feels good to have a home. A real home. Beth and I have become good friends, she's been letting me stay in her room with her. I've been trying to spend more time with my brother since we're finally together again, but he's been acting weird. He's distant and sometimes he gets this cold look in his eyes...it scares me.  He's so different than he was before all of this. I sigh and lean back against Beth's bed, my mind heavy with thoughts. The ghosts of what used to be our lives haunting me.

"You ok?" She asks me, her sweet southern accent filling my ears. I force a small smile.

"Yeah, just thinking that's all." She smiles, then tries to change the subject.

"So...how'd you end up in our woods anyway?" She asks me curiously. I've been avoiding this conversation since I got here. It hurts too much to think about let alone talk about. I keep shrugging it off, telling everyone I was alone and just wandered my way here, but it's a lie. Tears immediately fill my eyes. Beth puts her hand on my shoulder. "Hey don't cry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you..."

"No it's not you...it's just...i wasn't alone the whole time, like I told everyone..." I manage to tell her through my tears. Maybe telling someone will make this hole in my chest a little smaller. 

"What..?" She asks shocked.

"I had a friend. My best friend actually. He was a few years older than me and when the z's starting showing up I turned to him. I lost my parents on the first day, my brother was no where to be found, but Andrew...he was there for me. He got us out of the city, he kept me alive. We were so close, he was everything to me...." I pause, sniffling. "We tried to keep moving, only stayed in a place for one night, two tops. We had a system and it worked for us. He'd laugh and tell stupid jokes to keep my mind off of what was going on. We'd stare up at the stars and talk all night, taking turns sleeping during the day. Then one day everything changed. We were out in the woods looking for a good place to set up camp. A group of guys came out of no where. We were outnumbered 10 to 1. They attacked us, they beat him over and over again while I was tied to a tree completely helpless. They made me watch as they laughed, tormented us. They took everything we had except the gun and knife I had hidden in my boots. One of the younger boys, maybe a little older than me hit me in the head with the butt of his gun and everything went black. When I woke up I was laying alone in the middle of a clearing. My shirt was torn, my pants at my ankles. I was horrified, exposed, and alone. There was no sign of my friend, Andrew, anywhere. One minute we were laughing and joking and the next, he was just gone...I was alone after that.....I remember the last thing he told me. He cried to me as they hit him 'Don't be afraid Hails. You get out of here and you run. Run as far as you can. Don't stop until you know your safe. Find your brother. I love you Hailey...' That's when everything went dark...I never stopped running. Didn't talk to a single soul until Daryl found me..." I take a deep breath, feeling relieved I finally told someone. Part of me is ashamed of what happened, I feel guilty and vulnerable. Regret slowly creeps over me...maybe I shouldn't have said anything.

"Oh Hailey...that's awful....I'm so sorry.." She says quietly.

"Part of me believes he's still out there...but I know the chances of that are.." She stops me.

"Don't think like that. He's still out there..." I smile a little at the thought of him still being alive. I nod.

"I sure hope so."

"Girls! Breakfast!" I hear Patricia yell from down stairs. I wipe the tears from my face. Laughing at the glimmer in Beth's face at the sound of food.

"Race ya!" Beth yells as she jumps off the bed. I smile, I was worried that she would see me differently after what I'd told her. Like I was somehow tainted by what had been done to me, but everything just snaps back to normal.

"Hey, no fair!" I call after her as I hop out of bed right behind her. We both laugh as we dart down the stairs and into our seats at the kitchen table.

"Well good morning to you too." Hershel says laughing as he joins us at the table. Beth and I laugh with him, still breathing heavy from our sprint. I quickly eat my breakfast, then thank Patricia and Hershel for the food. After I'm finished I go outside and sit by Lori on a log next to the fire pit, as Glenn passes them all fresh peaches. He looks nervous for some reason. I smile.

"Hey delivery boy, you scared those peaches are gonna bite or something?" I ask teasing him. The smile is wiped from my face when he stays completely serious. "Glenn...you ok?" I ask him seriously this time.

"No actually...there's something I need to tell you guys." Now he has the group's attention. "There's uh..there are walkers in the barn...."