Survivor (A Glenn Rhee fanfiction)

Slabtown

Chapter 56: Slabtown
Baylee's POV

14 Hours Earlier

The sky was filled with pinks and oranges as the sun lowered beneath the pines. It was getting dark earlier every day. I sit on the last wooden step of the church porch, listening to the soft noises as the daytime dies.

The other trees were bare of leaves, but the emerald pines stood tall in piles of amber leaves, fully coated with their needles and pinecones. In a figurative sense, I guess, our group is like the pine trees. We are still standing. We're still fighting, refusing to let go of what matters most to us; our hope, our fight for survival.

I hear my brother's voice in my head, saying "Don't give up." It's a soothing noise to hear.

Lately, the more I've gotten deeper into my thoughts, the scarier they've been. I start hearing screams - the shrieks of my parents and Steve in the wreck in Atlanta, Steve begging me to stay in the car when he killed the first walker and crying when he stumbled back to me. I hear Steve pleading the Governor for his life. I hear walkers tearing into the home I have now, tearing the people I love apart. I hear everyone screaming, haunting shrieks and cries.

With a small gasp, I pull myself out of my thoughts. My surroundings are quiet. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. I feel like someone is watching, and scan around me. I don't see any walkers around. I squint, looking through the woods for any signs of danger.

Nothing.

I shift a little on the wooden step, pulling my coat tighter around me. I remain silent, watching the world around me. I feel for the knife on my belt, making sure it was there in case I needed it.

"H-help!"

I jump to my feet, nerves on end. That was real. I heard that.

"Help me!" The voice cries again. I take one step off the porch, confused and scared. I look back at the church, listening to the voices inside. Then, turn back to the direction of the voice. I could help them.

I venture off the porch, hand on the knife in my belt. My shoes crunch against the fallen leaves as I walk further away from the church.

"Hello?" I call carefully, turning my head and watching around me.

"Help! Over here!" I hear the voice on the edge of the forest. I slowly make my way over there, cautious with every step.

"Where are you?" I call, furrowing my eyebrows.

"Here! On the ground! Help, I think I broke my leg," The voice replies.

I notice a figure slumped in the leaves and take a step towards the person.

"Who are you?" I ask, approaching the young guy.

I kneel carefully, at least three feet away from the stranger. He doesn't answer my question. Instead, he looks up at me. For a moment, I can't tell if he's really hurt or not.

I stand back up slowly, taking a step backwards. But I back into something, or someone, and feel a sharp blow to the head. Before I can scream, a hand covers my mouth, and my eyes roll into the back of my head.

//

I wake up lying in warm sheets. It feels like a dream. I slowly open my eyes, and at once, am struck with a splitting headache. For some reason, a thick, white cast is wrapped around my left forearm. I look at it curiously, feeling a dull pain in my bones. I'm terrified; where am I, and how did I get here? With a little struggle, I sit up in bed.

I recognize the kind of room I am in - a hospital room. How is this possible? The hospitals have been shut down for years. I pause, thinking quickly about what had happened. When I remember, I immediately scramble out of the bed.