Beginning of the End

XLIII

I stepped out my house for the first time in what felt like years. I winced as the sunlight hit my skin. I walked over to the back corner of my house, pulling some of the lilies up and then walked over to the graves. I noticed Lamar standing there. He quickly turned to me, gun drawn. I put my hands up.

"It's just me..." I lowered my hands and walked over to the graves, setting a flower on each one.

"It's good to see you out and about..." He looked at me, with concern in his eyes.

"I know he wouldn't want me to be this way. He hated when I got depressed, so," I breathed in, "I'm gonna so grab my bow and arrow and spend some time in the woods." I turned and walked off towards Inventory.

"Be safe. Please..." He called out behind me. I gave him a thumbs up and kept walking. I reached inventory and stepped inside.

"Need help?" Stefanie turned around the corner as I was picking up a compound bow and some arrows, "Oh, hey Jade." She smiled softy.

"Hey, Stef. And this is all I need." I walked over and signed the paper.

"Okay..." She sighed as I walked out.

I made my way to the back gate and walked to my usual clearing. I sat upon a stump and closed my eyes as I breathed in. I sat for what seemed like hours. Just thinking, about everything. I opened my eyes and realized the sun was getting lower to the horizon. I listened to the noises around me, mainly the wind blowing through the trees. Then, I heard a twig snap. I jumped up with an arrow nocked, pointing it to the sound.

"Come on, I heard you!" I shouted. Then, from behind the treeline, a man walked out. Reddish brown hair, red beard, wearing a duster over a denim jacket. He looked like he hadn't bathed in a few days, maybe a week. He had an m1 garand strapped to his back, a knife on his side, and a Colt single action army pointed right at me.

"Drop your weapon." He said calmly.

"So you can shoot me and steal it?" I chuckled, "I'll take my chances." I pulled the arrow back some.

"A bow to a gunfight? Brave woman." He smirked.

"Are you alone?" I asked, looking behind him.

"If I wasn't, would I tell you?" He asked, tilting his head to the side a bit. I contemplated firing my arrow, but I lowered it instead.

"Fair enough." I set my bow down and sat back down on the stump. He slowly walked over to me, gun still pointed at me.

"Are you alone?" He asked. I looked up at him.

"Out here? Yes. But maybe I have people watching us." I smirked. He lowered his gun, placing it in his holster.

"If that were true, they would've probably shot me by now. Wouldn't be the first time," He moved his duster to the side, lifting his shirt to reveal a bullet wound on his side. Looked like the bullet grazed more than anything, "Healing processed sucked more than the actual shot." He lowered his shirt and stood there, silently. I heard something to our right, so I turned and saw a walker emerge from the treeline. He went to grab his gun.

"No!" I said sternly, "Sound will just attract more." I went to pick up my bow, but he had already grabbed his knife out and walked over to it. He tripped it, then stabbed it straight through the forehead. I watched as he cleaned the blood off of it. Bowie knife with a gold handle. I rolled my eyes. This dude literally seems like the stereotypical apocalypse survivor. He turned to me.

"Usually I don't let wanderers live after I see them, but it just doesn't feel right killing a little girl." He smiled.

"Little girl?" I chuckled, "Okay, sure."

"Head on home to your parents." He turned and walked through the trees. I sat and just laughed. Then, it hit me. What if he worked for my stepdad? I stood up, throwing the bow and arrows on my back. And I set out after him.