Afraid of Being Alive (Shane Walsh Love Story)

Chapter 3: Leaving Behind Memories

Chapter 3: Leaving Behind Memories

Morning had just struck, early sunlight seeping in through the window and disturbing whatever humanity still remained in Atlanta. I was always groggy in the morning and the smallest things would get on my nerves. I rolled over from my place facing the wall to see Lola who was still soundly asleep.

“Lola.” I whispered, my attempt to wake her up which went without success.

“Forget it.” I mumbled to myself as I pulled my quilt off of me.

Realizing I was in my mere underwear, I grabbed a grey short and silky robe out of my wardrobe and slipped into it, tying it up around the waist and making a limp bow.

The kitchen tiles always threatened to give anyone who dared to step on them hypothermia in the mornings, so I slid into my fluffy pair of slippers.

I tiptoed out of the kitchen and into the lounge room where I saw that Shane was fast asleep in his place, but Rick was nowhere to be seen. My heart leaped as I came to the worst possible conclusion; he snuck out during the night to go back to his camp.

I walked further into the lounge room and the balcony came into view, my heart resting and dropping its fast pace as I witnessed Rick looking out at the city of Atlanta from high up here.

I walked past Shane who continued to sleep and quietly creeped up to Rick.

“It’s a great view, isn’t it?” I asked as I came up softly behind him.

He turned to look at me, his shocking blue eyes harsher first thing in the morning as opposed to their soft status last night.

“It really is, you’ve got a great place” replied Rick, nodding lightly.

“Shane reckons you’ve got better.” I said, almost a whisper.

“I think we both have great hideouts,” said Rick “You’ve got stuff…. Things… and we’ve got the safety we’ve always desired.”

“Did Shane talk over the offer he made me to you?”

“Of course he did, but it’s up to you if you want to take it.”

“I’m debating it.” I sighed.

“Well, you’ve not got long,” smirked Rick “We’ll be on our way soon and you can either join us or leave us,”

“You’ll at least stay for breakfast, won’t you?”

“Only if that’s what you want.”

“It is”

“Well then, thank you for having us.” He smiled as he gave me a small pat on the shoulder before turning around and leaving us.

After around an hour, everybody was awake and I was currently making breakfast for everybody in the kitchen. After breakfast, I would take over the decision we had to make with Lola. I felt like I wanted to go, to leave. If she wanted to leave, we would go. If Lola however wanted to stay, we were fucked. I felt like I wanted to get out of this parasite infested area. They claimed that their place was safe, on the outskirts of Atlanta. Ours wasn’t so safe. That barrier wouldn’t hold out forever and one step outside the building could result in a horrific, slow and excruciatingly painful death.

Because breakfast was the most important meal of the day, I used more food than I would for something like lunch or dinner. For breakfast, I decided that everyone would get a buttered piece of grainy bread and a piece of fruit; quite a nutritious breakfast if I do say so myself. I called everybody to the table and gave them their meals, the two men that we had found yesterday giving me an appreciative nod. Lola ate her food slowly, allowing me time to talk with the men.