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It always started with something. Whether it was an argument, a gunshot, or even the dead, it always started. This group, this family knew it better than most. But hell, everyone knew it now days. Everyone who was alive, that is. Even so, sometimes being alive meant that you were to live feeling as though you were dead.
But when you awoke this particular morning, you didn't think that you would be feeling that way anytime soon. Sure, you had lost people. But you also gained people, family.
You were the last left of your bloodline, other than your five year old nephew, Mason. Mason's parents died in the beginning, and you were left to take care of him for all these years. You loved the kid more than anything in the universe, and wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice yourself for him.
Being on the road was dangerous, everyone knew it. But there was nowhere else to go. Since Terminus and after finding Father Gabriel holed up in his church, the group hadn't been to another 'safe' location. Everyone started to think that there wasn't any safe places anymore. You had always known that they were rare if not none, but now you could really see it.
Watching as the sun peeked over the hillside, you stood from your place on the ground. You always had last watch, meaning you were up with the sun and woke everybody else up. You looked down at Mason, who was sleeping soundly near your lover, Rick. The two of you had been together since a while after Lori passed, and Mason immediately took a liking to Rick and his children.
You ran your shaky hand through your dirt matted hair, pulling it back and out of your face using a hair tie. You trudge over to where the fire that was lit last night lay, stepping on the slightly smoking pieces of leftover charcoal, slinging your bag over your shoulder before calling out,
"Up and at 'em everyone," loud enough for everyone to hear, but not to alert anything that could've been lurking in the surrounding forest, "we're losing daylight by the minute."
You made your way over to where Mason sat, rubbing his eyes as he yawned. People around began gathering their bags, slinging them over their tense shoulders as you had done. You straightened out the child's blue t-shirt, grabbing his hand and turning to face the rest of the group. Very few of them were actually able to sleep, but they had tried. Mason wrapped his hand around your larger one, walking a short distance behind you as you breached through the crowd of people conversing.
You looked at the road ahead, sighing. You didn't know where you were going. Just aimlessly wandering about, hoping that somewhere there's a place to rest. You felt the presence of everyone's eyes on you as you turned around, meeting all of their gazes. You were great when it came to travelling. You knew the United States like the back of your hand, so everyone looked to you when wondering where to go next.
"We'll keep heading north," you spoke a loud, receiving nods from some and sighs from others, "the colder we the land is the better, you all know that." you turned around and began moving forward, hearing the footsteps of the others behind you as you walked.
