The Future is Nigh (TWD Fanfiction)

07- Alive but barely breathing

Before Judith can push open the door to the house I grab by the shoulder with my free hand. She frowns up at me, like a puppy just after being smacked on the nose.

'Let me go first.' I insist. Judith is about to oblige but I let go of her shoulder and hand, walk past and turn the door knob. I am not a hot character from one of those movies where they kick the door down, swishing their hair and holding their gun like a professional as they do. Instead I lightly turn the knob, hold up my katana(Shaking, yes. My body has not reacted to eating yet) and once the door is wide, stomp my foot on the floor boards beneath my feet.

Judith tries to push past me but I rest a hand on her chest to keep her back. She is eager to search, ready for an adventure.

Unlike the car -where I count down from three- a house like this needs more time. Ten, nine, eight, seven- there is a ruffling noise coming from the back of the house. From the front door you can see the very back room, where there is a kitchen. The island is visible through the open arch. There are no doors, all open spaces so there is no where to hide.

I can hear the scatter of feet, but not human. Not a walker.

'Just, wait here. Okay?' I ask Judith and she wants to give out, it is obvious from her crossed over arms and the stern look on her face. Like Carl, I shake my head and give her "the look". The look which says, this is too dangerous and you are not coming so do not even think about it. 

She runs back down the porch steps and Carl walks towards her. His eyes are watching me and I wonder what he is thinking. It feels like butterflies are taking flight in my belly, causing me to jump from my skin.

With one quick turn I creep into the house. My feet creak on the floor boards, leading myself to the back room of the house. At the entryway of the kitchen I can see the whole room. The fridge door is ajar on the other side of the island. The light inside has died out.

No food remains, only scattered wrappers and open plastic where bacon has been torn from. This would have been a lovely house before, miles from any life or from the walkers. The people who lived here must have been one of the last to be caught by the dead.

It is obvious no one lives here. The house is tidy and empty, there is that smell, the smell a house gets when no one has been inside for over a long period of time.

In the kitchen, to the right it leads to a joined dining room. Windows cover from both the back and side wall, they start from the ceiling and down to the floor. Outside there is a garden fenced off from the surrounding fields.

There is a wonky swing in the garden. I can just imagine a family living here once before, holding barbecue's, family and friends traveling and then sitting together at the table, chatting as the children screamed and laughed, running in and out of the house.

I walk the distance to the island. My left index finger runs along the counter, collecting the dirt. When I lift it to my lips and blow all the pieces flutter wide. They travel back down to the table and I watch, fascinated.

A scattering noise comes from the other side of the bench, I look up, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. My katana is now held in both my hands, slipping through from the sweat. I step around to the other side, looking down to the ground. When I close the fridge door there is a puppy dog. Not a puppy, but he is small and his eyes are huge.

He gets to his feet and wobbles slightly, his body so thin. When I step closer the dog growls, baring its sharp teeth. 'It's okay.' I whisper and the dogs attitude does a 360. The puppy dog yelps a small, quick bark before scampering over to my feet.

His bones are clearly seen, he is so fragile

'A dog!' Judith squeals, running past me to hug the puppy. The dog waggles its tail and licks her arms and face.

'I told you not to come inside.'

Judith shakes her head and does not glance up at me as she says, 'No. You said, "Let me go first". and you did.'

I can feel anger forming in my chest but let it go when I look at how happy she is. The puppy is smothered in filth, flees 100%. Judith does not care though, she probably does not know what flees even are.

A sigh is exhaled from behind me, when I swirl around Carl is staring at Judith and the puppy. His gun is held lamely in his hand. When our eyes meet I feel a bounce in my step.

I smile and he doesn't.

Then he says, with an annoyed voice and a "this was your one and only job" sort of tone, 'I'm going to search the rest of the house.'