Hope is all we have || {twd} ➳ book one of the hope series

Prologue.

WARNING:
This book is under serious construction.
It contains graphic scenes, triggering scenes, violence, language, and intimacy.
IT IS RATED PG-13 FOR A REASON. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Now that you have been forewarned, we may begin with the story.

My hands shook with every step I took.
I took small steps, but the way they echoed off this earth made them sound loud, fulfilling the quiet space around.  "Joey. Don't worry about it. They're way in the distance." I hear Promise's sentence ring in my head repeatedly, kind of as a way to remind myself not to worry.
We ambulate along the dirt covered road, and with every step we took, a small cloud of dust appeared around our ankles.
"Are you sure we shouldn't find shelter, you know, to protect ourselves?" I say, referring to the hoard of walkers, a while back behind us.
"Joelle Cassidy smith, what are you doing to your self?" Promise pipes in. "You're never like this. Now stop frightening yourself." She says, shaking her head. "We're fine. We don't have to stop now. We need a shelter where we will surely be safe. I'm not settling for one of those little houses."
"Promise, you're annoying as hell." I say, chucking.
"I know. but you love me." she replies, smiling at me. I giggle.
We walk along for a while, mostly in silence.
maybe its the fact we're alone, or the fact that we ran out of conversation.
if nothing interesting is happening, how are two supposed to carry a conversation?
i hung my head low as we continue walking, although i should be alert.
i dont want what happened to her, to happen to me.
"what is it, joey?"
i looked up to meet the eyes of promise, whom was about six inches taller than me.
i shook my head no in response.
don't do it, Joelle.
"are you thinking about her again?" Promise stopped in her tracks, and outstretched her bruise covered arms, placing them atop my shoulders.
"no. im fine."
"no, Joelle. you've been my best friend forever. i know you're not fine." Promise furrowed her eyebrows. her left one had a scar in it.
"no, really. i'm fine. let's just keep moving."
i continued to kick some rocks as we moved slowly down the windy road, and stayed cautious as to not get any stuck in my shoes.
+++++++++
"Now that's what I'm talking about." I hear a voice chime in behind me. I chuckle, shaking my head. Promise motions to the house in the distance, and jogs to it, me trailing slowly behind her.
"Now stand back..." Promise announces, confidently.
i watch her kick the door three times, making a hole, but not nearly big enough for us to fit through.
"Uh, Promise?" I chime in, trying to get her to look over.
"What? I've almost got this." She says, too reliant on getting the door open. she slams her foot against it again, but this time harder.
some of the white-painted wood chips off, landing back inside of the house.
"Promise!" she turns to face me, her foot halfway into the next kick.
"You do know the windows open...." i smirk, laughing as I pull myself through the open window, jumping out into the other side.
Promise chuckles under her breath, and rolls her eyes before handing me her gun through the window.
She pulls herself through also, standing up as she gets inside.
she closes the window shut, and flips the latches to the left with a click.
we both split up, clearing different rooms of the house.
"Clear!" I hear a voice echo from what I thought was the kitchen.
I walk up the creaking stairs, opening a door.
its actually quite scary, you know.
wandering around someones old, abandoned house.
you never know how many people have come and go freely.
or what happened here.
or, who.
a large thump came from inside a red-brown door, and i placed my hand against the doorknob.
should i?
i can handle one walker.
i turned the knob and swung the door open, and the fucked up figure of a man lunged at me.
"Promise!" I yell, getting knocked down on to the floor.
A blood drenched walker comes out behind me, growling and nipping its jaw as it nears closer to me.
he, (or she, how am i supposed to know?) reaches out and I scream, hitting my head against a stack of books as I stumble backwards to try to get my knife. my vision blurs as i crawl backward frantically, searching with my hands for the all-too-familiar-blade.
the blade sliced my hand, and although in pain, i am glad to have found it.
I jab the walker in the head finally, hyperventilating.
"Jo are you okay?" Promise screams, racing up the stares.
she knees down beside me as she grabs my arms, checking for scratches.
her hands were shaking, running up along the bare skin on my forearm.
"I.. I'm fine." i say, reaching for the back of my head. "I just bumped my head."
"Joey your head is bleeding..." Promise replies. I look at my hand, revealing the dark red blood. I sigh, standing up, kind of dizzy.
"I'll fix that up for you." Promise says, helping me down the stairs.
~~~~~~~~~~
I collapse on to the couch, promise wrapping a bandage tightly around my head.
"Now sit still. I don't want to hurt you." Promise says, tying the white bandage securely.
i stand up and move to my backpack, and watch her sit down on the couch.
i plop my backpack down on a coffee table, and place my bony, veiny hands against the dark brown wood.
i push it slowly, my muscles too tired to work.
i finally push it over to the designated spot, and sit atop it, folding my legs underneath me.
i pull a bag of beef jerky out of my bag, offering some to promise.
"no, Joey. you need it more than i do." she smiles and i look down, biting my lip.
"are you sure-"
"yes. eat it."
I reluctantly reach into the bag, grabbing out a good size piece of the meat.
i bite down on the food, barely able to rip it.
i chew and swallow it, before taking out one last piece, and burying the bag inside my duffle.
"Now you should get to sleep. It's late." Promise says, rubbing her hands on her jeans.
i nod and she stands up, and i lie down on the couch.
"Thank you, Promise." I say, smiling slightly.
"No problem." She says, grinning back. She hands me my blanket, and I lay down on the couch, staring at the broken un-tick-tocking-clock on the wall before, I drift to sleep.
****
A/N- first chapter of my story!! hope you like it!! i will be making some revisions and stuff to this story, so make sure you check back frequently! xx. -Lanie.