This Is Our World Now -A Walking Dead Fanfiction

Chapter Fourteen- Picture Windows

Following the news of our escape from Sea-Tac, days of preparation ensue. Supply runs are made to whatever nearby buildings have not already been sacked, and eventually trips to the outskirts of South Seattle are made, just to ensure we have plenty of food, water, and ammo upon our arrival in Atlanta. We don't really know what to expect there. However, our plan is to land as close as we can to the CDC, depending on how much of the city is still inhabited. It could be a ghosttown outside the Disease Center, or it could be well-guarded and well-inhabited. We prepare for any scenario, counting on the fact, of course, that the CDC is still up and running. Which, last we heard, it is. We are crossing our fingers at this point.

Our departure is scheduled for ten days from the announcement of the whole plan. The first three days is just planning and troubleshooting our plan. Once it is perfected, we spend four days gathering the supplies we will need and packaging them for the flight. We end up with huge stacks of boxes of food, gallons and gallons of fresh water, and plies of ammo and weapons. We stand a good chance, if I dare say it.

The eighth day of our preparations is spent finding our airplane we will travel in ang outfitting it for the trip. This means storing our supplies, checking all the functions to make sure it all works, and hours of transferring fuel from other planes to ours, in order to make sure we will be able to actually reach Atlanta. Most planes are nearly out of fuel, because they were never refueled when they arrived, or it all dried up, but there are a couple that probably came from closer places that provide us enough to fill our plane's tank well. After this, we go inside and watch our designated pilot practice flying in another smaller plane. He returns to the ground confident that he can get us there.

The last day before we leave, everyone is in high spirits, probably because we are getting outta here soon. Before we leave, though, I go sit by one of the huge windows alone and think about the people from our school who didn't make it here. I want them to know that as we are leaving this place, I won't forget them. I won't.

I slipped away quietly, making sure nobody followed me, but I am not surprised when Danny shows up.

"Watcha thinking about?" He asks me as he sits down gently beside me. I shrug and keep gazing out the polished glass, untouched by roamers thanks to its two-story-above-the-ground height. He turns to look out the window, too, and we sit quietly for a minute, before he speaks again.

"I'm glad you found your brother, Annie. He's a cool little guy."

I nod, and answer him, but I change the subject completely by asking, "Do you ever think about the people that got left at school?"

Danny sighs, like he knew I was going to ask him this and he doesn't want to answer. But he does.

"Annie, I've thought about them. But it makes me too sad. I don't want to think about those things anymore. In this world, all I think we can do anymore is think positive..."

I nod, not looking at him, and don't answer because I don't know what I would say.

We stay there and sit in silence for a while. Just thinking, i guess, about life...and death. And everything that will happen to us.

At least, that's what I've been thinking about. I'm not sure about Danny, but by the faraway look on his face, I can imagine he is thinking similar things.

As I'm unconciously studying him, he looks at me, and slides over to put an arm around my waist, pulling me close to him. I am a little surprised, feeling his fingers cautiously land on my torso, but right now this closeness is comforting and simply something I need, so I just let myself lean against him and I rest my head on his shoulder.

"I like to imagine seeing airplanes take off and land when I stare out this window."

Danny makes this comment out of the blue, but it fits, and I nod slightly. I try to imagine the planes to, from my days of staring out through this glass, amazed, as a child. But the effort of trying to remember things from before and also hold back all the tears those memories bring, it is too much and I just drift off to sleep, with Danny holding me close.

When I wake up, the sky is darker, the setting sun is visible above the line of trees across from the airport. I am lying down, and Danny is fast asleep next to me, his arm still draped around my shoulders, his chest as my pillow. I try to imagine how weird it would've been to think about this before the world went to hell, but I just don't even know anymore what I would think. It's happening now, and that is all I can manage to think about.

I gently shake Danny's shoulder.

"Danny. Danny! We fell asleep."

"Huh? Oh hi Annie." His voice is a bit deeper from just waking up. He stretches and sits up.

"I'm going to go make sure I've packed everything I need, so I'll see you later, ok, Danny?"

"Hmmm yea that sounds good," he says as he yawns widely. I start to walk back towards our encampment, but Danny calls me back.

"Hey wait up a second, Annalyn."

I do. He pulls himself up, walks over to me, and wraps me in a hug. I melt into it, and put my arms around his waist. He whispers into my hair,

"Everything is gonna be alright, Annie. I promise."