The Walking Dead Imagines

Doe Eyes

I crept through the break in the fence, heart pounding at each noise I created. Sure, I couldn't see any walkers around, but it would be just my luck that I'd be swarmed by them just moments away from sanctuary. The barn, although it stood alone, looked exactly like any old run-of-the mill little red barn. But so long as the locks worked and there was something useful inside, it would be as good as a castle. Books always compared thunder to gunshots, but if that were true, she wouldn't have been so scared of it. She'd fired a gun more times than she could count, even before these damn walkers had taken over and the sound had never bothered her. But thunder? That shit reduced her to a quaking mess. She quickly but quietly got through the old fence and went straight to the barn.

The storm is getting worse and the trees are threatening to fall over with how heavy the wind is. She gets inside the barn and shuts the door, locking it. She checks the barn to make sure it's safe and locks everything. She climbs up the ladder and curls up in the dark corner, holding her knees to her chest and slowly rocking. She eventually falls asleep but is soon woken up by the sound of the barn door slamming shut. The wind and rain have gotten heavier but she's worried about the barn door right now. She's about to move to go check it out but she hears multiple voices talking over each other. 'Shit, what do I do? Do I get up and try leaving while they're sleeping? But it's still storming. Maybe threaten them? No, sounds like there's too many of them. What the hell am I going to do?'

The voices calm down and I listen to the people the best I can. I can't hardly hear them so I decide to just ignore them and hope nobody comes up here. *Some Time Later* I get out of my corner and look down at the people. 'They're all asleep. Maybe I can sneak down and leave without them knowing.' I quietly climb down and go to the door, trying to unlock it quietly. "Don' move 'nother inch." I freeze, listening to the gruff southern accent. "Turn 'round, slowly." I slowly turn around and look up at him with my best "I'm sorry," look. I have what people call "Doe eyes," and I've learned that most men like the deer in headlights look from girls. So that's what I do to this guy. His stance is threatening but he hesitates and I can see a flash of pink dust his cheeks and ears. "Who are ya?" I pinch myself and feel tears brim my eyes, his hard glare changes to one of quilt and something else. "I'm Ruby. I was in here before your group came and was just trying to leave." He glares again and I internally curse myself for not lying. "Why?"

I bite my lip, trying to see a way out of this. I look at his stance again and see that his guard isn't up all the way. "I just needed shelter from the storm." Somebody starts stirring in their sleep and I start getting nervous. He looks away from me for a second and I take this chance to my advantage. I punch him in the jaw and he stumbles back. He looks at me shocked and pissed off. I kick his hand and he drops his crossbow. I kick his crossbow to the side and quickly swing open the door, running outside into the rain. An arrow flies by my head and I run faster, zig-zagging so I won't get hit. I run into the woods and keep running until my legs are shaking. I eventually stop when I see a road and walk through the woods along the side of the road. "Stay hidden. Stay strong. Keep going forward. Endure and survive." I keep repeating these words in my head until I see a gas station up ahead. I go to the gas station and check to make sure it's safe. When I feel it's safe enough for me, I take my sleeping bag out and set it underneath the front counter. I lay down and sigh, repeating those familiar words in my head over and over again until I fall asleep. *Some More Time Later* I wake up hearing voices and quickly but quietly pack my sleeping bag away. The voices sound like men and I mentally curse myself.

I look up at the ceiling and bite my lip, thinking. 'Maybe I can hide on the pillar up above. Most people don't think to look above them.' I hide my bag under the counter and climb on top of the counter. I jump up and reach the pillars, climbing onto one and holding my breath as the men come into view. They don't look threatening but I'm not taking any chances. "We'll be okay Eric, don't worry." The other man sighs. "I know, I just thought I heard something." The other man doesn't say anything but follows his friend around the gas station. I stay as quiet as possible until they leave the station. I hop down and quickly grab my bag. I go to the back and leave out of the back entrance. I go into the woods and walk for a long while until I get tired. Then I climb up a tree and sit with my back to the tree, taking out some rope and tying it around my legs so that I don't fall.