Well to simply put, this is something different from what i normally write. I've never written an Alternate universe for any fan fiction but hey why not. There will be the same walking dead characters as in the tv show but AU. Please leave a review and let me know if this should be continued/what do I need to work on. Also let me know about characters you want to see put into this and I'll work it out. Anyway onto the story.

Chapter one "the boy"

The boy's palms were sweaty in spite of the coolness of the room, slowly he clenched and unclenched his hands in an attempt to calm his nerves trying to show whoever had taken him that he wasn't afraid.

The boy was still wearing his soccer uniform from practice, grass and dirt stains covered areas of the uniform from where he could recall falling hard against...something. the boy ignored the state of his clothes and looked around the room for the umpteenth time hoping that maybe he had missed something his first go around but sadly there was still nothing.

The boy flicked a few blond strands of hair out of his eyes as the thoughts began pouring in "It will be fine, mom and dad will realize that I didn't come home after practice and the police will be here soon" the boy thought to himself in an attempt to ease his racing heart. Other thoughts began to race into his head as well, reports of mutilated victims, kids that were never found even fifty or so years after they went missing…

Maybe it's some guy who wants a kid of his own…yeah that happens right, just play the part of the son for a little bit and the minute he gains the guys trust, slip free.

The boy let out a small amount of trapped air that had built up in his lungs as he thought about his idea….then why the chain. The boy's hazel eyes went down to the chain that was wrapped tightly around his foot, a rusty padlock kept it in place.

Maybe…maybe….the boy felt tears begin to form up as his thoughts raced back to the news stories of missing children, never to be seen again.

Fuck, fuck, fuck….the boy hit his head against the wall in frustration as tears rolled down his face, he couldn't die here he had to get out….he had to.

The sound of boots clicking along pavement caused the boy to snap out of his dream, ok keep a level head…stop crying. The boy blinked away the tears and did his best to control the fear that had built up inside him.

The door creaked open and soon the mysterious person was inside the same room as the boy, he was tall, that was the first thing the boy noticed the man had to duck underneath the door frame to enter…though that could have been due to the door being very small.

The man's hair was slicked back and black as night, a beard covered the man's face which was sporting a million dollar smile with rows of clean white teeth. The man stood in the door way for a minute looking at the boy before completely coming in and closing the door behind him.

The boy began to shake in spite of himself but it wasn't due to the man's kempt appearance that caused the boy to shiver…it was the wooden bat with barbed wire that he carried so easily in his right arm.

"Hello Joshua" the man's voice sounded cheerful and if he wasn't holding him prisoner, trusting…

"How do you know…." The boy squeaked his voice sounding pitiful against the man's voice

"Your name?" the man's voice boomed in the enclosed space

The boy simply nodded feeling himself inch his way to the wall behind him

"In due time" the man licked his lips and looked around the room

"We are miles from anyone and anywhere, plus this room is sound proofed so no one can hear you" the man shrugged his shoulders "you'll be fed once a day and there's a bucket against the wall for…you know" the man indicated to the blue bucket that the boy had just noticed, the thought of using it disgust him.

"Now if there aren't any questions" the man stated returning to the door

The boy tugged at the chain as he attempted to stand, "my parents are going to realize I'm not home, the cops will be looking for me" the boy stated almost pleading with the man to let him go and realize the foolishness of the keeping him here.

The man stopped in the door way and cocked his head so one eye could view his prisoner "I have no doubts that the cops will be looking for you very soon….your parents on the other hand, I don't think their able to do much at the moment" the man banged the bat against the ground and in the process a small spatter of blood cascaded off the weapon and into the room with the boy.

Without saying another word the man left the boy sobbing in the room, unwilling to look around or try to tug the chain again, want only to wake up from this nightmare and have it be over….

Two years later

Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes continued patrolling around the small town in King County, Georgia counting the minutes till his shift would be done so that he could go home. His wife Michonne wouldn't be long after him after picking up Judith from pre-school and then they could relax for maybe a small moment.

His eldest Carl who was a freshman in high school would be home after soccer practice sometime early evening which meant tonight would be the first time that the family would have dinner together…as long as nothing major happened. The policeman smiled again picking up the stale coffee that had gone cold hours ago and proceeded along the road that led outside of town.

Rick turned his attention to the radio and attempted to get a country station playing when upon looking up he quickly slammed on his brakes. Rick stared for a few seconds as he saw a boy walking up the road.

The act in itself wouldn't normally cause much fuss but it was the state of the boy, his shoulder length hair was matted to his head, his clothes which consisted of old soccer shorts which were stained with dirt and grass, the jersey was almost in shreds with the number 12 barely visible, in other words the kid looked like hell.

"Dispatch this is car two-seven….." Rick spoke into his radio going into almost autopilot, ignoring the fatherly instinct to go and at the least take the boy in, the boy however seemed to ignore the car all together and continued walking toward town.

Dispatch acknowledged Rick who promptly called for his usual partner and friend to promptly meet him on the road, at the same time the deputy continued monitoring the boy's slow zombie like march toward town.

No more than five minutes past before Shane and Rick were out of their patrol cars and moving toward the kid.

"Hey son…" Rick spoke first as Shane stood next to his friend waiting to jump in if needed.

The boy continued shuffling as the two deputies got closer to which Rick could see that the boy who couldn't be more than fifteen or sixteen was in much rougher shape than the deputy realized before. A long scar ran along the kid's temple to the corner of his mouth, the scar had healed long ago indicating long term abuse.

"Hey kid" Rick spoke in a softer voice carefully reaching toward the boy to get him to stop.

The kid flew back as soon as the tips of the deputy's finger grazed him, acting as if Rick had punched him.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry,I won't do it again…." the boy said repeating the words another time before pausing and looking up at the deputies standing above him.

Before either man could say anything the boy asked "where am I?"

"King county" Shane said grabbing his radio, ready to call the hospital

"And you're both policemen" the boy timidly asked as if expecting to be struck for asking such an obvious question.

"We are, we can help you…can you tell us your name" Rick said holding up a comforting hand

The boy shook his head "please….he'll come back for me"