"Ahh! It's another beautiful day in paradise!" I said, stretching my arms over my head as I waited for my clothes to dry. Freddy snorted as he let loose a fresh arrow.

"That was a ten point shot, I think. Let's see you beat that!" He said giving my arm a playful punch.

"Right you are, my dear Frederick!" I picked up my composite recurve bow and ran my hand over the wood and bone I had lovingly set myself, smiling as I recalled how my father had patiently overseen its construction. Nocking my arrow, I picked a walker about 500 feet away and pulled the string across my cheek. The satisfying "twang" ran up my arm as the arrow made a sloppy gushing sound into the eye of my target. "Aww, big brother, maybe it isn't such a beautiful day for you after all!"

"Hmm, pure luck." He muttered, still admiring my perfect shot. "I am sure I'll get more than you on our way back out to the bikes." He shouldered his crossbow and made his way to the hatch that led from the roof down to the main level of the Laundromat.

"You'll have to, Freddy; otherwise this trip will be nothing but an embarrassment for you. I mean, just think of that girl in San Antonio! You totally could have been on that, but you were all "I think weapons are so versatile, just think of all of their uses, even in the bedroom." I mean seriously, Freddy! What the fuck were you thinking?" I heard the slap of his face against his palm before the hatch slammed shut and enjoyed yet another victory.

The world may have ended, but those amongst the living must get their pleasures where they can, and nothing could be more satisfying for a younger sister than knowing just how to get under your big brothers' skin.

I stared down into the newly reduced hoard of walkers roaming the street. Not too many left, not that there were that many before. We had chosen to stop here because it seemed so untouched, barely any dead and even less looting, the electricity even worked! The fresh supplies and clothes were like heaven after spending so much time on the road in hell, and don't even get me started on the showers! We had spent a week here, living like kings in the stately houses lining streets now covered with the motionless corpses Freddy and I left behind.

And, of course, there was the looting. It wasn't the stealing that I loved, but the idea that I could do whatever I wanted, and there was no one there to tell me no. I loved dancing through racks of clothes, throwing on whatever I wanted right then and there.

I was pulled out of my reverie by the sound of engines. I spied the caravan as it turned the corner on to Mills street and made its way slowly towards me. I tugged my braids pensively, there were not too many people left in the world and even fewer good ones. I prayed this encounter wouldn't lead to trouble as I made my way down to tell my brother the news; I really hated killing people that were still alive.

"Well, what do you say? Feeling lucky?" Freddy asked, eyeing the Winnebago leading in the short caravan.

I rolled my eyes. "Always." The noise from their engines were drawing unwanted attention from dead onlookers, they'd have a hard time making it out of their cars now if they wanted to. "Shall we lend them a hand, brother dearest?"

"And leave ourselves open in the event they aren't as friendly as you hope?" He gave me a disapproving look.

"You know what they say; Do unto others…" I said, pulling a chain and club from my bag and packing my belt with a few knives and a kilij before holstering an AK74 over the recurve across my shoulder.

"Right, you know, sometimes I hate what a do-gooder you are." He loaded more arrows into his quiver and sheathed his scimitar before ruffling my hair and kicking the Laundromat door open.

There is nothing more exhilarating as close combat with a few more walkers than the average person would be able to handle. It isn't really a good feeling, knowing that, at any second, my brother or I could be zombie fodder- or worse; but there is nothing else in the world that can give you an adrenaline rush quite like it. I wrapped necks in chain with a flick of my wrist, pulling them just within reach to crush their skulls with my club before sending their lifeless bodies to the ground with another flick. A good technique, until a grotesquely large corpse grabbed my chain hand; pulling it in to his dribbling bloody mouth for a bite when Freddy got him in that big gaping maw with an arrow. I vowed never to make fun of his archery skills again, but quickly took it back, knowing I wouldn't make it to the end of the day.

Without my chain, my club was useless because I would have to get within biting distance to use it. I threw it at a slight walker in a flimsy nightgown, hoping to get one last good bash with it; it glanced off her shoulder, leaving her crippled but still lethal. Damn it! I grasped the blade of one of my throwing knives and flung it at her head, making it whip back with a sickening "thunk" before she sank to the sidewalk. I pulled out my kilij and began a slash and stab campaign, decapitating the undead one by one and finishing them off with a quick thrust through the eye.

A dull whistle by my head threw me off my guard and I nearly stumbled over a freshly beheaded corpse; quickly glancing over my shoulder, I saw a lithe wisp of a girl on top of a truck already poised to throw another knife. "Thank God, there are other people who know how to fight; and they are smart enough to not pull their guns out right away too!" But, of course, I had only had time to formulate the thought when a group of muscled men scrambled out of their various vehicles with loaded fire power. I sighed. "Men are such losers!" The first shot had all of the walkers turning their way.

"Do you have more people?" I called to the closest of the newcomers, a burly bald black guy in a white tee shirt.

"Yeah, three more women, an older guy and two kids." He replied, blasting the head off a corpse that wandered too close.

"Kids? Oh, jeez, we couldn't do things the easy way, huh?" I ripped through a zombie's neck and up into its brain with my sword, kicking it away in disgust. "Look, you're going to have to go and get them. Carry the kids into the Laundromat while Freddy and I cover you. We can bar the door behind us." He nodded and ran back to the Winnebago; I made my way to my brother and filled him in on plan in between kills.

"Get inside!" I yelled at the others, waving them towards the Laundromat and cutting down any attackers along the way. Freddy had already gone back to the camper to cut a path for the women and children, I brought up the rear; shutting the door firmly behind me, chaining it and blocking it with an old broken down washing machine for good measure. "It's a pleasure to meet you!" I smiled, brushing an unruly strand of blue hair out of my face.

"What the hell was that?" Asked one of the men, wiping a hand across his mouth before shoving it through his dark wavy hair.

"That, my friend was the welcome wagon, and judging by the turnout, the locals must really want to get to know you." I said, instantly becoming defensive at his aggressive attitude. "And you are very welcome for the help, by the way."

"What Shane means to say is that we've never seen anybody fight like that." The older man stepped in front of his companion, an unsure smile on his face. "We do thank you for the help; it was just a shock is all."

"Yeah. Sorry we didn't join you sooner, I was just kind of sitting slack jawed watching you, it was amazing how you move!" The girl with the knives said with animated appreciation.

"Meh." I shrugged. "Our daddy is a weapons expert; he spent most of our childhoods making us learn how to fight. I guess it was time well spent, eh?" I gave what I hoped was an encouraging smile. "I'm just glad you guys aren't the usual pillaging brutes." I eyed them with false suspicion. "You aren't the usual pillaging brutes are you?"

"Definitely not." The old man said amicably. "Not that we would tell you if we were." He laughed, the tiny girl and children giggled along with him. Everyone else gave an uncomfortable half smile.

"Well, I really am pleased to meet you. It isn't everyday you get to meet someone new who isn't trying to eat you." I rummaged through one of my bags, pulling out some scavenged canned goods. " I'm Lucy Mackensie and this is my half brother Freddy." I nodded at him before holding the food out at the group.

They introduced themselves in turns before taking a can, as if it were some kind of requirement for the gift I was giving. The older man was Dale, he owned the Winnebago and wondered if there were any way to get parts for it in the area; I told him we scouted a place that sold RVs not too far away and I could take him if he liked. A blonde woman in her thirties called herself Andrea, she didn't say too much and stayed close to Dale.

The knife girl shook my hand enthusiastically as she introduced the blonde man at her side as Daryl and begged me to show her how to use my "big knife". I told her it was called a kilij and it was the sword Vlad the Impaler used to bring down the Ottoman Empire, cautiously letting her hold it until she started swishing it around. Daryl referred to her as "songbird" when he scolded her for not being careful.

A shy lady with her hair buzzed short came forward and told me her name was Carol and her daughter was Sofia. Sofia decided she wanted to tell me that Carl was her friend as she presented the other child to me, a boy with brown hair and freckles. His mother presented herself as Lori and gave a hard look at the man to her right as he stepped forward to shake my hand, saying his name was Rick.

The black man told me to call him T-Dog and asked how long we had been here.

"About a week, we were traveling from San Antonio when we ran out of gas. I guess we must have gotten a little too comfortable. Haven't really had the nerve to leave yet." Freddy chimed in, his shoulders hung low. It startled me; I had never seen him look so tired and defeated.

"Don't be so hard on yourself; surviving is hard enough on you." T-Dog said in a quiet voice before setting himself down on a bench, his own shoulders sunken.

An Asian-American guy in a blue tee shirt with "NERDS HAVE MORE FUN" printed across it piped up after the silence that followed, telling us his name was Glenn and asking where the bathroom was. I smiled, yes; the world still goes on, potty breaks and all. I tipped my head in the direction of the lavatory with a wink.

Finally, the dark haired guy sullenly said his name was Shane. I noted that he kept glancing at Lori, obviously wanting her. I smiled at him for appearances as I handed him the can of stew and inwardly cringed as his hand brushed against mine; this guy had some serious negative vibes rolling off of him.

"So where are you guys headed?" I asked, ripping into a box of Cheese Nips.

"We aren't quite sure yet." Rick answered with a cautious look towards his wife. "Thought we might head west and see if we could find somewhere safe to spend the winter."

"Mmm." I agreed through a mouthful of crackers.

"Well, good luck with that." Freddy cut in quickly. He gave me a warning look, knowing what I was about to do. I swallowed hard and took a swig of water, pleading with him silently. Who knew how many survivors were out there, let alone good people. I could feel their eyes on us as we had our non-conversation, but I kept my eyes on Freddy, wearing him down. He finally looked away with a huff, conceding.

I turned back to the others with a smile. "So, we kind of have this safe haven we're headed to. Our dad's place; it's out in Kansas."

"Kansas?" Shane interrupted. "But you said you were coming from San Antonio. What are you doing in Mississippi?"

"Lucky is a bit of a softie." Freddy answered. "She wanted to rescue her mother." He had the good grace to look like he cared, dropping his gaze to the floor. "But we had been holed up in that convention center in Texas for almost a month."

"I had to try!" I realized how defeated I felt and pushed myself up off the floor, suddenly needing to move around. "I was such a crappy daughter before-" I trailed off, very aware of how selfish and dangerous this trip had been. "Besides, it wasn't a waste; we got all of those weapons from the house and stocked up on food."

Freddy grabbed my wrist and pulled me close, resting his cheek on my head. "I didn't mean it like that, kiddo."

After a few long moments of uncomfortable silence, Daryl cleared his throat. "So, what's so great about this place in Kansas?"

My eyes lit up and I felt a smile creeping back onto my face. "Well, my dad happens to be a veritable genius! He built this fortress years ago, absolutely sure that some disaster was bound to happen. I can guarantee no walkers will get inside it."

"Those are big promises coming from a kid with blue hair." Daryl sounded unconvinced. "What makes you so sure?"

"Have you ever seen a walker dig?" I jutted my chin up, sure I had won the argument. From the looks on their faces I could see that no one got my joke, but then Songbird jumped up.

"It's underground!" For some reason that made her happy in the extreme.

"Uh, yeah." I said, confused by her reaction. "I suppose you could say that my dad is kind of a paranoid underground survivalist. He was in Vietnam and got hit pretty bad with some tear gas, after that he never really trusted the government or people as a whole after that." I noticed that the majority of the group was giving me an odd look, as if I had said something crazy. Everyone except for Songbird, who looked so excited I thought she would burst.

"And would your father be okay with a group of strangers just showing up?" Dale inquired

"Considering that most of civilization has fallen and that you would be with us, I think that he would be happy to see some new faces." Freddy said

"I know James will, he has always hated how antisocial daddy is." I mused

"We shouldn't just trust them. What if they are leading us into a trap?" Shane eyed me with suspicion.

"Yep, that's the plan. We have been rounding people up like cattle. We plan to sacrifice you to our unholy gods who have seen fit to bring this trial upon us…" I gestured grandiosely. "Or, we could just be nice people willing to give you a hand up. I mean, we could have let you die back there in the street, right?"

"I think the best thing to do would be to put it to a vote." Rick said, with a dark look at Shane.

"I vote we go." Carol said, startling everyone in her party, I guess she doesn't talk much. "We need somewhere safe, the kids can't handle too much more of this traveling around."

"Me too." Glenn said. "Maybe you could teach us some of those moves."

"Yes!" Songbird chimed in. "Please show us how to kick some walker ass! Quietly, you know, without the bringing of more…"

Daryl scowled at the back of her head, rolling his eyes.

"Your dad doesn't really seem to like that idea." Freddy pointed out, causing Daryl's face to contort into a horrified expression.

"My what?" Songbird looked confused.

"Ummm, isn't he your father?" Freddy asked, giving a nod at Daryl.

"What? No! He's not my dad, he's my, my…" She looked around for the right word. "He's my Daryl."

Freddy gave an embarrassed cough into his hand and kept quiet.

"Will you teach me to fight too?" Carl asked with a hopeful twinkle in his eyes.

"No!" Lori almost yelled. "You won't need to get anywhere near those things anyway." She pulled her son into her lap and held him close. "I vote we keep looking." If looks could kill, I probably would have been dead then.

T-Dog gave me a slap on the back. "They did help us out back there. I think it would be better to stick with people willing and able. I vote yes."

Dale and Andrea shared a look. "I think we should at least check it out." Dale ventured.

"We can at least travel with them, even if things aren't as safe as she said. We can cross that bridge when we get to it." Andrea stated indifferently.

"Well then, I want you to know we won't be freeloading. We have some food with us, and weapons." Rick began.

"Guns." Songbird snorted, inviting an insulted look from the men.

"As I was saying, we have supplies, and we can help out when we get there." Rick concluded.

"If we decide to stay there." Shane added.

"Right. So, now that we have decided all that, we should get some rest. The hoard outside should dissipate in a while and we can head out to one of the houses to spend the night." I informed them. "We can get those camper parts you need tomorrow and probably pick up some more food before heading on."

The faces around me were varied; some were hopeful, some were doubtful. All of them were tired. I counted back and realized it had been a month since I had seen a normal person other than Freddy. It was amazing how good it felt to have someone new talk to. I thought about the different people in this new group of people; I could actually like most of them, heck, I might even learn to be friends with one or two of them. It might be actually be a beautiful day in… well, not quite paradise, but no need in being picky.

END OF PART ONE