Ellie stumbled along the empty highway as she heaved for air. She had been running the whole day. She swung her backpack strap over her left arm as she struggled up to her feet. She had to look back and around her continually making sure she didn't have to make another run for it. She called them the 'dead', but the most commonly used term she had herd others use was the term 'walkers'

"Thank God they're not sprinters. Then I'd be fucked…"

Ellie laughed at her own comment half-heartedly as if she really were in the company of a clever smartass.

She missed home. Even though it wasn't home, rather a radio station on lock down, all to her, it was more of a home than anything for the longest time.

She deliriously started to sing Walk the Line by Johnny Cash before tripping and landing on her palms, making her skin scratched and raw. She didn't bother to get up this time, she panted as she looked up at the sky, and then contemplated getting up. Instead, she looked around, seeing stretched deserted road, she moved over to the gravel off to the side, convincing herself it would be safer. She then collapsed with another weak laugh.

"We had a good run."

She sighed as she pulled out one of the two knives strapped to her lower back. Looking at it in an entranced manner as she ran her thumb along the sharp end. It was stained from all of the walkers she had properly killed. She smacked her lips.

I'm thirsty.

With that final thought, she struggled up to her knees then stabbed at the ground, the knife going through the dirt. Digging with her knife, she began clawing away though the ground, hoping to reach water to drink; if not then China. Maybe things were going better over there.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

It had been decided. After what had happened at the CDC, the group collectively agreed on moving on to Fort Benning. Although some people didn't like the idea as much as others, Rick was content to have everyone in any kind of agreement. The distance between their current location and the intended destination minimized the hope for any luck. Dale led the line of vehicles with his RV. Andrea sat in the back at the table, still and silent. She hadn't spoken a word since they left the CDC.

Dale didn't feel so talkative either. He hadn't recollected his emotions from the stunt Andrea had pulled. Allowing the task of driving to clear and relax his mind, he silently looked out to the road. It was empty. The graveled area on the right side resembled a desert. He looked along the sides of the road to make sure he didn't miss anything worth stopping for.

He then caught a glimpse of a figure off the side of the road, moving relentlessly in its place. He squinted his eyes as he approached. As soon as he got close enough to see it wasn't a walker, but a woman with long brown curls hacking at the ground, sending a rush of concern through his body.

Another survivor.

What is she doing?

He then put on the hazards to alert the rest of the group behind him and pulled over, the rest of the vehicles following. Andrea still stayed in her place, having no desire to investigate why Dale decided to stop.

"There's someone on the side of the road. She's alive."

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

Ellie was unaware of her surroundings; her mind was only focused on the cracked creases of her bottom lips as she chewed at them.

How deep do you have to go to get some goddamn water?

The hole was not even a foot deep when she heard someone call out to her.

"You okay, Miss?"

Startled, Ellie, quickly turned around, pointing her knife at a man in a sheriff's uniform, a group of other people stared at her from behind him seeming just as startled as she was.

"You okay?" Rick repeated.

Ellie couldn't help but smile.

"I thought I was alone."

"Can I ask what you're doing?" The sheriff asked as he walked closer to her.

"Trying to find water… I guess…"

"How long has it been since you've had any?"

"A few days… you lose count without a calendar."

Ellie then put her knife away as she attempted to stand up, falling over instantly. Rick and Dale rushed to help her up on her feet, allowing her to put her arms and weight on them.

"She's dehydrated. Delirious. I'll get her some of my water." Dale began to walk her over to the RV with Rick's help.

Once Ellie was handed bottled water, she chugged it down ignoring the small streams running down her chin and neck. She rested her head against the RV as she sat in the shade it casted.

" Thank you. You didn't have to help me."

"We couldn't leave you there hoping to ever reach a drop of water with that kind of digging." Rick chuckled, Ellie laughed with him.

"A walker could have taken me. Or worse, a person."

"Is that really worse?"

Andrea asked her with an expressionless glance, Ellie looked over to her, trying to read her, but the blonde woman was far too blank.

"Yes, trust me." Ellie threw the empty bottle across the road. Her hazel eyes stared at the bottle, preoccupied by recent memories and promises she made to herself. Half of which she was breaking at the very moment.

It won't be any different.

Don't be stupid.

Thank them for the water and walk away.

"My name is Ellie, by the way."

Idiot. Big mistake. You WILL regret this.

The sheriff introduced himself as Rick, the blonde was Andrea, the nice older man was Dale, this small Asian guy named Glenn, there was T –Dog, Carol, sheriff's wife was Lori, the angry looking redneck was Daryl, The buff guy with the nice hair was Shane, and two kids: Carl and Sophia.

Well, isn't this a diverse bunch…

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

The radio station was completely locked down. Ellie knew the ins and outs of the place like the back of her hand. Still, her paranoid isolation kept her from knowing what was going outside. For all she knew, the world was ending and she was still broadcasting music for people to die to. She figured there weren't many people who were listening anyways.

She had everything she needed to survive the ending of the world.
Her music. Her station. Her stocked up lunchroom. Her fiancée.

It was what she figured was going to be home until they were either overrun or died of starvation.

Dan was an optimist; he managed to convince her they were living like royalty.

Who cares about the rest of the world?
We have everything we need right here.

It's just you and me against the world,

Or at least whatever was left of it.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.

Hope you enjoyed :)

Feel free to tell me what you think in a review
xxxx