The world was different now. Everything had fallen apart. Everything we knew was gone... But my mother refused to believe that. She thought everything would be okay if we just waited it out. We were in our small house, in a bad neighbourhood. Every neighbourhood was bad these days, but ours was always out of place. Gangs and drugs riddled the streets, but I got used to it.

My ninth birthday was a month ago. I got to see my dad like I do twice a year. I'm not sure what he did in the time he wasn't with me or my mum, but I guessed it wasn't good. Whenever he visits, he treats me like a princess but him and mum always get into really loud arguments. He wants me to go with him, but the court won't let him. Especially since my mum made me stay quiet to everyone about how she acts when it's just me and her, which is a lot.

I didn't think I'd see my dad again. The streets were always filled with those creatures. Those creatures which used to be my neighbours, my friends, hell I even saw my mums usual drug dealer wondering around with a big chunk of his neck missing.

I sat on my bed with my book in my hand. My curtains were closed so I wouldn't have to look at the dead ones. I had my torch on, pointing at the letters on the page. I used to hate reading, but when I found that it could distract me from everything, I grew quite partial to it. As I scanned the words, I heard a noise downstairs. My head snapped in the direction of my door as my eyes went wide. 

Had they gotten in? 

I hid under my bed, not the best hiding spot but I had to make do. I heard running up the stairs and then my door flew open. "Ellie?" My dad's voice echoed through the room.

"Daddy?" I asked from under the bed, sliding half my body out.

He smiled, squatting down and lifting my body up. He held me in his arms tightly as I hugged him back. "I didn't know if you were okay or not." He whispered.

"Mum wouldn't let us go with the army. She said all we had to do is stay here and wait it out." I said, pulling back so I could see his face. That's when I noticed a bald man standing in my doorway. "Who are you?" I asked him.

"That's your uncle Merle, baby. Merle this is your niece." Daryl introduced us.

"Hey, kid." Merle smiled, I smiled shyly, pushing myself further into my father.

"Daryl Dixon. You cannot just break into my house without an explanation!" My mum yelled up the stairs as she pushed past Merle and into my room.

"My explanation is that we're saving your damn lives!" Dad shouted back. I covered my ears; I knew the routine. "You staying here would've cost you your lives in a matter of weeks! You're running out of food!"

"This won't last forever! It'll be fixed soon, like smallpox!" My mum crossed her arms over her chest.

"Just pack yourself a damn bag. We're getting you both outta here." My father lowered his voice.

"Right, cause going out there is a smart idea." My mum scoffed.

"Better than waiting around here." Merle stepped in.

"I ain't dying, Daryl." My mum warned.

"I know, I won't let that happen. Now, go pack a bag." Dad ordered. Begrudgingly, my mum went to go pack a bag and I removed my hands from my ears.

"And that is why you stay away from Spanish women." Merle said quietly.

"Shut up, Merle." My dad grumbled before turning to me. "You need to pack a few clothes, okay, sweetheart? We're going on a trip." Dad smiled softly at me.

I had my black backpack on my back, the straps attached over my chest and waist. I went camping once with my school, so I still had the bag. We stood by the backdoor, our small garden led onto a back alleyway behind a bunch of closed down stores. "There ain't many geeks round back. We can make a run for it and get to the car." Merle said.

My mum had her pink suitcase with all her knock off designer clothes held tightly in her hand. "These shoes are not made for running." She pointed out.

"You have to run." Daryl ordered.

"This is why you only see your dad twice a year. Bastard demands everything." She said to me.

"You ain't gonna make it with that suitcase." Merle warned.

"Watch me." She hissed.

"It's your funeral." Dad shrugged.

"I don't want you to die." I piped up, looking up at my mother.

"As long as I run faster than you, they ain't getting me." She smiled; it took me a couple seconds to realise what she meant.

"Don't speak to her like that." My dad ordered.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Have you been the one here raising the brat? I can speak to my child however I please." My mum challenged.

"We do not have time for this." Merle reminded us, opening the door. My dad had a bow and arrow, whereas Merle had two guns. Me and my mum walked behind them as we went through the back gate. My eyes widened as my dad shot one of them in the head with an arrow. It was my neighbour, Frank. There weren't any out by the car, so we started running. Me and my mum got in the back, Merle went to drive, and my dad got in the passenger.

"That was easy." My dad commented.

"You shot Frank." I pointed out.

"That wasn't Frank anymore, baby." Dad told me.

Merle started the engine and drove out onto the main street. He was going way over the speeding limit, not that there was anyone to enforce the law anymore. I put my seatbelt on, I'd put my bag on the floor in front of me whereas mum had to put her suitcase in the boot. As Merle was driving, it caught the attention of every dead person on the street. They tried to get to the car, but they couldn't keep up. I'm not sure why I kept staring at them, but it was like I just couldn't look away.

Merle had been driving for a couple hours, and I was staring to fall asleep. It was difficult over my mum and dad's constant arguing though. Suddenly Merle hit the brakes and I would've been sent flying forward if it wasn't for my seatbelt. I looked up and saw that we'd hit a traffic jam. There wasn't anyone there though, just the cars. "Damnit!" Merle yelled loudly, hitting the steering wheel and making me flinch.

"You drove us right into a jam, you redneck!" My mum yelled.

"We gotta start walking. No doubt the geeks are gonna follow the sound of the engine." My dad said, getting out of the car. He came round my side and helped me put my bag back on my back while my mum got her suitcase out of the boot. My dad and Merle grabbed their backpacks, weapons and then we headed towards the forest?

"Daddy, why are we going into the forest?" I asked, as he took my hand to help me up the steep slope.

"We have to get to high ground. They won't go that far up. We'll be safe up there." He smiled down at me.

Six hours later. I could barely walk; my feet were hurting as well as my shoulders and back. My mum was still dedicated to pulling her suitcase whereas me, my dad and uncle Merle were travelling light. It was getting dark now and I was tired. "Daddy, how much further. I'm tired." I complained.

"Come on. I'll carry you, Princess." My dad picked me up and carried me on his hip. I wrapped my arms around him and lay my head on his shoulder. 

I frowned when I noticed he was limping slightly. "You're limping. Are you okay?" I whispered.

"Just tired. Did a lot of travelling to get to you and your mum." My dad whispered back.

"You don't have to carry me-" He cut me off.

"Yes, I do. You need sleep, so sleep." He tickled my side causing me to laugh and push his hand away. I rested my head on his shoulder and shut my eyes again.

I was about to fall into a peaceful and deep sleep. The warmth of my father's body comforting me. The sound of his breathing was like a lullaby when you only had a few good memories with him... Most of that being my mother's fault. She pushed him away every time, and I heard the things she said to him in arguments. That I loved living with her, that I loved my neighbourhood and my life, that I didn't need to see him. Even though I did like my neighbourhood, I wanted to go with my dad which is why I secretly enjoyed him carrying me, which is why I was happy... Until I heard it.

A loud bang. I knew that sound. A gunshot. My head shot up, looking around. My dad fell to the floor, at first, I thought he'd been shot... Until I realised, he was using his body as a human shield to me in case more shots came. I looked and saw my mum and Merle hiding behind trees.

"I got one of them!" A man's voice yelled.

"What are they doing this far up?" Another man's voice asked.

"We're not the geeks, you assholes!" Merle yelled at them.

I started to feel it.

Two men ran down. "Shit, they're alive." A man in a police uniform said.

"We got a woman and child here! The hell are you doing shooting at us?" My dad raised his voice.

My head turned to the left to see it.

"We thought you were the dead freaks." The one in the police uniform admitted.

"Well, we're not!" My mum spoke up.

"I am so sorry. Is everyone okay?" The old man asked.

"Daddy." I whispered, staring at it.

"Oh my god." My dad let out. There was a hole in my shoulder, the warm pain was spreading over my chest and down my arm. Blood coated my shirt and my skin. Dad unclipped me from my bag, I pulled my right arm out and he gently moved the bag over my left shoulder. I started to cry as I realised what was going on. "You shot my kid!" Dad yelled at them.

"Bring her with us. We have medical supplies." The old man said in a hurry, running up to their camp.

My dad carried me bridal style as he ran after the older man. I struggled to keep my eyes open, my dad's words were all moulding into one mess that I couldn't comprehend. I felt something wet hit my face and I realised my dad was crying? He'd never cried before. I heard the old man apologising a thousand times, my dad yelling at him... That was before everything went black.