𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟓𝟑𝟐

𝟏 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝟓 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝟐 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤s.

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At first, I didn't want to. I thought I had to, and it was for the better. But the more I did, the more normal it got. So I sat there in the woods, hunched over a young girl with her stomach open as I reach my hands in, taking fistfuls of her innards and stuffing them into my mouth. The others sat beside me, also eating. I heard footsteps, but didn't think much of it. Nobody else said anything either, so I thought it was a deer or maybe a raccoon, I mean we are in the woods. But suddenly I heard a loud bang, and felt a sharp pain in my abdomen. I grab my side as I look behind me, only to see a group of people.

They ran over, surprised I was a human. They thought I was a dead one. They gathered around me, confused. "I- I thought she was a walker." A short boy with brown hair explained, his expression showing he was obviously panicked. "Who are you?" Another person asked, this time a man with curly, brown hair. I didn't say anything. I just looked at him, sitting against the girl I was previously eating. "Who the hell are you?!" He repeated, this time sounding more frustrated. Reluctantly, I replied. "Emmy." I felt myself get light-headed as my vision got more and more blurry. "She needs help." A lady with short brown said, frowning and looking down at me with her hands on her hips. "We should take her back." The man then stood up from crouching down next to me and walked over towards her.

 I could barely hear what they were saying, because my ears were intensely ringing, it being the only thing I could hear, after all. As they talked, a small group of people swarmed around me, and the two people, trying to figure out what to do. Eventually they returned, helping me up. "We have shelter over that way, we're gonna help you." The lady explained, her short brown hair tucked neatly behind her ears. She was by far the cleanest one of the group. I nodded and struggled to get up, getting dizzier by the second. She helped me up, revealing her name to be Maggie. Another person, this time another man with short brown hair came and supported my right side, as Maggie held my left. We slowly walked to the "shelter" they had talked about, which was just a small church not too far away.

We followed behind the main group of people, due to my slowness. After we arrived, they took me to a small office in the back. They set me on a couch as Maggie checked out my wounds. "It barely grazed you. You should be happy the kids aim isn't too good." She said with a soft chuckle, as the man who had helped me get here came back with gauze. She helped me wrap it around myself, making sure it was tight enough. The bleeding wasn't too bad, thankfully. "You'll be fine, get some rest." She said before she walked away, quietly shutting the door behind her.

•┈┈┈••✦ ✦••┈┈┈•

I laid down in the small office, taking in my surroundings. Aside from the couch I had been on, there was an old, wooden desk with a bibles scattered on top of it. I wasn't surprised, I mean I was in a church. I could hear everyone else, right outside of the closed door. The man, whose name had been Rick was going on a supply run with "Father Gabriel", the owner of this church, Bob, Michonne, and Sasha.

A while after they left, a short red-head girl and the boy who had shot me came into the office. "Sorry for uhm- shooting you." He mumbled as he stood by the door. I sat up and looked over, the two of them had obviously been pretty young, I was surprised he was even allowed a gun. After an awkward silence, I eventually spoke up. "It's fine." I gave a soft, reassuring smile as him and the girl walked out, this time leaving the door open. I looked out, only to see the people who had stayed scattered around, everyone doing their own thing.

I laid back down, closing my eyes and trying to trick my body into falling asleep. I wasn't tired at all, but sleeping was the only thing I could actually do.

•┈┈┈••✦ ✦••┈┈┈•

I woke up the the man, Rick, clearing his throat to get my attention. "Hey Emmy." I then realized I haven't given my actual name; only the nickname my sister had called me. "Oh, it's actually Esmé." I corrected as I slowly sat up on the couch. "Okay, well Esmé, everyone is eating, do you want to join?" He offered, leaning against the doorframe. "Uhm yeah, sure." I said as I got up, walking out. My wound had still hurt, but not as bad as earlier. I walked out, greeted by the sight of a candlelight room and the whole group gathered around.

I sat on the floor, next to Maggie, the only person who had actually talked to me. I could tell by the looks on everyone, they weren't necessarily happy to see me. I was eating a person when they found me, and I figured that was why.

✦

After all the food had been set out, everyone was crowded around, eager to get a plate. I was reluctant at first, standing in the back of the line. Suddenly, at the entrance of the church, they were there. My sister, the only one in the group who had walked over to me, was now standing shoulder to shoulder beside me. I looked around, but nobody seemed to notice their presence. 

"You're hungry, aren't you?" She asked, her voice low and firm. "Yeah." I responded quietly, trying not to draw attention from others. "Why don't you eat?"  She commented on my reluctance to get a plate. Before I could respond, she spoke up again. "I know. It's because you don't want that. You want human." I knew she was right. She always knew exactly what I wanted. 

I bit my tongue, not wanting to admit the gross fact that she was in fact, right. "That boy looks weak." I followed her gaze, only to be greeted by Carl. Ricks son, the one who had shot me. "No. I can't." I finally respond, keeping my voice quiet. People do start to look over, but don't actually say anything. "Yes you can. You're hungry, right?" I finally looked towards her.

She was nothing like the Elliot I knew. She was different. "I'm not gonna eat a kid!" I hissed back, not bothering to lower my tone this time. I quickly realized my mistake, and looked around the room, only to see the faces of everyone looking at me confused. I looked back to Elliot, only to see her gone. I looked to the doorway, everyone else was gone too.

I sighed as I finally walked over and got a plate, pretending my sudden outburst didn't actually happen. 

✦

I sat down next to Maggie, not saying anything as I directed all my attention on eating. Everyone else had their own conversations, and I didn't feel like awkwardly trying to get someone's attention. Finally, as if coming to my rescue, Maggie spoke up. "How're you feeling?" Her voice tinged with a thick southern accent. She was probably from Georgia.

"Fine." I bluntly responded, not sugar coating the fact I could still feel the sharp stinging. "Well.." she replied taking a second to think about what to say next. "Why are you alone? That's not a real common thing now, y'know." She said, setting down her now empty plate as she looked at me. I had gathered the attention of her, her husband Glenn, and Tara. I thought for a second. I had the eaters, but I didn't want to actually talk about us. 

"I guess I just haven't found the right people." I lied, and was still focused on eating, but managed to respond through the large bites I had taken. I hadn't eaten real food in a while.

"Oh, but-" She was then interrupted by a large redhead- probably the girls dad, proposing a toast. Everyone sat down, then looked up at him, eager to hear what he had to say. I set down my empty plate and joined everyone else in listening to him. 

"I look around this room and I see survivors. Each and every one of you had earned that title. To the survivors." He announced, his voice overpowering the whispers that came from the crowd.

"Survivors!" Someone yelled as everyone cheered, clapping their hands and yelling various things. Interrupting the now dying applaud, "Is that all you want to be? Wake up in the morning, fight the undead pricks, forage for food, go to sleep at night with two eyes open, rinse and repeat?" 

I hugged my knees to my chest as he continued on about wanting to go to Washington, because his friend had found the cure. It was hard to believe, that we could actually live in a normal world again. After everything that had happened, it seemed impossible.

I looked around, trying to make out what people had thought of this whole Washington thing.  Eventually Rick agreed, and soon the whole room was fond of the idea. I can't blame them.

I just didn't think there was a way to actually fix this hell hole.

✦

I woke up in the middle of the night to yelling. Glenn had found Bob lying in the grass in front of the church, with his leg gone. I sprung off of the couch and over towards the doors, grabbing a gun that had been lying on one of the benches. I dashed over, firing the gun at "walkers" as the rest of the group carried him inside. After he was inside, they laid him in the middle of the church.

"I was in the graveyard, somebody knocked me out." He rasped. "I woke up outside this place... It looked like a school." Everyone was now gathered around him. I sat on a bench, still listening to his story. "It was that guy, Gareth and five other ones. They were eating my leg right in front of me." 

It was then that everyone started looking towards me. "Is she one of them?" The boy spoke up, sitting on a bench behind me. I looked around, and it was now I noticed everyone's gaze on me. I shifted uncomfortably on the bench as Rick walked over towards me.

"Are you one of them?" He looked down at me, crossing his arms. "One of who!?" I asked, obviously confused. "Are you from terminus? They're cannibals. You were eating someone." He stated just what I wanted to not be said. "What the hells terminus?!" I spat, unhappy about the fact he was accusing me about being in some group I had no idea existed.

After a few seconds of no response, I spoke up again. "Look, I know I was eating someone, but I'm not proud! I don't know who you think I am, but I've been alone since the beginning."

Rick didn't say anything, only looked at me like I was crazy. After a few seconds of just staring at me, he turned away and discussed with the others there current situation. I was left sitting down on the bench, in the now empty room.

Bob, Sasha, Tyrese, and a few other people are gathered in the small office. Rick, Michonne, Glenn and Maggie stand in the corner, talking about me. They were, however, interrupted by Abraham still talking about Washington.

"Daryl and Carol are gone. We're not going anywhere without them." He responded, his anger catching up to him as he continued on. "And I don't even know what to do with her." Abraham was now walking away, with Rick not far behind. I winced as I heard them yelling at each other, not a big fan of loud sounds.

Abraham lunged at Rick, causing others to get involved. The girl, Elsie now starting to panic. Everyone was worried, including me. 

After they finally came to an agreement, Rick changed his mind and added one more thing.

"You take her." I look over, only to realizing he was talking about me. "What?" I asked, standing up and stumbling over. "I don't want her around my son." He grumbled. Abraham looked me up and down before reluctantly agreeing. "Fine. But one wrong move and she's gone. You hear?" He then looked at me. "Okay, whatever." I then walk back to the bench, my wound starting to hurt again.

"Twelve hours, then we go." He announced to all of us. I watched as Elsie walked over to Carl, disappointed as she sat next to him.

And I still didn't think there was a way to fix this mess.

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NOTEPAD

• 2151 words!!

• not my fav chapter but I promise it gets better

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