Stage One: Hope in Darkness

Chasing Shadows (Annabelle)

~~~~Annabelle

The car was overturned in the road, the noise from the crash must have attracted walkers. The walkers were focused on the car, they hadn't seen us yet. I count them, ten. Spaced out all over the road, feasting on the corpses of those that were left behind. One of the bodies was pinned under the truck that had flipped over. Several walkers were gathered on that one. Pushing to be a part of the eating.

Lara taps me gently on the shoulder,

'Look chicken ate car' I spit out a strangled laugh. Lara sighs, I really need to teach her sign language. And fast. "The walker. On the car" Her words are soft, below a whisper. It is strapped to the hood in true ripper fashion. Upon closer inspection I can see a note of some kind tied around its neck. They knew we would come here. Uneasiness fumbles around in my stomach like demented butterflies.

Deep breaths. Focus, the here and now is all we need to think about. Kill the walkers, get Lara supplies, then take a look at that note. right now the nte was not important. There were tasks ahead of grabbing it, things more important that couldn't wait. Nothing would change if we didn't read the note, but if we couldn't get Lara supplies she could be in serious trouble.

If anything the note was a good sign. They were using her friends as bait. Which meant they would be alive. He would keep them alive until he got what he wanted, me. The truck was just sitting there. Ready to be used. I bet they even left the keys in the ignition. Good.

We need that truck, it would reduce the stress put on our bodies. Lara could rest up and Hannibal wouldn't be pulling at his stitches. If we moved fast enough we might even be able to catch them before they got them back to the city.

First was getting rid of these walkers. Ten versus three weren't very good odds, and two of those three were injured. In a head on fight we would lose. We needed a distraction to get them away from the truck. I sign to Lara, 'Stay here. I have an idea. Wait until walkers leave then get in the truck' I could only hope she got all of that. She had just started learning today. I was sure she at least got the wait part. Lara could figure the rest out when the walkers left.

Hannibal had caught my motions and sat. 'Good boy'. Moving stealthily off into the woods away from the direction we were heading, making sure I couldn't be seen from the road. Now all I needed was to set up a trap that would make a lot of noise, preferably after I was back with Lara. I was a good distance away from Lara and the road. Time to set it up.

Gunpowder from bullets poured onto a couple bullets, pointed away from anything important. It should make a loud enough pop to draw the walkers away. An old kitchen timer would set off a spark in five minutes. Plenty of time to get back to Lara.

On my way back I see something through the trees. Not Lara, or Hannibal. Whatever it was it wasn't making noise, no groans or the snapping of teeth. Not a walker. A person. I didn't want to deal with them. Whatever they were doing out here had nothing to do with me. I need to get back but this guy is between me and Lara. I stalk around him carefully.

"I know you're there, no point in hiding," He stretched out the words, almost singing them. He was taunting me. Stepping out of the trees and into his line of sight. If this was the way he wanted it then so be it. Nothing would stop me from getting back to Lara. Not this time. I don't have time for whatever game this guy wanted to play.

He was going to let me pass by peacefully or I was going to kill him. His calculating blue eyes land on me the second I come into view. I didn't know eyes could be that blue. Cerulean.

Here goes nothing, 'I am passing by' I sign. He smiles. My stomach does a flip. That lopsided smirk is really unfair.

"Mute huh? I know of a certain someone who is going to be very happy to see you," His words send ice through me. Well so much for getting by peacefully. He steps forwards, I back away on pure instinct.