A simple supply hunt for a source of water in the middle of Atlanta turns sour quickly for Erin as she come fist to face with a fuming, handless Merle Dixon.
Alone in the middle of the apocalypse with only a racist guy who doesn't know the differen...
"Can you save my bastard soul? // Will you wait for me?" - Can You Feel My Heart. Bring Me The Horizon.
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It didn't take long for Erin's eyelids to become heavy as she perched in the tree and looked out across the comfortably silent woodland. She guessed she'd been up there a few hours, the pain in her ribs finally starting to ease as twilight passed and the pitch-black darkness of night seeped in amongst the trees.
While the method of getting up there had been questionable, she was quite happy with her vantage point. It was high enough that it was out of reach and sight of any walkers that happened to wander below, while also being low enough that she could jump down without risking too much damage to her knees.
Her knees were one of the only parts of her not currently in pain, and she wanted to keep it that way if possible.
Cold metal pressed against her fingertips as she ran them over the blade in her lap. Even though she was out of immediate danger, her hand still gripped the knife tightly, ready to use it. She was always ready to defend herself, even if she didn't always seem it.
Her defenses had mellowed slightly while she was with the group, somewhat soothed by the fact there were other people around her who could be on alert when she wasn't. Solo travel didn't allow such soothing or confidence.
The second she let her guard down would be the second she would die.
Her nerves were taught, her muscles tense, her ears aware of every noise around her. She heard the rain before it touched her skin, droplets hitting the uppermost leaves and branches before cascading down through the tree canopy.
It was almost foreign to Erin. The Georgia summer had been long, dusty, and, most of all, hot. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen rain, and clearly neither could the trees, their bone-dry barks welcoming the moisture.
She leant her head back, gazing up at the dark sky and allowing the raindrops to splatter against her forehead and run down her cheeks. Gradually, they started to fall faster, the heavens opening with a vengeance. Her whole body was rapidly drenched by the sudden downpour, giving her an unexpected but somewhat welcome shower.
The sound of the raindrops falling around the forest was almost thunderous. Thousands of droplets landing on every dry surface, every leaf and tree and fallen log.
Erin's eyes closed in relief, her chin titled upwards. Fresh water trickled into her slightly-opened mouth, quenching the dryness that had plagued her throat for hours.
This - sat alone, amongst nature, allowing it to take complete control - was one of the few pieces of bliss left in the world. Sitting there and letting the rain consume her, letting it wash away all her thoughts of walkers, of death, of rednecks in flannel, of murderous cops. It was as close to heaven as Erin ever expected to get.
