The loss of my mother took it's till on all of us. Though it hit Riley and Bryan the worst. They didn't want to talk to anyone but each other. They didn't want to eat. The house had become a quiet house of grieving. Kade and David did rounds while Phoebe and Alisa and I took over the chores and the children. We would have to move on again soon. I was sure of it. Trevor had found us once, now we couldn't risk loosing anyone else for a nice comfortable house to sleep in. I stood at the drove while some canned soup warmed. I felt arms around my waist. It was Kade. He had helped me through the tough part of the grieving and we had began dating. He kissed my cheek.

"Any luck with the kids?" He asked.

"Not much. Bryan answered a few questions. Was he hungry? What book should Phoebe read today? Riley still won't talk. Though Phoebe found an empty notebook and gave it to her for her to keep a journal. It's been two weeks. I know it still hurts me to think about mom, but I wish I could make it easier on the kids." I told him.

"You and me both." He said and sighed. "David wants to leave soon. Maybe continue downs this road. Find another house and secure it. He thinks Trevor and his gang will attack again."

"I have been trying to convince him to leave for days. What's changed his mind?"

"Out on patrol of the fence, we saw someone watching us. Someone he thinks was with Trevor that day. He doesn't want to risk another attack. We should begin packing today. He wants to leave first thing tomorrow."

"Short notice. Has he told Phoebe and Alisa? The kids?"

"Yes and yes. He wanted to tell you but I wanted to tell you. After dinner we will all help pack and leave first thing. David doesn't feel safe."

"Yeah, I haven't for days."

He kissed mg head and left me to cook. I dished the food out ND called dinner. As everyone came in I handed them their bowls and followed them into the dining room and we began to eat. I watched Riley and Bryan closely at dinner. Bryan was opening up, but Riley wasn't. I are while David and Kade talked about the move.

"We are leaving cause those bad men killed my mommy?" Riley asked.

"Not just because they killed your mommy. We are leaving because sergeant to get into Kentucky as soon as we can." David explained to her.

I left the table. I put my bowl in the sink and walked out the back door. I kept walking until I found the fence. I walked Urns if I was patrolling it. I had never been that upset, but when Riley talked to David before she opened up to me hurt. I was all she had left. I was all she should have had to lean on. Though I had given it yet after try. Riley had changed since the outbreak. She was different. She didn't come to me anymore like she had before. She rarely talked to me now, well before mom died that was. She didn't smile anymore, didn't talk about stuff she dreamed or wished for, didn't talk about her friends it what she learned from Phoebe. She was changed and not in a good way. She was eight and had become harder than our father, the man who didn't want us anymore. I felt horrible knowing that Riley didn't need nor did she want me anymore. She had others that made her happy, others that listened for me, others to go to when she was sad, others to talk to, other to look up to. I didn't want to grieve the loss of her soul along with my mothers life. It was just about too much for me to handle.

A noise startled me out of my thoughts. I jumped and turned. A boy my age stood there hands raised and mid cakes on his clothes. I aimed my gun at him and looked at him more closely. He had short black hair, greasy from lack of washing. His eyes were a water blue, and his skin was a fair tone. He looked about eighteen or nineteen. Certainly not ending record men. He was carrying a backpack and a knife in how belt. He wasn't armed with a gun.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I demanded of him.

"My name is Taylor. I am looking tinkling your camp. I've been waiting for someone to notice me and talk to me." He said.

"Sorry about that, you see we justify attacked, some two weeks back and lost another of our group. Sorry if I don't trust you." I said.

"Look I get that. I've been on the road for weeks. I lost my group as well. Please just give me a chance to talk to your group." He said.

"Walk slowly toward the front gate. Once there dropout bag and weapons." I told him.

He slowly started moving. I followed beside him. We finally got to the gate and I took his things and pulled him toward the garage. I heard voices behind me and I knew Kade had saw me. I set Taylor in the chair and waiting until David and Kade came in.

"Is this the kid you saw?" I asked them.

"Sure is. Though up close he doesn't look like any of record group." David said.

"He's looking for a camp. Said he's been on the road for weeks." I told David.

"My name is Taylor and I have been on the road for weeks. I was in a group if five, including myself, until a week ago when whatever you call those things attacked our camp. They killed three before I woke up. My sister and I left our rent and one got her. I ran and have been alone ever since. Please I won't harm anyone and I don't want to be alone." He said, "I don't want to be alone anymore. I'll pull my weight."

David pulled Kade and I out the door and looked at us.

"I think we should allow him on. I mean he's young and doesn't seem to want to hurt any of us. His only weapon was a knife. I think we have that settled. Let's allow him on please." David said.

"Fine, tell him yourselves. I need to talk with Riley." I told him.

I walked toward the house with the intention of talking to Riley about the new addition to our group and that she needed to avoid him. But when I walked in and saw her dancing and singing with Phoebe and Alisa I stopped. I watched the scene before me as if I was the new person of the group. I felt bad because it wasn't me she was doing that with. I walked forward and turned off the music.

"Riley come with me. I need to tell you something." I said.

I walked down the hall toward her room and sat on her bed. She came in and shut the door, looking sad again.

"First, I want to tell you that there is a new person coming into our group. I don't trust him so please stay away from him. Second, why won't you talk to me? Dance with me?" I ask.

She states at the floor and doesn't say a word.

"Riley I am serious, I am all you have left in this world. I know loosing mom is sad and you need to grieve. But shutting me out and allowing everyone else in isn't the way to go." I said to her, "I love you, Riley. I really do."

She didn't say anything, so I gave up and stood to leave. If she didn't want me anymore I would make that a reality. I wouldn't force myself on my sister before this mess I wouldn't do if after. I walked out of the house and to my truck. I sat in the drivers seat and just watched the people of my group move around as if they were alright. The passenger door opened and Kade got in.

"I take it that the talk with Riley didn't go well." He said.

"She sings and dances and smiles with Phoebe and Alisa. Me she looks sad and refuses to talk to me. If she's happy with them she can have them. I'll turn my back on family and let her be happy." I said.

"Look Riley is going through a tough time right now. Her mother just passed and now she doesn't feel safe. If she likes being around them, it's because she doesn't feel like she has to be strong or sad in front of them. Riley feels like she should be sad or strong in front of you. She doesn't want to seem like she's over it and upset you. She doesn't know what to do about anything and she's scared. Hell I'm scared. Just give her time."

"How do you know what she feels? Does she talk to you too?"

"No, she doesn't, but she does talk to Alisa and Phoebe who talk to me. They feel bad that she is treating you this way, but they are trying to get her to understand that you need her as well. Like I said, give her time. It's all she needs to grieve."

I shook my head and leans it against the steering wheel. What was I going to do? Riley hated me and Kade seemed to know more about her than I did. I guess I would just leave it alone and hope she talked to me sometime soon. Kade got out of the truck and I watched him walk to the house. Something told me that I was over reacting but I just couldn't let things go.