Y/n kept running as fast she could, not looking back. That's what her father had ordered her to do. Run and leave everyone behind. Save herself, and let them die. She was in a group with her father and 3 older brothers. And now, the 18 year old was alone, running through the woods. The tears ran down her face slowly but she didn't have time to take it all in. She couldn't stop running, not until she found somewhere safe

Y/n emerged from the woods onto a field. She looked around. There was a farm house across the field with a huge barn and tents outside. She ran towards the tents, knowing there must be people around. As she got closer, guns were pointed at her and lowered once they noticed she was still alive

"Are you alright?" A man asked

"The zombies...they...my dad...he" y/n cried, burying her head in her hands. A woman she didn't know (lori) wrapped her arms around her, rubbing her back as she cried

"Let's go inside and you can rest" Maggie suggested, helping her inside. They allowed her to shower and gave her some clean clothes and food until she was sat at the kitchen table with Maggie and Lori

"You wanna talk about what happened?" She just shook her head slowly

"That's OK sweetie. You're welcome to stay with us for as long as you like. Welcome to the group. Just come out when you feel ready and ill introduce you to everyone" lori said walking away. Maggie was still there

"I'm sorry but I have to ask. Have you been bit?"

"No. I don't think so" y/n replied

"Good" Maggie smiled sadly. She stood up and left y/n alone to think. A few moments later, she stepped outside and was introduced to everyone in the group. It was decided that she would share a tent with Shane since they didn't have any spare. As she sat down in the tent, Shane joined her

"I'm sorry about what happened to your family" he said

"I never even knew"

"Never knew what?" Shane asked

"I never knew the zombies were as bad as people said. I thought it was just a disease ya know. The dead wake up. Spooked a few people. I didn't realise they were so...."

"That was your first time seeing a walker wasn't it? Well I'll be damned. How you come this far without seeing one?"

"My dad and my brothers always looked out for me. We were staying in a house the other end of the wood. Sometimes they'd tell me to stay in the basement, that they had business. I suppose that's what they meant. They didn't want me to see the truth" y/n said sadly

"The lengths a man will go to protect his daughter is incredible. I suppose I should tell you about these walkers then" Shane sat up straighter

"What is there to know?"

"Hit em in the head. That's where the disease is. You chop them in half, they still gonna crawl after ya. Shooting them is the quickest way to go about it, especially if there is crowds of them. You know how to shoot?" Shane asked

"No. Daddy never let me. I appreciate the help but I don't know if giving me a gun is a good idea. I'm way to clumsy for this" y/n sighed making Shane chuckle

"Come on. I'll show you how to use it" he said. They left the farm and went a few fields across where Shane had previously placed tin cans to teach the rest of the camp how to shoot

He handed y/n a gun, helping her hold it correctly. He was stood behind her, his hands over hers as he showed her exactly what to do. Once she let it off, it hit the target. Now this isn't beginner's luck. And it's not that she's a natural. This was purely because Shane was aiming it. She smiled once it went off

"Fuck that was loud" she laughed. She shot a few more times, her back touching shanes front. As his fingers laced around hers, she looked up at him, looking down at his lips

"We should head back before it goes dark" Shane said stepping away

"Oh ye totally. Er well thanks for this. I think I might need more practise though"

"We'll practise every day until you're shooting a rabbit from a mile away straight in the eye" Shane exaggerated. They walked back to camp and y/n gave Shane the gun back. She told him she was clumsy. Truth is, after what she'd seen, she didn't really want to be left alone with a gun. It looked too tempting

The darkness came, and the daylight left. Everyone went into their tents to sleep. But at around 3am, y/n realised she just wasn't gonna sleep at all. So she got up and walked out the tent. It was almost pitch black other than the moonlight. As she walked away, she felt a hand on her shoulder making her scream but she was quickly silenced by a hand around her mouth. It was only when y/n saw Shane that she relaxed

"Sorry. Didn't mean scare ya" he said

"That's alright. Took me by surprise is all"

"What you doing walking round in the dark? It ain't safe anymore" Shane said, his hand touching her upper arm

"I know sorry I just, I couldn't sleep. Everytime I close my eyes I see my dad's face telling me to run" y/n quickly wiped away the tears that had fell until Shane wrapped her in for a hug, her arms going around his waist. They walked back to the tent, getting in quietly so not to wake the others

As they lay down, Shane wrapped his arm around her waist, their fingers lacing together

"They can't get to ya. I won't let them" Shane promised as they fell asleep