(Unedited) Stage One: Hope in Darkness

Home Gone (Annabelle)

I watched as they pulled an injured person into the truck and drove off. I had done all I could for them. They were on their own now, good luck whoever you are. Now I really had to go, I had definitely pushed my luck by staying as long as I had. Two whistles had Hannibal following me. I restrapped my rifle to him as we moved.

I would have to move fast to avoid the ones after me. No staying in one place for long. It's okay, you've done this before. You can do it again. Everything is going to be okay. With those thoughts swirling in my head I moved through the trees. Last I knew His base was south, that meant I was absolutely not going that way. I had barely escaped that place, no way in hell was I going anywhere close to that torturous hell.

North it was, it was almost fall. The nights had been getting colder, going north would just make that worse. I had a waterproof jacket in my pack, but that wouldn't do much good for the kind of cold that would be coming. Well we will just have to cross that bridge when we come to it. I could always scavenge something later and if push came to shove I could get pelts from animals and make one. My sewing skills were not very good but if push came to shove I would do it.

It was three forty-five according to my watch. It would start getting dark around seven thirty. That meant that I had three hours and twenty five minutes to put as much distance between this place and myself as I could. Honestly I didn't even know if I would make camp tonight. I hated traveling at night, it was too easy to lose your way, hurt yourself or stumble upon a walker. I had a feeling that I would be though, I wouldn't be able to sleep. Not for a while, I would have to stop at some point though and at least try to get some rest.

It would be bad news if I got caught while sleep deprived. Tired brains didn't problem solve as good as well rested ones, and my movements would be slower. I didn't want to tire myself out but at the same time I wanted to get out of here. My legs moved at a pace just slower than a run, I was careful of every movement. My steps made no sound on the soft earth.

Nine, I decided. That would be a good time to stop for the night. No fire and I would climb a tree to sleep in. Hannibal I would have to pull up and tie him to a thick branch. I had done this before, before my house had been done. Hannibal had a long thick strip of cloth in his pack, a large sling that would cradle him under the branch. I loved my boy too much to risk him by leaving him on the ground for the night. I smiled, my big boy sure had helped me get stronger. Not just my muscles either, my mentality had improved too. I had to keep him safe so I had to think things through. No running head long into danger, not anymore.

I wasn't even breathing heavily when the sun started to fall. I slowed my pace as the sun fell, watching where I placed my booted feet with care. I kept a close eye on my watch. Exactly as the hand hit nine I stopped. I pulled out rope and the sling. While I set up our temporary tree beds for the night I placed jerky and water in front of Hannibal. He ate and I made our beds.

It was nine ten by the time we were settled into our nest in the trees. I drank water from one of our three metal bottles of water. I had a little jerky before forcing my eyes closed.

To say that I slept would be asking too much of the word. I dozed, waking periodically to the smallest sounds. The snap of a twig, the howl of a wolf, the limbering steps of a bear. Everytime I would jerk awake, ready to face the danger. Then I would find nothing but the normal things one would find in the woods. No dangerous rippers waiting in the shadows.

It felt like it took years but I breathed a sigh of relief when the sky started to lighten. I undid our nest with practiced hands. There was no time at all before we were back on the ground and on our way again. The trees started to thin. That couldn't be good. I had been right. A few minutes of walking later and the trees vanished. There in the distance was a city, it was sprawled out over the landscape. Going around it would be slower and if the rippers were on my trail it would be bad. They would bother to go around the city, more like charge right through. It would be easy for them to catch up to me. We have to go through. Sneaking around all the walkers would be hard and slow work but it would still be faster. I made a hand motion, stay close. City here we come.