(Unedited) Stage One: Hope in Darkness

Office Nightmare (Annabelle)

The alleys were the safest places and yet the most dangerous. Safe because the walkers tended to stumble around on the busier streets. Dangerous because they were small, less space to maneuver and run if there were walkers. I had been very careful, slithering in and out of streets and buildings. Avoiding the walkers was a hard, time consuming task.

It had been hours in the city already, I could feel the toll that the hypervigilance was taking on me. I couldn't keep this up for much longer, we would have to rest. Finding a safe place to stay even just for a little while was a hard task. It needed a front way and a back way out. As few windows as possible, strong doors. Last but not least it needed to be walker free both inside and out. In the city that was a lot to ask.

My vision went blurry for a moment. I needed that place now. I pushed open the door closest to me in the alley. It was dark inside. I waited just inside the doorway with Hannibal, my eyes needed to adjust to the darkness. My eyes caught shapes inside. Desks. Must be an office of some kind. Computers sat at every desk, some broken. I pulled my bow out and an arrow. The room was not very big. Brick walls. This seemed to be some sort of back room, no windows. It was empty. There was another door across from the one in the alley, and one more to the right. The one to the right faced the street. It must open to the front of whatever this place was. I would not be exiting that door if I could help it

I took a deep breath before opening the other door. A bathroom. Every movie cliche about zombies in the bathroom popped into my head. Oh one is definitely going to pop out at me. I moved slowly, opening the stalls cautiously . On the last stall I froze. This is the moment of truth. I opened the door more forcefully than I meant to. Empty. Relief coursed through me.

I moved back into the office before collapsing on the floor. I pulled out more jerky and water. Hannibal and I ate in silence, like we always did. It was not the best scenario but I needed a power nap. I moved some of the desks, barricading the doors. I leaded against the wall, bow and arrow in my lap, just in case. I closed my eyes. Sleep came fast, today's adventure plus last night's horrible sleep had caught up to me. Darkness closed in and my limbs fell numb.

~~~

I tried to move, my arms stung from the restraints biting into me. The table under me was solid metal, shiny, cold chrome. I could hear them. Groans and frenzied growls. I pulled harder at my arms, desperate to get out of here.

It hurts to breathe, I took shallow breaths. My throat was in bad shape, if I breathed deep I could feel the blood being pulled into my lungs. How would I die? Would it be the walkers? The blood filling my lungs? or would it be 'him'? Out of all my options, the last one seemed the worst.

Footsteps, he was coming! panic filled me god no please just let me die! I didn't want to see 'him' anymore. I was yanking at the restraints so hard I could feel my skin tearing open. I didn't care.

The footsteps stopped and the door creaked open,

"Ah there you are, have you calmed down yet my pet?" his voice made me thrash violently, "Awe don't be so happy to see me pet! Don't worry, you know that you are my favorite."I couldn't see him, only the needle in his hand as it came towards me. "Now let's continue."

I bolted up. My body shook, sweat covered me. He is not here. You are not there. I repeated this over and over again. A warm tongue swept across my hand that was wrapped around my knees. I took a big gulp of air. Hannibal's amber eyes stared at me when I raised my head. Thank you, good boy. I ran my fingers through the fur at his neck.

It took a few tries before I made it to my feet. A quick glance at my watch told me I had slept for an hour. We had lingered here long enough. Motioning to Hannibal I told him to listen, if he heard a walker or anything else he would grab my wrist with his teeth. I watched closely as his ears turned this way and that. Nothing, it's clear. I moved the desk leading to the alley. The alley was as quiet as it had been before. I shut the door softly behind us.

We started moving again, slipping through the crack the walker made. We had just made it through a building a couple blocks from the office when I heard it. The low rumble of an engine. My adrenaline spiked for a moment before my brain kicked in. I had to see where it was coming from and get off the street. I glanced both ways and saw it. A fire escape. I moved quickly. I wouldn't have time to pull Hannibal up. I looked down at my precious boy, well that only leaves me one choice. I grabbed all the d rings I had and fastened them to him and me. Effectively making myself a fur carry on.

He was heavy, I could keep it up for long. My body moved slowly up the rungs of the ladder, I didn't untether him when I reached the stair part of the escape. There was another ladder at the top so I would just have to retie him. My muscles were starting to protest by the time I made it up all the stairs. One more ladder. I forced myself up, one rung at a time.

I crawled onto the rooftop, breathing heavily. No time to rest. I Made quick work of freeing Hannibal. Then shimmied to the edge of the roof that faced the street. I peeked over the top of the concrete railing surrounding the top of the roof. A car came into view. There was a body tied to the hood. I could see the person moving, they were still alive. That one look told me all I needed. The Ripper walkers were here.