Secrets Untold. (Maggie x fem!reader)

Chapter 1: The Woods

It's been a while since the start. Since everything...happened. I've been alone ever since...Forget it. It's not worth remembering painful things, especially since not many good things are left to remember.

I closed my eyes and took a breath. I clutched my hunters knife by my side and opened my eyes again, letting out a shakey breath.

I was in the woods. What woods, I didn't know. I hardly left the house before all this and I would have stayed in my house if it hadn't been overrun. But the woods were quiet. Not safe, but, safer than the city. Safer than home.

A rustling brought me out of my thoughts. I scanned around me, seeing nothing. But I still heard leaves rustling around me. I hummed. Silence. I then hummed louder. I heard a loud rustling behind me, a groan, and then the dragging of feet.

I turned to face the person? Creature? Thing? I still wasn't sure what they were, but I knew they weren't human. Well, alive humans anyway.

It stumbled towards me. Reaching it's rotting limbs out to grab me. I simply stood and stared as it got closer. As it inched closer, its rotting smell graced my nose, I tripped it up then stabbed its head. The woods then went quiet again. I let out a huff and bent down.

I scanned the corpse, checking it's pockets for anything useful. The smell was horrid, but something I had gotten used to. The corpse was fairly rotten, probably one of the first infected in the start. Or perhaps the Georgian heat got to it. Made no difference to me. It's clothes were ragged and ripped, much like my own, however, I like to think mine were in slightly better condition.

I searched the corpse finding nothing particularly useful, till I came to it's boots. They were good. Thick. Wouldn't fit me but the laces were useful. As I untied the laces, I noticed something. A small object tucked into the corpses old socks. I scrunched up my nose and took a peek.

"Well, I'll be damned." I muttered as I took the multitool knife. I opened it up, flipping it's blades around.
"Huh. Still works." I closed it and put it into my sock, for emergencies. Then taking the laces and shoving them in my  jean pocket.

As I stood up, I heard a scream. It was small, almost childlike. A little girl? I bit my lip. I didn't want to involve myself with others. Not again. But...
I can't ignore it. Not a child. Not screams.

I took off in the direction of the screams, almost tripping on the dead corpse I had killed on the way, as well as many other twigs and roots. I ignored any biters I passed as I was too busy looking for the source of the scream. And luckily it didn't take too long to find.

A young girl, maybe seven or eight years old, was trapped in a tree surrounded by biters. She had lost her grip and was holding on for her life, her feet just barely out the reach of the biters mouths.

Only a few surrounded her. Three or four perhaps? They would be easy to kill, especially distracted. I slowly crept up onto them as the girl continued to kick and scream. Whilst they were distracted, trying to grab her, I slowly and quietly killed each one off, one by one, till they had all fallen at my feet.

The young girl, who seemed to have her eyes squeezed shut continued to scream, not noticing the threat had gone. I was about to speak when her hand finally gave out and she started to fall.

I quickly caught her, but got a slap in the face as I did. She continued to slap and scream till she opened her eyes seeing I was a person, not a monster.

My face burned and arms grew heavy as the girl silently stared at me, tears in her eyes. I gently let her down on the ground, where she then stood, hugging herself, trembling and looking around her.

"There's no more." I whispered, bending down so I was looking up at her. "You're safe"

She choked out a sob, her blonde hair covered her eyes and face. Her blue shirt dirty and bloody. I reached out to clear her hair from her face and she looked at me with teary blue eyes.
"Thank...you" She mumbled, still hugging herself. I nodded.
"What's your name?" I asked. She stayed silent a while, debating whether to tell me or not.
"So-Sophia. My name, is Sophia."
I nodded and gave her a smile.
"Are you alone Sophia?"
She looked at me with tears brimming in her eyes.
"I..I lost my group. I'm lost. I can't find them!" She began to sob.

I gently rubbed her shoulder, and she suddenly hugged me, crying into my chest. I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't want to find people but, I couldn't leave her here. And I can't bare to tell her they may be dead. I rubbed her back soothingly and she began to calm down.

"My mum is with them. I got scared and ran. But, I lost my way." She whispered. I closed my eyes.
"Do you know where they are? Where you lost them?" She shook her head.
"I don't remember " She choked.

I let go of her and stood up, scanning my surroundings. The sun was beginning to set, and all the screaming definitely attracted some biters this way. I couldn't stay. And I couldn't leave her alone.

"Sophia" I started, gently placing my hand on her shoulder. She looked up and stood with me.
"We can't stay here, it will be dark soon. I'll help you find your group, don't worry."
"Really?.."
I nodded and wiped my knife on my ripped jeans. As much as I hated to talk to others, this girl can't be alone. She needs her group, her mother. I sighed.

She suddenly hugged me again, clearing away her tears, clinging to my side.
"Thank you" She whispered. I nodded in response and pointed ahead.
"We'll go this way and hopefully find shelter. In the morning we can start looking for your group."

She grabbed my hand, fearing she'd get lost again. I didn't expect it, but I let her stay that way, God knows she could use the comfort. We began walking, presumably north, but, I was never good with directions, in hopes that we would find a place to stay the night.