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20 YEARS PRIOR
RYDER WILSON'S MOMMA had been gone for a real long time. She'd told Ryder that she was looking for Ryder's daddy and that Ryder wasn't supposed to leave no matter what. The six year old took one look at her childhood home, trying her hardest to remember where it was before she hugged Mr. Giggles and began her trek down the street in search of her parents. Every loud bang made Ryder want the turn tail and run back into her bubble gum pink room. "Momma?" she started the calling out as a whisper, peering into the neighbors houses as the streetlights casted a dim glow over her body.
"Momma?" she called out louder and pulled Mr. Giggles even closer to her chest, the ragged bear giving her minimal warmth. She heard shuffling behind the Martins' pretty white fence and cautiously walked over. Maybe their doggy would walk with her.
When Ryder pushed open the gate, she scrunched her eyes up at the sight of Mrs. Martin hunched up over their old yellow dog, her skin was red and the younger girl thought about asking if she could paint too. "Mrs. Martin? Have you seen my momma?" Ryder called out and waited for the woman to scold her for leaving the house. The body stopped jerking and Ryder let out a screech of pure fear, turning in her little slippers as the woman lunged towards her. The brunette girl slipped into the small hole beneath the Martins' porch, sometimes hiding there with their old dog. "Stop it! I'm gonna tell my momma!" Ryder screamed as Mrs. Martin tried her damndest to get to the girl, her arms flailing wildly.
"I said stop it!" Ryder screamed again and suddenly the woman was ripped backwards and Ryder watched as a boot went through the woman's head. She stayed crept beneath the porch, her arms cradling herself as Mr. Giggles had been ripped from her arms in her struggle. She let out a startled screech when a mans face peered at her through the hole and she scurried backwards. "C'mon," the man sighed and held his hand out as Ryder shook her head. "Momma told me that I'm not allowed to talk to strangers," Ryder called from the dark as the man sighed again. "I'm not a stranger. Your momma sent me to look for you," he told her and Ryder shook her head real fast. "No she didn't. You're lying," she stated matter of factly as the man remained patient. "Alright Darlin', my names Joel. What's yours?" he asked her as Ryder thought before answering.
"Ryder Penelope Wilson."
"Look at that, we ain't strangers anymore if I know your name and you know mine," Joel pointed out as Ryder nodded to herself. "Alright," she took his hand as he helped pull her from the cobweb infested porch. He tried to pay no mind to the big brown eyes that stared him down as he picked up his gun, attempting to shield the girl from the infected. "Joel. Why'd you lie about my momma?" Ryder asked as Joel gave her a downward glance. "Because you had me in a dangerous situation and I wanted you to be safe," he answered as he glanced up and down the street for sight of her parents.
Ryder didn't say anything else, only studied the man. He looked kind of like her daddy with the gray hair starting to grow and that stubble that always itched Ryder's face when he kissed her goodnight. Joel ultimately decided to take her with him when the vacancy of the street caused his heart to drop, not being able to suffice with leaving her by her lonesome. "C'mon," he held his hand out again as Ryder peered up at him with those puppy dog eyes. "Are you gonna help me find my momma and my daddy?" she asked and interlocked there fingers.
Joel nodded, unable to tell her the brutal truth that they were most likely dead. He instead fixed their situation so she was now held on his back, humming some song he'd never heard as he carried her towards his and Tommy's safe house. "Dog!" Ryder squealed silently as they passed a rotting animal, the joy in her voice sending Joel into a momentary laps of reality where he instead visualized Sarah on his back.
When they finally reached the safe house, hw knocked twice and waited for the click of deadbolts to be unlocked. Timmy threw open the door and his eyes immediately fell to Ryder, his heart beating a mile a minute as he stared at his older brother. "Joel.." he murmured softly as the man shoved by and dropped Ryder onto the couch. "She ain't Sarah," Tommy tried to whisper as Joel shoved him away and rummaged for food for the younger girl to eat. "What're you doin' man? She ain't gonna—" Joel turned and gave Tommy a glare so cold the man got goosebumps.
"I know she ain't Sarah, you understand me? But that little girl is MY problem now," he hissed and shoved a finger into Tommy's chest as Ryder curled into the couch cushions, her eyes fluttering to take everything in at once.
