✓ | 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐂𝐇 ◦ The Walking Dead Game

XIV. STUMBLE INTO ME

Their heart was pounding in their chest. Their lungs still burned from all the running they had been doing a few moments ago. Their legs ache, causing them to rest a hand on the oak tree. Their eyes were staring down at the hand which was given to them.

Their eyes brushed back up to this 'Louis' person's face, a welcoming smiled was plastered on it. They nodded to themselves, realising that they said earlier than he wasn't going to hurt them was true.

"Y/N," they spoke, their voice was hoarse, "My names Y/N."

Louis smiled again, then quickly took out the small flask of water he had in his pocket for his hunting trip. There was enough for the person. He held it out for them, gesturing well go on. take it with his eyes.

Y/N timidly took the flask, opening it up in a hurry, before brining it up to their lips, guzzling the remains of the water. They pulled at their sleeve, making it longer in the arm, then brought it up to their mouth, wiping away the escaping water droplets.

Louis crosses his arms over his chest, looking Y/N up and down - not in a criticising way, but in wonder. "What are you doing out here? All alone?"

Y/N blinked, "I lost my people," their voice was low and broken. Their eyes were on the floor, "There was some explosion and... and I got separated."

Louis didn't speak. He just lowered his head, his bottoms lips pulled between his teeth as he listened.

"I... I went back for them," Y/N sniffled, their hand rubbing their nose, "But... they weren't there. And I don't know if the monsters got them, but they weren't there," Y/N sighed, a tear rolling down their cheek, "I've stayed in this area since. Incase they came back."

Louis gulped, "How long have they been gone for?"

Y/N rubbed their upper arm, "Since the explosion. So a few weeks," they looked at Louis, "I didn't know that there was a community out here. I would have stayed away... just please... please don't hurt me."

Louis bent back down, receiving his chair leg, shaking his head, his dreads feathering his face, "We're good people. We're not going to prosecute you for trespassing. Technically not trespassing if you didn't know about it."

Louis heard twigs snap from behind him. He turned, a smile erupting on his face when he saw Aasim coming back with more food. Louis waved the male over - Y/N hiding behind Louis' figure.

Louis held his hands up, his chair leg waving in the air, "So I found the source of the footprints!" Louis announced. He watched as Aasim tighten his hand on the string slung over his shoulder, "It wasn't a walker. Nor was it Delta."

"Who was it then?" Aasim asked as he stood in front of Louis. Louis sighed, taking a deep breath, revealing Y/N, "Who is this?"

Louis shrugged, "The source of the footprints."

Aasim raised an eyebrow at the figure, "Eh... Hi?"

"Hi," Y/N spoke quietly, waving their hands briefly, before dropping it back to their side.

"His name is Aasim, by the way," Louis mentioned. Aasim gave a small awkward wave with the hand which held is bow, "He is always like this."

"Like what?" Y/N asked. Aasim raised an eyebrow, agreeing with the question this new person asked.

Louis shrugged once more, "You know. Always like Aasim. But it's a good thing, you'll learn to love or hate it."

Aasim groaned, shaking his head before following the woodland trail back to the gates, wanting to be far away from Louis. Louis rolled his eyes as he witnessed his friend fade away to the distance.

Y/N stared off into the distance. They had finally calmed down. Their heart wasn't racing as bad, nor were their lungs burning. They felt fine; they felt safe.

"I suppose I better head back," Louis says, breaking the awkward silence which lingered around the two teens, "You can come back with me, if you like. You can get a few days rest, before heading back into open road. Our people wouldn't mind. I mean, you're a friendly person right?"

Y/N chuckled for the first time in days, "If i wasn't friendly, I'm pretty sure you'd know by now."

"Guess you're right there," Louis smiles. He nods his head in the direction of the both, Y/N following him as he walked, "We're a small community. No adults. There is probably ten of us there. We all get along. The only bickering you really here is when we're taking the piss out of one another."

Y/N hummed, walking at a slightly lower pace, "A community full of kids?" it wasn't a usual setting, nor was it one which they expected, "Surely that's had its problems."

"Believe me," Louis spoke softly, a hint of sadness laced within his words, "You have no idea."

Y/N lowered their head, "I'm sorry? I didn't know. I thought it would be a joke."

Louis held his hands out, "It's fine? As you said, you didn't know," they were in silence for a moment, Y/N felt guilty, "Do you want to tell me about your people?"

Y/N shook their head. They didn't want to bring up any memories they held right now, especially with the high possibility that their people were no longer around. Louis understood why they didn't want to speak, he wasn't going to force them too either. Prying into people's personal lives - especially in the apocalypse - wasn't something anyone should do. No one knows the trauma people have experienced.

Louis kept glancing over to the stranger, words were forming but he never spoke. Y/N seemed to prefer the silence, it was evident with how they kept their head held high, their eyes bearing around being alert.

Y/N sighed, slightly turning their head, "Your people. Is there anything I should know about them?"

Louis chuckled at the question. Where could he start? "Well. We're all trouble kids. It's was a boarding school for the trouble youth before the outbreak. So just a fair warning. If you see one of us making a bomb, it's normal. That's why he was sent here."

Y/N smiled, "Someone made bombs? That's neat."

Louis nodded, "His name is Mitch. You'll know which one he is. Besides, you know Aasim? The one we were with earlier? Mitch is always with him."

Y/N hummed. They listen to Louis as he spoke about the school. Despite it being in the middle of the woods, the community seemed to be thriving and surviving. A system they had in place which seemed to work in a fashion of acceptance. Louis briefly mentioned Marlon, but kept it short. He didn't want to open an old wound.

Louis clicked his fingers when the walls of Ericson was in view, turning to face Y/N full on, "When you walk in, people will most likely stare at you."

"Why?" Y/N asked instantly.

"We're not used to new people," Louis explained, "And last time we had new faces, we ended up in a war against another community."

Y/N walked and talked, "I'm fine with having attention on me. But only for a short amount of time."

Louis nods, "Aasim has probably told them that I stumbled into you in the woods. You'll probably be asked questions, but i'll put in a good word for you."

Y/N frowned for a moment, "Why are you so nice?"

Louis shrugged, "I'm a friendly person. Besides, it's how I want to be treated also."

Louis pushes open the gate, everyone turned their heads around, eyeing up the new comer. Louis pulled a face, his eyebrows raising as he did so, it was a told you so kind of face.

Y/N sighed in relaxation. They knew that they were probably going to be leaving again in a few days due to the possibility of their group still being alive. But that didn't mean they had to ignore the semi luxury they were going to have - if their leader doesn't kick them out after all.

Perhaps stumbling into some kid in the woods, after running from walkers, wasn't a bad thing.