this was home.

Peaches

When I opened my eyes for some reason I expected something different. Maybe my own bedroom? a coffin even. Usually I wouldn't think about it but today was different, I don't know why it felt different and I honestly didn't want to know, it's better living in cluelessness than being aware of every small detail. I'd rather know nothing than know everything. Obviously I'm most likely the only one in the group who thinks that and I'm not surprised really, everyone seems so happy and enthusiastic to learn and it's scary, like calm the f**k down and just relax.

When I sat up in my bed the feeling got even worse. Devon and Leah weren't in their beds and it was still pretty dark outside, definitely pretty early in the morning so it didn't make sense that they would be out. I looked out the window and saw them sitting around the fire, talking about something that looked to be pretty serious. When they noticed I was looking they stopped talking, even looked upset. Had I done something wrong? Did they want me to leave?

As many thoughts and insecuritys were swimming in my head, close to swallowing me whole there was a knock on my door. I didn't look at the door, I couldn't. I could barely breathe let alone have enough strength to face anyone. So I just sat there. Silent and Frozen hoping that the person would think I was sleeping and leave. Just when I thought it was clear the door started creeping open. I now felt my bones become numb and my head become heavy and stiff, I remained frozen and silent, praying that whoever had opened the door would get what they needed and leave. Finally I heard the door close, my muscles started to relax and my breathing became steadier, that was until I felt the other side of the mattress dip. Everyone knew not to come into my room, they knew that I enjoyed being alone and disliked when people came in unannounced, I would've been annoyed if I wasn't already preoccupied with the thoughts from before. The Unknown person and I sat in an awkward silence for what seemed years but was merely seconds until finally I felt a head placed on my shoulder. I knew exactly who it was, If the faint smell of peaches or the softness of her hair didn't give it away, I knew because she was the only person I have ever let this close, Rose.

Rose wasn't new but she wasn't here from the start. When we found her she sparked somthing in me, something that I had never felt before. I felt like I had to do everything in my power to protect her, even though she was completely capable of protecting herself. She was closed off just like me, never spoke about her family or the people she had before, never wanted to. We bonded over our trauma and our life before the darkness as we were both outcasts and she soon became my best friend. The only person I could trust with anything, the only person I would do anything for and could trust that she would do the same for me.

When Rose puts her head on my shoulder it could mean a few things but the main two are always "Something big is about to happen and I don't want to be there for it" or she wants me to go with her into town to get some stuff, aka it's shark week. Since I had already calmed down in the presence of Rose I put my arm around her shoulder and lightly hugged her.

"what happened?"

This is all I had to say before she started balling. While this wasn't the first time I had seen her cry, it doesn't make it any easier. I pulled her closer and waited for her to speak.

"she's back"

I immediately knew what she meant. A couple months ago Rose's sister left the base to gather some supplies. When she returned the base was getting ambushed, there were atleast a dozen raiders surrounding the building in hopes to take our supply's. The Raiders weren't a problem to us, it was the noise they made. We didn't have to fight them off long before the zombies got them. Zoe knew she couldn't enter the base whole raiders were around so she hid and tried to wait it out, she was smart...

but she wasn't lucky.

It didn't take long for us to see her at the fence. She was covered in blood and had chunks missing from every part of her body. We didn't risk letting her in, we weren't dumb, we knew she was turned. I'm just lucky that I saw it before Rose did.

It was about two weeks after she passed that Rose saw her sister for the first time. I was the only person she would let in to see her, she didn't leave her room for 2 or 3 days and we all understood, None of us expected her to be okay after seeing that, it was common sense.

Since then her sister has returned a few more times, each time getting a little easier for rose. In saying that it was never easy, she was just a little more used to it.

"what do you need petal?"

a name that i and only I was allowed to use.

"I already asked the others and they said it was okay but I want you to come with me"

she pulled away from me slightly so she could look at me properly, god knows why she would want to.

"where are we heading then?'"

Rose and I had gone to almost every store in town together, it was almost a tradition, so when she says she wants to go sometime, it makes me happy. This time though, this time she seemed different. She wasn't smiling, we wasn't jumping around excited. Instead she seemed limp and cold, I would almost say dead if I didn't already know what that looked like. Her personality had disappeared, which made me realised this wasn't going to be any ordinary trip.

"I'm going to kill my sister"