Keep Holding On

Driving down the road to town seemed so surreal. Everything looked so peaceful, like the world never ended and the dead came back to life. Things had been quiet between the two companions, Shane behind the wheel and Angela staring off out the window. That soon ended when the town came into view.

"Alright, we're here to get basic supplies; medicine, food, useful things." Shane said, but didn't revive much of an answer from Angela. "We stick together, and you do as I say, we clear on that?"

"Whatever you say Shane, I got your back a long as you've got mine." Angela stated tearing her eyes away from the fields as buildings took over so she could look at Shane.

"I got your back don't worry, we're a team right now. Gotta get you back safely to Layla anyways, and that dumb hick you’re interested in." Shane said disgust in his voice at the end.

"What?"

"Don't play dumb with me Angela; I know there's something going on between you and Daryl." Shane said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well you're wrong. There's nothing going on between me and Daryl." Angela said brushing aside his comment.

"Yeah that's why you find an excuse to be around him all the time." His voice began to rise with annoyance.

"Shane, what are you talking about?" Angela said truly confused.

"Oh please everyone can see it, you found a reason to talk to him alone the other day when he got back from searching for Sophia, you yelled at Andrea for shooting him and cried on Lori's shoulder about it, you offered to go get his dishes last night then took forever to return with them, and the same goes for this morning. You take him food, and it took you the longest time to return to the group and eat, putting us behind on getting here."

"Look, I'll tell you like I told Dale, there's nothin between us. I don't think Daryl's a bad guy, so sue me if I care if he gets hurt, he saved my sister and I feel like I owe him, but there's no way for me to repay him. I'll apologize for making us late, if that's what you want, but I won't apologize for worrying about Daryl, or wanting to talk to him from time to time, that's not going to change so deal with it." Angela huffed turning to look out the window again noticing that Shane stopped the car.

"Let's just get this done with before dark." Shane said climbing out of the car. Angela took a deep breath to calm herself, before following suit.

They walked cautiously through the streets. Shane had his shotgun ready and Angela had her bow set, praying there would be no need for them. The streets were empty as the pair walked carefully to the store closest to them. Upon reaching the door, Shane glanced back at Angela before slowing opening and stepping foot inside Angela not far behind.

The store was fairly large for the all town and reminded Angela of a Wal-Mart, though she didn't look at the name so for all she knew it could have been. Shane made hand signs telling Angela to check the right side of the store while he checked the left. Both went their separate ways, walking as silently as possible through the abandoned store. It was obvious that people had been through here once the world ended, things were scattered across the floor as they scanned the aisles and most shelves were bare, but there still seemed to be enough to scavenge through.

"Everything is clear." Angela said with a sigh of relief once she and Shane met back in the center of the store.

"Alright let's get what would be useful to the group and head out; I wanna check a couple of the other stores before we head back." Shane said gesturing towards the glass door they entered through at the other buildings lining the street. "And before it gets dark. He made sure to add. Angela just nodded grabbing a basket by the door and retreating back to the left side of the store.

Once at the very end she began weaving through the aisles grabbing things she knew the group would enjoy having. She grabbed an assortment of clothes, and other various things she thought the group would like or need. Making her way back to Shane she noticed a necklace, it was a silver chain and holding a small colorful butterfly, she grabbed this too knowing Layla would love it and tucked it away in her pocket.

"I grabbed food and what little medicine was left." Shane said when they met back up again.

"I grabbed some clothes, and a variety of other things that we could use." Angela said not bothering to show him her basket. "Not much left in this store though, but I tried to find anything and everything useful. So are we dropping this stuff at the car and moving on to the next store?"

"Yeah, let's move." Shane said giving her a skeptical look but not wanting to waste time in checking to make sure her supplies where really useful.

They did the same with the other store, split up to make sure they were clear, meet back up, split up again to collect supplies, and then meet back and place things in the car. Most of the stores were picked clean and they came out empty handed but there were an occasional few where they manage to scavenge up some supplies.

They had gone through the stores without a single run in with a walker, but that didn't calm Angela like it should have. After her experience in Atlanta, she knew it could change instantly from walker free to a horde of the rotting corpses coming through. Especially since they were beginning to lose daylight.

"The last couple of stores we wet in we're empty and were losing light fast, so this will be the last one we check and we can come back to check others around here another time." Shane said as they walked to the door. Angela nodded as she checked around them before focusing on the task at hand.

The two crept into the store and began their routine. This store was like the last ones they went in; walker free. They searched the small store for supplies, the light outside fading quickly. The room was silent, until a clatter came from the door. Angela head snapped up from the item he was looking at as she set it carefully back down and knocked an arrow. Her eyes met with Shane as the stepped silently towards the doorway. Then they saw it, a lone walker had ventured into the store through the door that hadn't closed behind them.

Angela reacted quickly raising her bow and taking a deep breath before letting the arrow loose, praying it would hit her target. It did, but not where she wanted. The arrow sunk into the walker's shoulder rather than its head, much like the first time he shot one of these freaks with an arrow. The walker cast its gaze at Angela, a hungry snarl escaping its lips. Cursing under her breath, Angela knocked another arrow with shaking hands as the creature stalked closer to her, but before she could shoot a gun sounded and the thing fell.

"The hell was that?!" Shane shouted pulling Angela's shocked state away from the killed zombie on the floor to his outraged face. "Thought you knew how to shoot that thing!"

"I haven't had to use it a lot! I'm sorry if my aim is a little off that's why I have another weapon!" She yelled back motioning towards the machete resting on her hip.

"You could have gotten killed before you were able to get to it."

"Yeah well you didn't have to shoot it. Who knows how many walkers are out there and heard it." Angela said slowly calming down. Shane took a deep breath before speaking.

"Let's get out of here before we have to find out. Just let me grab the bag I filled up and we'll head back to the farm." Shane said walking off.

Angela went to retrieve her arrow from the walker's shoulder wiping the blood on her pants before placing it back in the quiver. Walking closer to the door and glanced out it shock filling features. It was Atlanta all over again; first rather empty streets, then a whole group of the living dead stumbling towards them. She turned quickly away from the door to go find Shane, but ended up running into him as she turned around.

"We've gotta go, and now." She said sternly. Shane gave her a confused look before stealing a glance out the window his shock and fear written on his face.

"Let's go!" He exclaimed, grabbing Angela's arm and bolting out the door and towards the car. Angela put her bow away and pulled out her pistol turning around to shoot at the herd, her aim true. Shane turned as well firing off his shotgun, but soon ran out of ammo and pulled out his hand gun as well.

"Shane get to the car and get it started, I'll try to hold them off for a bit." Angela called to him. He nodded began making his way to the car.

He couldn't help but think of what went down at the school when Otis and he got supplies for Carl's surgery. Of what really occurred rather than what he convinced the others to believe. How he really shot Otis leaving him behind rather than the man sacrificing himself for Carl. He knew not everyone bought it though; Dale didn't truly buy it, and neither than Angela. He could do it again, they may not both make it out alive, and Angela just offered to hold them off.

Shane turned from the car and held up his gun, but he didn't aim at the oncoming walkers, he aimed at an unsuspecting Angela. The zombies would take a bit to get to her; all he had to do was pull the trigger and run, leaving her much like he left Otis. No one would grieve for long over her death, but Layla.

That ten year old girl was the one thing stopping him from going through with it. He saw how fast she was adored and that would tear the group to pieces if she Los Angela. His aim lowered some as he was still debating, wanting nothing more than to save his own life for the cost I hers, when the shot rang out.