Spitfire

The second I saw Carol's truck off to the side of the road, I gunned towards her. My pulse was racing, hoping that she wasn't stupid and that her and the others were right inside. Rick followed closely behind me, hopping out the truck the second we had all come to stop. I followed behind him, my gun aimed towards the ground, "Please, please be in there."

Rick yanked open the truck door and gave a sigh of relief, "Thank God." He moved aside to let me see in, my heart about stopped dead when I saw them sleeping. Rick lightly tapped Carol awake, which sent everyone in a panic of screams and weapons being drawn, "Whoa! Whoa! It's me, it's me, Rick."

Carol started to sob, "Oh my god!" She climbed out of the truck, clinging onto Rick and then making her way towards me, 'Oh Anabel!" She kissed my cheeks and than made her way around to Daryl, Glenn, and Maggie. Beth scrambled out, falling onto the ground, tears pouring out of her eyes as she ran towards her sister. Mattie and Doc stepped out next, giving me a hug before embracing everyone else. Tess took a seat on the car ledge and leaned on the opened door, she gave me a soft smile, her eyes scanning over the group.

I sighed, sliding down on the floor, my head resting on the wheel. I was absolutely relieved to have found them. Carol was right. Separation was not a good idea. The hairs on the back of my neck started to stand up when I heard the familiar sounds of those monsters, turning behind me to look through the gap of the wheel and the truck itself, I saw a whole herd of them coming towards us.

"Anabel!" Carol screamed, turning my head towards her she pointed to the other side of me.

I screamed as one came barreling down over me, I kicked it off, pulling out my gun, I shot it in the head. I gripped onto the truck for leverage, my pulse racing again. My eyes widened as they started spilling out from both sides of the vehicle. I felt a harsh grip yank me towards the jeep, I looked at Daryl who tossed me into the back. "Daryl! Tess!" I screamed.

He looked back towards Tess who started screaming as five or six walkers started to climb into the truck, he started to shoot them but eventually got cut off. He backed up, his eyes locking onto mine as we all heard the blood curdling screams coming from the truck. "Anabel, I-"

I shook my head as I sunk down into the leather seats, all I could hear was Daryl and Rick yelling out commands, feeling the seat sink on my left, I looked over, finding Carol. She gave me a pressed smile and rubbed my shoulder, "Come on, Anabel." She aimed her gun towards the walkers and motioned for me to do so too.

I swallowed hard, trying to focus on taking them out. But the more gun power we used the more that came through those trees. I saw Mattie frantically try to reach one of the vehicles, "Mattie!" I screamed, my eyes widening as one sunk its teeth into the side of his neck, I stumbled backwards. Why was this happening?

"Rick, we gotta go!" Daryl yelled as he started up the jeep, he slammed his foot on the gas, which sent me flying over into the front seat. I scrambled up, looking behind me, my eyes watering as I watched Mattie get completely demolished by those creatures. I sunk down low again, hugging my knees. Daryl looked over at me, his voice low, "There's nothin' we coulda' done, Anabel."

I nodded, my hands trembling, "I know-I know." I took a deep breath but it didn't seem like any amount of air that filled my lungs was enough. I glanced over towards Daryl and Carol, how could they not be phased? How could they don't feel scared? I just lost two people who I had spent a long time with in just seconds of each other. How were they not freaking out? I stared out into the countryside, seeing a walker here and there walking. I think I may have just found my breaking point. What was I still doing alive?

We had driven an hour or so away from that whole fiasco, slowing down once we reached a split in the road. One leading towards mountains and the other leading into a city. Daryl placed the jeep in park, giving me a look before hopping out to talk with Rick, probably about which direction we should go in. If they were smart, they would take the mountains. The city was a hot-zone. Most cities were nowadays. I could only imagine how New York City was doing, I had visited their once with a few friends from college, it was a busy place, so full of people, it was almost impossible for their to be survivors. I could bet on it.

I felt Carol place a hand on my shoulder, "Anabel, are you okay?"

I flinched from her touch, "No." I turned to face her, my breaths short and fast, "How can you guys not be phased by this? I just don't understand! I can't even focus right now. I couldn't even focus back there, I could have saved Mattie but I just watched and I did nothing." Tears started to make their way down my face, "I can't-I can't do this."

Carol narrowed her eyes, "Don't talk like that, don't ever talk like that. You hear me, Anabel?" She grabbed my hand, yanking me towards her, "You are strong and you can do this. This world is going to break you so many damn times before you realize that you need to stop letting this world bend you over." Her eyes strained, scanning my face, "God so help me, Anabel, you do something so selfish as letting yourself go, I will personally revive you to shoot you myself."

I swallowed hard, "What if I don't think I can." I whispered. All my strength, all my fight, all my drive? It washed away, I was scared, I felt weak and I didn't know how to get it back.

Carol's look softened, rubbing her thumb on my hand, "Turn your fear into anger on those monsters." She looked away from me, taking a deep breath, "The reason I can march in with those people is because I turned my fear, my hurt, my anger into vengeance. They took my little girl and I'm not finished fighting. And neither should you. They took not only your brother, your little girl, but they took Mattie, Shaun, and Tess."

She had a point. This whole time I was afraid of them, afraid that they were going to take more of the people I loved. And they did. Why was I sitting here like an emotional little girl? Why wasn't I acting like the old Anabel Smithson? I narrowed my eyes, giving Carol a look of determination, "You're right."