I put my pencil down and sighed. My last final exam was over and I was done with college. After 5 years of schooling I was now a nurse practitioner. Most people tried to convince me to go on and be a doctor sense a NP was just a step below a doctor but I always said no. To do that would require another 3 or 4 years of schooling which I didn't have the time nor money for. I had gotten lucky and worked my butt off in school to get a free ride to the college of my choice. With school over I planned on heading back home to see my 16 year old brother before taking off to New York to start work. I had a set plan always knowing what to do. But there was one thing I didn't consider.

The dead walking.

I had just walked out of my dorm when I heard the first scream. Like everyone else I had seen the news reports, but I had faith that they would find a cure. But once the news got grimmer and grimmer I knew it was a lost cause. So I ran. Or tried to. I had a small bag packed and enough to gas to get me to Atlanta. After I was going to find my family. But when I saw the first walker I knew it was a a false dream I would never make it. Not after I could see what they could do. I couldn't fight, my thing had always been getting my school work done and staying outta trouble. I was barley peaking over 5'ft 120lb and long black hair. I was no fighter. So I did what I always did.

I ran.

I was able to make it to my truck a gift from my foster dad. As I was reaching to unlock the door I heard a groan near me and someone call my name I turned just in time to see my best friend Michael push the thing away from me and put his favorite pocket knife threw its eye.

"Eva are you ok? Did it bite you?" he asked franticly running his hands over me

I quickly shook my head and said it my soft voice "No no I'm fine"

He nodded clearly please with my answer " Ok good. Look I heard there's a refugee center in Atlanta. I was on my way here to get you and see if you want to go with me. I know your family's there."

"Do you think we'll make it? I mean look what's going on. Michael I cant fight im weak." I said

"Yes, we'll make it. And you'll learn how to fight. Besides im sure this thing will just blow over, they'll find a cure, then we can come home."

Nodding I said. "Ok ok lets go."

So we drove. It was going to take about 4 hours to get to Atlanta. We ran into a few walkers but always managed to get away. We stopped once and it was so Michael could get a few guns and for me to gather a bunch of medical supplies and anything useful such as canned food, tents in case Atlanta didn't workout and there was no cure, sleeping bags and because Michael insisted my shoes went very "survival safe" a pair of shin length boots. As we neared Atlanta we entered a line of cars. I sighed and turned off my truck.

I looked over at Michael and saw him clench his jaw. Michael wasn't a very patient man, that as for sure. We were very different me and him, he was tall, blonde and had a lot of muscle from constant working out. While I the other hand was short and small, I had a graceful build and nearly no muscle. I had black hair and white skin with green eyes. Most of my looks came from my mother, except for my hair that came from my dad, thick and dark, just like his. Michael had a bit of a temper and a very dirty mind while I on the other hand, I was like a saint as he put it often and would blush when ever some one put on a movie with even the slightest sex scene. Michael often teased me saying he didn't understand how I could work so closely with male bodies but got all uncomfortable around simple sex scenes that really weren't that dirty. But he didn't understand I had a hard start at the beginning of my life that he knows nothing about. It wasn't something I talked of. It used to bother him but he finally came to understand it was something id tell him with time.

We had been waiting for almost 3 hours when we saw the first plane drop its bombs. There was yelling all over and I could hear people crying and screaming. Me? I just stood there out side of my car and saw my world die before me. Because no matter how much Michael tried to tell me I knew in my heart my brother was dead, there was no denying it.

A part of me was glad because he wouldn't have to live like this. But the other part of me saw nothing to live for now. He had been my life, we had gotten lucky and been adopted together by the man and women who I always saw as mom and dad. We had endured our parents neglect and he more the once tried and saved me from my dads drink fueled rampages and beatings, I was 12 and he was 5 but still he looked out for me and I looked out for him. We were always the best team, inseparable till I left for college. And now he was gone. In a blink of and eye.

Dead.

I was staring at the city when a man came up to us and introduced him self as Shane, saying him and a Few others where heading outta here. Going to look for somewhere safe and asked us to join in. Michael readily agreed. I was going to let Michael drive because I wasn't very good at driving off road witch it where Shane said we were going to be headed. As I was opening the passenger side door I saw Shane walk over to two men standing next to a truck. They were both tall and had a lot of muscle from what I could see in the dark with only the headlights of other cars at my aid. The taller one said something and nodded while the shorter of the to just shrugged and walked back to the car. As I got in I saw Michael look over at me and gave me a tight smile. I only gave him a half of one back.

By the time we reached what Shane had called a quarry it was late and we were all tired. We all set up our tents and as I was in the middle of setting up mine a women came up to me she was around 5'6 from what I could tell and had brown hair. I smiled slightly, a little hesitant as to why she was here, none of the others had talked to me or Micheal except Shane who came by to see if we were doing ok.

"Hi I'm Lori" the women said and stretched out her hand.

"Eva nice to meet you" I said and gave her hand a shake.

"Look my son was snooping around your truck and he noticed some comic books in the back. I'm sorry but I was wondering if he could read them he's a big fan of the ones you've got. If that's ok." She said.

I smiled and said "Of course let me go get them"

She gave me a brief nod of thanks and a small smile then walked off.

"Hey Michael I got to go get something from the truck ok? I'll be back in a little bit"

"Ok be careful" He called from the inside of his tent.

"I will" I said as I walked off.

As I was collecting the comic books I saw one the two men from the highway walk up to me it was the taller one. He gave me a smile and introduced him self.

"Hey there, names Merle. Merle Dixon." He said holding out his hand. As I shook it and introduced my self I noticed his hands were rough and thick.

"Listen, you ever need anything, anything at all," he said with a small wink. "You just come by my tent, blue one over there. Merle will take ya. Ok sweet thang?"

And walked away. As I watched him walk I saw the shorter one witch I'm guessing was his brother staring at me. After he walked into his tent I went and gave the comic books to Lori and met her young son Carl. Then I went to my tent finished setting it up, unrolled my sleeping bag and after getting comfortable I finally let the weight of what was going on and the death of my brother overtake me and cried my self to sleep. My final thought before sleep over took me was I needed to learn to shoot and fast.

AN: Hi so this is my first fan fic writing ever. so can you guys tell me how im doing? don't be afraid to be blunt if you think I should continue then I will. thanks for all who read. I don't own the walking dead.