THE WALKING DEAD
After The Storm
act one, before the storm

chapter one
A SHARED BURDEN

━━━━━━━ CASSIE AND DANIEL
were a couple who had managed to survive the terrifying days when a walker invasion had laid waste to the city. As they made the decision to leave the city behind and venture into the unknown, they started driving away from the city center in their car. At every turn they encountered a new horror; the screams of people, walker attacks, and buildings reduced to rubble.

Their car moved slowly, Daniel carefully watching the road while Cassie silently stared out the window. Suddenly, a walker lunged towards their car and leaped onto Cassie. Daniel reacted swiftly, pushing the walker away and protecting Cassie. She sat in the car, looking blankly ahead as if lost in thought.

Daniel turned to her with concern. "Cass, are you okay?"

Cassie didn't respond for a moment, just nodded. "Yes, I'm okay, Dani. Just a bit shaken."

Daniel reached out and held Cassie's hand. "Take deep breaths, Cass. Everything will be alright."

Cassie took a deep breath and smiled at Daniel. "Thank you, Dani. It's reassuring to have you here."

They continued quietly for a few more hours. Along the way, they reflected on their past, how they had come to this point, and the struggles they had endured to survive. Danger lurked around every corner, but this journey had brought them closer together.

Daniel and Cassie found themselves in an abandoned town when their car ran out of gas. As they discussed their next steps, Daniel quietly suggested they could gather supplies from a nearby town. They quickly got to work and found relief in securing fuel. However, the area was infested with walkers. Daniel swiftly took Cassie's hand, protecting her as they moved forward.

Suddenly, a gunshot echoed through the air, dropping a walker beside them. Looking towards the source of the sound, they saw a woman firing from the door of a dilapidated house. A man beside her gestured for them to come inside. Without hesitation, Daniel and Cassie ran towards safety. Upon entering, they learned the woman with the gun was Mina and the man at the door was Raymond. Inside, they found Briar, Jack, and a young girl named Morgan.

Mina was harshly questioned by Briar for bringing strangers to their already struggling group. "How could you bring unknown people here? We're already struggling to find enough food and defend ourselves!" Mina argued that finding more survivors meant more resources and a better chance at survival. The argument continued until Ray intervened, advocating that more people meant more skills and protection against threats. He insisted, "We need each other to survive."

Once settled in their temporary shelter, they began discussing their next steps. Ray explained they had been in the town for weeks, gathering supplies and fortifying defenses against constant walker threats. Though initially suspicious, Briar eventually agreed that their group could benefit from the skills and numbers of the newcomers.

Over the next few days, trust slowly began to build among the group. They shared how they had survived so far and what they had lost. Each brought different skills - Ray, a young man skilled with necessary to survive; Mina, a former police officer; Briar, adept at finding food; Jack, skilled with weapons; and Morgan, despite her young age, had a knack for finding hiding spots.

They settled into a routine of gathering supplies during the day and reinforcing their shelter at night. Bonds formed among Daniel, Cassie, and the others. Besides physical survival, they learned to rely on each other for emotional support amidst constant threats and losses. Cassie began to feel close to Morgan, providing her with a sense of calm and a semblance of normalcy amid the chaos. She couldn't help but think that Morgan reminded her of her deceased daughter, Sarah.

Mina was on night watch, vigilantly scanning the surroundings under the drizzling rain. Except for the occasional rustle from the forest and the distant hoots of owls, everything was silent. For a moment, her eyes grew heavy, but she quickly snapped back to attention, gripping her rifle tighter. Falling asleep could mean death for everyone in the group.

Suddenly, a strange scent carried by the wind caught her attention. The sharp smell of rotting flesh and death... Walkers! Squinting her eyes, she focused intently and noticed the silhouettes moving among the trees. Within seconds, the sight became clearer—a large horde of walkers was advancing towards them.

Her heart racing, she turned and sprinted towards the campsite. "Wake up! Get up, we need to move now!" she shouted. The panic in her voice jolted the rest of the group awake. Daniel, Cassie, Raymond, Briar, and the little girl Morgan woke up in a panic, quickly scrambling to gather their belongings. Jack, however, was slower to wake up, being in the deepest part of his sleep.

"Hurry up! We have very little time!" Mina, breathless, directed the group. But the walkers were faster than she had anticipated and were already nearing the camp. Daniel had picked up Morgan and was running. Cassie and Briar, rifles in hand, stayed back to cover the group's retreat.

Ray was about to make his escape when he slipped and fell. Mina rushed back to help him, but this delay cost them dearly. Jack was cornered by walkers and bitten on the wrist. He let out a high-pitched scream of pain as Cassie shot a few walkers, but it wasn't enough. Seeing Ray wrestling with a walker, Mina rushed to his aid and got scratched on the leg in the process. Still, she managed to pull Ray to safety.

"Ray, hang on! We need to get out of here!" Mina said, pulling Ray to his feet. Jack's condition was critical, and everyone knew it. Being bitten meant contracting the walker virus, and Jack had very little time left. Daniel, after securing Morgan in a safe place, tried to go back to help Jack, but Cassie stopped him. "We have to leave him, Dani. Jack understands this," she said, tears in her eyes.

Jack seemed to accept his fate. As he bid farewell to the group with his eyes, he shouted, "Go on... Don't worry about me. Just run!" Daniel, tearing up, took a few steps toward Jack, but Mina pulled him back. "We have to go, now!" she said firmly.

The group fled into the depths of the forest. Jack's screams and the walkers' growls echoed behind them. Everyone's heart was heavy; leaving Jack behind was incredibly hard. But there was no other choice if they wanted to survive.

After running for a long time, they finally felt they had put enough distance between them and the walkers. They reached a small clearing and paused to catch their breath. Ray's leg was still bleeding, and Mina quickly tore off a piece of the shirt and wrapped it around Ray's leg. "Is everyone okay?" she asked, her voice tired but resolute.

Briar, sitting on a tree stump, tried to steady his breathing. "I think we're all here... except for Jack," she said, her voice trembling. Little Morgan was quietly crying, and Daniel was struggling to hold back his own tears as he comforted her.

Cassie came over to check on Ray. "Your wounds aren't deep, but we need to be careful. We've got more ground to cover," she said, Briar kept her rifle ready, surveying the surroundings.

"How long can we keep this up?" Mina asked, staring into the distance. "Constantly running, hiding... This isn't living."

Daniel, stroking Morgan's hair, responded, "But we have to survive. For ourselves and each other. We can't let Jack's sacrifice be in vain."

Cassie stood up with determination. "Then we need to find a safer place. Maybe there's still a trace of humanity somewhere. A place where we can be safe."

After a brief rest, the group decided to move on. Mina supported Ray as they walked, while Cassie and Briar led the way. Daniel, carrying Morgan on his back, watched their rear.

Throughout the journey, there was a silent agreement among them. No one mentioned Jack's name, but everyone felt the weight of his loss. The need to stay away from the walkers and survive had brought them closer together. With every step, they were reminded of the importance of staying alive and protecting one another.

As night began to fall, they cautiously searched for a safer shelter. Eventually, deep within the forest, they found an old hunter's cabin. Forcing the door open, they entered. The cabin looked unused for a long time but was sturdy enough to provide temporary shelter.

Inside the cabin, everyone quietly retreated to a corner. Ray, exhausted and in pain, fell asleep. Mina sat beside him, leaning her head against the wall. Daniel and Cassie, with a protective instinct, kept watch by the door.

Briar was silently praying in a corner. The same question lingered in everyone's mind: "When will this nightmare end?" But for now, all they could do was stay together and support each other. Even though they had to keep fleeing from the walker hordes, their hope remained unextinguished.

The night in the cabin passed in a tense silence, aware of the danger outside. Although they didn't know what the next day would bring, they were determined to fight for survival. And maybe, one day, they could find a place where they could rebuild a safe and peaceful life. This hope was the only thing keeping them going.

The night was sleepless for almost everyone. Daniel and Cassie sat on the floor side by side, with Cassie resting her head on Daniel's shoulder. Little Morgan was asleep on Daniel's leg. Mina and Briar were on watch at the door. Ray was groaning in pain from his leg. Finally, he shouted, "Fuck!" Daniel immediately pointed to Morgan and said, "Language!" Cassie stood up and went to Ray's side. She removed the torn, blood-soaked piece of cloth. She grimaced when she saw the wound.

Ray asked, "Were you a doctor?"

Cassie shook her head. "I was a guidance counselor. Knowing first aid was mandatory. But this is a bit beyond first aid," she said. She stood up and said, "I'm going to look around the house, maybe I'll find something useful." She searched the kitchen cabinets but someone had already cleaned them out. The only thing she found was a bottle, but it was empty. She placed the bottle under the dripping faucet and went to Mina and Briar.

"Are you okay?" she asked Mina.

Mina shook her head. "Maybe if I had noticed that horde earlier, Jack would still be with us," she said.

Cassie immediately said, "Stop blaming yourself," and added, "Besides, Ray's leg doesn't look good at all. We need to do something."

Briar said, "Maybe we can go back to town and get supplies... But I doubt anyone would want to go back."

Mina said, "This isn't about wanting anymore, we need each other to survive. Ray needs us. At first light, I'll take someone and go."

Cassie said, "I'll go with you."

At first light, Mina and Cassie quietly prepared. Briar and Daniel stayed behind to protect Morgan and Ray. Mina said, "We need to move quietly. The town could be dangerous."

Cassie agreed, "Yes, we need to be quick and careful. If there's any trouble, we come right back."

With a few weapons and empty backpacks, they set out. As they moved towards the town, they took quiet steps. Mina watched their surroundings carefully, observing every movement. Cassie was right behind her, trying to keep up.

As they reached the entrance of the town, the surroundings were silent. However, they could feel a threat lurking beneath the silence. They slowly proceeded towards a pharmacy. As they entered through the door, a bell above it chimed. Then, they heard noises coming from behind the shelves. Cassie immediately grabbed her gun, and Mina did the same. Mina gestured to Cassie to stay quiet. They carefully moved through the shelves one by one. Finally, they saw two people trying to get dressed behind the shelves.

Cassie laughed, "It looks like even walkers need to reproduce." Mina started laughing too. The woman quickly stood up and adjusted her clothes. "I'm Maggie, and this is Glenn," she said. Glenn, with an embarrassed look on his face, said, "Hi."

Mina said, "Hi,I'm Mina, and this is Cassie." Cassie and Mina were still grinning. Glenn quickly picked up a piece of paper from the floor and said, "I'll look around a bit to see if there's anything worth taking." Mina and Cassie laughed again.

Maggie asked seriously, "Are there just the two of you?"

Cassie replied, "No. There are three adults and a child. What about you?"

Maggie said, "We're quite a large group for now. Where are you staying? The town isn't very safe."

Cassie said, "We're staying in a cabin near the edge of the forest." Mina widened her eyes and looked at Cassie. Maggie immediately said, "Don't worry, we're good people. We're staying at my father's farm. Glenn and his group came because Carl was shot."

Cassie quickly asked, "Do you have a doctor?"

Maggie nodded. Mina said excitedly, "We came to find supplies because our friend's leg is wounded. But we have no idea what to do. Can your doctor help?"

Maggie said, "I don't know. The farm is already very crowded with lots of people."

Mina said, "If he heals, we'll leave immediately. We're also a large group, but we have no one with medical knowledge, and Ray is in a lot of pain."

Maggie looked at Glenn. Glenn nodded. Maggie said, "I need to talk to my father first. There are already some injured people at home." Mina and Cassie smiled.

After waiting in silence for a while, Maggie spoke again, "Okay, we'll take you to the farm, but we need to explain the situation to my father first. If he agrees, we'll help you."

Cassie and Mina looked at each other and nodded. Maggie and Glenn walked ahead to show the way, while Cassie and Mina followed behind them. As they walked, Glenn broke the silence.

"I hope things go well," he said.

Cassie replied, "We hope so too. Ray's condition is really bad and needs urgent attention."

Glenn was in front with Cassie, while Maggie led with Mina, riding along with their horses. On the way, Maggie and Glenn had been talking about the people on the farm.

When they arrived at the farm, Glenn and Maggie tied their horses to a tree while Cassie and Mina scanned the surroundings. In the farm's yard, there was a caravan and a camp area, likely the accommodation mentioned by Maggie and Glenn for the recent arrivals. The farm itself seemed like an oasis of tranquility, completely isolated from the outside world, with no signs of walkers in sight.

On the veranda of the house, an elderly man named Hershel smiled with joy when he saw his daughter, but his expression turned serious as he noticed the newcomers behind her. Maggie quickly intervened, "Dad, these are friends who need our help. One of them has been seriously injured in the leg and requires urgent medical attention."

Hershel furrowed his brows, speaking with concern, "Maggie, do you realize how dangerous this could be? We've already stretched our limits by accepting Rick and his group. Now you're bringing more people here?"

Maggie pulled her father aside to have a private conversation about the situation. Meanwhile, Cassie turned to Rick and said, "You must be Rick. I'm sorry for what happened."

Rick nodded quietly in acknowledgment. Cassie took a step forward and continued, "We understand, Hershel. We're only here to save one person. If we bring Ray here, will you do everything you can to help him heal?"

Hershel pondered for a moment before nodding, "I'm a veterinarian, but I do know a bit about human injuries. Of course, if the situation is serious, I'll do what I can to assist."

Mina expressed gratitude, "Thank you so much. We'll bring Ray here right away."

Hershel cautioned them, "Alright, bring him here. But remember, we have specific rules here. We can't help anyone who doesn't abide by them."

Maggie reassured him, "Dad, they're good people. They just want to help our friend."

Hershel reluctantly agreed, "Fine. But if they break any rules, they'll have to leave."

Cassie affirmed, "I assure you, everyone in our group will respect your rules. We're here for Ray's recovery."

Rick, having listened quietly, finally spoke, "I understand you're trying to do the right thing. I hope everything goes well."

Hershel nodded solemnly, "Bring Ray here, and let's get started."

Cassie and Mina thanked Hershel before swiftly returning to the farm. Hershel, Rick, and the others waited, understanding the importance of keeping everything secure on the farm.

Cassie and Mina, returned to the cabin to heal Ray. Inside, Daniel, Briar, and Morgan were waiting. Outside, silence still prevailed, but the tension was palpable.

As Cassie stepped inside and opened the door, she immediately declared, "We've returned to save Ray. Hershel will assist us," her resolute tone reassuring everyone.

Daniel, looking puzzled, asked, "Who's Hershel?"

Cassie explained, "We were gathering supplies at the pharmacy. We met Maggie and Glenn there, who informed us they have a doctor on their farm. We discussed Ray's condition, and Hershel, as the farm's owner, reluctantly agreed to help."

Mina added, "Yes, this seems to be the safest place where we can heal Ray," scanning the cabin's interior.

Briar, hesitantly, remarked, "Safety is important, but so is saving Raymond."

Cassie asserted boldly, "We need to take Ray to the farm. Hershel said he would help," urging them into action.

Daniel affirmed, "Alright, let's move together. We'll do everything we can to heal Raymond. But once he's better, we must leave promptly. Not everyone here shares our perspective on helping outsiders," he declared firmly, breaking the cabin's silence as he began to approach Ray.

Ray's condition was deteriorating. Covered in sweat, his wound likely infected, his body was fighting against the infection.

Daniel gently supported Raymond by the shoulder. With Daniel on one side and Mina on the other, they exited the cabin and set out towards the farm...

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if there any mistakes in my writing im so sorry... AND I LOVE DANIEL AND MORGAN SM!! THEY ARE SUCH A CUTIE PIE🙈🙈

Hope you like this fic 💓💓 And please don't be a ghost reader, vote and kindly write your thoughts in the comments
ily all😝🤗

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with lots of kisses

ria.