Fire engulfed buildings, and men on horseback rode around with their machetes, chopping off heads left and right. Joanna tried to call out for her child, but nothing came out. She screamed into the void as she watched a man grab her child's hair just before chopping off her head.
Joanna Foster rose from her sleeping bag, panting. Her clothes drenched in sweat. She clutched her thin white hair in both hands. She pulled until clumps came out. Her head throbbed in pain, and she screamed, hoping the zombies would hear her.
She waited expectantly, but no zombies came for her. So she packed up her gear and continued moving.
Joanna trudged through the frozen roads. Moaning could be heard from under the snow. Hibernating zombies collected in groups inside the abandoned buildings huddling together.
The older woman rubbed her shoulder. The old battle scar ached every winter without fail, and she wanted nothing more than to get out of the cold.
Years ago, she lived every day with a happy heart. She went through too many battles and lost too much to give up that easily, but after the Twelve's army destroyed her home she only longed for the release that only death would give her. But death did not come easy to her.
Joanna leaned against a decaying building. She slid onto the wet snow and looked up at the sky. Remembering her daughter's smiling face. She was so small as a baby. Joanna remembered how scared she was to hold the precious angel after first giving birth. But the little hands gripped onto Joanna's fingers with such vigor.
Joanna smiled and closed her eyes. The cold wind blew through the streets, carrying the sound of a soft cooing. The old woman's eyes popped open. A zombie approached her.
The dead man limped to Joanna. The time he took to approach her felt long and drawn out. I could have killed three of him with how long he's taking. Joanna thought to herself.
Another coo sound echoed through the empty streets just as the zombie leaned down to get a taste of Joanna. Distracted by the noise, the creature fell on top of the old woman while reaching for its back. Rope bound the decaying person, keeping him from grabbing-
That's when Joanna noticed it. She quickly grabbed for her bowie knife. The zombie bit down on the metal, and Joanna struggled to get free. With a new vigor, Joanna pulled at the zombie's hair and pulled him off of her. Nearly turning the zombie into the Joker as she did. Joanna managed to stand to her feet and separated herself from the monster.
The zom lay sprawled on the ground. The carrier on his back jostled, loosening the baby within. The child almost fell to the ground as the zombie stood. Joanna held her breath until the small child fell back into the carrier. It was like something Joanna saw in a movie before the world came to an end.
Soft whimpers escaped the child. Joanna lept towards the zombie, grabbing him. His teeth snapped together as he tried to bite the woman, but he had no such luck. Swiftly, Joanna stabbed her knife into the zombie's head.
The woman slowly lowered him to the ground, careful not to harm the baby on his back.
The child was cold to the touch and seemed malnourished. Joanna gently detached the baby carrier from the zombie. The young child reached for Joanna with its tiny, blackened fingers.
Joanna pulled the small baby near to her. She ran as fast as her legs could take her to the nearest hospital, where Joanna used the skills she learned in the army to nurse the child back to health.
After hours of fighting tooth and nail as the small child clung to life, Joanna finally took a break. The small child's breathing became stable.
Joanna reached for the baby with a quivering hand, too scared to touch her. "I will protect you at all costs. I will never lose my child again. So please keep living, Grace."
Spring was around the corner, and Grace was doing much better. She lost a finger from frostbite, but that was the worst of it. The city became livelier as zombies began to come out of hibernation.
Joanna decided to leave. She took Grace and traveled several miles into the forest when she stumbled onto hollow ground. Joanna stomped firmly, and a thud responded. She walked around the strange area in the forest to find a peculiar building sitting underneath the dirt. An attic window protruded from the ground, and wildlife surrounded it, making it almost impossible to notice.
Joanna entered through the window to discover that the building was once an orphanage. Large rooms filled with rows of beds. A massive mess hall almost filled the first floor. There was a living area, a play area, a classroom, and many other such rooms. Then there was the basement, which seemed almost entirely bare, maybe it was once used for storage.
"What do you think, Grace? Should we call this our new home?" The child cooed in agreement. She reached her small hands up and flapped them around.
Grace's fifteenth birthday flew around the corner, and the two celebrated with a lavish feast.
"Nene," Grace wrapped her arms around the old woman's shoulders. "When are you going to teach me some tracking skills?"
"Do you think you're ready for it?"
"I already know all the different animal footprints and how to tell them apart, but it's like you say," Grace jumped in front of Nene and held up a finger. With a stern face, she mimicked the older woman. "Theories and practical experience are miles apart from each other.
"If you understand that, then I think it's time for you to get some practical experience."
"Do you mean it?"
"I don't say things I don't mean."
The forest was chilly, and snow clouds drifted over the tall trees. Grace observed the ground carefully, looking for tracks.
Joanna smiled, "Now, Grace, you shouldn't only be looking at the ground. There are other indicators that an animal has been through here." Joanna pointed to a broken branch with fur hanging from it. "Which animal do you suppose that came from?"
Grace hopped over to the branch and plucked the fur from it. Smushing it between her fingers, she held her other hand up to her chin. "It's high up, so not a small animal." She then tossed it to the side. "What does it matter? As long as we catch it, right?"
"It matters," Joanna pinched the bridge of her nose. "Remember how I set different traps depending on the location?"
"Yeah, why is that?"
"Because different traps are effective against different animals. Depending on the animal, we will have to change our strategy. We may even have to give up on it if it's dangerous."
Joanna went on about strategies and the like when something caught Grace's attention. It moved through the woods. Wait, there was a group. Monkeys? No, that wouldn't make sense.
"Are you listening, Grace?"
"Ye-" Grace suddenly bolted through the forest. "Something's there."
Joanna squinted, "What is it, Grace? Don't approach it. It might be dangerous." Joanna rushed after Grace, but the young girl was too fast.
"Hey," Grace shouted.
"Are you daft girl?" Joanna quickened her pace but to no avail. Grace was miles ahead of her. The woman huffed. She swung her arms desperately, hoping that her legs would catch up. "Grace!" Her voice shook as she fell to the ground. Quickly, Joanna searched through her pack and retrieved a scope. She held it to her eye and sighed.
Grace walked up to the teens, "Are you okay? What are you doing out here all alone?"
The older boy shielded the younger girl. They couldn't have been more than thirteen. "Who are you?" He asked.
"My name is Grace. I live in this forest with my grandma." Grace pointed in the direction she left Nene. She's not very fast, so don't be surprised when she catches up." The kids looked at her with fierce gazes. Grace froze. "I'm sorry. Did I scare you? I've never met anyone other than my grandma."
The children backed away from Grace.
"Wait. I'm sorry, really." Grace slipped her backpack off her shoulder. "At least have some food before you go."
The younger girl pushed past the boy, rushing to the food.
"Hey, don't-" The boy's stomach growled.
"Don't be shy. There's enough for you, too."
The boy gulped and walked to Grace, accepting the food. The two kids began munching greedily.
"What are your names?"
"I'm Henry, and this is Luna."
"Grace!" Joanna stepped in front of Grace. "What did I tell you about approaching other people?"
"Come on, Nene. They can't be much younger than me. There's no way they are dangerous."
"You never know. The kids may not be dangerous, but sometimes adults use kids to trick other kids."
"But they are all alone!" Grace pouted. She pranced around the kids and grabbed them by the shoulder. Grace stood behind them, pouting. "Look at these little faces. How could they possibly be dangerous."
The two kids looked up at Joanna. Their faces were covered in soot, and their clothes were soiled from walking around for who knows how long.
"Do you kids have anywhere to return?" Joanna asked.
The boy shook his head, "No, she lost her parents two days ago. The zombies got them. And I-" Henry looked down, his eyes misty, "I don't know where mine are."
"We should keep them, right?"
"They aren't stray dogs."
Grace tilted her head to the side, "So we can keep them?"
Joanna pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine, but don't make a habit of picking up lost kids." Grace jumped around in a circle while holding hands with the other two teens. "Did you hear me, Grace? No more-"
"Yeah, yeah." Grace dragged the two kids back through the forest, completely forgetting about her lessons.
"Why do I even try with this girl sometimes?" Joanna cracked a smile as she followed the three kids back to the lost orphanage.