(This is Ashlee Gore's Post. If you wish to post within "Life Goes On..." You must Have her Permission. --Administrator.)

The bright sun hit her in the face, waking her up when it was barely in the sky. That is what she got for living in a green house. The sprinkler system in the building was rigged to use the rain to water the plants around her. Lucky for her, she slept in a bathing suit. Walking over to the only dry part of the place to a hutch she drug up here from the house nearby. Not really knowing the city she is in anymore. Not paying attention to the names after not finding any of her family. The only thing known is she is at the border of Texas and Oklahoma. Looking out at the horizon with a tilt of her head, it being days since she saw one of the ones she called crazy.

Now, on the horizon, a lone figure stands rocking back and forth, a low groan making its way to her. A curse escapes in the air as she quickly changes. A green wrap around shirt, black cargo pants, and black combat boots were put on in a hurry.

Walking over to the door she watches as the figure is now running towards the green house. Her usual equipment is ignored and she quickly grabs a pitch fork. She closes the door behind her and turning to confront the crazy man in front of her.

The man lunges at her without acknowledging the weapon in her hand. She ducks out of the way and swings the pitch fork around. The man trips and lands right on one of the prongs but that only slows him down. Trying to pull it loose, Ashlee curses as her hand comes away with only the handle. She grumbles angrily before jamming the pole through his eye and into the brain of the crazy.

She sighs and moves back inside to pack up, time to move on. Two days in a row in the same place fighting the crazies was not good. Pulling up the cooler full of water to dump it out, slowly going down the rows to pick the food. Not having much selection but enough to keep her alive. While she is around the weight she is suppose to be her face is pale and drawn.

Finally done with the cooler she moves to the hutch with a sigh escaping her. Looking at the phone that has not been on for months, not wanting to turn it on and make a call she knew would not go through. Grabbing the backpack in the corner, she quickly stuffs the clothes in the bag then the puts the electronics in one of the many pockets on her pants. She notes she may need batteries soon.

It is a long walk back to Texas through the flat wasteland that is left of Oklahoma. She cannot take a car because the highway is littered with abandoned vehicles with no one to clear them. Three hours of hiking later she is back in Texas, standing in an port-o-potty as she avoids the scuffling outside. She slips out ten minutes later because the noises finally subsided and she finds herself heading back towards her hometown to be in a familiar place. She feels the hot sun on her head and regrets not having any hats with her and vows to stop at the next gas station for a little five fingered discount shopping. She plows ahead while pulling her hair up in a bun to block some of the sun from her scalp.

Two years. In the company of others the time seems to fly by. All alone is another story.
The initial wave of infected that had hit his friends took the hardest of tolls on Lee. He got to listen or watch the ones he loved dearly die. How do you deal with something like that?! Well through pain, a gitothe teeth, and putting one foot in front of the other in search of somewhere with less memories.
After you got a rythme down, the infected fell at a decent rate, at least, it wasn't so hard to end a life. The taking of a life was actually simple now, having lived two years as a scavenger, the only things constant being the clothes on his back, the three weapons of his (A metal pole of his own construction, a gun he had made but he very rarely uses, and a crobar he named Handy.) He had never left Texas, but he had traveled around a bit, avoiding major cities, and never once going back near mesquite, or what was left of it.

Today Lee found himself in a ransacked gun store, a remnant of the past and a clean carcass. There wasn't a single gun here, not even empty bullet casing. Up the road was a highway and a gas station, neither of which he was going near. The gas station was gang territory and the highway was death, if not from infected, or crazy uninfected, then from the heat. Or the animals. Or the diseased dead. Any number of things. No, better to stick to back roads and forested areas where you could hideout in trees or logs.
Right now Lee was preparing his meager lunch/dinner, a twice boiled and fried squirrel, plus some fruit he had stolen from a lovely dead couple. There was movement outsde, but he barricades would keep most everying out. Lee looked out a window and saw... about five... five what was what bothered him, because they were either insane, a gang, or infected, and he was not in the mood for any for those.

Lee wipes the sweat from his forehead and as his hair hit him in his eye he punches a wall. Thats it b***h, you're gettin cut! He walked to the back area of the store and produced an electric razor complete with batteries, and one of those little plastic things on the end. He had stolen this from a hipster barbershop and use it. Without hesitation he shaved his hair, attacking it with the little device, and afterward his old clothes and sweaty skin were coated with little red hairs, the bigger clumps falling to the ground.
Now Lee could resume his watching of the outside in peace.

Turning she splashes water on the mirror before pressing her hand on the knob to turn off the water. Listening to the silence around her and welcomes the comfort. Moving slowly to the door only to hear a voice and presses her back to the door to listen. A man and a woman argue outside the door about someone stealing the hat. Ashlee?s eyes grow big when someone or something hits the door. Her hand moves to the switch and floods the room in darkness. Another knock but it moves on, ?There is no one here, turtle.? Ashlee almost laughs at the name but instead stands there stone faced. The dark did not scare her as much as other humans. Humans were more vicious then the crazies. Quickly her hand moves to her bag and she pulls it around to her front. Waiting till the voices fade away and she opens the door slowly.

A hand comes around the door and grabs her by the strap of her backpack. Pulls her around the door and slams her against the wall, ?Who are you?? A gruff looking man glares at her from behind dirty glasses. Her eyes grow big behind her glasses and she whimpers a little. ?Answer me,? he slams her again and she cries out. Still having back problems, this did not help at all. Becoming stiff and tries to push him off, the man just laughs it off. Without a second thought he tosses her through the air and she is back in the bathroom, hitting the handle on the wall. She slides down to the ground and looks up to see the door closing to put her back in the dark.

The man turns just in time to catch the woman. A primal yell moves through the door to Ashlee and she shifts away from the door as much as possible. He sits the woman down on the ground before charging at Lee. An upper cut to right under his chin to knock his head back, the other hand coming around to hit Lee's stomach. His eyes full of hatred for Lee. Lee would have to be quick because the fists just kept coming.

Ashlee sat there in confusion at how quiet it got after what sounds like a scuffle. Not wanting to move at all, she pulls the hat down further to hide her face. Not wanting the man to come back in and hurt her more. She did not need any more scars on her body, living hard after losing everyone. She slips her arms around her backpack to calm her nerves. Beginning to shake, Ashlee whimpers to herself after hearing a boom against the door.

She sat against the wall and her head comes up when the light hits her. She begins to scrabble up so she can defend herself. A flinch escapes her when her back slides past the bar behind her. She saw the man that hit her knocked out behind the one standing in the doorway. Her hands turn into fist and she looks ready to swing if he gets to close. "What do you want?" a simple question to the intruder or was it saver. Slipping her backpack back on her back before glaring at him. "Can you move so I can leave? I really do not want to be here anymore."

Trying to push by him would probably make her yelp and that was never fun. Placing her right hand on the door and the other rests on her waist. "Going to move?" A look in her eyes would show she was actually scared of him but not showing it in her body language.

A sudden gun shot outside had her grabbing him and pulling him in with her. Shutting the door and locking it just as someone enters the store. Slipping her hand over his mouth and if he tried to speak, her hand would be replaced. If only he would keep his mouth shut long enough for them to be safe. Her breathing was labored out of pain and in the darkness with him made her even more on edge. What was she going to do? Leaning her face against his shoulder to keep her breathing from being heard. Letting her eyes shut in a prayer to not be found.

She begins to shake when boots were heard outside. His words still sinking in to her mind. Opening her eyes slowly to look into the darkness at his shoulder. Realizing his voice sounded slightly familiar, she slips on to her toes. Pressing her lips to his ear, "Who are you? Why did you come to help?" Her voice only he could hear because of how low she is talking. After finishing what she has to say, she slips back down onto her heels. Her face back against his shoulder to hide her breathing. The foot steps stop outside the door and one solid knock before the knob is tried. The knock makes her jump and lean into the male more.

Her mind wonders back to Nolan and his warmth. The male was giving off the same heat and it made her feel nice. Though it was hot outside it was freezing in here to her. Slipping her hand from his mouth when she figures out he would not be able to answer her. Realizing then that they did not have much room and this made her other hand clinch once more into a fist. The foot steps move on and she breaths out a sigh against his shoulder. A slam as if something is kicked in makes her almost yelp but she feels a hand cover her mouth.

She would have grumbled if not in such fright at the moment. His arm around her would be noted but since he came to protect her, for now she would let him. The act of being weak was a front, if she was not hurt then she would not be in here with him. She would be standing up to the raider. But for now she just keeps her face hidden as the banging continues around them. The shoes would travel past them a few times. An hour would pass before the raider would calm down. Her eyes were drifting shut from being in one spot for to long. Her face turned more towards his like a sign of affection though it was just her tired.

Letting her hands come to rest on either side of him to maybe push away or just brace herself more. Not wanting to put so much weight on him. Her body though did not agree and resisted her from pulling away. His warmth was comforting and so was his arm around her. A sigh escapes against his chest and then a bang against the door. Her body comes back to life and she tenses against him. "I know you are still in there!" a scream is heard through the door and another bang against it.

She bats the Kevlar away and turns towards the door. Her mind made that it was time to deal with this raider. Moving towards the door and swings it open. The raider falls in on his back with a yell escaping him. An unhealthy smile comes across her face and she tries to move past the raider. Her certainty would be her down fall as usual. It is what got her the scar and what made her not wanted in a big group. Most hated her for need to control the situation. Now here she was doing it again, over confident that the raider would be stunned for a while.

A hand comes up and grabs her ankle, the raider not paying attention to the man. She falls forward and her face comes in contact with the raider's steel-toed boot. A gasp for breath before slowly fading in and out of consciousness. Blood slowly begins flow down on to the boot from her head. "Run," she sputters out, eyes drift shut, and her body goes limp on top of the raider. He pushes her off and stands to look around. Anger still in his eyes and not willing to stop just yet. His blood was boiling with the want to snap the man's neck.

The blow to the head made the raider stumble back holding his head. He was a big guy but that did not mean the hit did not hurt. The kick to the knee cap made him fall to one knee. Now he had no idea which to hold. A groan escapes him before the blow to where his heart is felt. This knocks him off his feet. He lays there with pain radiating through his body. A grumble is heard before he passes out.

Ashlee was dreaming, at least she thought so. How else could Nolan be in front of her? She stares at him and her friends behind him. Slowly he waves and he disappears. She blinks trying to remember who was standing there. Slowly one by one all her friends were gone except two. Chairty and Cameron but they looked like the ones from middle school. A smile crosses her lips at them before moving towards them. Her high school years and the year of college were gone. She did not remember what was going on or who she had been looking for.

The raider slowly sat up and looks to his brother in arms. He yells out what happened and points towards the back. His brother motions and the rest of the group takes off after Lee and Ashlee.

The raider is standing up with the help of a straggler and begins to make his way after others. He moves to the window and motions the other through. The brother in arms walks towards Lee with the .22 handgun aimed at his head. "You really thought you could attack someone? You Need a wake up call," the others were circling around the area. Keeping Lee where he is. Ashlee lay there not able to wake up just yet. Her eyes were fluttering though. Lee will have to kill the leader and the brother in arms to get away from this group. A groan is heard from under the car. Ashlee is not doing good at all with the wound on her head and her ribs were bruised if not broken.

A scream is heard from behind one of the cars and a yell, "Infected!" the bottle did not have to be open.

Slowly she starts to come to after being set on the bed roll. Confusion is clear on her face and she has no idea where she is at. "Where am I?" her eyes look around the room before landing on a figure. She begins to move away from him. "Please do not hurt me..." her head begins to hurt as does her chest. A groan escapes her before she lets out a loud groan. Her body rocks back and forth with pain and confusion. She really had no idea what is wrong with her. "Owwwww, " escapes before tears come to the corner of her eyes. She looks to the figure with uncertainty and pain, "Please help me..." Where am I? What happened? Who is this person? her left hand comes to rest on her temple.