I grabbed the girl's wrist before pointing the gun away from me, I caused slight pressure on her wrist and she cried in pain. She let go of the gun and I let out a sigh before getting back on my feet.

"Ungrateful little brat!" I said in anger and the girl cowered away from me. "I saved your life and you-"

"I'm sorry!" She said while squeezing her eyes shut. I glared at her in anger and tears started running down her cheeks.

"How old are you?" I asked her and she opened her eyes.

"I'm eight." She said so I lowered my gun before sighing.

"You seem healthy, nice height, good instincts. Where are your parents?" I asked rudely and the girl wiped her cheeks dry.

"Daddy, he said he would be back but he still hasn't come back." She said before crying again.

I awkwardly patted her back and her arms wrapped around my waist. She cried into my jacket and I frowned down at her.

"Okay that's enough kid." I said before pushing her away from me.

"I have to go. Since you and your dad already owns this place." I said and the girl shook her head at me.

"Please take me with you." She begged desperately. "I don't think daddy's coming back, please." She begged and I clenched my jaw.

"You're dead weight kid." I said harshly and she shook her head once more.

"Daddy taught me how to hunt, I can make a fire and I'm fast, Daddy also let me hold his gun once-"

"Your dad sounds unstable." I said before taking the little girls hand and walking back downstairs.

I froze in my spot as I spotted five zombies roaming around in the kitchen. That asshole that followed me didn't close the door.

I placed my hands on the girls shoulders before kneeling.

"Stay here." I said and she nodded, I propped my needle point knife into her hand. "If a walker comes up to you, you close your eyes and stick this into their head." I said before dribbling downstairs.

I slammed my axe into a zombies skull piercing it open. I did the same to two other zombies before the fourth one stormed at me.

Clawing at my jacket I lifted my foot up before pushing it into the rotting creatures stomach. As I realized that my axe was still stuck in the head of another zombie I took my gun out before shooting the zombie's brains out in front of me.

I shot the last remaining zombie in the head before letting out a shaky breath, adrenaline pulsing through my veins.

I gripped the steel of my axe before stepping on the zombies skull and pulling my axe out. I swiped my axe clean on the zombies shirt before going back to the staircase.

I found the kid crying as I approached her so I sighed in annoyance.

"Listen kid, if you're gonna cry all day long I can't take you with me." I said and she wiped her cheeks dry.

"I'm sorry, I thought you left me like daddy did." She said and I clenched my jaw as she reminded me of my little niece Paige, I bit my tears back before holding my hand out to her.

"Where's your mommy?" I asked her.

"Mommy got bit." She said softly. "Daddy had to put her down." She continued and my eyes softened as I looked at her.

"It had to be done kid." I said under my breath. "If you get bitten, you tell me." I said harshly and she nodded. "Now put away that knife." I said before handing her a sheat to put the knife in.

"Thank you." She said softly. "What is your name?" She asked curiously so I breathed in nervously.

"Rosaleigh." I said softly. "Yours?" I asked and she smiled.

"I'm Faith." She said with a smile on her face and I couldn't help but to smile.

"That's a pretty name." I said as we walked out of the house.

"Thank you." She said shyly.

"We need to find shelter kid, and this place is a target for everyone that passes, it's too open and secluded." I explained. I guess I'm talking to myself because the kid probably lost me at shelter.

"Let's go." I said before looking at the woods. "Run!" I yelled giving her a headstart, the girl darted across the open field and I followed her.

"You're fast." I said when we reached the woods.

"Why were we running?" She asked and I frowned at her.

"Always run across an open field, especially when you're in unknown territory." I said and Faith just nodded.

"Don't trust anyone but me." I told her and she nodded. "Do you understand?" I asked harshly.

"Yes Rosaleigh." She said and I sighed before taking her hand and walking through the familiar woods.

We used to come hunting here with my dad. When the outbreak happened I was still at college. I haven't seen my family in seven years.

For five years the army tried to fight the walkers until they just stopped, until they all just died.

I've been traveling for two years trying to get home and I'm finally here. Hopefully I'm not chasing ghosts, hopefully everything I had to go through to get here will be worth it.

I shook the terrifying thoughts out of my head before looking down at Faith.

It's hard enough to protect myself, now there's Faith. I can't let anything happen to this kid, she's just a kid.

She's the first person I've talked to in a year. I'm what's known as a lone walker.

"Bear trap!" I yelled before lifting Faith up just in time to stop her from stepping into the bear trap. I let out a shaky breath before looking at her.

"Watch your feet!" I said harshly and she nodded in fear. "Keep your eyes open!" I continued before shaking my head in frustration.

I held Faith back as I heard wood cracking in the distance. Someone's here.