A New Chapter - Chapter 3: Fear

Casie wakes up, sitting up and sighs as she closed her eyes. A nightmare. She looks at the others to see they are asleep so she got up and walks to the window by the door. The sun was just rising. Casie sits down by the window and closes her eyes, remembering the nightmare.


A 13 year old Casie is running from infected. She has gotten herself lost in an old offices building. She quickly barricade the door behind her, making sure they couldn't get through.

"Move girl." Casie tells herself as she starts running. She then runs around a corner to see a bloater and runs the other way. 'Alex is going to kill me if I make it out of here.' Casie thought. She slams the door open that leads to stairs and heads down. She then stops by the ground floor and catches her breath. Once she calmed down and managed to catch her breath, she heads off. It looked safe. Casie went to run when a Stalker appeared in front of her. Casie went to stab it by the Stalker bites her neck. Casie shouts in pain as she kills it, then runs out. She ran and ran till she came to an old café. She then found a mirror and puts it up, seeing the bite mark. "No." Casie whispers with tears in her eyes. She then heard voices so she hides. She then peeps to see her brother, Alex. He has light brown hair, green eyes, fair skin and is wearing a military uniform.

"Any luck Luke?" Alex asks as another man walks over.

"Sorry Alex, she isn't here." Luke replies. "Come on." Luke then said walking off. Alex sighs as he follows him. Casie breaks down in tears.

'I'm sorry Alex.' Casie thought.


Casie sighs as she pulls her legs up, wrapping her arms around them and buries her face in them. She felt tears running down her face.

'Why? Why did it have to be like this?' Casie asks herself. She then felt a hand on her shoulder so she looks up to see Mason with a worried look. "Mason." Casie whispers as she wipes her tears away and did her best to stop crying.

"What is it?" Mason asks worry.

"Don't worry." Casie replies softly. "Just, stuff I need to deal with, alone." Casie tells him and Mason sighs as he sits down next to her.

"Well when you are ready to talk, I am willing to listen." Mason tells her.

"You have enough to worry about with Tyler." Casie said.

"Don't worry about it." Manson assures her and Casie smiles, then sighs.

"Why are you up?" Casie asks, changing the subject.

"I'm always up early." Mason replies. "What do you think about Teagan?" Manson then asks softly.

"She's just a scared kid that lost everyone she loved." Casie replies. Mason sighs. "Give her time." Casie tells him.

"Right, we have all in that spot before." Mason said. Casie nods. "We better wake them." Mason then said. Casie got up and walks over to Teagan, gently shacking her. Teagan yawns as she slowly opens her eyes.

"Come on." Casie tells her. Teagan sighs as she sits up and rubs her eyes. Casie looks back to see Tyler awake. After breakfast they headed off. They slowly made their way out of town, keep their eyes out. Casie sighs as she remembers Alex. Why is this bothering her now?

"Casie." Teagan said, taking her hand and Casie smiles.

"Sorry, lost in my thoughts." Casie tells her.

"Dangerous." Mason said.

"Yeah, it is when you are alone." Casie tells him. Mason chuckles.

"This way." Mason said. Teagan sighs.

"Don't worry Teagan, everything is going to be fine." Casie whispers and Teagan nods. Casie fixes her scarf and Teagan looks at her confuses.

"Why do you wear that?" Teagan asks as Casie pulls it up as a hoodie.

"Because it was a gift from an old friend who was killed." Casie tells her. Teagan sighs.

"I'm sorry." Teagan whispers.

"Don't be, it happened." Casie tells her and sighs. 'I'm letting myself get too close to them. I have to push them out.' Casie thought and sighs as she looks at Teagan. 'How?' Casie then asks herself.

"What is it?" Teagan asks.

"Nothing." Casie whispers. It was too late, she didn't know what to do. Casie sighs. "When do you think the next town will be?" Casie asks.

"I have no idea." Mason replies.

"That's nice." Casie whispers.

"I hope it's close." Teagan said.

"Me too." Tyler said and Casie smiles. Tyler and Teagan then walks ahead while Casie caught up to Mason.

"Not too far." Mason tells them.

"We'll be fine Mason." Tyler tells him.

"Don't worry." Casie said and Mason sighs.

"Just need to keep them close." Mason tells her.

"I know we do." Casie said and Mason smiles.

"At least it's a beautiful day." Mason then said and Casie smiles.

"Yeah, it is." Casie whispers. After a while of walking they came to the next town and Casie sighs.

"We should look for supplies." Mason tells her.

"We should also be careful." Casie adds. Mason nod. They headed off to find more supplies. Teagan and Casie went into a house while Mason and Tyler went to the one next door. "Stay close." Casie whispers as she scans the large house. It had two stories.

"Okay." Teagan whispers. Casie then slowly creeps up stairs and peeps into a room to see three Runners. Casie sneaks up and strangles the first one. She then does the same to the last two and sighs as she looks around. She found a small sowing kit and packs it, just in case and a couple of clean rags. She then heard Teagan scream so she rushes out to see Teagan holding back a Stalker. Casie pulls out her hunting knife and pulls it off her, stabbing it in the head four times, letting the body drop. Casie then grabs Teagan who gives Casie a hug.

"It's okay, it's over." Casie whispers as Tyler and Mason rush up.

"It didn't bite me." Teagan whispers.

"I know." Casie whispers as Teagan lets her go. Casie then pulls out her pocket knife and hands it to Teagan. "Here, you need this more than me." Casie tells her.

"Thank you." Teagan whispers as she puts it in her pocket.

"We ran into a couple of Runners." Tyler said.

"There was three in the room." Casie tells them.

"We better move before we run into something worse or bandits." Mason tells them.

"I'll finish looking around first." Casie tells him.

"We'll look down stairs." Mason said grabbing Tyler and they walk off. Teagan and Casie looked around more, finding a few more clean rags. Casie then looks at Teagan who is still shacking.

"Teagan." Casie whispers as she walks up to her.

"It was scary." Teagan whispers.

"I'm sorry, I should have looked around better." Casie said.

"It's not your fault." Teagan tells her and Casie smiles.

"Come on." Casie said and they walk down stairs.

"Clear down here." Mason said.

"Good, let's move." Casie tells him and Mason nods. They headed off and headed out of town. Teagan grabs Casie's hand and Casie smiles. They slowly made their way to the next town. Mason looks back at Casie and Teagan and Casie sighs.

"What's wrong?" Teagan asks worried.

"I just have a bad feeling, that's all." Casie replies. 'What will the others do when they find out the truth about me?' Casie thought worry. Why has she let herself get close to them? Casie sighs. It doesn't matter now, she just hope Mason doesn't kill her. She knows he will do something to protect Tyler. The fact is, she's scared. Teagan walks off and Mason slows down so he can walk with Casie.

"Casie, you starting to worry me." Mason tells her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry anyone." Casie whispers.

"What's wrong?" Mason asks and Casie sighs.

"I can't tell you. You wouldn't understand or believe me. It's too soon." Casie tells him. Mason looks at her worried.

"What does that mean?" Mason asks.

"I can't." Casie whispers and Mason sighs.

"Okay, well, when can you tell me?" Mason asks.

"I don't know." Casie replies. They walked in silent for a while. Casie fell back a bit, she didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment. It was dark when they came to the town. They found a house; Mason and Casie made sure no infected was inside, then barricade all the doors and window. After a small meal, Casie takes her gear off and lies down on her own. She left her scarf and gloves on.

"Casie." Teagan whispers as she walks over.

"What is it?" Casie asks looking over.

"Can I sleep by you?" Teagan asks.

"Sure." Casie replies. Teagan lies behind Casie who face forward.

"I'm scared Casie." Teagan whispers.

"I know Teagan, you have been through so much." Casie said.

"I wish my mum and dad was here." Teagan then whispers. Casie sighs, she doesn't remember her parents at all. Alex tells her stories, but she can't remember any of them.

"I'm sorry Teagan." Casie said.

"Don't be." Teagan whispers. "Do you remember your parents?" Teagan then asks and Casie sighs.

"No, I don't." Casie replies. "Get to sleep."

"Okay." Teagan whispers and Casie sighs as she closes her eyes.