They had been on the road for what seemed like weeks. The stops for food, supplies, and gas had slowed them tremendously. They needed the bus to be able to carry the survivors of Woodbury, they also had a truck and a car to gas up as well. The Governor may still be out licking his wounds, but it was agreed that staying at the prison, even with its fortified walls, could have been more trouble than what it was worth. Unless they knew for sure he was dead, but they didn't. The Woodbury residents were terrified after hearing that the man they had trusted killed family members and the friends they knew. The children had problems sleeping. It was a hard and frustrating decision to make. They fought so hard to keep it, and could be safe from the walkers, but the Governor proved he would stop at nothing and his decent into madness had proven deadly. So, they packed what they could and decided to try and find a new safe haven.
One late afternoon they were traveling a fairly clear strip of road. In the rearview mirror of the bus Tyrese catches a glint of light off of a motorcycle. It was nothing like the one Daryl road, it was a black sports style bike; then another one came from behind it. It was almost as if the one cloned itself. Weaving through the lanes at high speed they zipped pass on either side of the caravan. Several yards ahead of the green Hyundai they crisscrossed each other and turn back around circling the caravan again. When they got behind the bus they did the same again.
"What do they want?" Carol asked from the back seat of the Hyndai.
" I dunno, but somethin's not right'" Daryl cranes his neck back and forth trying to keep his eye on them as much as possible.
The two motorcyclist were dressed in black pants, long sleeve shirts, and wearing black helmets. The pair straddled the Hyundai each looking in the windows through the clear visors that guarded their eyes. Finally Rick rolls down his window, as he laid his hand on his gun the driver of the motorcycle on his side tosses a an object inside. The two bikes fall back behind the caravan crisscrosses to turn around and go the opposite direction.
Rick looked for the object, everyone is was thinking it was an explosive, but they find a police issue radio with a note wrapped around it instead. Rick slows the car down bringing the caravan to a holt. Glenn bursts out of the truck. "What the hell was that all about?" The survivors start to pile out of the bus, "Keep the children and seniors inside the bus!" Rick unfolds the note while Daryl, Carol, Glenn, Maggie, Michonne circle around. Rick reads the note aloud:
If you are looking for a safe haven please go to channel 4
Rick turned on the radio and sets it to four. "Who is this?" Nothing. "Hello, we got your message, who is this?" After several seconds a crackle then a man's comes through.
"Are they still alive?"
" Who? The people on the motorcycles? They took off. Who is this?"
"My name is John, I lead a survivors camp. We have food, water, and shelter." Break
"OK, what do you want from us?"
"It's more of what we can offer. The girls must believe you could be brought in."
" I'm sorry, I don't understand."
" I will know more once they get back. Keep the radio on. I'll buzz you." The radio falls silent.
"Maybe we should just go. I feel like we are waiting for a trap." Gleen looks around at the shoulders of the road, it's quiet.
"There's not another exit or turn off for miles 'ccordin' to the map." Daryl spreads the map out on the trunk of the car tracing their current route. "see up ahead?" He points, up ahead they can see the sun beating down on what was a huge traffic jam. "That's a lot of cars to move around. Even if we leave now we'll still be going through that for 'least an hour.
"We can go around on the shoulder."
"Not with that bus. The brush is too thick and the soil is too soft, might get stuck."
Tyrese hollers from the bus driver window, "What's going on?"
"Come on we gotta talk about this." Rick and the group walk to the bus and tell the others about the note, radio, and the man. As they were discussing their options of getting through the jam ahead the radio crackled.
"Hello? Are you still there?"
Rick held up the radio and clicked over. "Yes, we're here."
" I need to ask you something."
"Go 'head."
" Do you have women, children and um, older people with you?"
"Why?"
"The girls, that's why you received the invite. We don't give out invites randomly. Number one, they said you didn't try to kill them. Number two you are traveling with people you have to care for. People who can slow you down, make you vulnerable."
"I don't understand, what's it matter to you who we have?"
"Mr…um"
"Rick"
"Rick, we have seen people use their own children as bait to save themselves…In this world people generally don't keep the weak around." Break. "What you are doing, we respect. We are doing what you are doing, Rick. We have people that, well, they make us vulnerable. We feel that people who will aide those who can't survive by themselves must have a shred of humanity left."
"What do you want with us?"
"There's safety in numbers. There's not many of us now, where we are is safe, but we've lost people on supply runs. Our survival has been successful due to the numbers we keep."
Pause.
"We share everything. Everyone pulls their weight around here. We have an 70 year old that mends the clothes. The older children help, organize our pantry, clean the tables after meals, get water. Everyone who can, works. We take care of those who can't."
"This isn't something I'm willing to jump into blind, John."
"Sure, we understand. I will buzz you again at night fall. As a sign of good faith, we do have a safe house back in the direction you came from. You will turn on a dirt road near mile marker 147, follow that down to an old farm house. Roamers may be wandering around, you'll have to take care of them, but there is some food and water. I hope it's enough for a group your size. I will contact you soon."
"Well there's yer trap, Glenn."
Chapter 2
The group decides to send Michonne and Daryl to the house to make sure it's clear. They agree that even if they don't stay long they can look for whatever food that may be there.
Michonne and Daryl take the Hyundai and park it about a quarter mile from the dirt road. They go through the wood line slowly up to the pasture not wanting to be exposed on the dirt road. On the hill they see a house. They had to take out a few walkers on the way. They first check the outside perimeter, when they deemed it clear they decide to enter the house. Michonne took the back door, Daryl the front. The house is empty, and they find some canned food and two jugs of water on the kitchen counter.
"Do you think this is weird, Daryl? I mean people looking for people?"
"I dunno what's weird anymore. That John guy is right, though, you can't survive on your own to easily anymore. Not if you want to sleep."
They go back to the caravan and tell them what they saw. The Woodbury children have gotten cranky and complain about being hungry.
"Well," Rick looks at his feet, and then looks back up waiting for anyone to speak. Hershel stands up, "I don't feel it's too far out there to think there are other people like us. I can't make myself believe that everyone outside of this family is like the Governor. Maybe its exhaustion talking, but we need to rest. Not just for a night cramped in our vehicles or around a fire. A real rest." Rick looks at the others. Some of their faces look hopeful, some look worried.
"We can't let our guard down, not until we get to know these people. Even, then…" Several faces nod. They to go to the farm house and wait for the "call".
**"Hello? Are you there?"
Rick picks up the radio.
"Yes."
"Have you made a decision?"
"We do appreciate your generosity. Thank you, but I am uncomfortable bringing my people to some place that may or may not be safe."
"I understand, Rick." There is a few seconds of silence. "How about I send one of the girls out? You and anyone you choose can follow her back and check us out?" Rick hesitates. "I'll tell you what, Rick. One of the girls will be waiting at the end of the dirt road at dawn, you can follow her or your group can continue on your way to where ever it is you're going, and we wish you the best of luck. Think about it, have a good night." Silence.
Chapter 3
Laina got to the turn off just before dawn and waited. She took note of her surroundings and saw a roamer a few yards away. She unmounted her bike and took her machete out of the sleeve that was strapped to her back. She drove the blade through the top of its skull; it fell to the ground when she yanked it back out as she pushed on its chest with her foot. She hears a vehicle approaching from the dirt road and runs back to her bike.
**Rick and Daryl saw the girl mount her motorcycle. She nodded and they flashed their lights. She took off with them close behind. They headed the opposite way of which the caravan was heading the day before. About 20 min later they saw an old wooden sign on the right.
Camp Woodmont
"Did we see that yesterday?"
"I dunno I kinda zoned out after a while. Kinda get bored when ya ain't drivin' you know. Plus I was lookin at the other side."
They follow the girl on the turn. It's a gravel road leading into the forest. The road winds through the trees until the reach a ranch style wooden gate that had chain link attached from top rail to bottom rail. Someone opened the gate. They follow the girl inside. They park behind her and get out of the car. A man in his 40's walked up to them.
"You must be Rick?"
"I am, this is Daryl."
"Laina go get your sister she's in the kitchen with your mother." The girl took off her helmet revealing her long dark braid and nods at her father. "Most everyone is down at the river getting water and hopefully catching some fish, they'll be back soon. When the girls get back they can show you around. I need to go help the missus. I'd hate for the others to get back and breakfast not be ready. We kinda keep a schedule around here." John gives a proud smile. "Ah, here they come."
As the two girls approach it's quickly apparent they are identical twins. The other's hair is even in the same braid.
"These are my girls" The two girls give a shy wave. As Rick and Daryl try to distinguish the two John laughs. "I know, usually there are some subtle differences in twins, but these two, whew. They give you a run for your money." He laughs. "Laina, please show them how they can tell you apart?"
"I don't want to."
"Come on, nothing to be embarrasses about. "He put his hand on her shoulder. Laina turns to the left in a huff showing a long scar on the side of her neck that crept down into her shirt, and turned back to face the men. Her right hand twitches a bit and she quickly puts it behind her back.
"Hi, I'm the pretty one. My name is Leena" The one without the scar said as she elbowed her sister.
"I can still kick your pretty little ass." She nudges her sister back and grins. "I'm Laina. So where do you want to go first?"
Rick looks around at the camp. "How about we just follow the fence around first?"
"Fine." The girls escort the men around the perimeter. The entire fence has chain link added to it. Rick found no breaches. They four make small talk the girls learned their names. Rick and Daryl learned there is a baby, a 4 year old and two young teens.
Daryl points to a cabin on the far end with bars on the windows.
"What's with that?"
"Pantry."
"Can we see it?"
"Ya I guess, but you can't take anything." Leena takes a set of keys on a D ring off her belt loop and leads them to the cabin.
"I'll stay out here."
"Why do you bother even sneaking around, Laina. You're a grown woman." She laughs at her sister, and lets the men inside.
Inside, can food and water line the walls. Leena points to the stairs "We keep our paper products and what little box goods that haven't been expired too long up there."
Rick looks at Leena. "This is quite a stash you have."
"Ya, we used to have more people, so it was easier to get stuff. That's why Dad's had us out lately looking for survivors." Rick nods.
"I'm goin' outside." Daryl goes outside though he didn't see Laina, but smells a familiar smell. He circles to the side of the cabin and sees her leaning against the wall. She jumps and nearly chokes on her cigarette.
"SHIT! I thought you were my dad."
"You've gotta be like 20 something, why you hidin'"
"When you're the "bad" daughter and the world ends, you kinda don't want your parents to die disappointed in you."
"Can I get one." Laina gives him a crumpled pack and he fishes one out and tossed it back to her. He lights it with his zippo.
" Thanks. So what makes you the "bad" one?"
"You know, the usual, snuck out of the house in high school, smoke, drink, drop out of college that kind of stuff. I'm the evil twin." She laughed at her joke and snubbed the cigarette out on the ground. Her right hand starts twitching and she grabs her right wrist and squeezes it a moment.
"How'd you get your scar, bike accident?"
"Car."
"What's with the hand?"
"Nerve damage, it hurts sometimes and moves on its own every now and then. Kinda annoying. Sucks, too cause I can't hit a target with a gun cause I can't support the weight of it. My other hand is alright, but I haven't completely learned to be a left hander yet. That's alright though I make up for it."
"How's that?" They hear the door to the cabin shut and Rick and Leena walk out. Ricks carried a pack of diapers and a can of formula.
"Thought we couldn't take nuthin?"
"The baby here has out grown those diapers, he thinks it'll fit the one you guys have, and I think we can spare a can of the milk. So I didn't see the harm."
They continue the tour the only cabins they aren't allowed in are the ones the twins say are occupied by their survivors. Rick and Daryl notice children and a couple of people moving about the camp. Watching them, but pretended they weren't. One frizzy haired woman was hung up clothes outside of a cabin. On the porch they saw an old woman in a rocking chair with a basket of clothing at her feet. She adjusted her glasses and waves at them.
"Did you wanna go to the food hall and grab breakfast?"
"No, ma'm. I think we've seen enough here, if you could tell your dad we need to talk to our group I'd appreciate that. If we decide not to come we will leave your radio at the farm house."
"OK" the twins say in unison. Rick and Daryl get in their car and the one of the twins opened the gate for them.
Chapter 4
Rick and Daryl tell the others all that they saw. They told about how they were allowed to access everything that wasn't a private dwelling. After the Woodbury group went to sleep Rick, Daryl, Carol, Michonne, Carl, Tyrese, Sasha, Beth, Herschel, Glenn, and Maggie talk more about their options. Daryl brought up that a place "like" that was ideal. There was obviously water nearby and he had seen deer pellets outside the fence. Michonne brought up how Woodbury seemed OK on the outside.
"It really did look like people just trying to survive. Nothin' was strange, and not once was a gun held to us. They didn't ask us to turn in our weapons either. I think they are taking a risk as well." Rick recalled. After some hesitation from some they decide to chance it as long as they stuck together. At the first sign of something off kilter they would bolt.
***Leena watched the road from the gate. Laina was off sneaking a smoke somewhere. Breakfast was good today. They had pancakes. Leena had sifted the powder mix to get any clumps or hatched meal worms out, Laina mixed it and mom cooked them. There was no butter, but if you sprayed butter flavored Pam on them you could barely tell.
"You think they'll come?" Laina stepped to the gate beside her.
"I don't know."
Laina was also wearing a flannel shirt but green instead of red like hers. They tried not to dress alike, but they had the same taste in style. On an upside if Laina wore a high collar they had some fun swapping places. They used to do it as kids. Laina's hand always gave them away though. Leena hated that she had been in that accident. The police said that she was thrown from the car window after it shattered on impact. The car had flipped over and landed only a couple of feet away from her. She got sliced from the broken glass coming out of the window starting at her neck around her shoulder and back down her arm. Muscle, tendons, and nerves were severed and damaged. The flesh had hung off of her when they loaded her into the ambulance. A piece of metal had shredded its way through her uterus. It took several surgeries and months of physical therapy for Laina to gain full use. She still couldn't use her right hand to hold a glass, though. It would either be shattered from squeezing too hard or dropped from not holding tight enough. Dad had made the decision to have her uterus removed rather than repaired. The doctors told him if she ever got pregnant she would be high risk and there would be a chance of serious complications.
Laina compensated for her weakness though. She started studying martial arts and learned to use the strength in the rest of her body. She would compete in armature MMA style competitions which worried their mother, but Dad thought it was good for her. The talent proved useful after the outbreak. Her sister was fast, and was able to use melee type weapons against the roamers, and even had protected them from other people. Bad thing was, she was only useful up close. From a distance Leena was the one protecting them. She had always been a good shot, even if she said so herself. She was on the archery team, and went hunting with her dad every year using rifles. Dad took her to the firing range every weekend. Elaina used to go, but after the accident she said if she couldn't keep her hand steady, what was the point? She never did master becoming left handed.
"Did you hear the new rumor?" Laina asked her sister. "Apparently, I'm screwin' Frank." She laughed and stuck her finger in her mouth in a "I'm gonna puke" gesture. "Ya, us fixin' up the cabin over there yesterday really fueled that one. I think he started it, though." Laina gave an exaggerated shudder. "He implied that he was a great lover and the "missus" couldn't get enough of him." While the girls laughed they hear engines coming up the path. The caravan had arrived. They opened the gate and let them through. Once they were parked people started to file out of the vehicles. John and his wife Sandra came walking up from their cabin. The only two story building on the site. It was the counselors' building. Others from their group also came out. Greetings and introductions went around. The children were already making instant friends. Chattering away. "Where are you from?" "How old are you?" The new group's oldest boy quiet, but answered the others' questions.
"Well we were thinking we'd set you up in cabins 5 and 6 over there. We may need to add a few bunk beds, but the toilets flush. We'll give you a bucket of water to fill the tank and some clean linen."
Rick nods. "Thank you, but for now we can just stay in one if that's all right."
"Fine by me, just grab some of the bunks from the one you don't use."
"Liz?" John's soft spoken wife asks. "Why don't you help me get the bed linen and ask Frank to get a bucket for them?"
Liz gives a half smile at the group, but her gaze turns hard when she makes eye contact with Laina. The frizzy haired woman goes off with Sandra.
**The prison group unloads their belongings in to cabin 5, the women start making the beds. A knock came at the door and Beth answers it. A young thin woman with dirty blond shoulder length hair stands on the other side with a baby on one hip.
"Hi, sorry to bother you. I just wanted to introduce myself. I'm Sarah and this is my son Jacob." She lifts up the 6 month old's arm and waves it to say "HI".
"Hi, I'm Beth. We're just settling in, would you like to come in?"
"Oh no, we can't stay, I just came to let you know that lunch is in an hour in the food hall, it's over there." She points to her right at a large building to the farthest side of the grounds. "Also, I have some baby blankets, toys, and clothes at my cabin that Jacob has outgrown if you're interested. I'm in cabin 3 if you want to stop by later."
"Thank you, we appreciate that."
"Well, I'll leave you to it." Sarah leaves the group cooing her little one who had started getting fussy.
Chapter 5
In the food hall people line up to the food counter, Sandra and Sarah serve each plate with a scoop of chicken and rice, and green beans. Sandra smiles at Carol "The chicken came from a can, but it tastes pretty good."
"Thank you." She says taking her plate. At the end of the line there's a table with bottled water the new guests notice everyone taking one and do the same. They find two tables side by side unoccupied and sit together. Across the room the twins sit facing each other, eating and talking. Rick points out Laina's scar "That's Laina on the left and Leena on the right. They gave us the tour yesterday."
Glenn snorts. "They even eat the same way." As if on que, the girls look over at the group, Leena says something to the other and they both get up and take their plates to the bin set out for that purpose. The pair come to Ricks table, Carol and Beth scoot away from each other on the bench seat giving space for the girls.
"Thanks" Leena said. The twins sit down. While making small talk John comes over.
"Enjoy the rest of your lunch. If you need anything you can ask anyone here. Now, if you'll excuse me I need to see a man about a dog" The girls roll their eyes at the old fashion phrase. Sandra follows her husband out. The lunch mates start chattering again when the frizzy hair woman named Liz walks over.
"Laina!"
"shit" Laina mumbles under her breath. The twins get up and Leena steps to the side while Laina faces the ruddy faced woman.
"You just stay away from my husband.."
"I didn't touch your husband, Liz.." before she could finish Liz hits Laina across the face causing her teeth to cut her lip. Laina's cheek and mouth turned a bright red quickly and the food hall was silenced by the sound of the strike.
Laina looked down at the ground and started to count. "1..2..3..fuck it..10" Elaina grabs the woman's left arm and twisted it behind her back, she then slams the woman's head down on the table where she was just sitting. Pulling up on the arm with one hand and grabbing Liz's frizzy hair with the other she leans on her back. Leena had already started keeping people away from the table.
Laina pulls up on the frizzy hair moving Liz's head like a puppet, she points her sight to the right in Rick's direction and leans into her ear.
"See him? More my type. " Laina jerks back on the hair and aims the "puppet" head to to the right looking at Glenn. "If he wasn't with that girl... more my type." She jerks at the hair again swinging Liz's head all the way to the left making her look at Daryl. "He looks like he could be a lot of fun." She gives Daryl a wink. "More my type. Are you getting the picture Liz? I don't want your balding creepy scrawny husband."
"Laina" a man's voice came from behind. Lain slams Liz's head against the table again and she puts her mouth closer to her ear.
"I dare you to come at me again."
"Laina" the man's voice again.
Still in Liz's ear. "I will rip you apart. I will…"
"LAINA!"
Laina lifted off Liz's back releases her arm and pulled at the woman's shoulders throwing her backwards. Liz fell into the floor on to her back. Laina looked at her father who is beat red in the face. Laina started to walk towards the door lifts up her hands in a surrender type gesture and turns towards her dad. "She started it, I have witnesses." She turned back around and she lifted up both arms and gives the room the "finger" on each hand above her head and pushed her way out the door.
"Leena, why didn't you stop her"
"Whoa, it happened a little fast. Besides the b-…Liz kinda deserved it" She glared down at Liz watching Frank lift her up off the floor. Liz pulled her arm away from her husband and stormed off the man following close behind.
"That's not the point, go help Sarah with the dishes."
John looked down at the table and gestured his hand asking if he could take a seat.
"I am so terribly sorry, this doesn't normally happen." John sighed and rested his forehead in one hand embarrassed. He looked up at Rick. "Laina has a short temper, but I swear your people are safe with us. Please don't let this incident leave a bad taste in your mouth." Some of the others look away or down at their plates.
"Hell, I call that dinner and a show." Daryl says around a mouthful of food and gives a snort. Rick gives him a look.
"What? Just sayin' is all." Daryl shovels a last spoon full of food in and leaves the table and puts the plate in the bin. He left the hall and headed towards the cabin on the far side, the ones with the bars on the window. He circled around back and found Laina sitting down leaning back against the building smoking a cigarette.
"What?"
"Can I get one?" She tosses him the pack. He sat down a few feet away and smoked neither saying anything. Laina gets up when she finished and started to walk away.
"Hey?" Daryl exhales a cloud of smoke. "Get another one for later?" She threw him the rest of the pack.
"Got more, if you keep your mouth shut I can bring some by your cabin later. What's your name again?"
"Daryl."
"Have a good one, Daryl." She left Daryl and goes to the counselor cabin.
Chapter 6
A couple of hours later Beth and Carol take Judith to Sarah's cabin to look at the baby items. Glenn, Rick, and Hershel sat on the porch of their cabin. Daryl walked up.
"Where have you been?"
"I was just lookin' around. Think I'm gonna ask John about goin out tomorrow maybe track a deer. Get Tyrese to go with me, he can help me carry what I get."
Rick nods and leans his head back against the window he's sitting in front of. Glenn picks up a pine needle off the porch and started twisting it around in his fingers. "Can you believe lunch today? Damn, that woman just hauled off and slapped her. That'd piss me off too."
Daryl laughed, "Ya, kinda popped a chub for a sec when Laina was givin' her a what for." Rick and Glenn laugh. Hershel looking confused " A what?" This causes the other men to roar with laughter.
"Ya know?" Daryl looked around making sure no women where around then smiled and grabbed his crotch and they all laugh again; Hershel joining in this time. Carl walks out the door.
"What's so funny?"
"Nothin', son. What are you up to?"
"Jason and Bobby in cabin 2 asked me to hang out before dinner. Can I go?"
"As long as you stay where I can see you. We don't know these people well enough yet to go running off alone."
"I will." Carl takes off.
"So, Rick, you gettin' any bad vibes around here?" Hershel spits on the ground.
"No, not really. I mean the fight was awkward, but hell most of us have shared a few throws and pushes with each other. "
Glenn gives Daryl a glance. "Ya, we have…"
"Tonight at dinner I'll talk to John about what's expected of us. We'll bring up the deer hunt too." Daryl nods.
That night at dinner things were quiet. The twins were at their table eating and chattering away they kept to themselves. Rick, Daryl, and John talked amongst themselves. John was fine with Daryl and Tyrese going out as long as they shared whatever was caught. John suggested that Carol and Beth help out in the kitchen and learn how they go about doing things. Michonne, Maggie, Glenn, and Sasha were to go on the water run to the river with Frank and the older boys. Rick and Carl were asked to patrol the perimeter with Frank.
Early the following morning Daryl and Tyrese walked through the main yard towards the gate. In the main yard the twins are sparring. One was wearing protective gear while the other threw kicks and punches. The padded on saw the men and waved. When she did this the other twin catches her in the padded jaw guard of the helmet.
"Hey, I wasn't ready. That was a cheap shot, Laina." Leena dropped her hands.
"Not my fault." Laina then kicks the foam armor covering her sister's torso knocking her to the ground. "Come on get up, I thought you were going to help." Leena struggled to get up in the bulky suit making Laina laugh. Leena tried to swing her foot at Laina's ankles, but Laina jumped back dodging the kick, still laughing.
Everyone went through the day doing chores assigned to them and had started to get to know each other. A large buck was killed dressed and cooked. Everyone complimented on the fresh meat. The atmosphere seemed friendly and light. Even Liz and Laina had stopped giving each other dirty looks.
Well after dark, Glenn, Maggie and Daryl were sitting on the porch of their cabin, not talking about anything important. Across the way they see a figure climb out of a second story window of the counselor building. It shims down a drain pipe and disappears behind the cabins.
"Come on." Daryl leads Maggie and Glenn to follow around the other side. When the get to the back corner of the house Laina almost collided with Daryl.
"Shit. What the hell?"
Glenn and Maggie catch up, "What are you doing?"
"Well, since you busted me, come on. I'll show you." Laina leads them to a path behind the buildings and followed it along until they reached a smaller building. The sign said "Maintenance". She opened the door and stepped in to the dark room. Laina lit some candles and turned on some flash lights hanging from the ceiling. Daryl, Glenn, and Maggie, walked into the small building. It was one room with two bunk beds on the side, in the middle of the room was a card table and chairs.
"Used to come out here with Cindy, Mark, and Eric." Laina's voice trailed off as she went to a shelf and pulled out a bottle of Jack Daniels, four glasses, and a deck of cards. "I was just gonna drink tonight, but hell, let's play some poker."
"What happened to the people you used to meet here?" Laina turns on a battery powered radio and plugs an IPod into it. Music came out of the speakers.
"They got killed several weeks ago on a run. Cindy and Eric were torn apart, Mark and I made it back, but Mark had been bitten…." She plopped down the glasses and poured everyone a drink. She lifted up her drink, trembling in her right hand, "To finding new friends." She downed it and poured another the others drank to the toast as well. Through the night they laugh, tell stories and play cards. They were pretty lit when they left the building. The foursome stumbled down the path. Glenn tried to keep Maggie steady and Daryl did the same for Laina though neither men were very steady themselves. Glenn led Maggie back to their cabin and Laina asked Daryl to help her home. She said she would need a boost to get back to the roof.
When they reached her cabin Laina leaned up against the side wall. In a drunken slur "You should be a gennelman and give a girl a kiss." She laughs slapping Daryl on the shoulder.
"nah, I don't feel much like getting punched in the mouth tonight. I don't think I'd feel it much 'till tomorrow, but I'd rather not explain it to your dad." Daryl leans against the wall next to Laina trying to keep himself steady.
"I wouldn't punch you. I swear." Unsteady on her feet but she kept upright. Daryl stumbled closer and half leaned his body on Laina. The first kiss missed and got her nose. They laughed and eventually their mouths found each other. They kissed and groped at each other. Laina started laughing when Daryl grabbed at her breast. He pulled his hand back.
"What? Am I doin' something wrong?"
"No, no, this is…this is pretty cool." She kissed him and moved his hand back.
"I think you're drunk."
"Yes. Yes I am, but you are too so is cooool." They both laughed and kissed they made out like a couple of high school kids. She started rubbing the outside of his pants making the package inside grow even harder. He was rubbing his hand over her as well. Just as she fumbled his belt loose and slid her left hand down his pants a light shined in their faces. Daryl jerked back and turned around and zipped his pants back up. He too fumbled with his belt, but got it buckled.
"Damn it, Laina, you scared me half to death." Leena pointed the flash light down towards the ground and looked at them. They were both straightening their clothes and not very steady on their feet.
"Are you drunk?"
"Leena, darling, do you really have to ask?." Laina laughed.
"um…I was just makin' sure she got back ok….she asked me to help her back on the roof.."
"So she could break her freakin' neck?"
"um.."
"I wasn't going to break my neck, I've done it a million times before" Laina looked at Daryl. "Use the roof, not…what…we..were….um"
"Nah, nah, it's cool." Daryl looked at Leena. "So, uh, you got her then?"
"uh, ya I got her lover boy, go on back to your cabin, you guys can do whatever the hell you call what you were doin' another time." Leena grabbed her sister by the arm and pulled at her to follow. Laina turned back at Daryl.
"See ya, tomorrow, K?"
"Ya." Daryl walked back to his cabin.
It took Leena some time getting Laina quietly into the house, but Laina stumbled going up the stairs waking up their mom and dad.
"Wha? Is everything Ok?" John burst through his door. He saw Leena holding on to Laina at the bottom of the stairs.
"Ya, we're fine, we were just coming to bed and…she fell." John came down the stairs.
"Are you drunk?"
"Yes, and I'm a grown up and you can't tell me what to do anymore."
Leena nudged her sister "shut up."
"You may be a grown up but you're not acting like one." At this Laina laughed.
"The fuck I am.." She laughed even harder"
"Laina, I'm not saying it's bad to blow off steam, but your judgment can't be impaired, it's not safe. This isn't college. The world isn't the same…"
"shhhhhh. Lissen…" Laina put a finger too her mouth. "You hear that? That's the sound of me not giving a ssshhhittt." She squealed and laughed. "For real, dad, really, for real. I di'nt leave the camping grounds. I was safe."
John looks down at Leena.
"Don't look at me, I found her this way."
"Just get her to bed we'll deal with this in the morning." Sandra slid past her husband as he goes back into the bedroom and helped Leena with her other daughter.
"Honestly, Laina. You need to be careful. Where'd you go?"
"It's a ssssecret, but, but, but I ssswear is on our stompin' no campin' ground. Ya." The two sober women roll their eyes and get Laina undressed and in bed.
Chapter 7
Leena threw a pillow at Laina's head. "Get up. Dad wants you to go on the water run." Laina groaned tossing the pillow off her head.
"I hate the water run. Tell him I'm sick."
"I'm sure that's why you're doin' it. Now get your ass up." Leen pulled on Laina's foot pulling her half off the bed.
"UUUGHH, FINE."
The water run was grueling. The sound of the rushing water throbbed in her head. Maggie and Glenn also looked a little worse for wear, but seemed to be handling it better. The buckets felt like they weighed five tons as they hoisted them on the truck. Carl used a rubber mallet to seal the lids on the them. Laina grabbed a rope from the back of the crew cab and a bag.
Hey boys, why don't ya'll look over that way while we ladies get cleaned up." She looks at Maggie and Michonne. "I don't know about you, but I need a bath." She started to remove her clothes making the men blush and look away. She tied the rope around her waist and the other end to a nearby tree. Using it to keep her from getting sucked in to the current she bathed quickly. The others took turns as well.
The "bath" made a world of difference, but her head still throbbed and she was thirsty. When they got back to camp people were already in the food hall getting plates. Laina skipped ahead and got coffee and sat down at her table. Leena followed later with her plate.
Rick was talking to the group about possibly going on a run. John had mentioned they needed to keep the pantry stocked, especially with so many people to feed now. Laina came over to the table and circled to move behine Daryl. She reached over his shoulder and dropped an unopened pack of cigarettes into his lap and left without a word.
Daryl found her sitting behind the cabin they called the pantry. The one with bars on the window. He sat down beside her.
"How ya feelin'"
Laina laughed. "Like I got ran over by a Mac truck. You?"
"I'm good. Thanks for the smokes."
"I never did get them to you earlier."
Laina scooted closer to Daryl. "You remember everything from last night or did ya black out?"
"I remember getting cock blocked by your sister." He laughed and took a drag off his cigarette.
"Ya, I remember that too, I think I had words with my dad, but I'm not sure." She lifted up her left hand and hesitantly places it on Daryl's knee. "I'm sober, now." Daryl looks at her.
"Ya?"
"Ya." Daryl twisted his body to face her. He leaned in slowly and kissed her. She kisses him back.
"Your Dad be upset if he saw us?"
"I don't know, he's not a bad guy, he just worries. I think he's more afraid of the roamers than he is of me getting laid though."
Daryl leaned back against the building, and shifted his body. He reached to his crotch and adjusted himself.
"What's wrong with you?"
" Getting a raging hard on and nothing to do with it. Trying to get it back down." He adjusted again.
"Well hell I'll give you something to do with it. Meet me at the maintenance building in a half hour if you want." Laina gave him a quick peck and left. Daryl sat there waiting for his erection to go away.
When he felt no one was watching Daryl slipped to the some what hidden path leading to the maintenance building. The door was cracked open. The sunlight spilled through the windows. Laina was cleaning up from the night before.
"Hey."
Daryl closed the door behind him. "Hey."
They embraced in a kiss moving their hands over each other. They have a much easier time removing their clothes than the night before. They get on a bottom bunk against the wall. Daryl kissed Laina on the hollow of her neck. His lips found her nipples. He sucked, licked, and flicked his tongue around them making her groan with pleasure. He sees the scar flow down her neck to her arm stopping below the elbow. As he made his way down her stomach he noticed another scar above the hair that poked out of her panties. He kissed it. He pulled her panties down and kissed her thigh, making her shiver. He slowly brought his mouth close to her most sensitive spot and slides his tongue between the folds. She gasped and exhaled. He continued maneuvering his tongue around her clit then slid it down to where she opened up tasting her and back up to her clit. She moaned.
"no, come here, be inside me." He lifted himself up and crawled back up her body. He entered her slowly. She's warm, wet, and tight. He sunk down into her, moaning himself, at the pleasure. They kissed and caressed as he moved in and out of her. She squeezed his ass and pulled him deeper. She pushed and pulled at his cheeks directing him to go faster. As she gots close she wrappped her legs around and held them tight. She came. Moaning in his ear her hot breath sent him over the edge making him come inside her.
He lay beside her, they both pant. She turned on her side and lay her head on his shoulder. Her fingers walked his chest as she kissed his arm. She lifted up her chin and kissed his mouth.
"Fuck, we didn't use a rubber." Daryl covers his eyes with his fingers and rubs them.
"No, worries. Can't have babies, and in a world like this, kinda not worried about catching anything either." Daryl propped up his elbow looking confused.
Laina's hand touched the scar down there. "a piece of metal went through and ripped my womb apart. They had a choice to repair it, but if I ever got pregnant the muscles may not be strong enough to support the weight or the growth. So, my dad told them to remove it. I have everything else so at least I didn't have to take hormones." She laughed. "Otherwise I may have a beard or something by now."
"I'm sorry."
"No, worries, Leena can have kids and I'm going be a kick ass aunt one day."
She snuggled closer to Daryl, they fall asleep.
Maggie back through the door bursting in Glenn pressed up against her kissing her. They laugh as they turn around facing the room and jump at the two faces peering up from one of the bunk beds.
"HHHoooolly shit" Glenn starts laughing. "Hhhooolly shit! Daryl? Dude got laid!" Him and Maggie start to laugh, they turn around to give Daryl and Laina some privacy while they get dressed.
"Shut up."
"No, way dude, you give me a lot of crap. I'm keeping this."
"You'll be keepin your mouth shut if you know what's good for you ya." He came from behind and grabbed Glenn around the shoulder turned him around he pushes him back against the door.
"o wow ow, I won't say nuthin ok'" Maggie started pulling on Daryl's arm. "Com 'on he's just havin' a little fun. Leave him be." Daryl released his grip.
Glenn started laughing again. Daryl shot him a look. "Sorry, I'll stop. I swear."
Laina put her boots on. "I think it's almost lunch time. See ya." She walked past Maggie and Glenn and left the room. Daryl leaned back against the wall. He started laughing.
"What?"
"You had the same idea, but I wouldn't go near that one over there." He pointed to the bunk Laina and him were in. He left the newlyweds alone, and headed to the food hall.
Laina sat with her sister. Almost making no eye contact with Daryl.
"Was lookin' for you earlier where you been?" Leena probed.
"I've been around, needed to be alone."
"Oh, ya, that's funny Daryl was missin' too." She grinned.
"shhh, shut up." Laina grinned back.
"You didn't."
"shut up."
"oh you did! You dirty slut." Leena clasped her hand over her mouth trying to stifle the laughter. Laina kicks her in the leg. "Ow."
Carol swallowed her food, and looks behind her. "Wonder what's so funny." She turns back, and shrugs it off. Daryl was quiet. Well more than usual.
"You Ok?"
"I'm fine" He shovels a spoonful of beans into his mouth. He looks up and saw everyone look at him.
"What?"
"Nothing." Carol says and turns her focus on Beth. "Did you start the water for the dish water?"
"Ya, should be close to done, I'll go turn the burner off." Beth leaves for the kitchen and Carol follows to help her dump the hot water in to the sink.
Daryl and Laina walk circles around each other the rest of the day. Not even sneaking off for a smoke. That night Daryl watches her cabin from the porch. He sees her sneak out of the window and shimmy down the drain pipe.
He meets up with her. "You ok?"
"Ya, I'm good." She kisses him. They walk around the camp avoiding Frank and Liz while they patrol. They found a quiet spot and talk. After a while they find themselves all over each other again. This time not lasting as long, but getting the same result as before. After getting dressed Laina touches Daryl's arm. "I'm on kitchen duty in the morning. What about you?"
"Patrol again, with Rick."
Laina kisses him again. "Goodnight, Daryl." She turned and walked away.
"Night." He went back the opposite direction.
Chapter 8
The next morning John, Sandra, Leena, Frank, and Liz go on the water run. Laina helps Carol and Beth with breakfast. Jason, a shaggy hair preteen and one of Carl's new friends, burst through the door.
"Something happened, come quick." The women run out the door and see them stepping away from their cars bloody and crying. John and Frank lifted Liz from the truck bed. Sandra and Leena trying to help..
Laina runs up to her them. With panic in her voice "What happened?"
"They were all over, a big group of them. We tried to fight them off to get back to the truck." John explained through sobs.
"Oh, no, Frank I'm so s…" She sees his the nasty bite on his hand. "sorry." She sighs. Leena steps to her sister. "Go get your gun. We need to take care of this." Laina runs to her cabin and grabs her pistol from the end table and runs back out. Everyone had circled together. Her parents are on their knees with Frank, holding his wife."
"Mom, Dad, Leena and I will take of them." Leena holds her sister's hand. "Laina, Mom and Dad….um…"
"Nnnnooo." John and Sandra reveal their wounds. John gives Leena a distinct nod. Giving her some sort of message that Laina missed.
"nnnoo, no no." Rick steps forward, "We can take care of this"
"NO! no, we take care of our own and we don't believe in suicide." The girls walk to Frank and Liz, who had bled out.
"Do you want a song played?" Frank sobs, and shakes his head. Leena fires and shoots Liz's body in the head. Laina puts her shaky muzzle to Frank's forehead and pulls the trigger. His body falling back. The girls turn to their parents who are holding each other, crying, saying "I love you's".
The girls bend down to their parents. "Do you want a song played, Daddy?"
"No, sweetheart." John whispers in to Leena's ear. She nods. Laina cries good byes to her mother and switches with her sister.
John caresses Laina's faces tracing her scar. "I love you, baby, I am so proud of you. Stay alive and live. Don't change. You are perfect just the way you."
"We will, daddy. We will. I love you. I'm so sorry I was so bad."
"no, honey, no, you girls have made us so proud." He sobs. "Take care of your sister, no matter what. You need to take care of her. OK?"
"Oh, daddy, we'll take care of each other." At this John and Sandra cling to each other and sob even harder than before. Leena pulls Laina up from the ground. Leena aims at her mother while Laina takes aim at her father. Laina screams as she pulls the trigger and crashes to her knees, Leena fires as well.
Leena walks past the spectators of this horror. "Don't touch her, I'll be back."
Laina lifted her parents heads on her lap, stroking their hair. From behind her she hears a click Black Parade from My Chemical Romance starts playing stopping Laina in mid sob.
"It's my turn." Leena removes her jacket and an angry wound on her arm emerges from her pale skin.
"What the fuck, No Leena." Laina stands up and pushes her sister. "We didn't want you to do them alone."
"They knew….they knew…" Laina looks down at her parents'bodies.
"I'm sorry." Tears stream down Leenas cheeks. Laina slaps her sister then quickly pulls her close embracing her as tight as she can. The song continues in the back ground. She hears a babies crying. Leena pushes her sister away.
"I love you."
"I can't be alone, Leena, I can't." Sobs shatter through Laina's chest.
"You'll be fine, you were always the strong one. You can get through anything."
"Not by myself.."
"Yes, you can." She leans in and whispers into Laina's ear. "I think he really likes you, don't shut him out."
The song reaches its climax Leena lowers herself on her knees at Laina's feet. Leena leans her head up against the barrel of the gun.
"I'll see you around, Laina."
"I'll see you around, Leena."
"I love you."
"I love you, too." Laina pulls the trigger. The sound echoes through the trees and all is silent.
Camp Woodmont 2 is up and in progress. Thanks for reading.