Hey, guys! Here's a new story for you guys to enjoy. It's AU-ish, with the herd coming in before either Rick or Shane make any move to kill each other.
Hope you like it!
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Starting Less than Fresh
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The air had already begun to carry a unforgiving chill, though the autumn sun was only starting to die down. A vehicle drove down the narrow stretch of road, the rainbow of dead foliage with its fiery reds, bright oranges, yellows, and mellow browns fluttered and scrapped against the pavement as they were blown around by the wind. Inside, there was some an old song playing faintly on the CD player; for the life of the driver, he couldn't get the thing out. One of the passengers decided to use the time to refill the magazine of his gun. The other man with him was slouched and lounging on the backseat with his crossbow in his lap, his eyes looking out the window at the beginnings of a sunset and the third at the wheel, rubbing his recently shaved head for probably the fifth time since he started driving.
Two of them didn't care for each other much, hardly ever agreed on anything except that they both felt that group they were with was, to be nice about it, a bit of a mess. The chances of all them surviving long-term just seemed slim to none and that herd that tore through the farm gave them the opportunity to break away.
"We should try the next town coming up." T-Dog said as he slid the magazine back into the handgun. "Maybe we can scrounge up some supplies there… some fuel, if we're lucky."
Theodore shook his head when he got a grumble from Daryl in the backseat and a not-all-there-sounding 'yeah' from Shane.
The driver was stewed in anger. He lost Lori. He loved her and Carl. As he drove further and further from the farm and the group, wherever they were now, he started to feel that wrenching guilt. He knew Rick for years – loved that man like a brother. Driving further away cleared his mind more… the clearer it became, the worse he felt inside. He couldn't believe he was about to kill his best friend over a woman. That was some Cain and Able type of shit. That herd passing through as probably the best thing to have happened. He left behind people that he loved and avoided more blood on his hands. It was for the best.
The bowman sighed as he made himself more comfortable in back. The whole Sophia thing had made him somewhat embittered. He wanted to find her. Between that and all the other drama within the group… having to mercy kill the old man, he needed to break away. He wondered where his brother was, with the odd thought of whether or not Merle would be pissed that he left the bike behind. He didn't really know anyone there, but he was around all of them long enough to miss them somewhat. As he looked to the front of the vehicle, he shook his head. Of all the people he could leave with, Shane might not have been the best idea.
The man went as far as killing one of the old farmer's people, wouldn't really put snapping that Randall kid's neck past him, either. To his credit, not all of his calls were entirely wrong – equally sound as Rick's, some of them … though his reasons behind a lot of them were kind of fucked up. Shane offered to take him back to the highway and see if the others would show up several times before Daryl literally told him to just fucking drive. Either way, he was taking a gamble: Go with someone who you knew had some beneficial skills, but was questionable, or go with a group with questionable skills and okay people.
As far as Daryl felt, good people died. So far, that was all that he saw – Amy, Jim, Jacqui, Dale… Sophia…. Hell, he wasn't even sure if the rest of the group made it out.
"Hey, Daryl… still awake back there?" Shane inquired, taking a quick glance in the rearview mirror.
Seeing that sideways glare cut through the shadows that crept over the hunter as the sun set, it made Shane shake his head.
"Know what, ya got somethin' to say, then say it, man…. Alright?" Shane huffed before wiping his hand over his mouth. "M'ask ya somethin': What in the hell'd ya come with me for, if ya don't trus' me, hm? I mean… you n' Rick were becoming fast friends, weren't ya?"
"Naw, I don't quite trust you, you right about that." Daryl spoke. "But a group's only as strong as what they can bring to the table. That's too many wild cards, if you get what I'm sayin'… Then there's you."
"What about me?" Shane uttered.
"Guys…" T-Dog interjected
"I know you killed Otis… So did the old man. An' I know you snapped that kid's neck." Daryl began "You ain't gotta confirm or deny it, Walsh… jus' know I ain't one to cross."
"The fuck?" T-Dog said as he looked at both of them "Daryl, if you bullshittin', that ain't funny, man."
"It ain't funny, I agree." Daryl responded, hearing Theodore curse under his breath and seeing him wipe a hand down his face.
"Jesus, Shane…" T-Dog said after a second.
"I already told you what happened with Otis." Shane defended "And that little punk woulda brought his guys back, you know that."
Shane continued to drive, briefly looking at T-Dog and then Daryl in the rearview, both of them looking at him with in disbelief, T-Dog showing a little more concern compared to Daryl's clear mistrust.
"…Whatever, man." Shane scoffed. "Look… you ain't gotta like me – that's fine. We just watch each other's backs n' work together… keep off each other's toes, we should be fine. Get to Fort Benning, y'all can do what you want from there."
"Look…" Theodore sighed again. "If we're doin' this, we need to stay focused on what's at hand; we need to at least get something to eat tonight and find a house or motel or somethin'."
Daryl looked out the window, spotting an aimlessly drifting walker at the edge of the thicker part of the woods as they drove past. The idea of cutting bait after reaching Benning was fine by Daryl. They all remained silent for the most part, with Shane ultimately agreeing with T-Dog's idea of finding supplies and a place to hole up in for the night, adding in his input for finding fuel and that they should wake up before light to get on the road tomorrow.
"Already soundin' like you got a clearer head, now that Olive Oyl's out the picture." Dixon uttered, getting a scoff from Shane in return.
The car continued to ease down the road, its passengers and operator unaware of the twists and turns their journey would take. All they knew was it wouldn't get easier. Whatever they had to do to get to Benning, rest easy and go their separate ways. Shane turned into the next little town he saw.
"Let's hit that supermarket." Shane said as he drove up to it.
So, now they're on they're way. Who will they meet on their travels?
I really hope you are enjoying this so far. Hope you come back for the next chapter!
