Quick start to a story, lets see how it goes
I'm pretty sure the last thing you're meant to be thinking when you've got a knife to someone's throat, and they've got a crossbow pointed at your chest is what lovely eyes he has.
We are locked into an intense staring match, neither of us blinking, breathing. His dark blue eyes are piercing, pools of sapphire. I try to not focus on them, trying not to be distracted, must focus on not being killed. I am exhausted, I hadn't eaten in a while, hadn't slept more than a few hours in months. The apocalypse wasn't boding well for me.
"Look, I don't want any trouble, I didn't know this spot was taken." I tell him. He stares at me, I take a chance and lower my knife. He holds his bow to my neck a little longer before letting it drop by his side. I slide my knife into my belt and sit back down on the floor. My muscles ache, my joints ache. I glance up at him and he's looking at me
He's tall, slim, although it'd be hard to be anything but slim in the new world. He has a mop of brown, messy hair, face smudged with dirt, much like my own. He's wearing a waistcoat with wings on the back, a muddy white shirt and ripped black jeans and chunky biker boots. I take off my own jacket, then my Doc Martens, a pair I'd found in a house a few weeks back, in the colour I'd pined over before the world went to shit. It seems silly now, how much I'd wanted them and now all I wanted was food and not to have dead people try to eat me. He sits down a few metres away from me, putting his backpack on the floor beside him and opening it up.
"You got anything to eat?" he says quietly, his voice a gruff southern drawl. I shake my head, just as I do my stomach gives an almighty growl. He pulls a can out of his bag and rolls it toward me.
"Oh, thank you, but you probably need that, gotta have as much as you can." I murmur, going to roll it back.
"I got lucky, its only tinned pineapple. You like pineapple?" I nod and he motions for me to eat. I open the ringpull and devour the first three slices. I sigh appreciatively.
"Thank you so much for this," I say as I remember to savour this, not knowing when my next meals coming from.
"So, what's your name?" he asks me.
"Taylor, what's yours?"
"Daryl, where you heading?"
"Nowhere, just moving from place to place, you?"
"Pretty much the same, I had a group a while back but we were split apart." he tips the last of the rinned peaches into his mouth. "You been on your own the whole time?"
"Was with my brother and dad, then just my brother, but..." I chew the inside of my cheek. "We got separated a few months back."
"Sorry to hear that."
"I'm sorry to hear about your friends."
We sit in silence for a little while, I stand up, walk over to the bookcase and start to look at the titles. There's about an hour of sunlight left. I select To Kill a Mockingbird and sit by the window with the most light streaming through it. I begin to read the familiar lines and I begin to relax, the words of my favourite books soothe me, make me feel safe.
I read until its so dark it hurts my eyes. I put the book into my bag. I crawl over to my sleeping bag and slide my legs into it, pulling my hoodie closer around my shoulders. I pull out the walkman and stick a headphone in my ear.
"Is that a Walkman?" I hear Daryl ask. I nod. "It's been a while since I see one of those."
"I found it a few months ago, I take as many batteries as I can find when I do raids, and most of the bulk of my backpack is CD's and books."
"Can I have a bud?" he asks, motioning towards the music. I nod. He shuffles over and pops the piece in his ear. "The Smiths?"
"Yeah, depressing music isn't probably the greatest thing to listen to at the end of the world." I shrug.
"No, I think any music is good music to listen to at the end of the world."
"Except Justin Bieber."
"I will agree on that."
We sit and listen to The Smiths, The Beatles and Aretha Franklin before I decide that's enough battery for today. He leans over and pulls his blanket closer to him rather than moving away from me. I lie down, stealing one more glance at him, he has one hand on his crossbow. I close my eyes and fall into the deepest sleep I'd had in months.
I wake up to the sound of birds and Daryl's gentle snores. I sit up and contemplate whether to wake him or just leave. I don't have to make the decision because he wakes with a start, sitting up so fast he startles me.
"Good morning." I whisper, giving him a smile that I guessed was goofy.
"Mornin'" he murmurs, rubbing his eyes. I stand up and excuse myself to the bathroom, I do the best I can to brush my teeth dry, the house had two types of mouthwash, I take one to put in my bag, The thing I miss most is being properly clean, I miss hot showers. I change into the new leggings and a Large Marvel tshirt I had found in the last house I'd stayed in. The shirt swamped me, more like a dress, but it was comfy and not too much hassle. I pulled on my hoodie and then my denim jacket. I slid on my belt, grabbed the mouthwash and headed back to the room. Daryl was sat on the floor with his bag packed up beside him.
"Hi." he says. I smile and put the moutwash in my bag. "Want some breakfast? I'll share a tin of peaches."
"If you're sure." I sit down beside him and take it in turns to eat a peach. Once its done he looks at me for a while.
"Hey, you wanna, I dunno, walk together for a while, y'know, until you wanna split?" he looks down as he says this now.
"Sure, but just cos I let you listen to my music doesn't mean I wont kill you if you try to fuck with me Mr D." I warn him, he looks surprised by this.
"Same goes to you Miss T."