Please Review!
FRIEND OR FOE
Chapter 2
"Come on, get up…" Daryl commanded the boy as he reached out grabbing him gently by the arm and helping him to his feet. "You sure you're alright?" Daryl asked him again.
"Yes sir" Caleb replied as he brushed the dirt off his tattered blue jeans as if brushing them off would help with the dirt stains already set in.
"Yes sir?" Daryl remarked, scratching his head in confusion and then did his best to keep back the smirk he could feel creeping onto his face. Daryl had never had anyone call him sir before. The thought of it made him want to laugh but at the same time made him feel important. "What's your name kid?"
"Caleb…." the boy replied still looking wide eyed with admiration at Daryl.
Daryl couldn't help but notice how the boy stared at him. Normally he would get pissed if someone stared at him for any length of time but he didn't feel that way with Caleb. Here was this kid that clearly looked up to him with how he had handled the walkers. Daryl could only imagine how impressive that must've looked to a ten year old. He wasn't used to people looking at him with so much pride. Carol had done the same when he was searching for Sophia. Daryl felt undeserving then, now all Daryl could feel was a little sad. Sad that this was the type of thing that children would look up to now….how efficient someone was at killing walkers.
"Mister….do you have somethin' to drink?" Caleb asked. "I'm real thirsty"
"Yeah…." Daryl replied as he walked back over to his bike and pulled a canteen out of one of the saddlebags and tossed it over to Caleb. Caleb caught it and clutched it to his chest with both hands careful not to drop it. Daryl leaned against his bike and just stared at Caleb for a moment as he chugged down the water as fast as he could.
"You better slow down, you'll make yourself sick….what are you doing out here by yourself anyhow?" Daryl asked.
Caleb stopped drinking and wiped his mouth with his arm. He looked down at his feet ashamed. "Alex told me not to go far from camp but I didn't listen…..I'm gonna be in big trouble."
"Do you know how to get home from here?" Daryl asked him.
"Yeah it's just down the road a ways….not far…I was gonna cut through the woods right by the creek and get home" Caleb told him as he pointed down the road.
"Alright come on…you've done enough cuttin through the woods...I'll give you a ride…" Daryl motioned for Caleb to come over to the bike. Just as Caleb walked up, Daryl told him to hang on a second. "I almost forgot…." Daryl walked over to the walkers, pulling his arrow out of the head of one and the small hand axe out of the other, wiping both off in the grass. Caleb watched as Daryl secured all his weapons to his saddlebags and climbed onto the bike. "Well come on…." Daryl nodded his head at Caleb as if to tell him to hop on. Caleb climbed on the back of the bike with excitement. "Now hold on tight to me and don't let go…I can't have you fallin' off you got that?" Daryl asked him.
"YES SIR!" Caleb shouted back unable to contain how thrilled he was to be on a real motorcycle.
Daryl shook his head slightly and smiled a little as he drove off down the road.
They rode less than a mile before Caleb tapped his arm and motioned off to the side at a dirt road just through the woods. Daryl turned down it and felt Caleb grip his waist tighter to hold on. They drove down the road a short distance when it opened up to a clearing. Daryl could see a small building with what looked like a perimeter fence attached set back a ways from the clearing. Caleb tugged at his shoulder and yelled for him to stop. Daryl stopped the bike and turned his head towards Caleb.
"You better let me off here….I'll walk the rest of the way." Caleb told him.
Before Daryl could respond a pick up truck pulled up behind them. Two men got out, one from the driver's side and the other from the passenger side, both men armed with shotguns. The driver pointed his gun at Daryl. "Don't move…." The man told him. Daryl just glared at the man but moved one arm back behind him as if to shield Caleb.
"CALEB! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING? GET OFF THAT BIKE NOW AND COME HERE!" The other man from the passenger side of the truck commanded. Caleb slowly crept off the back of the bike and walked towards the man. Once in reach the man back handed Caleb across the face hard causing him to fall to the ground.
Daryl jumped up off his bike and started to rush over towards the man when the driver stuck the shotgun in his face. "I SAID don't move….you won't get another warning."
Daryl took turns glaring at both men. He felt his blood begin to boil towards the man that struck Caleb. It was a greeting that was far too familiar with Daryl from his own childhood.
"Caleb, get in the truck….your mom's worried sick…" The driver ordered. "As for you….you can get back on your bike and head up there." He stated as he motioned towards the building ahead. "Try anything funny along the way and we'll shoot you dead….I guarantee that…"
Daryl slowly climbed back on his bike but kept both eyes on the men as they walked back and got into their truck. Daryl waited until the last minute to turn back around and head towards the building on his bike. Daryl had a sinking feeling in his stomach. Initially he was confused that Caleb hadn't wanted him to take him all the way home but now it was becoming perfectly clear as to why…..
