Hello!
So here's a new chapter! Before we start, I just want to tell you that this story is NOT my main priority; Horses and Crossbows is, so normally I would first try to update that one before updating this one, but today I didn't feel like writing H&C, so yeah.
This chapter's short because I didn't feel like making it longer. Simple as that. You see, when I write, I normally loose myself and can't stop for a few hours, but today it was different for some unknown reason. I dunno.
I'll make better and longer chapters in the future and don't worry:
Rachel starts to toughen up a small bit in the next chapter. Not this one, though.
All it took was a fever. If you had the fever, you went to hospital. As soon as you got to the hospital, you'd wait for hours. And after hours you would eventually turn. How it all started was a mystery; it was like an unexpected tidal wave just took over. When people started behaving strangely and violently, others were told to either stay inside or go to the nearest quarantine zone. Staying inside was the easiest option, but not always the safest. This option claimed more lives than it should've and it was decided that the allocated camps were better. Eventually, that option got crossed out and citizens were forced to fend for themselves.
Some people decided to throw in the towel and take their own lives instead of letting the monsters take it for them. Some decided to go solo and others decided to stick with friends, family and other people they came across. Groups fell and therefore, so did the human population. The dead took over and claimed most of the survivor's lives, expect for the lucky ones.
One day while Daryl and his father were on a hunting trip, Daryl experienced the wrath of the monsters first hand. His father had been bit and he was forced to end it before he turned. Despite the troubled life his father set out for him, he at first couldn't bring himself to do it. However after hearing his father cuss at him repetitively and telling him how 'worthless' he is, he couldn't take anymore and pulled the trigger. He didn't mourn his father's death, nor did he regret finishing him off. Instead, he simply got into his truck and made his way back to Atlanta to get Merle – and Rachel. He knew that he couldn't just leave her or his unwanted, unborn child.
When Daryl pulled up in front of Clyde's house, he knew that he would probably have to take him, too. He hopped out and jogged to the front door, trying to ignore the chaos that surrounded him. He gave the door a few loud pounds before it opened. He was immediately greeted with the stale smell of alcohol and various other things. He barged in, straight past Clyde, who'd opened the door and looked around for Rachel.
"Where is she?" he asked. Clyde called her over and Rachel came rushing into the living room, clutching several suitcases and a green bag, assumedly containing baby stuff. "Wha's all this?" Daryl asked Clyde and looked at the bags. "Goin' somewhere?"
"Away from 'ere, tha's all. You're welcome to join us, Dixon," Clyde replied with a cigar between his lips. Daryl's eyes traveled from Clyde to Rachel to the bags before he finally nodded. He moved forward and grabbed what he could, even clearing out their poor excuse of a pantry. They loaded everything into Daryl's truck and Clyde even managed to get a few tools and items from his garage, such as more gas and weapons, just in case. Since Daryl was driving and Clyde was riding shotgun, Rachel sat at the back by herself and just stared out of the window.
Next up was Merle, who had evidently been waiting for his brother for a long time. Merle had a vehicle of his own because he put his motorcycle on the back of his pickup truck and refused to leave it behind. He also brought his collection of guns along, which he'd secretly kept all along.
They were going to be alright after all, or so they thought.
For the first few days, the group drove around, originally attempting to flee the city. However that alternative was nearly impossible with all the traffic. They were stuck in traffic the whole day and Rachel befriended two women who were also waiting. Their names were Carol and Lori. They both had children and husbands, it seemed. Although Carol's husband was a bit on the grouchy side and Rachel preferred to avoid him. He reminded her of Clyde and the last thing she needed was another Clyde.
Rachel, Lori and Carol generally spoke about Rach's pregnancy and the women nostalgically told each other stories about their pregnancies. Daryl, Clyde and Merle just stayed at the car and joked around, making fun of random people they saw and Daryl and Clyde couldn't help but laugh at Merle's racial slurs. Every once in a while, either Merle or Clyde would yell at random women that walked past, but they would just show them the finger and walk away.
While Rachel, Lori and Carol were talking, Shane, Lori's assumed husband, approached them with news regarding the evacuation. As he was talking, the pounding sound of helicopters suddenly filled the air and everybody watched as about ten helicopters went straight for Atlanta. Rachel and everyone else watched in complete horror as parts of the city blew up. When the commotion settled down, Shane suggested that they set up a camp nearby for when the whole thing blows over. Lori agreed and Shane was even able to convince Ed, Carol and their daughter, Sophia to tag along.
Then, he asked Rachel if her and her group wanted to come along. She accepted almost immediately and went to inform Daryl and the others.
"'Ey. My new friends o'er there are gonna go campin' in the woods so when this whole thing's over, we'll know wha's goin' on," she explained.
Clyde narrowed his eyes. "So what? The hell you're tellin' me for?" he snapped.
Rachel stepped back. "I'm goin' with 'em," she said and looked at each of them. "That Shane guy was police officer an' he looks like he knows wha' he's doin'. I trust 'em." She opened the car door and grabbed her bags without saying another word. "The invitation was for all of us. But clearly you guys ain't game, so bye."
Daryl stepped forward as she turned around to leave and grabbed her arm. "Wait. We'll come, too," he told her. She half smiled and nodded. "Why doncha put your shit back in the car? C'mon." He took the bags from her and put them back. She rolled her eyes.
"Whoa whoa, baby brother! We don't need those pricks! Got everything we need right here!" Merle argued. Daryl ignored him and walked over to Shane. Shane held out his hand to give Daryl a handshake, but got rejected.
"We're comin'," Daryl told him. Shane nodded and told him the plan. Once everybody knew what was going on, they got into their cars and went to the woods. Daryl and Merle led them, since they knew the woods almost too well. On their way, they came across a broken down car, another car and an RV parked on the side of the road with a few people. Shane pulled over instantly – since he was a cop, it was natural for him to help people. Daryl and Merle reluctantly stopped too, but only because of Shane.
"Good evening, sir. Somethin' wrong?" Shane asked the old man as he got out of his Jeep. The man, who was trying to fix the car nodded and looked at the car. Without hesitation, Shane stuck his head inside and tried to see the problem.
"Dale, what the hell's going on?" a woman's voice asked. Shane looked at the RV and two blond women emerged. They looked like sisters. Then an Asian boy came out to see what all the fuss was about. "Dale, who's this?" The blond woman asked and cocked her head towards Shane.
The old man – Dale, looked at the two girls and the Asian boy and shrugged. "He came to help. Didn't catch his name, though…" he said and looked at Shane.
Shane cleared his throat and put his hand out to shake Dale's hand. Unlike Daryl, Dale shook it and introduced himself in a friendly manner. "I'm officer Shane Walsh," Shane said, then turned to the rest of his group, who were still sitting in the cars. Lori was the first to get out, followed by her son, Carl. Then it was Rachel, then Daryl, then Carol and her daughter, Sophia. "This is Lori and Carl," he introduced them. Lori shook Dale's hand. "That's Rachel and – sorry, I actually didn't get your name," he said and narrowed his eyes at Daryl. Rachel quickly blurted his name aloud and Shane nodded. "This is Carol and Sophia and Ed and –"
"Clyde and Merle," Rachel informed him.
Shane nodded. "Yeah. Ed, Clyde and Merle are in the cars."
Dale smiled at everyone. "I'm Dale," he said, then looked at the two blond girls.
One of them stepped forward with a smile and a wave. "Amy. This is my sister Andrea and – "
"Glenn," the Asian boy finished her sentence off eagerly and waved. "I'm Glenn."
Amy raised an eyebrow and glared at Glenn. "…Right…" she said, not sure why Glenn was so enthusiastic to introduce himself. "That's T-Dog and Morales and his family."
Shane nodded once at everybody instead of saying hello. "We're actually headin' for the woods. It'll be a lot safer," he explained, hinting for them to tag along. The more people, the better. "We wouldn't mind a few more eyes and hands."
Dale considered it. His eyes went from Shane's group to his own and something told him that his group wanted to go with the cop. He looked at Shane and sighed before nodded and accepting the invitation. "Alright. But what about the cars? Is there enough place for everybody?" Dale asked and looked past Shane and at their collection of vehicles. There were only three cars. Then, out of nowhere, two more vehicles pulled up in front of them and a few more people emerged.
"You folks okay?" a man in blue overalls asked them as he walked towards them. "I'm Jim. We're lookin' for survivors."
Shane cautiously moved closer to the man and shook his hand. "Officer Shane Walsh here. We have a problem with one of our cars and it would sure be useful if you could take a look. Maybe join our group?" Shane offered. Jim nodded and excused himself to get his toolbox form his car.
"Rach, le's go back to the car," Daryl told Rachel while Jim fixed up the car.
Rachel looked at him and narrowed her eyes. "No thanks," she spat and before he could say anything, she walked to Carol and Lori, leaving by Daryl himself. He let out a small humorless laugh before getting back inside his truck.
He looked at Clyde and smirked. "Damn, your girl is a bitch," he said, slightly joking.
Clyde snorted. "Damn right she is," he agreed, but on a more serious note. Daryl shook his comment off and played with the stubble on his face whilst waiting for everyone to wrap things up.
After an hour or two, the car was fixed and the group set up a camp in the woods.
