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Chapter Four
"He had your crossbow sent to you?" Carol, sitting in one of the cushioned arm chairs in the rec room, looked at Daryl with wide, shocked eyes. "I thought he was against having weapons. Or at least that was the impression I got when he answered Shane when we got here."
Daryl shrugged. "I don't know. He even left me a note saying I could practice shooting it whenever I had any free time." Truthfully, Daryl was very weary of doing just that. There had to be a reason why Blake wanted him to have his bow and all the things Daryl was coming up with didn't sound too great.
"Do you think any one else got something similar? Maybe they got one of their favorite things from home or something?" Carol asked.
"Did you get anythin'?"
She shook her head, but then leaned forward. "But I did find this in my room." From her hip, she produced a sheath. A knife sheath. Carol pulled the knife out and Daryl was surprised to see the handle looked like brass knuckles and the point of it looked very sharp.
"Is that yours from home?"
"No." She put the knife back and hid it back on her hip, covering it with her shirt so no one else could see it. "I don't even know how to handle a knife like that."
"This is really weird."
"You don't think," Carol said, fearfully, still leaning close. "He's giving us these weapons because the dinosaurs wil-"
"Don't say it," he groaned and covered his face with his hands. "Fuck. Merle was right. This was too good to be true."
"Wait." She reached out and grabbed his wrist. "We could be jumping to conclusions here because this is our biggest fear."
"Gettin' eaten by a dinosaur was never my biggest fear...until I came here," he grumbled.
"Same here," she sighed and slumped into the couch. "Let's not think too much into this, right now. It's only the first day, after all. If any more weird things happen, we'll tell each other as soon as possible." She held up a pinky. "Promise?"
Daryl stared at the digit for a moment, slightly confused, before wrapping his around it. "Promise." His heart began to beat faster, especially after Carol flashed him a bright smile after they had made their pinky promise. What was happening to him? Was he really falling for someone he had just met?
"Daryl!" Carol startled him from his daydream and he flushed deeply, knowing that he had been daydreaming about her. "Quit stalling." In her hands she held a stack of cards. Where she had gotten them, he didn't know.
"You said we could play some cards. Now, let's get to it. I'm ready to kick your ass, already." She smirked as she stood to her feet and with a flounce to her step walked over to one of the fold out tables.
Daryl followed. "Kick my ass, huh? In what, Go Fish?"
"Haha, very funny." Carol took a seat and he took the one across the table from her. "I was thinking Poker."
"Sounds good." He tried to hide the surprise from his voice. Carol knew how to play poker? She just kept getting more perfect by the minute.
"So, what will it be? Regular poker or," she leaned forward on her elbows, her auburn hair framed her face and there was a twinkle of something in her eyes. "Strip poker?"
This woman was going to kill him.
"So, what do I get if I win?" Glenn asked, slyly as they sat close together on the couch in their spacious living room. A movie had been playing earlier, a romantic comedy per Maggie's suggestion, but now the credits were rolling.
"Win what?" Maggie looked up from where she had been leaning her head against his shoulder.
"The bet. You know, the one about Carol and Daryl?"
"You were serious about that?" She sat up straight so she didn't have to continue to crane her neck to look up at his face.
"Yeah," he answered. "I mean, did you see them at dinner? Practically the whole time they were whispering and laughing with one another. If that's not flirting, then I don't know what is."
"Sweetie, when we first met, you didn't even know how to flirt. You still don't." She nudged him in the ribs, smiling. "I still love you, anyway."
Glenn glared at his girlfriend. "You know what I meant."
Maggie chuckled and kissed him on the cheek, making him feel a little better. "Okay, okay. I do. But you're right, they were flirting. The thing is, though, I don't think they realize that they were. I mean, they've been glued to each other since the plane and might not think much of it."
"Do you think they need a push in the right direction?" Glenn asked.
"I don't think we should interfere. They're doing just fine on their own." She settled her head back on his shoulder. "You can play the movie you still want to watch."
"You'll fall asleep during it," he huffed and picked up the remote to choose the movie he wanted to watch first from the queue of several other movies.
"I know. That's why I said we could watch it after the one I wanted to." Maggie snuggled closer into his side and before the opening scene was over, her eyes were closed in sleep.
"I'm still not entirely certain you didn't cheat," Daryl grumbled as he walked Carol back to her room. During their rounds of poker, Carol had kicked his ass. Every. Single. Time. If they had been betting real money, he would have lost everything to her, even the shoes on his feet.
"I did not!" She protested and elbowed him. "I'm just that good."
"I need to take you with me whenever my brother gets invited to poker nights at his buddies houses. You'd clean them all out."
"You'd still want to hang out once we're done with our job here?" Carol stopped in the middle of the hallway and asked shyly. She couldn't even brave a look at him and she had her lower lip between her teeth.
"Of course, I don't want us to just be work friends...unless, you don't want to hang out once we're done here." Now it was Daryl's turn to act insecure. He had come for this job, thinking he would just wake up every morning, do his job and then, go to bed. He never thought he would meet someone that he would actually want to spend time with.
"Of course, I do! My mom will love it when she sees I'm spending time with a man." Instantly she froze, eyes wide. "I mean, as a friend, of course. I don't...get out of the house much and spend time with people my age." Her face was red and Daryl found it enduring.
"All right, then. So, what are you doing October the..." he thought for a moment. "Seventh?"
"That's the day we get home," she said.
"I know," he said, simply with a shrug. "I figured we could have grab some dinner or somethin' once we get off the plane. If you still like me by then." He was only half-kidding. Part of him was afraid that Carol would find out more about him and not like what she found.
"I'm sure I'll like you just fine when we're done here." Daryl tried not to think too much of it when, once again, Carol's face grew red.
"Good morning, everyone!" Phillip Blake walked into the cafeteria with a bright smile, looking as well-put together as he had the day before. "I hope you're enjoying your breakfast."
Unlike their supper, breakfast was served buffet style with several choices to pick from. The men particularly liked the different meat choices and heaped their plates full. Also, unlike the night before, instead of sitting at one long table, they were allowed to sit at any table they wanted too. Carol and Daryl took a table in the corner of the room, which offered them a perfect view at the rest of the group.
Lori, Rick and Shane all sat together. Glenn and Maggie sat on their own, just like Carol and Daryl. Tyresse, Sasha, T-Dog sat at another table while Michonne and Andrea sat at another. However, when Blake walked in the room, Andrea had stopped trying to make conversation with the stoic woman and focused on the handsome man.
"Once you are all finished, I would like for you all to meet me in the lobby, which is the room where we first met yesterday, and we will start our tour." When he finished talking, he walked around the room and talked a little with each of the tables.
"Maybe he'll forget we're over here," Daryl mumbled as he leaned over his plate.
"Maybe if we see him coming, we can get up and throw our stuff away. That way he can't talk to us," Carol suggested and stuffed a forkful of scrambled eggs in her mouth.
"I like your idea." Daryl began to shovel food in his mouth and when both of their plates were empty, they stood...and nearly ran into Phillip Blake. The man gave them a knowing smile.
"Ah, I see you two are in a hurry to start the tour, huh?"
Carol looked at Daryl, who was looking back at her, eyes wide and not knowing what to say. "U-Uh, yes! I've been looking forward to it since I got hired." It wasn't a lie, she had been excited to see the attractions of Jurassic Park, but that hadn't been why they wanted to get the hell out of there, now. However, she'd let Phillip think whatever he wanted as long as he made this conversation quick.
"Soon. We'll be on our way soon." He reached out a hand and squeezed her shoulder gently. She felt Daryl tense beside her and resisted the urge to shrug Blake's touch from her, but didn't want to appear rude.
"I will see you two in a few minutes." Phillip let go of Carol and walked over to the table that had Rick, Shane and Lori sitting at it.
"Let's throw our shit away and get out of here," Daryl whispered, sounding a little angry.
"Good idea," she whispered back.
Quickly, they threw their stuff away and headed toward the lobby. There they would be allowed a few minutes of peace before everyone else, plus Blake, joined them and they were on their way to see the dinosaurs.
Daryl and Carol barely made it to the lobby when Michonne and T-Dog joined them. The two of them were silent as they walked in, but Carol and Daryl were no longer alone and that disappointed Daryl. In the cafeteria, he had been able to have Carol all to himself, but there were still other people around that could see their every move. He wanted to have her to himself, with no one around, at least for a little bit before everyone else joined them but it didn't look like it was meant to be. Maybe later, after dinner, they could meet up in the rec room, again.
Several minutes later, the rest of the group walked in; including Phillip, Milton, Eugene and Edwin. They would be assisting with the tour.
Phillip led them all outside where four jeeps waited for them. They were the same ones that had brought them from the airport. "These will be the vehicles, you and our park visitors, will be touring in. Most of the time, they will be pulled along on a track, but where we are going first, we have to drive there.
"Milton, Eugene, Edwin and I will be in each of the driver's seats and act as your tour guides today. So, ladies and gentleman," he looked at Glenn, who groaned and rolled his eyes, and winked. "Pay attention to how it's done."
The four men went to a vehicle while everyone else stood around, unsure if they would be assigned to a jeep or could just get into whatever one they wanted. When nothing was said after a few minutes, they all walked toward the jeeps.
"Let's get in the one with Milton," Daryl suggested. "I actually like him."
"You were reading my mind," Carol whispered. Together, they walked into the last jeep of the line up and climbed into the back seat together.
"Hello," Milton turned in his seat and greeted them. "You are Carol and Daryl, right?"
"We are," Carol answered with a smile.
"Did you know your names rhyme?"
Carol felt her face heat up. "Uh. We did." Even if they hadn't, it wouldn't have taken them long to figure out.
"Hm, I wonder if that means anything," Milton seemed to be talking to himself and turned back in his seat.
"What do you mean by that?" Daryl asked, unable to keep silent. What had he meant? Was it supposed to be anything that their names rhymed? However, before Milton could say anything the passenger's seat opened and Maggie slipped into it and greeted Milton. The other back door opened and Glenn took a seat next to Carol.
"Hey, guys," Glenn said with a little wave, which Carol returned.
"Are we all ready to go?" Milton asked.
"Yes," everyone answered at the same time, causing them all to fall into soft chuckles. They were all eager to start the tour and to see the dinosaurs.
Milton started the jeep and soon they were off following the others. Maggie turned in her seat to look at them. "So, what do you think is Phillip Blake's favorite attraction here? Glenn and I have been wondering all morning."
"We think it's the T-Rex," Glenn leaned forward so he could look at Carol and Daryl at the same time. "I mean, that's easily going to be the most popular attraction. The logo is even a T-Rex." Maggie nodded in agreement with her boyfriend.
"Hmm." Carol tapped her chin with a finger and looked up at Daryl. "What do you think, Daryl? Honestly, I don't know. I feel like it being the T-Rex would be too easy." She glanced at the rearview mirror and caught Milton's eyes. "Can you tell us, Milton?"
"Sorry. Mr. Blake wants it to be a surprise. But we will be there shortly and you will see for yourself."
Maggie turned back around in her seat so she could look out her window while Daryl, Glenn and Carol craned their necks to look out Glenn's window. It looked as if they were driving through a forest. Thick greenery made it almost impossible for them to see very far in.
Then, all the greenery disappeared and they all pulled up to an all brick enclosure. The walls had to be almost fifty tall and on the table, it looked like an electric fence went all the way around it. Whatever was inside, they definitely didn't want out.
They all climbed out of the jeeps when they parked and gathered to where Phillip was standing.
"This is it," he said. "My favorite attraction. The velociraptor exhibit."
Daryl looked down at Carol and whispered, "Of course it would be fuckin' velociraptors."
How many of you were surprised that Blake's favorite dinosaur would be the raptors? lol. Probably not many haha.
Thanks for reading!