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When she finally woke, she could feel the heavy weight of Daryl's arm resting on her waist. For a moment, she remembered the other times she had woken to him holding her, and she almost forgot that the world was in total chaos. He felt her stir beneath him and began to rise from his slumber. Before either could say anything, Beth's stomach growled loudly. Daryl chuckled softly.
"Found some stuff in one of the trailers last night. S'up front."
"You went through the trailers alone?" Beth turned over to look at him, her eyes scrunched together in annoyance. He could have been hurt and she'd never known.
"Been takin' care of myself long before shit started turnin' bad." Beth sighed and rolled back over to climb out of the bed. Daryl sat up, his feet sitting on the ground and his hands rubbing his face. Beth began to sift through the bags of stuff Daryl had found the night before. There were several canned beans and corn, three flashlights, and several unopened bags of beef jerky.
"I think we should go back to Georgia." Beth admitted as she settled on a few bites of jerky. Daryl looked up at her, his eyes tired.
"Kinda figured you'd wanna get back there." He stood up and pulled his jeans back on over his boxers. "We need to figure out how serious this is, first." Beth knew he was right. They'd have to travel through some large cities if they stayed on the highway and, if the outbreak got worse, they could be driving to their deaths. But she couldn't help but worry about her family she left behind. Her heart ached to know that they were ok.
"Do you think there might be any talk on the CB?" She asked curiously.
"Maybe." He moved to sit in the driver's seat and flip on the CB radio. There was static on the line so he switched channels, trying to find any sign of life.
"Anyone out there listenin', Little Rock is gone!" someone shouted over the static.
Daryl picked up the mic on the radio and pressed the button on the side. "What's happenin' out there?"
"Man, they're everywhere! The military tried to control it but there were too many of em! I got out before the whole damn place burnt down!" Beth gasped as she nervously rubbed the collar of the flannel shirt. "I keep passin' them on the road. It's outta control!"
"Daryl, turn it off." Beth pleaded.
"Where ya headed?" Daryl asked the voice over the radio.
"I don't know. Away from cities. Be safe. Don't get bit. If ya do, you get sick and end up like them." The man's radio clicked off and the cab was filled with static. Daryl sighed and flipped off the radio and tossed the mic up on the dash forcefully, causing Beth to jump slightly. After several minutes of heavy silence, Daryl finally looked at her.
"We need to get as much as we can. We gotta assume it's like this everywhere. The CB is the best line of communication we got right now. We'll head south but I ain't in a hurry. I gotta find a map somewhere so we can drive around the larger cities." He could see tears slipping past her lower lids and down her cheeks. He couldn't stop himself from reaching over and wiping them away.
"I told ya I'll keep ya safe. We already know how to kill em. We just need to keep it up til I get ya home."
"What if they're dead?" Beth whispered. Daryl didn't respond right away. What he knew about her family, he wasn't going to assume they would survive long enough for her to see them again.
"Don't ya think about that right now." She nodded and wiped the remaining tears from her face, her composure hardening slightly.
"So, we find what ever else we can here and then move?"
"Eat some more then we'll go out." He grabbed a few pieces of jerky for himself and ate them sparingly.
Once their stomachs were somewhat satisfied, they both got out of the truck to take a walk around. Daryl had already been in one of the trailers, now they were going to venture through the others.
They walked to the furthest one, and would work their way back. She had emptied out their bags on the bed and they would use them to add their findings. For each trailer they went through, Beth would open the door and Daryl would go with his crossbow to make sure nothing or no one was in there. Beth would stay out till he gave the go ahead, watching his back and making sure nothing crept up on them.
Their routine worked well. Daryl finding the tools they would need to keep going. Flashlights, batteries, knives and matches all made their way into his bag. Beth was looking for food, clothing and blankets. Most trailers had a little bit of both, but the fifth trailer they went through belonged to some doomsday preppers. Every inch of space was covered in canned goods, hunting supplies, guns and ammunition, and enough water to last them a month. They had to make several trips back to the truck to bring it all, but it was worth it for the haul they had.
On their way back, Daryl managed to find a few empty gas cans which could hold some diesel fuel for him. They would take the rig as far as they could and then ditch it, hoping they'd secure another vehicle along the way.
He told Beth to stay in the truck and he was going to go hunt some fresh meat. She was scared for him to go out of gates but he reassured her that he would be okay. Because of the extra guns they found, he carried one with him, along with his crossbow. If she heard a shot, then something was wrong. He promised to stay close and left her to pack up their bags with essentials and pack the truck with as much as they could.
Time seemed to tick by slowly for Beth as she waited for Daryl to get back. She had put all the canned food in the storage that was underneath the bed. They didn't take any perishable items but their fridge was stocked with all the water they could fit in there. Each of their packs contained about 2 days worth of food, maybe 5 if they rationed it out. Already, they were starting to eat lighter so if they did have to go a day or two without food, it wouldn't be detrimental. She had cleaned out some water thermoses and filled them, adding those to the packs. For clothing, she packed clean underwear and socks and a spare shirt for each of them.
While this item may be a little controversial to pack, Beth still thought it was necessary. With the way things had been the night before, she wasn't going to be unprepared again so she had placed a pack of condoms in each of their bags and had another two boxes sitting in the drawer next to the bed.
She never thought she would get to this point so quickly with someone but Daryl felt so different. He was kind and sweet to her, and she admired him for saving her the way that he did. She would never admit it to him, but she would probably be dead if it wasn't for him. There would have been a creep along the way who didn't take no for an answer and would have probably killed her.
They had bonded so much over these past 2 months that she couldn't imagine her life without him anymore. It's why she was so open to having sex with him now. She felt something so strong for him and she wanted to share that connection with him to it's fullest extent.
Maybe this wasn't the best time to think of sex but now that he had touched her and kissed her, she wanted more. It didn't help that they would be sleeping their nights in the tiny little bed. His body pressed so closely to hers. Just thinking about that night did things to her and if he didn't come back soon enough, she might have to take things into her own hands for the first time ever.
Daryl was coming back from hunting, his belt with a few squirrels attached to it. It felt good to get out and go back to his roots. Hunting and camping were those times in his life where he felt the most freedom. He could do as he needed and no one could tell him what to do. This time felt a little different though. He still felt that same feeling but it was no longer just him. He had Beth to worry about now and he worried that he wouldn't be enough to protect her. It was in his hopes that this whole situation would blow over fast and life would get back to normal.
He could see Beth moving around in the rig and he was glad to see she was still safely tucked inside. She happened to look up and see him coming and her smile grew ten times wider. He opened the door and let her come out.
"Need to start a fire so we can start cookin' these up." He motioned to his catch and she understood. She bit her lip slightly, and her eyebrows creased.
"I've never started a fire before, or eaten squirrell for that matter."
"No better time than now to learn."
Since they had nothing but time, he showed her the best sticks and logs to use for firewood, how to keep a fire low as to not create much smoke or light, and how to start a fire without using matches or a lighter. Once the fire was going and tended to, he showed her how to skin and dress the meat so it was edible. She cringed through most of it but kept her stomach contents inside of her. Once they got the meat on, she went back to the truck to pick out some sides to add to their meal.
Sitting around the fire, as the sun was setting felt surreal. Like they were just two people, camping out together, and nothing was wrong with the world. Beth leaned back on her hands and stared at the sky, watching the colours slowly turn from the yellows and oranges to the dark starry sky.
"Is this what it was like growing up, for you?" she asked. The crickets were starting to chirp more and the air was becoming cooler. He grunted his usual yes, and left it at that. "Kinda was for me too."
She turned her head to see him staring intently at her. "I used to sneak out of my room at night when I was little and go outside and just look at the stars. Those crystal clear nights were my favourite. Some nights Maggie came out but for the most part it was just me. And I loved how quiet it was."
"Me an' Merle, we spent more time campin' in the woods than we did inside. Course back then we weren't hidin' from dead people walkin' around." He poked at the meat hanging above the fire and stared off into the amber flame. Beth noticed his far off look and knew not to push him.
"How long do you think it will take to get back to Georgia?" Beth decided to change the subject.
"Depends on what we run into. I'm gunna go out tomorrow and see if I can find a gas station. Maybe find some more fuel and a map."
"I'm coming with you." The determination in her voice was thick and the look she gave him dared him to tell her no.
"You can stay in the truck," he responded as he pulled the charred meat off the fire.
"I can help, you know." He could tell by the tone of her voice that she was glaring at him. He could practically feel it.
"You'll be safer in there. Don't know what we'll run into."
"I'm not spending the rest of my life in that truck," she spat. "I can help!"
"No." He wasn't going to give in and he knew she wouldn't give up easy.
"I've got a gun. I can take care of myself."
"Ain't smart when ya can wait in the truck and be safe." He picked off a bit of meat and ate a piece. It wasn't a steak but it would do.
"Who's gunna watch your back? What if something happens to you? I can't drive that truck." She tried to sound logical but the truth was she was terrified of what would happen to her if something happened to him, and not because of the current state of the world. She'd grown very attached to the man next to her.
"I told ya I would protect ya. Puttin' ya in danger ain't protectin' ya. You're stayin' in the truck." The growl in his voice told her that he had had the final word and she was furious. She didn't speak the rest of the night.
Once they had finished eating and put out the small fire, they returned to the truck, climbed over all the supplies they had piled in every corner and got in bed. Daryl knew she was pissed when he pressed himself up against the wall and she got as close to the edge as she could without falling out. Their bodies weren't touching.
He also knew that this was the only way he could ensure her safety for now. Until they knew more about what was going on out there, he wasn't taking a chance on something happening to her.
Thank you so all the reviews, follows, and favorites. We are so excited to see them and my e-mail goes nuts from all the notifications. We appreciate all the love and hope you guys like where we are taking things.
A lot of people want to know when we're meeting up with other and all I will say is eventually. The outbreak just happened and they are still near Little Rock so they need to travel a little bit. But don't worry, it's all planned out.
This chapter is really about developing their relationship and not having everything be coming up roses. It's a lot to deal with and handle and these two are both lost.
Send us your comments and reviews. And a happy 4th to all our American followers. I may not be but Brandy sure is and she has a fun weekend planned.
