"You dumb bitch!" Daryl's eyes opened slowly. He heard a smash on the floor and then he jumped out of bed. He and Merle had to share a he jumped out of bed Merle smashed the other lamp on the floor. Daryl reached for his matching long sleeve to his torn captain caveman Pajamas.
"Merle? Was goin on?" he asked as he rubbed his eyes.
"Look what ya did now you bitch! Ya woke my brother up!" Daryl heard a smacking noise and a woman's voice apologizing. Daryl placed his tiny feet on the ground and they landed right on broken glass from the red lamp. He didn't scream he just kept walking to the light switch. When he got to the door it flung open, knocking him on the floor. The tall heavy figure, who Daryl realized was his dad, stormed through.
"What the fuck are you doing you piece of shit?" He called out to Merle as he turned the light switch on. Daryl backed himself into a corner by the chipped door. He saw the teenage girl with her eyes wide open and her sandy blonde hair covering parts of her face, just like everyone else she was afraid of his dad. "Go home slut!" he yelled at the girl and pointed at the door. She didn't move. "Before I throw ya out the winda!" She picked up her fuzzy green sweater and ran out the door, noticing and not acknowledging Daryl. Daryl placed his hands over his eyes and listened to the smacking and punching noises, followed by yelling. When it went silent he kept his hands over his eyes until someone grabbed at them. "You `ain't getting away with this either you shit!" his dad called. He held Daryl's arms flat on the ground and placed all of his body weight on Daryl, caving his chest in, in the process. Daryl started wheezing and seeing stars, when his dad was knocked off of him and he didn't know why. He was so weary.
When he woke back up he was in a hospital and two police officers, one older and one that seemed very young, were sitting in the room with his dad who was holding an ice-pack to his head. One had a note pad out and one had a coffee in his hand. "Don't worry kid you wont have to deal with him for a long while." The older cop assured. Daryl was confused because his dad was right beside him.
"Cant believe a brother would try to cave in his young brothers chest. Hes 16 he should know better." The younger one babbled. Daryl looked at his dad, and was about to speak the truth when his dad shook his head no at him and alerted him to the hidden pocket knife in his hand. Daryl sunk into the bed. "So your brothers girlfriend called. Said he smacked her, she was pretty shooken up didn't get much out of her. So after she left, Merle started taking it out on you, and your dad did what was necessary to save you?" he asked. He looked over at his dad who was gripping the knife. Daryl nodded his head yes. "Don't worry kid, he will be in juvie for at least a few months, you will be nice and safe with your pa." Daryl's whole body tensed up as the officers left.
"Shouldn't I have told the truth?" Daryl asked.
"This is gonna cost me, this hospital trip." he said bitterly. "Its gonna cost me, so its gonna cost you."he threatened. Daryl bit his lip and gripped the bed sheet.
"What... what about the truth? Merle... he didn't hurt me..." Daryl said with a sorrowful tone.
"The truth?" his dad laughed. "The truth is, Merle's gonna do this to his wife and kids, so will you. The truth is your a Dixon, a worthless piece of shit, whose gonna end up a drunk like me, like Merle. The truth, now that your mom ain't around, you have no chance."
Daryl and Carol sat with their feet dangling over the side of the building. "Kinda feel bad for those dumb bastards." Daryl laughed. Carol shrugged.
"Well they aren't bothering me. Not now." She squeezed Daryl. She placed her hand on Daryl's face and moved her mouth close to his. Their lips were almost touching and Daryl had his eyes closed. He didn't want to mess this one up. Daryl placed his hand on the side of her face and moved her chin closer so he could kiss her. Her eyes opened for a second and she jerked out of his arms. Daryl looked at her confused. "No... No... Please no!" She cried. Daryl whisked his head in the direction Carol was staring. He saw a heard headed straight for them, at least three times bigger then the one that hit the farm. They both stood up and ran full speed down the stairs to the store.
"Pack the fuck up now!" Daryl yelled. Everybody sat in awe not doing anything.
"Daryl, they are just going to pass by, like on the highway, we don't have to leave." Lori said nonchalantly.
"A heard this size will tear this building to nothing, if there is something in here or not." He yelled back in her face.
"As big as the farm heard?" Rick asked. Daryl shook his head and ran into the back room and started putting all his and Carol's stuff together.
"Triple that, at least." Carol said. "Daryl's got mine and his stuff, everyone pack what you can, what we may need in the future, its going to be tough." The panic finally hit everyone, expect Michonne, who showed no fear but packed anyways. Daryl ran out the back room wearing his vest and holding two bags and he tossed one to Carol.
They all had their stuff really fast but not fast enough. They saw the shadows at the side of the store and heard bone chilling moaning. Carl pulled his gun out and everyone else followed. "Being loud doesn't matter anymore, if you have to, shoot. How are we getting out of here?" Rick desperately looked around for an escape plan. They stood in front of each other, feeling naked and helpless. Andrea's eyes widened.
"The ladder on the roof, its the only shot, we climb down and fight to the cars... We throw the bags from the top into the truck." Andrea suggested. Rick picked up his bags and everyone ran for the stairwell. Rick went last to make sure everyone got up the stairs and the glass in the surplus store started to break and the last O in COSTCO fell in. Andrea ran back down the stairs and Rick grabbed her arm and tried to close the door. She pushed her self out of his grip. "Get everyone safe, if I make it, I make it, I have to get something." She said forcibly. She wasn't giving up. "You don't have all day, go!" Rick felt hopeless, walkers piled in the front and Andrea pushed Rick in the stairwell and locked him in. She gave him a smile and nod through the small amount of glass through the blue door and ran in the opposite direction. Rick gathered himself and ran up the stairs. When he got there Daryl was throwing the bags because he had the best aim.
"We ain't all gonna make it if we all go down there, the truck is just in reach for me throw shit in, and its the closest vehicle." Rick looked off the roof where the ladder was.
"There isn't a lot of time, only a few walkers made it around the corner, the rest are distracted by going into the building. Three of us needs to sneak down there, the rest will cover them when they get to the vehicles, drive it to the ladder, fill it up and drive away, maybe lead a few walkers with them." Rick said, making up the plan as he went along. "Now we need our really good shots up here, and three volunteers. One for each vehicle." Everyone looked at each other waiting for someone to pipe up.
"I'll go..." Glenn said hesitantly. He looked around at everyone else, just waiting for someone to step up with him.
"I am not a great shot, you guys will have to cover me." Carol stepped up.
"No you ain't goin!" Daryl yelled.
"I have too!" She yelled back. Daryl felt his chest cave in.
"Okay I will go too, but you have to cover us." Maggie stepped up. Rick nodded and the rest of them aligned on the roof, ready to cover.
"The keys are all in the glove boxes of the cars." Hershel informed them as they started down the ladder. Two walkers waited at the bottom of the ladder and Glenn threw his knife at one, killing it and Daryl on the roof dropped his hunting knife and Glenn caught it. When the walkers were out of sight on the side and they all were on the ground they each waited at the corner peeking to see how many were at the store front. Glenn ran out first, gaining the attraction of a few walkers chased him to the blue truck, with all the supplies and Daryl's cycle but the group started shooting them. It alerted the other walkers but before they could do any harm they were shot. Maggie ran out to her green hyaundi almost unscathed but by the time carol went for the red truck walkers had piled, alerting their attention from the store to the parking lot.
"Just go!" Rick yelled. They all took shots at the walkers in Carols way to the truck the poncho flowed around her, she was scared a walker might grab her but she made it. Daryl was having a melt down, he felt like a dog in a cage while his owner was being mugged. The trio started the trucks. Glenn drove to the ladder first and Rick made sure Lori and Carl got down it first followed by T dog and Beth however it got full fast. Glenn drove off onto the main road, honking his horn while Carl and T dog killed any walker that got close, drawing at least a few away. Maggie drove next and Hershel went down the ladder but he stopped halfway. "Go with him." He ordered Daryl. Daryl pointed at Carol in the red truck. "We will all meet on the highway!" Daryl grunted in frustration and followed Hershel down the ladder. They both got in the car. As Michonne was ready to get down the ladder to Maggie she looked at Rick.
"Wheres Andrea?" She asked desperately. Rick shook his head no. Michonne gave him a look of confusion. "What?"
"She stayed back there, I'll get her before we leave. Dead or not." He promised. Michonne was displeased and hastily climbed down the ladder into Maggie's car. Maggie started honking the horn to draw the walkers away from the ladder and drove on the main road, leading to the highway.
Carol drove next, just to pick up Rick, who made sure he was the last to leave. When he climbed to the bottom of the rusty ladder and jumped into the passenger side. "We have to find Andrea, drive to the front." He ordered. Carol drove the truck straight.
"Are you insane? that's where most of them are!" Carol yelled.
"Drop me at the front, drive around... I am not leaving her behind again!" Carol rolled her eyes and drove to the store front. She tried to distract as many walkers as possible with her horn and driving.
Rick stepped into the store, there was still a sizable amount of walkers. "Andrea!." He yelled. He walked down the isles, with many things knocked on the floor. He saw a familiar brown boot sticking out of a closet titled 'Janitor' He flung the door open and saw Andrea sitting down.
"You came back?" she asked as she coughed. Rick nodded and put one of her arms over her shoulders. . "You dumbass... Risking your life for one person..." She tried to joke as Rick helped her to the front of the store. Carol swerved by right on time and Rick pulled her and himself into the truck. The walkers swarmed to exit to the highway and Carol had to go a different way.
Carol ended up driving in the complete opposite direction of everyone else she drove for nearly two hours and all hopes of finding them were lost. Carol pulled over because the truck had run out of food and they stopped in front of a crappy motel. Andrea wearily slid up and Rick was the first to make conversation.
"We may be here a while. Lets clear out room, although it doesn't look like it needs much clearing." The stranded motel looked empty, like it was deserted even before the apocalypse. It had a broken sign that once spelled Fine Dine Motel, but now read 'F NE D E MOT' in ugly yellow letters. The building itself was wood, and was built a long time ago. Rick went to open the door for Andrea and Carol to slide out. "What did you go back for that was so important?" he asked her with disbelief. She smiled and pulled a walkie talkie out of her pocket. RIck looked confused as did Carol.
"Whenever they stop... Michonne has the other in her bag."