Daryl

They made good time after they finally got out of the city. It was like Daryl figured when riding the bike to Glenn. Away from the urban centers folks had gone to ground and it was quieter. That would change if this outbreak didn't get contained soon. If supplies really ran short, the façade of civilization would slip away. Daryl wanted to be on his home turf before that happened.

Meanwhile, he was reluctantly enjoying the Prius. He'd always driven trucks and SUVs but this small, efficient car rode nice and it would stretch their gas farther than he thought possible. He glanced at Glenn next to him. The kid wasn't big or particularly strong but he was smart and determined. Daryl knew Glenn had hated what they did to Amy but he did it anyway. And the kid contributed their best bet for transportation across the country.

The first day out of L.A. they stopped a couple of times to top up the tank at places that were still open and selling gas for three times the going rate from a few days ago. Little mom and pop shops along highways that didn't get as much business as the interstates. Folks who wanted to make a bundle while they could. Daryl didn't mind paying. He had money and he suspected it wouldn't be worth much soon.

The second day everybody had closed up. They figured out that hoarding was a better option.

As they had traveled through California radio programming ceased except for announcements on the status of the crisis. At first the announcements were live, delivered by people still on the air, their voices changing as Daryl and Glenn moved in and out of range with each station. Halfway through Arizona the messages were replaced with a taped warning on continuous loop with no new information. Radio staff had gone home to be with loved ones. Daryl turned the radio low and kept it on seek, scanning the waves, looking for the next station in range. He and Glenn would notice and turn it up if the murmur of the taped message was interrupted by a live feed. This continued across New Mexico and into Texas until suddenly a man's voice came through loud and clear for a few seconds before the radio scanned for the next station. Daryl swerved the car in surprise and Glenn fumbled with the radio to find the live station again.

"… So welcome to the end of the world with T-Dog at K-Dig outside Lavender, Texas, where we bring you the best of the seventies. I picked a hell of a day to take my car in yesterday. My shift ended thirty hours ago and that courtesy van is way overdue. I'm safe inside for now but the wolves are at the door. And by wolves I mean zombies. The highway is a mile away and there was a pile-up awhile back. The undead survivors arrived an hour ago. But don't you worry 'bout me. There's Red Bull in the fridge. Owners stock it to keep us DJs awake. We're stuck out here in the country by the signal tower, away from the main office. Plenty of snacks, too. And I got my own weed. Shhh! Don't tell owners or sponsors. Here's a free PSA: Drugs are bad, kids. Y'all stay with me, now. I ain't gonna get to my shithole apartment much less home to Georgia where my Gran lives. So I'll be with you until the Red Bull and turkey jerky runs out. We dig the '70s here at K-Dig and I'm gonna play something suitable."

Day after day I'm more confused ...

Give me the beat boys and free my soul ...

The world outside looks so unkind ...

I wanna get lost in your rock 'n' roll and drift away.

T-Dog's voice was a little slurred and he sounded maudlin. "Yessir, the world outside looks so unkind. I'm gonna stay in and drift away … whoa. Someone's knocking at the door. No, I don't mean Paul McCartney is up next. Somebody's here."

The airwaves were silent for several long minutes. Then T-Dog was back, almost crying.

"Folks, I hate to break my promise to stick with you but I got an offer I can't refuse. I'm going home to Georgia! Went to the door and all them zombies were laid out like trees felled in a forest. And standing there with a crossbow is Daryl freaking Dixon and an Asian dude with a fireplace poker. Green Hornet and Kato! Daryl is a native son from Georgia in the movie biz. He was out in L.A. and he's heading home. Heard me on the air and stopped to give me a ride. This is some serious cosmic lottery shit I just won. Or maybe the Lord's looking out for me. That's what my Gran would say. I hope to see her soon. This is Theodore Douglas signing off from KDIG."

Glenn

When we hear T-Dog on the radio we have to stop and help. He's just ahead of us off the highway and he's from Georgia. There are eight walkers surrounding his broadcast hut, which gives us pause, but Daryl wades in and I'm right behind him. With only one kill each under our belts we need the practice. We use the crossbow and poker in order to kill silently and save bullets.

Theodore Douglas is black with a round face that I bet is usually happier. Although he looks pretty happy when we show up. T-Dog is somewhat under the influence so we put him in the back seat and exchange stories while he sobers up.

At a pit stop later, Daryl and I finish first. T-Dog comes out from doing his business behind a tree to see Daryl's arm around my shoulders. We're both leaning into the kiss and we don't bother to break apart when T sees us.

"Like that, is it?" T asks.

"Yeah," Daryl replies. "You mind?"

"Tell you what, I'm so grateful for the rescue that if I did mind, I wouldn't mind, you feel me? But I'm down with it." T pauses as he reads our expressions and then blurts, "Oh hell no! I didn't mean I wanna join in or watch. Y'all do that stuff away from me in case it's catching." He grins to show he doesn't mean it and adds, "I got a lesbian cousin. You might say she was instrumental in adjusting my attitude."

Down the road T asks Daryl, "I never heard anything about you coming out in Hollywood."

"There was no reason to make it official."

"You were getting recognized. Couldn't keep it down low much longer."

"I didn't have anybody until recently." Daryl glances at me. I smile back.

"I'm gonna miss your movies, man. Just starting a new one, weren't you?" T asks.

"Yeah, a buddy movie with Rick Grimes. Supposed to be the big break for both of us. Table read rehearsals were starting next week."

"Rick Grimes! I was going to map his action figure after Memorial weekend. He's from Georgia, too, isn't he?"

"Yeah, farther north from Atlanta. We only met twice while we were reading for the parts. The movie takes place in the south and I guess they thought we were pretty authentic. I was looking forward to it."

"I hope they clean this up quick so we can all get back to our lives," T says.

"I think it's gonna take longer than 9/11 to get back to normal," Daryl replies.

I'm afraid he's right. But I'm glad we'll be together through it.