Chapter Twenty Six: Traveler
Within the week, the first walker breached the safe zone's walls by using the bodies of other zombies to climb up and over.
More came after that, crawling over the walls and each other like ants. They snarled and growled, hungrily snapping their teeth.
Beth and Daryl stood side by side, hidden in the shadows by the main hall. The others were already loaded into the buses and other vehicles they would use to get out. The children had been gathered up first, followed by the rest. It was Rick's group that volunteered to stay and hold off as many walkers as they could before the transportation could get past the herd.
Beth felt some sweat trickle down her brow, then down along the tip of her nose. She gave it a twitch, not wanting to take her hands off her gun.
"Gonna be a long way to Virginia," Daryl muttered softly.
Beth nodded. "But if Eugene can stop this..."
Daryl gave a brief nod of understanding.
Suddenly they both stiffened as a smaller batch of walkers turned to lurch in their direction.
Daryl shot down the first, using his crossbow which had been reloaded with bright green and pink arrows. Beth followed, using her gun, which she had fitted with a silencer so the more walkers wouldn't come near due to the noise.
Beth gritted her teeth against the smell. These walkers were more decayed than the others they had come across. Their skin was gray and all but sliding off the bones, and when it was cut open, it oozed black blood, puss, and rotten flesh.
One lurched close to Beth, reaching out with its remaining arm. It snarled, exposing a mouth with half of the teeth missing, and a black, swollen tongue.
Beth turned, firing off a shot that caught the zombie dead between the eyes before she looked at Daryl, making sure he was okay. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw he was being crowded by five zombies, and his arrow supply was already low. He began using the crossbow as a blunt object, burying it's sharp edges into the skulls of the walkers that got a tad too close.
Beth lunged, reaching for her knife, using it to kill the walker that was attempting to sneak up on Daryl from behind. Then the other walkers came, some moving faster than others.
Daryl cursed when he saw them. "Go, go!"
Beth reattached the gun to the holster on her right hip, clenching her knife tightly. She ducked low when a walker lunged for her, losing its balance in the process. She used the heel of her boot to crush in its skull.
"Come on!" she yelled, yanking at Daryl's jacket.
Together they sprinted away, and were quickly followed by the other group members. They were all covered in grime and sweat, but they focused on running towards the exit the buses had taken to head away from the oncoming herd.
They spotted the nearest bus parked about a hundred yards away, idling on the side of the road. The door flew open, revealing Spencer.
"Hurry!" he exclaimed.
Beth spared a glance over her shoulder.
Like a rolling wave, the faster, less decayed walkers ran after the group, snarling terribly. They pushed and shoved past one another, their eyes locked on their targets. The slower ones limped out of the gates, all of them worked into a frenzy from the stimulation.
Adrenaline shot down Beth's spine and into her legs, pushing her to go faster, forcing her to run with all of her might. She wasn't sure if she was even breathing at this point.
When they reached the bus, they piled in quickly, with Rick counting off to make sure everyone was accounted for. Then the doors snapped shut, right before the first walkers slammed into the bus, causing it to shudder.
"Drive!" Beth screamed.
Ken, who sat at the wheel, floored it, throwing everyone against their seats and into each other. The wheels skidded and smoked as the bus accelerated away from the herd, leaving it behind as it sped up.
There was a moment of silence, then everyone seemed to release a long breath.
Beth gripped the hand railing, steadying herself against the rickety movements of the bus. She met Daryl's gaze.
He nodded, silently telling her he was okay.
Her eyes shifted to the others, noting they all looked fine, just exhausted. She gave a sigh of relief before looking out towards the long stretch of road in front of them.
Daryl was right, it would be a long journey to D.C. But at least they were on their way and for now, everyone was safe.
Ooo0ooO
Beth ended up taking a seat next to Daryl near the back of the bus. She leaned against him tiredly, her eyes growing heavier as each mile passed.
Daryl rubbed her back, murmuring for her to get some shut eye. So she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder and promptly dozed off.
A little while later, she was woken up by Judith, who cried out noisly. Carol tended to her, since Rick was sleeping next to Carl, who was wedged between his father and Michonne.
Beth blinked and moaned softly at the bright light coming in from the setting sun. She looked up at Daryl, who was still awake and alert.
"Where are we?" she muttered, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Close to Athens, I think," he told her. "You should sleep more."
Beth shook her head, sitting up. She reached back to fix her ponytail. "Where are we stopping for the night?"
Daryl shrugged. "That's Spencer and Rick's call."
Beth focused her gaze on the two other men, who were now standing side by side at the front of the bus, talking to Ken, who was still at the wheel.
Beth clasped her hands together before nervously twisting her promise ring.
Daryl covered her hand, giving her a calm look.
Beth smiled, but gently pulled away before making her way towards the others.
Spencer gave her a nod, Rick a nod. Ken gave her a grin, sporting another oil smudge on her cheek.
"Where are we stopping for the night?" Beth asked.
Rick gestured to the map they had been looking at. "There's a few reserves. We figure we can pull off the road and buckle down for the night near one of them. It's remote, so hopefully there won't be any walkers."
Beth nodded. She looked around. "Where's Eugene?"
"In the other bus with Abraham and Rosita," Ken said, pointing to the vehicle in front of them.
Spencer gave her and Rick a questioning look. "And we're sure this guy is the answer?"
Beth understood his doubt. Eugene didn't exactly look the part for someone who had the potential to end the zombie apocalypse, but then again, who knew? Out of everyone, Beth knew him and his little band of friends the least.
"We have to have faith that he is," Beth offered.
Rick nodded. "At the very least, maybe we can find someone else who knows the answer. D.C. is a good starting point. People might converge towards the major capitals to figure out a solution."
Spencer frowned. "But aren't the larger cities more populated with walkers?"
Rick nodded. "Atlanta was a dead zone. I can imagine bigger cities are worse. It's a risk we have to take. Out here there's no large CDC facilities or other research labs that we can use to bunker down in in order for Eugene to do whatever it is he needs to do."
"Plus, you never know who we'll meet along the way," Ken pointed out. "Rick has a point, even if Eugene can't create a cure, maybe he can work with someone who can."
"Hopefully they're more friendly than some of the others we came across," Beth said, her expression turning serious. Her mind turned to the Governor.
Rick seemed to be thinking the same thing. He nodded. "We just have to be careful. Ask the questions. Keep a close eye on anyone new."
With all of them in agreement, Beth returned to her seat, smiling when Daryl took her hand in his. She relayed the conversation to him.
Daryl had a thoughtful look in his eyes as he listened to her. When she finished, he exhaled deeply. "There is some risk with taking a large group like this into a city overrun by walkers. Maybe some should stay behind in a safe location."
Beth considered that. "It would be better if the children weren't put into any more danger than they need to be. I'll mention it to Spencer in the morning."
After that, they talked about simple things, where it would be best to leave the buses so they weren't stolen, if there were any familiar hunting grounds surrounding D.C.. Beth wondered if someone like the President had survived this long. Daryl wondered if he was taking people into the White House, since it was surrounded by fencing and security. Beth wanted to chuckle at the image of people sleeping in the Oval Office, but her humor died off when she thought of how that was a possibility rather than some humorous fantasy.
When the sun set, the drivers pulled the caravan over into an opening on the side of the highway. The doors were secured and a round the clock look out was set before everyone hunkered out for the night.
Beth had second watch, after Rick, but found she couldn't sleep. She listened to the soft snores of the other people on the bus and gazed out the dusty bus window. She could hear the crickets aND the buzz of flies swarming in the humid air.
Shifting in her seat, she leaned against Daryl once more, trying to quiet her worried mind so she could get some rest.
Ooo0ooO
Disclaimer: I do not own TWD.
Author's Note: Please review.