The cold air whipped at my skin as we drove down the deserted roads, Dixon leading the way. Rick was behind us, Dixie in the car with Carl. The sheriff hadn't said much after we came back from the gas station, only telling Daryl about the location on the map he wanted to try. Everyone seemed to welcome the silence and the plan, packing into the vehicles without any questions. I figured everyone was ready to be somewhere with shelter, walls, and away from being out in the open. The previous night had been a long and scary one.
The town on the map, that Rick had chosen to check out, was a small one filled with little neighborhoods. It was a few good miles from where we were now, and I welcomed the ride. It was nice to have the wind whipping through my hair, no matter how cold it was. Being on the move, not having to sit in one spot like a sitting duck, was a feeling that gave me relief. At least we had a destination, and maybe we'd have time to grieve a bit for what we had lost.
Taking a deep breath, I held onto Daryl a little tighter, taking advantage of having a moment to catch my breath. Though my eyes were on our surroundings, my thoughts began to drift to a time that seemed so far away from where I was now. From where we were now. When things were so simple, yet so complicated. A time when I didn't have to worry about much, but I worried about everything. A time when I was happy...
"You really think this's a good idea? I don't." Daryl said flatly, chewing his thumb nail.
"Mama thinks I'm stayin' with Jess." I replied. "Daddy's outta town, who's gonna know?"
"Everyone knows someone 'round here." Dixon frowned slightly.
"Daryl, don't be a chicken shit." I fussed, and he stepped toward me, dropping his hand.
"Chicken shit? If Tommy finds out I took ya ass out to some damn bar... An' anyways, how the hell do ya suppose yer gettin' in?"
"For one, he ain't gonna find out. Two, I have a fake I.D." I grinned, and his expression turned into a glare.
"What do you need a fake for?" Daryl asked in a growl, that overprotective tone kicking in.
"A friend made it for me for the summer. They wanted me to go out with them." I explained with a grin. "It looks too legit."
"Whatever. Jus' be ready an' at my house by seven thirty." He said, walking away from me in the front yard.
"Yes sir!" I called playfully, and he waved me off with his hand. Giggling, I took off for the house, my stomach full of butterflies. Running upstairs, I set about finding something to wear.
It took me all of ten minutes to put something together. I didn't have to worry about dressing up, and I was grateful. The way Daryl talked about the bar, it seemed that the people there were like Daryl and Merle. I could live with that, it wouldn't be so bad. I would be right at home, in fact, with the ripped jeans. Daryl's Def Leppard shirt was big on me, but it looked cute with the jeans and my tiny figure.
I grabbed my black boots that I usually wore when I rode with Daryl. He called them my "biker boots", and always made a point to tell me that I made them look good. I smiled at the thought, jamming my feet into them, and tying them quickly. After straightening my hair, I sat down at my mirror, and pulled out my makeup bag.
Staring at my reflection, I tilted my head slightly. They idea was to make myself look older than I really was. Deciding against foundation, I put on a little eyeliner and three coats of mascara. My eyelashes were full and long, my blue eyes even lighter against the black. The light brown eyeshadow on my lid and under my eyes made them pop as well. Glancing over at my lip sticks, I tapped my fingers on the table in front of me.
I decided no lip stick, and stood from the small table. Feeling confident, I left my room and started down the stairs. Freshly seventeen and feeling twenty-two, according to my fake I.D., I glanced at the clock on the stove as I entered the kitchen. It read '6:23', which made my stomach flip with excitement and nerves. It wouldn't be much longer until seven thirty. I almost smiled, but Mama rounding the corner caught me off guard and I jumped.
"Honey, are you still g-" She stopped, looking at my face. "Your makeup sure is... Nice. Makes you look older."
"Pshhh." I laughed. "Thanks, Mama." I grinned, trying to cover my ass.
"I thought you were goin' to stay at Jess's tonight." She said, watching me as she stepped over to the table.
"I am." I picked up a plate. "Daryl is droppin' me off at her house around eight. She had some family member's birthday party today. Told me they might run a little bit late." I made myself a hot dog, and took a bite, before sitting at the table.
"Oh, okay." Mama sat opposite of me. "You girls got plans?" Her tone was nonchalant, and it took every ounce of will power to keep a straight face.
"Stay up late, watch movies. Michelle is comin' over, too. It's gonna be a fun girl's night." I took another bite.
"I could drop you off." Mama offered, and I shook my head, swallowing quickly.
"No, no, that's okay!" I said hurriedly. I hesitated a moment before speaking, reminding myself to play it cool. "I mean, I want the girls to meet Daryl, you know." I gave her a grin.
"I understand, my girl's growin' up on me. Just promise me that you and Daryl are bein' careful-"
"Oh, my God, Mama!" I grabbed my plate and stood from the table.
"I'm serious, Katie-Evelyn!"
"Mama, we're not... An' even if we were, which we're not, we'd be safe." I lied.
"Good. Your daddy would kill him." Mama shook her head. "You know how I feel 'bout you two. I just love Daryl to death and I think you two are good for each other."
"Me too." I agreed, a light smile on my lips. "I love him."
"I know you do." She nodded.
"It's seven, I gotta go!" I ran over to her and hugged her tight, before running back upstairs. I grabbed my bag, and back down I went. Mama was waiting by the door, her eyes on mine.
"Be careful out with your friends." She warned, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.
"We won't be out, Mama, we'll be at Jess's house." I gave her another hug, and she kissed my head.
"Okay, okay... Go on. Have fun!" She called to me, as I bounded down the porch steps. "Love you!"
"I love you, too!" I yelled, as I walked toward the cabin across the road. Merle was sitting out on the porch, and when he heard me coming, he looked up.
"How is it that my baby brother has jus' taken over my bike?" Merle growled, and I laughed.
"He loves that bike. So do I."
"What are you doin' here, anyway?" The older Dixon eyed me curiously.
"Daryl's takin' me out to the bar tonight." I grinned.
"Well, I'll be damned. An' jus' how the hell do ya think yer gonna pull that off?"
"I have a fake I.D." I raised my eyebrows. "That's how."
"What're you two out here goin' on 'bout?" Daryl opened the screen door, but he stopped when he saw me. For a moment, he said nothing, his eyes wandering down my body and back up. When they met mine, he smirked. "That my shirt?"
"Maybe." I teased.
"Well, you two done pissin' off or what? I'm ready to go." Daryl looked down at Merle, then back to me.
"Shit, boy, I've been ready. Takin' the damn truck, since you done decided my motorcycle's magically yours." He sneered, and I giggled.
"Yea, yea." Daryl walked past him on the stairs, and I stepped up them.
"I'm gonna take my bag in." I called, opening the screen door. Inside, I walked down the hallway and dropped my bag on the floor beside Daryl's bed. Leaving the familiar room, I stepped back outside and walked over to Daryl. He was standing by the motorcycle, obviously waiting for me. I handed him my wallet to put in the saddle bag, and after he climbed on, I joined him.
As the roar of the engine came to life, I wrapped my arms around his waist. For the first time all day long, I inhaled deeply, and smiled against his back. Relaxed with the comfort of the man in front of me, I let out the breath, snuggling deeper into his back and held on as he drove out onto the road.
The engine rumbled as we pulled into a neighborhood surrounded by a big wooden fence. Daryl drove further in and down the little street, before stopping in front of a big white house and cutting the engine. Rick parked behind us, and I stood from the bike, swinging my leg over. They felt wobbly, and I moved from my heels to the tips of my toes, trying to stretch them a bit. My eyes were on the big house in front of me, and I immediately noted how it was nothing like what I had been used to. Not like Hershel's house back on the farm.
No, it was like one of those houses you see on the t.v. shows with the kids living in the suburbs. Kids who never had to want for anything, their parents always buying them whatever they wanted. Not saying that I hadn't been close to that, my parents had always spoiled me a little bit, but not to the point that I was bratty or entitled. They also made me do chores and have responsibilities. I think that was one reason why Daryl and Merle had let me in their lives. I didn't judge people for any reasons, except their character or actions. If you were a good person, I would get along with you. If you were a bad person, I didn't want any part of it. What you had, or didn't have, made no difference to me.
"It's quiet around here." Rick spoke up, as he and Daryl looked at each other. "Best to go through the block and do a sweep. Once we make sure it's safe, everyone can get some rest. We'll do watch in shifts."
A sweep of the neighborhood houses turned up nothing too bad. A couple of emaciated walkers here and there, but otherwise it was empty. We managed to scrounge up a few supplies as well, but we still needed to find somewhere to stock up on food and ammo. We were running low on nearly everything we had. Not like we had much to begin with. The farm being overrun had taken it all away from us. It had left us with almost nothing. Just what we could grab and run with when we had to escape the blaze.
I left the group on the first floor of the big white house, and made my way up the stairs. Passing the second floor, I made my way up to the third. There was a room to my left, and I stepped into it slowly, my eyes scanning the pink walls surrounding me. Papers were taped and tacked onto the wall. Various quotes, doodles, and notes from friends. Maybe even a few that the girl who had lived here decorated and put up. It reminded me of my old room, and I felt my stomach turn at the thought.
Moving across the carpet, I flipped the latch on the window and pushed it open hard. Climbing over the windowsill, I stepped out onto the flat roof and over to the side. Sitting against the wall, the window opening to my right, I closed my eyes and tried to relax. That was not likely going to happen, but I tried.
The cold air rushed my skin, and the sun had disappeared behind a giant, fluff white cloud. The sun's disappearance made a chill run up my spine from the cold, but I ignored it, allowing myself to sag against the wall behind me. It wasn't the most comfortable space to sit, but it was better than being crowded by everyone downstairs. It was better than looking into everyone's scared eyes and listening to the multiple "it's going to be okay"'s or "we're going to be fine"'s. I couldn't take anymore of that.
I didn't want to hear that I was going to be fine or okay, because the truth of the matter was that we didn't know what was going to happen. We didn't know if we were going to make it through this, we could only hope and keep pushing forward. Keeping hope alive was hard enough to do, the only thing that mattered was to keep pushing on. I guess the others were trying to push each other, but I didn't need to hear the bullshit to keep myself going. I needed to see the people I cared about in front of me. That was enough to make me want to fight for my life.
Daryl Dixon was enough to make me want to fight for my life. Without him, I wasn't sure I would have made it as far as I had. Sure, I was tough. He and Merle had made sure of that since day one. But trying to live, survive, in a world like this didn't make much sense if you didn't have something to fight for. Some people's own lives were enough, but some of us needed something to fight for. And I had mine. Downstairs on the first floor of the house.
Daryl. Dixie. Railey. Glenn, Carl, Maggie and Beth. Hershel. Rick. T, and the others. They had become my family, and I didn't know exactly how to think of them as anything else. It was almost difficult to remember a time when I hadn't been with them. The days before the world went to shit seemed to be so long ago. Days of Daryl and I seemed to be so long ago.
"Evelyn?" Glenn. I heard him step over the windowsill, and he was at my side, sitting to my right. "You okay?"
"I am." I turned my head to look over at him. His expression was thick with concern, his eyes on mine. "I jus' couldn't stay down there an' listen to all the pep talk."
"People need to know we're going to make it through this."
"I know we are." I leaned my head back against the roof. "I know we are, but I jus' can't stand listenin' to it anymore. I know I want to live, I will fight until... Whatever happens. I'm not goin' down without a fight. This isn't a group, it's a family. That's enough worth fightin' for. I don't need to hear why I should keep pushin' on. I see it."
"We are a family." He grabbed my hand, and I squeezed his tight, refusing to let go. Lifting my head, I once again looked him in the eye.
"Why did you stop that day?" I asked.
"Because you looked like you needed hel-"
"You stopped 'cause you're a good person, Glenn." I interrupted him quietly. "I could've gotten killed out there. I probably would'a gotten killed if you hadn't stopped."
"But I did."
"You did." I still held onto his hand. "Thank you for... Everything. Bein' a friend."
"Hey, since this all started... I've made friends. But you're my best friend, got it?" He grinned, and I did too.
"An' you're mine." I agreed. "How's Maggie an' Beth?" I let him go, and his grin faded.
"They are trying to be strong, so is Hershel... Do you think Rick is gonna be okay?"
"I think Rick's gonna be fine. He's tough an' knows how to do what needs to be done." I replied surely. "We gotta trust him. No matter what happens."
"Are you okay?" Glenn asked, and I shrugged.
"Gotta be, right?" I pulled my knees to my chest. "I'm good. Scared, maybe. But otherwise, I'm good."
"I think we're all scared." He said quietly, and I squinted as the sun appeared from behind the cloud.
"At least we're together. I keep that in mind."
"I'll keep that in mind, too."
Please forgive me for the long update wait ! The last few months have been rough.
You guys are amazing, and I AM BACK ! I am so happy to be back writing my FF stories that I have missed oh, so terribly !
Thank you all for being my inspiration to keep writing ! I am currently working on a book, and it is so very time consuming, but exciting ! I am taking time off of writing my book so that I can get some chapters going for you guys !
Every READ/FAV/FOLLOW/REVIEW is just absolutely AMAZING !
Thank you all for being the best readers a girl could ask for.
Don't forget I'm on Twitter. I tweet promo pics, and info about my stories. My handle is kailabrittFF or just look up Kaila Murphy. You'll know it's me by the FF pics I edit for my stories.
Again, you all are amazing.
~Kaila.