Chapter 14 – Time Passes
"In other news, doctors have reported a rise of people coming in complaining of high temperatures with flu like symptoms. Doctors are suggesting that people with these symptoms head to the nearest hospital, otherwise stay inside and..."
The news reporter'ss voice was drowned out by a loud screech as Miranda appeared in her front door with two tickets in her hand. "You ready for this!?" she asked, bouncing on her heels as she rushed into the room. Beth shook her head, her focus going back to the television only to find that the news shifted to some local sports story and she looked back to Miranda.
"I don't think we should go," she said, waving toward the TV. Miranda' smile turned into a scowl as her arms fell to her sides. "It's just that a lot of people are getting sick, and even the CDC said we should stay inside."
"People are always getting sick, Z," Miranda argued back, her eyes going wide. "That's part of the world we live in, but this," she held up the two tickets to wave in her face. "Is Lady Antebellum and The Band Perry, and they aren't going to perform anywhere else together, but New York so..." she waved toward the door. Beth titled her head, giving the older girl a hard look. Miranda shook a finger at her before saying, "no, and no." She turned toward the hallway, heading toward Beth's bedroom where there was a small bag already packed up ready to go.
"You promised me girl's time, and that's what we are going to do." Miranda didn't even bother to glance at Beth again as she stormed out of the house with the bag in tow. Daryl walked in at that moment, his eyebrow raised at Miranda before looking toward a very irritated Beth.
"What's that about?" he asked, walking over to press a small kiss on her forehead before pulling away.
Beth sighed, throwing her arms in the air as she turned away. "The hospitals are reporting high amount of sick people and even the CDC..." she began to explain when she was pulled back around to face a frowning Daryl.
"Z, stop." He pulled her to him, his hand resting on her chin as he pushed it back up, closing her mouth and forcing her to stare up at him. "You can't live in fear because of some future that you think is gonna happen."
"Think is going to happen?!" Beth all but shouted as she shoved away from him. "Daryl have you not watched the news?" she asked, pointing toward the television. "Even the CDC is starting to tell people to stay inside. It's happening, Daryl. Same fuckin..." she was once again cut off when Daryl grabbed her face, pulling her toward him one more time.
"It's the same argument you had last year when they started reporting all this shit. It's why our basement is filled with weapons and ammo and nonperishable food. Not to mention the reinforced door you made me put up."
Beth quirked a smile at that, pulling out of his grasp as she looked toward the door in question. "I helped with that door."
Daryl rolled his eyes, his own lips turning up as he looked at her. There was amusement there, along with what Beth learned a long time ago was love. He didn't say the words often, but he showed her in other ways that he loved her.
"Go with Miranda. Have some fun, lord knows you deserve it and when you get back, you'll be glad you did."
Beth stared at the floor, her stomach in knots as she thought about how close they were to the first time her world ended. She had everything she wanted here. A loving husband, family, friends. The children at the daycare had become her children when she found she couldn't have her own after the second attempt.
Sure, her blood family wasn't here, but they were close enough and besides, she'd lost them so long ago. The nightmares still plagued her when she thought about them too much. Could see her Daddy kneeling there behind the gates, her mother grabbing for her and her brother and sister. She didn't want to think what could have happened with Maggie and Glenn. If they survived or were lost somewhere. She didn't seem them in the hospital, and at the time she wondered about it but didn't get the chance to ask before.
"Beth."
Daryl's whisper pulled her from her thoughts and she stared up at him. Curious what he had to say because he hardly used her real name. Hardly used the tone he was using now, and as she stared up at him, she could see that hint of sadness in his eyes. Like he knew where she went when she dropped off like that. Like he wished he could help her in some way, but Beth refused to talk about it. She let bit's slip. Pieces of a much bigger puzzle that he would have to put together. She promised she would one day, but was starting to think one day was coming to late and there wasn't time now, because Miranda was stepping back into the house. Her hand resting on her hip as she stared at the two.
"Are ya comin or not?" she asked, almost glaring at Beth.
"Go," Daryl repeated, grabbing the back of her head and pulling her closer so that he could leave another kiss on her forehead. "Have fun and I'll see ya when you get home."
"And if the apocalypse happens while I'm in New York," she asked, pulling back far enough to see the smirk on his face.
"Then we'll find a way back to each other." He smiled down at her, the words coming out so easily but Beth felt her insides twist. Tears almost burning behind her eyelids as she whispered, "like we always do, huh?"
Daryl heard her, she knew he did in the way his brows creased and he opened his mouth to say something, but Miranda was standing in the doorway, one finger tapping on her wrist and Beth leaned forward to place a lingering kiss on Daryl's lips. "See ya when I get back." she repeated before she pulled away.
She got one step away, her hands already reaching for her purse when she was yanked back into Daryl's arms and his lips slammed against hers. This was one of his hungry kisses. The hard, intimate ones that she almost always got when they were alone, but that didn't stop her from wrapping her arms around his neck to pull herself closer. Leaning against him as he titled his head to deepen the kiss.
When he pulled away, he pecked her lips a few more times before saying, "you better come back to me."
Beth smiled, one that barely reached her eyes as she looked up at him. Memorizing his blue eyes, and hard jaw. Loving the way his hair looked, even though it was cut short because the new boss made him, but he pulled it off and she could see his eyes clearer now.
Pulling herself up to place another kiss on his lips before pulling away to say, "I will."
She left then, climbing into the passenger side of Miranda's mustang that Merle had found for her, and fixed up. The engine purred as it came to life, and it wasn't long before Beth found herself back on the familiar highway that brought her to this small town. Back to the town that she ran away from nearly ten years ago, and she wondered how much changed.
Miranda, for her part, kept her distracted. Playing some of her favorite country songs to up her enthusiasm for the concert. Chattering away about what she wanted to do while in the Big Apple. Miranda had never been there. Never had a reason to go, and Beth found herself making small plans. Wanting to take her to some of her favorite spots when she was there. Head over the Statue of Liberty, something Beth only got to do once. Be a couple of regular tourists and forget about what could be happening for the moment.
Silently praying that it'd be something she could deal with when they got home.
They drove into New York at the start of nightfall and Beth found herself sitting up a little straighter to get a good look at the skyline she never thought she'd see again. Wondering the whole time how much of it had changed. She half wanted to go by the old neighborhood, see if the music shop was still open or if the old man had passed. Probably, it'd been so long ago that she just up and left him. She had a momentary lapse of guilt for that, remembering how lonely he was. Still, that was some time ago and she didn't imagine him to still be alive, so she focused instead on the good.
It's when they neared the highway exit that the first start of unease settled into Beth's stomach while the traffic slowed to a crawl. They could see fire engines and an ambulance somewhere off in the distance. A cop car sped past them, his lights flashing even as he swerved to a stop and even Miranda quieted when Beth could lean forward to see what was going on. People were getting out of their cars, standing on their cars to get a better look at the commotion.
Beth looked to Miranda, their eyes meeting for a mere moment before they followed suit and as Beth opened the door, she could hear shouts from whatever accident was happening. The feeling in her stomach was building again, twisting itself into knots as she stepped onto the side of the car, raising herself above the rest of the vehicles to see a slew of police officers standing around a man. Their guns raised in some sort of stand still as they shouted orders. Commanding him to stand down even as he stumbled toward them.
The man lurched, grabbing on to the closest officer, pulling him toward him until the gunshots went off. Beth jumped at the sounds, ducking her head until it stopped. "We should go," Beth said, looking toward her sister-in-law.
Miranda looked in front of them and then back and shrugged. "Go where?"
They were grid locked at this point. Half the traffic blocking the way into the city and the other half blocking their way out. All they could do was sit there and wait. Gasps and screams could be heard from the front of the group, and Beth looked up in time to see the man riddled with bullets standing up. Again stumbling toward the officers as they let out another round. One officer got lucky, shooting him in the head and Beth ducked. Her head resting on the roof of the car as the nausea welled up inside of her.
"Get in the car," Miranda said, getting Beth's attention. She looked toward her, and then to the police officers now standing around the body. Encompassing the strange man as they whispered amongst themselves. The EMT's slowly advanced on them, keeping their voices low as well, as they pushed through the circle of officers to tend to the man.
Beth felt her head whirl, wondering what the hell she was doing here. How the hell she'd gotten wrapped up in all of this.
"Z," Miranda said again, almost growling as she banged on the roof of her car. Beth jumped focusing on her sister-in-law as the woman almost hissed out "Get. In. The car."
Beth nodded, going light headed as she followed Miranda's words, ducking back into the safety of their car. Trying to swallow what she just saw. The sight of it unreal as she tried to wrap her mind around the fact that she was living this. She vaguely remembered seeing the news reports, watching the same thing happen on the television in the safety of her home. Surrounded by her Mom and Dad, and all the others. Now, though.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Telling herself it was going to be okay, that nothing was going to happen. That she could get through this. Both of them. Together.
Vaguely, she felt the car pull forward, creeping toward the incident until they were face to face with the ambulance and officers. Beth looked out the window, her gaze dragging across the body now covered in a blanket and being loaded into the back of the ambulance to one of the officer's sitting on the back of the fire truck, his wound being tended to by another EMT.
When they stopped, she noticed the officer directing traffic. Keeping them moving so that, no one could get a good view of what just happened.
" 'Scuse me," Beth said, leaning over Miranda to speak to the man. He glanced at her, already preparing to tell them to move on when Beth asked, "what happened? To that man?" she asked, nodding toward the ambulance that the body now rested in.
"Car chase gone wrong," he said, his tone clipped as he looked behind them to the line of cars. Beth didn't believe it. Her own eyes witnessed the man stumbling around.
"But, he wasn't armed. Why'd you shoot?" she asked, waiting for him to tell her the truth. Needing someone admit to what was happening, but knowing that they wouldn't.
The man's lip tightened up, his eyes going hard as he shook his head. "He attacked us first, now move on," he said, waving them forward. Beth looked to see that the other cars had already moved on. Some of them pulling into the grass to bypass the slower cars and no one seemed to be stopping them. Not one officer dared to stop any of them from speeding off the moment they were able to.
Beth shook her head, turning back to watch the officer in question glance at them one more time and then to see the other officer's still huddled around each other. Talking about what just happened. "That wasn't a car chase gone wrong," she muttered, her eyes frozen on the sight. "That was something else, they aren't saying what."
"Don't do it, Z," Miranda said, her own tone clipped as she kept her eyes glued to the front window. "Don't. This isn't your crazy zombie apocalypse crap. That was just a shoot out gone wrong." Her tone was firm, her fingers tight as they dug into the wheel.
"Miranda," Beth said, unable to believe the woman was going to dismiss what just happened. "You saw it."
"I saw a man attack the officer's and get shot down. That's what happens."
Beth shook her head, mouth gaping open as she looked at the woman sitting across from her. She didn't acknowledge her. Didn't even utter another word as she took a deep breath and maneuvered her way through traffic. Doing her best to leave behind whatever it was that just happened.
Beth sat forward, her mind still buzzing as she barely comprehended her surroundings. She knew what she saw. What she'd seen all those years ago on the television, and she feared what she would find in the city. What would happen to them now.
She tried not to think about it. Tried to tell herself that Miranda was right. As they neared the city, Beth didn't see any smoke, or chaos. The horns from cars blared as they moved slowly through the traffic, doing their best not to get hit by on-coming traffic. Beth looked out the window, still unable to believe that it was so normal. That anything happened back on that highway to make them believe otherwise. As they pulled into the familiar town. People were still walking about, shopping, talking, doing everything that you would expect from good old New York City.
Maybe that was the problem. Maybe New York was so crowded, and chaotic already that no one noticed the ending starting. That things were starting to get worse, even as they looked normal. When they entered the hotel, the clerk on duty was half asleep. His words half muttered as he clacked away on his keyboard. The small TV behind him showed the evening news and the reporter was going on about the recent increase in police related shootings.
"Looks like a bad time to be in the city," he said, handing over the keys to their room. Beth nodded, hesitating for a moment as she glanced at the TV again. The woman now talking about the flu that everyone seemed to be contacting. "Whole worlds going nuts."
Beth stared at him, her eyes darting back to the television for just a moment before Miranda hollered at her from across the room. "Maybe." she said, taking a step back and heading into the elevator. Miranda gave her the 'what the hell' stare for a moment as she pressed the number to their floor and the elevator slowly headed up.
Once inside their room, Miranda headed into the bathroom to clean up and Beth pulled out her cell phone. The number on auto dial as she listened to the rings and then Daryl's familiar drawl. "Hey girl."
Beth smiled, still happy to hear his voice as she fell back on the mattress. "Hey, just checking in." she explained, looking toward the bathroom where the water was turned on. She could feel herself steadily relaxing, one slow exhale after another as she listened to Daryl's steady breathing on the other end.
"How was the trip?"
"Fine, it was fine," she said, unsure if she should tell him about what she saw. If he would even believe her, or blow it off like Miranda did. Police shooting's weren't uncommon, especially when the other guy attacks first. Isn't that what happened to Rick. Isn't that what Carl told her, how they were separated from him in the beginning.
"Liar," Daryl mumbled, making Beth let out a simple smile. How easily he could read her scared her sometimes, but she loved it. Loved that she had someone who knew her so well.
"There was an accident as soon as we hit New York," she explained, closing her eyes as the images came back again. "The man attacked the police and he was shot down. Miranda and I..." her words trailed off, but the silence on the other end told her that Daryl understood. That she didn't have to say anything else.
"Ya'll okay?" His voice shook, she could hear the tremor in it and she unconsciously shook her head.
"Yeah, we're fine. Just scared me is all."
"Reminded you of somethin," he said. Didn't ask. Said. Again Beth found herself nodding her head.
Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes to focus on something else. Needing Daryl to help her focus on something else so she asked, "what are you two doin?"
"Nuthin," he replied, sounding like he was releasing his own breath. Probably believed she was going to go off on another one of her end of the world tangents. She wanted to. Felt like she needed to, but she held it in and listened to the sound of his voice as he continued. "Just sittin at an old friend's house in Atlanta."
That made Beth raise her head up, brows coming together as she pulled herself into a sitting position. "Why are you in Atlanta?" She didn't remember that being part of the plan. Didn't recall him mentioning anything about Atlanta.
"Merle needed some help with somethin'" was all he said. Letting her know that it wasn't up for discussion. Beth let out another long sigh, her hand running down her face as she nodded her head. "Just be careful," she said, still unsure of what she saw on the highway today. If everything she saw, and everything she heard, leading to what she feared.
"Always am, sweetheart."
This time a real smile creased across Beth's face as she laid back down, listening to Daryl's steady breathing on the other end. The silence fell between them, lulling her into a sense of comfort as she closed her eyes and imagined him next to her. His hands running across her shoulder, through her hair and down her back. A barely intelligible sigh escaped her lips, and Daryl chuckled on the other end. "Dreamin about somethin?"
"Hmm," Beth replied, the smile growing. "Wishin you were here is more like."
"You'll be home soon enough." Beth nodded at that, staying silent as the water turned off in the other room.
"Yeah," she replied, sitting back up to grab her own bag. "It's late. I'll call ya tomorrow."
"Alright," he replied, already letting the disappointment slip through his tone. "Love ya."
"Love you too," she said back, grinning as she flipped the phone shut.
Beth stumbled toward the pile of bodies, her mother's red hair buried underneath another one and she didn't hesitate to pull the man off. Crying as she knelt down to cry over her mother, smoothing her hair back just as her hand came up. Snatching on to her wrists as the she attempted to bite down on her arm. Beth screamed, yanking her arm back until a gun shot rang out...
Beth jerked up, her head turning one way and then another before she remembered where she was. What was happening. Her vision cleared, and she took in the small hotel room with the two beds. Another figure lying across from her and then the red and blue lights of a police car driving past. A never ending sound in this city, no matter what time of day it was. Beth blinked a few more times, still adjusting to what light managed to leak through the curtains. Standing, she moved to the window, yanking the curtains open so that she could look outside.
Still no random fires, or helicopters overhead. Nothing to indicate that chaos was about to ensue and she kind of wished she'd asked those that survived the city what it'd been like before all hell broke loose. Should she be concerned with what she saw yesterday, or go on with the day. Her question was answered when Miranda let out a heavy groan behind her and asked, "any zombies walking around outside?"
Beth snorted, unable to believe the woman was making jokes. She wouldn't be laughing if it happened to her. Won't be laughing when they're staring her in the face. "No," she replied, somewhat harshly before she turned from the window to head into the bathroom. "Need to get movin though. It's past noon."
Miranda glanced at the clock, letting out another heavy groan as it dawned on her that they'd slept in. Maybe it was a good thing they'd slept in. Less of a reason to venture around the city and see something else that would make her turn tail and run. She should be doing that now, but the girl still lying in the bed was the one who held the keys and she was determined to have these three days. When Beth entered the bathroom, she rubbed a hand down her face, mumbling 'it'll be okay.'
Still, something knotted up in the pit of her stomach and she looked in the mirror, giving herself a hard stare. "It will be okay."
"You hungry," Miranda hollered from the other room and Beth exhaled the deep breath she'd taken before looking over her shoulder and hollering "Yeah. There's a pizzeria not far from here."
"Sounds good," Miranda hollered back and Beth could hear some banging around going on in the next room, which told her the woman was pulling out her boxes of make up and preparing for the day. She decided to do the same and before long Beth was dressed with her hand done in its usual fashion – which Miranda scowled at- and she was applying a light bit of make up as Miranda took over the bathroom counter. Doing her best to straighten her hair, and outline her lips. Removing it and replacing it at least a dozen times before she was fully satisfied with the results. The entire time going on about the concert in just a few hours, what would happen there, and how exciting the whole thing was. Beth was getting excited as well, seeing as she'd never been to a concert.
The whole world seemed to go out the window the moment she would have been allowed to do any of that stuff. So, despite the things the news reporter was talking about, Beth squashed those annoying little bugs in her stomach demanding that she head home, deciding enjoy the moment. It wasn't ever going to happen again, and with the way things were heading, she'd never get another moment to just be carefree. World going to shit be damned, she was going to enjoy this night.
The pizzeria stood just around the corner from the Beacon Theater that allowed them to take their time eating as they buzzed about the concert. Talking about what songs they wanted to hear. "Hearing American Honey would be nice," Miranda mentioned and Beth nodded in agreement. Thinking of how the song reminded her of her own past.
"Just a kiss," Beth mumbled, smiling as she looked to the older woman. Miranda smiled as well, her eyes lighting up. They both silent for a moment as Beth took another bite of her pizza, looking at the window. Her eyes continued darting around the street, looking for anything out of place. Though nothing ever appeared. It looked so normal outside with the people rushing along the streets, going about their days like any other time.
"What do you think those two are up to?" Miranda asked, breaking the silence as she brushed the crumbs off of her hands. Beth shook her head, almost frowning as she thought about them taking off to Atlanta like they did.
"With those two," she started, shrugging like she wasn't too concerned. "There really is no tellin."
Miranda nodded, looking out the window for a moment before glancing at her phone. Just from the window Beth could guess it was well into late afternoon and the thought was confirmed when Miranda mumbled, "we should get in line."
"Still early, isn't it?" Beth asked, glancing at her as the woman pulled out her wallet to place a few bills on the table.
She shook her head, "Not if you want a good seat."
Beth rolled her eyes, following Miranda's lead as she headed out the door and around the corner. When they arrived at the theater, Beth was surprised to find some people already lined up and she received a "I told ya so" look from Miranda. Beth just gave her a slight grin as they filed into line, doing her best not to look depressed at the thought of standing outside for nearly an hour and a half.
"It's going to be worth it," Miranda whispered, almost bouncing as she spun around to face her. The excitement in the woman's eyes was enough to fill Beth with her own excitement and she nodded her head, "you're right."
The hour passed by quickly, Miranda easily picked up conversations with the people around them. Talking about the concert, and where they were from and all those little questions that come when meeting someone new. Beth hung back a bit, her eyes still darting from place to place. Looking for something unusual. Aside the man a few feet behind them coughing, she didn't see anything. It was just a normal day in New York. The line slowly started moving, each step getting them closer to the inside of the theater until Beth and Miranda found themselves somewhere up the front. Still next to those same group of people that they'd been speaking to the for the past hour, and not far from her the man that continued coughing. Continuously apologizing now, unsure of what was going on. Beth barely heard him mumble, "I was fine this morning. I swear" to the woman next to him.
The girl looked concerned, and Beth turned away from the sight, reminding herself that people got sick all the time. Especially in overcrowded cities and it wasn't anything to be concerned about. Still, she found herself stepping as far from the man as possible as she turned forward. Focusing on the stage in front of her. The curtains were closed, but she could hear rustling on the other end and any moment they were going to open those curtains, dim the lights and the show was going to start.
It took longer than a moment, but the curtains did open. Their opening song, Our Kind of Love. Miranda and Beth looked at each other, a knowing smile spread across their lips as they simultaneously bobbed their heads to the beat. Their gaze slowly going back to the front of the theater to watch the show.
Miranda raised her hands in the other, waving them as she continued to bounce along while Beth closed her eyes, singing along with the band. Each of them losing each other in the music, enjoying the moment until one song bled into another, and the noise around them grew into one big voice that was easy to drown out.
The bugs in Beth's stomach disappeared as she danced with the rest of the crowd. Her eyes didn't dart from person to the next, worried that someone or something was going to attack her at any minute. For the moment, forgetting about the too soon future and focus on just being a normal person, at a normal concert with her sister. It was a feeling made her drift, her eyes closing as she listened to their song "I Run To You" realizing that it was because of Daryl that she was here. Him talking her into doing this wasn't as big of a mistake as she first believed. Singing along with the song, she closed her eyes and felt the lyrics wash over her. Telling herself to call Daryl the moment she got out of here.
Just for a moment, to check up on him. To hear him. The smile grew on her face and she felt someone nudge her side. Her eyes meeting Miranda's smiling face.
The next song came on and Beth's smile grew even wider as she sang "she grew up on the side of the road. Where the church bell rings and strong love grows. She grew up good, she grew up slow. Like American Honey..."
She turned to see Miranda singing along with her, and the girls clasped hands, raising them in the air to sway with the beat. Continue to sing even louder with the chorus. Half way through the song a scream caught Beth's attention, freezing her movements as she turned to find the source. The brown haired woman that had been standing next to the coughing man was crouched over him on the floor now. Having collapsed at some point during the song, though no one noticed until the woman was on the ground. Crying, and hysterical as she shook his shoulders, trying to wake him up. The band stopped singing, their gazes going from the each other out to the crowd and even Miranda moved to step closer.
Beth grabbed her shoulder, holding her back as that feeling started rising up again, making her take a step back as the others moved forward. Her eyes darting around the theater looking for the closest exit while others crowded around the young girl and her man. Trying to help them out. Something told her there was no help for him. She could hear someone on the phone calling for the ambulance and she hoped they came in time. Though judging by the tears on the woman's face and the way another person leaned over the man, his fingers placed along his throat as he shook his head. Beth knew. It was too late, and they needed to go.
"Is that guy dead?" Miranda asked, taking a step closer. Beth shook her head, unable to pull her eyes away from the sight as the woman pulled up the sleeve on his arm, revealing a nasty looking bite mark that looked to have been there for several hours.
"Shit," Beth mouthed, her gaze going back to the exit doors. Noting that one of them was just past the small group of people leaning over the dead man. Miranda looked at her, confusion written on her face. Beth shook her head, unable to explain it now as she nodded to the door and pushed her toward it.
"We gotta go," she said, unsure of how that was going to go over with the older woman.
"What?" she asked, waving toward the man. "But he's..."
Her words trailed off as Beth nodded her head and said, "Yeah, and he won't be for long." More confusion spread across the woman's face and she internally cursed herself, realizing that she wasn't going to leave without an explanation.
"His infected. That virus that everyone's been talkin about," she explained, nodding toward the dead man. "Well, let's just say we don't wanna be here when he comes back."
"But he's dead." Miranda waved at the man. At the man kneeling next to the woman that was leaning over the dead man's chest weeping uncontrollably, trying to understand what just happened.
"Yeah, I know," Beth said, grabbing Miranda's arms and pulling her past the group. Doing her best to ignore the look confusion across the woman's face as gaped at the group. Beth didn't even look at them, only stopping because Miranda yanked out of her clutches to turn and watch as the man's chest rose. One deep, rattling breath that had the woman kneeling next to him staring from him to the man that announced him dead. A couple of paramedics pushed into the room at that point, shoving through the crowd to get to the man on the floor and the man's finger's twitched.
She doesn't know what did it. Maybe pity, maybe the ability to remember how it felt when her own mother grabbed a hold of her, trying to snap at her before a bullet went through her brain. Whatever it was, she knelt just behind the crying woman, her hands resting on her shoulders as she said, "you should take a step back. You don't want to be near him right now."
The woman looked at her, her brows furrowing together before she looked to where Beth was indicating. The man had opened his eyes now, the iris's covered in a milky white film that Beth knew all too well as his jaw opened and shut. Slowly at first as she looked around him.
Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, she pulled on the woman again, "move away. Now." she all but ordered.
"He's just sick," the woman whispered, pulling away from her grip as she knelt over the man. Beth closed her eyes, unable to watch as she turned away. Knowing she did what she could. She took one glance at the EMT's. Their steps faltering as they grew closer, telling Beth they'd come across this before. Probably seen this all day and night. One of them was on the walkie-talkie, calling in for back up and that was enough for Beth. It was time to go.
Okay so now their separated and Beth's in New York along with Daryl in Atlanta. The concert scene I thought about making it fast paced and Beth freaking out a little but then it came out slow. With the people standing around, watching, not sure of what's going on. Watched FTWD again to kind of get the feel for that, and thought it would play out like that more. I hoping Beth's reaction to the man on the highway and the news reports aren't coming off as ignorant, just denial like. Like she knows, but doesn't want to, or believes she has more time. That kind of thing. Anyways.
Hopefully I did it some justice, and the next few chapters should have a little more action. Definitely going to be seeing a different Beth as she tries to get out of the city. Anyways, thanks again for continuing to read and follow. Hope you enjoy it so far.
