Chapter 16 – The Waiting Game
Beth woke to the feel of someone shaking her shoulders. The movement, causing her to open her eyes and blink a few times before they focused on the brown eyed, hazel eyed man. Squinting, she looked around, momentarily forgetting where she was and who was kneeling in front of her. "What?" she asked, running a hand over her face before looking to her right to see a pale skinned Miranda leaning up to the ceiling.
"No," Beth mumbled, moving onto her knees so she could lean over the woman. Pressing a hand to her chest, and leaning as close as possible to hear her breathing. Beth listened hard. Looking for any sign that this wasn't happening now. "Not now," she whispered, closing her eyes when nothing came from the woman.
"Afraid so, sweetheart," Jackson said, still kneeling in front of her. He gave her a grim smile, barely meeting her gaze before looking over at the woman.
"But it's only been a couple of hours," Beth said, shaking her head as she listened to the woman's chest. The man shrugged, not really giving her an answer as he pulled a knife from his boot.
"You said you'd take care of it." He handed the knife to her, watching as Beth's shaking hand reached out for it. "Doesn't have to be you though."
Beth shook her head, taking in a deep breath as she grabbed the knife and flipped it open. Noting the blade was sharp, and long. Enough to penetrate the skull and end it. To do what needed to be done. She closed her eyes, her forehead resting against the woman that'd been a sister to her for the past six years. A good one at that. Going shopping with her. Laughing at the guys together, even joining with her when Daryl screwed up somehow and Beth just wanted to vent. Knowing full well the young girl didn't mean a damn word she said about leaving him and walking away, and vice-versa when Miranda and Merle got into it.
They pulled through together, reminding each other why they loved the Dixon boys and swore they'd never leave them. Bending over, Beth left a lingering kiss on her sister's cheek as she whispered, "I'm sorry." The hilt of the blade sliding in where the skull met the spine, lingering a moment as a tear slipped down Beth's eyes and onto the woman's cold cheek. "So sorry," she continued, pulling the blade out. Her hands still fisting in the woman's hair as Jackson took his knife back, wiping it on his jeans before shoving it back into his boots.
Beth didn't move. Didn't really want to move, but knew she couldn't stay in the city forever. Like she told Daryl, the military was going to set up parameters and they didn't want to be anywhere near the city when that happened. Choking back the tears, she rested Miranda's head down on the floor and looked around her. The other people in the room staring at her. Some with sadness, others with a certain bit of curiosity. One woman pulled her trench coat off, handing it over to her so that Beth could cover the body. She mumbled a quick thank you to the woman as she rested next to a young boy.
When the body was covered she shifted her gaze to Jackson, who looked at her with sympathy. Looking all the world like he wanted to say something, but Beth held her hand up. Shaking her head as she said, "don't. Won't change anything so just don't." The man nodded. Having lived for an indeterminate amount of time, Beth had no doubt that he knew about loss. Happy that he knew when to speak and when not to.
Instead, he swallowed whatever words he wanted to say and focused on their current predicament. "You said something about them bombing the city?"
Beth nodded, her throat still too tight with unshed tears to actually speak.
"Mind sharin how you know that?" His eyebrows raised up, and Beth met his gaze for only a second before looking away. Doing her best to remain calm and she took stock of all she had. She was half tempted to go through Miranda's belongings. See if the girl managed to pack anything of use, but it didn't feel right. Didn't know if she could do that now. Sure in the past that's what they would have done, but now.
"Just do," she whispered, still unable to meet his stare. The man cocked his head to the side, disbelief in his tone as he stared her down. Forcing Beth to clear her throat and look at him, at all of them as they looked to her for a legitimate answer. "The how isn't necessary, just know that they are going to bomb the place and we can't stay here. We've got to get out of the city."
"We?" One of the men shouted. A balded headed one, a bit overweight, and looking none to kind right now as he pointed at her. "Who said anything about we? You barge in here, with a half dead girl. Threaten us, make crazy allegation, and expect us to just follow you anywhere?"
Beth glared at him, biting the inside of her lip as she tilted her head and said, "I don't expect you to do anything. If you wanna stay down here in this hole. Then so be it, but I am going back up there, and I am getting the hell out of this city. "
With those words, she did start going through Miranda's bag. Hoping there was something there that would help her. Nothing of real consequence, though. Some clothes that she couldn't wear, a pair of shoes that she knew wouldn't fit and a slew of make-up that wouldn't do her any good. Beth needed to go into survival mode and there wasn't a whole lot to go in Miranda's bag. Sighing, she looked at the woman with Jackson, guessing that she would be about Miranda's size and handed the bag over to him. "Here, you might have more use for this than me."
Jackson held up his hands, ready to deny the offer as he waved toward the dead woman. "You haven't even buried your dead, and already you're leavin?"
Beth shrugged, glancing over to Miranda, the woman barely covered up with the jacket Beth placed over her head. "I can't get back up those stairs with her, and even if I could, where would I take her to be buried? The city morgue? Where the walking dead are, right?"
Jackson hung his head, a long breath coming out before he looked back up. Glancing toward the body before looking toward Beth. "Alright, fair enough. What's your plan then?"
Beth looked to the floor, once again biting the inside of her lip as she thought about her discussion with Daryl. "South," she said, still remaining vague on the details cause there was no telling how far they would really get. "South, as far as Georgia if possible."
She looked to Jackson, his eyebrows raised as he looked from her to behind him where the woman he was with sat. The girl raised her own eyebrows in question before shrugging, like the two of them were in conversation before he looked back to Beth.
"Going to be dangerous getting out of the city," he said, giving her a long look. Beth nodded, already expecting there to be some trouble. "Going to be even more dangerous going that far, especially now."
Again Beth nodded, not entirely sure where this was going. "We can help," he nodded toward him and the woman. "Lucinda and me. And we might even be able to find some more muscle so we can actually get the hell out of here."
Beth raised an eyebrow at that. More muscle meant better survival, especially vampire muscle. One never did forget how it felt to be pinned down by one, nor did they forget the feel of their teeth ripping into your skin. Beth rubbed at her neck, closing her eyes as she tried to block out Daryl's scorn at just the thought of teaming up with the vampires. He wouldn't like it, but right now they were her only means of surviving. She just hoped they didn't decide they wanted payment for this help. Not like she was asking for it. They were offering, and she wasn't paying for something they were offering.
They sat out that night, Jackson managing to convince Beth to wait that long. Suggesting they took stock of what they had. Which wasn't much, just the pistol and ammo Beth carried and the knife in Jackson's boot. Like her, everyone else ran into the place with what they had. Doing their best to avoid the on-coming crowds. The only difference was Beth and Jackson were survivors. They'd gone through worse and learned to always be prepared. These people would learn that. They would learn it or die, and Beth scoffed at how much that sounded like Carol at that moment. Wondering how she'd managed to become the like the older woman despite the good years she had. Maybe there was piece of all of them talking to her. Telling her what needed to be done, and none louder than Daryl Dixon. The one that survived the prison and showed her how to hunt and make traps. Though she loved the one she was married to now, the one after all these. That was the one that screamed at her now. The one that ran through her head at every movement. The one scoffing at the meager supplies and slipped out through Beth's own musing as she looked at their meager weapons.
"Wasn't planning on running for my life tonight," he confessed, causing Beth to smile.. She did manage to talk Lucinda into taking the bag of clothes, reminding her that they didn't really have the option of going home at the moment. Jackson held his hand up at that, mumbling something about "we'll see what we're facin first."
Beth's brows furrowed at that, a cautious glance going across her face as he held up his hand to quiet her and pointed to the door.
When they did finally get moving, and managed to convince, Jester - the man controlling the door- to open it. It was with three other people from the group in the basement, minus the balding man. The seven of them made their way up the stairs, stopping when they heard shouting on the other end of the doorway. Beth leaned against it, half thinking maybe they should head back downstairs and wait this out.
"Sure about this?" Jackson asked, his own head leaning against the door. Beth didn't doubt that he could hear the chaos better than her, but still she nodded her head.
"The sooner the better."
He nodded at her words, motioning for the others to come closer as he moved to pry the door open. Unsure of what was going to happen outside. Beth grabbed her gun, making sure the safety was off and it was loaded as Jackson held out his own weapon. Staring at her as he counted, "one, two, three" before swinging the doors open and stepping into the chaos.
Beth followed after, the five other people tailing her. Lucinda stayed close to Jackson, grabbing the tail of his shirt as they were bustled about the sidewalk. The moment they entered the street, they were jostled left and right. People either afraid, or being uncivilized running through them until Beth wasn't sure where half of their group went. Luckily, Jackson came up with the idea of a meeting point for just such a case, and Beth found herself dashing for the street sign. Staying practically bent over as she ran for it, and doing her best to ignore the oncoming crowd. One man lunged at her, snarling as Beth whirled past him and she didn't even remember the pistol in her hand as she darted away, barely looking over her shoulder to see another young man step into his path.
She felt a bit of guilt at that. She should have shot him. The moment she heard the all to familiar sound, she should have shot, but her mind was on flight mode. The need to run outweighing her thoughts on actually shooting a moving target. She was the first to reach the sign post. Out of breath, and anxious, she turned left and right. Looking for anyone from the group she originally took off with. Kneeling against the sign, she took in a deep breath. Doing her best to calm herself as she looked through the ensuing chaos. People shoved each other left and right. Police were in full riot gear as they beat and pounded on those they believed to be causing trouble, sometimes a gunshot would ring out. A scream drowning it out the moment it did, and behind it all was the fire. The orange flames rising up along the street, the smoke making it hard to see and burning your lungs as you rushed through. Beth closed her eyes, wiping at the sweat on her brow as she waited. Hoping that someone made it through. Someone touched her shoulder, causing her to jump only to find that it was Jackson standing next to her with Lucinda still in tow. The woman looked frightened, tired even, but still whole as the three of them stared at each other.
"The others?" she asked, spinning around to catch sight on anyone else. Jackson shook his head, shifting as he looked down the street and around them for any sign. Another woman came rushing up, her hand wrapped firmly around a little boy that clung to her hand for dear life.
All of them but one and Beth found herself looking toward Jackson for the answer. He shrugged, unable to make a proper response as Beth nodded, looking to the others for an agrument. Without a word they took off, heading further down the street and away from the screams and shouts. The guilt twisting in Beth's stomach for a moment before looking back to see the young man tailing them, his brows determined as he shoved past a police officer and came running.
Beth slowed, turning to see Jackson being pulled back by Lucinda only to look forward and see the officer raise his gun. The bullet sounding in the air moments before the young man was brought down to his knees, a look of shock on his face as blood pooled into the front of his shirt.
"Shit," Beth muttered, taking a step back, looking at him with regret in her eyes before turning and continuing to run. Knowing there was nothing else to be done. Jackson and the others folllowed suit, barely glancing back as they ran around the corner and into another alley.
"My trucks just over that way," the woman, Beth believed her name to be Jessica, pointed out, clenching her son's hand even harder as they continued on. Each of them doing their best to keep quiet, and stay calm now that they were away from the crowds. Rounding the corner, the red truck that Jessica promised would be there sat in the dark. Settled underneath a burnt out street light.
Jessica and her child climbed in the front while the others jumped in the back, settling in for the long ride of who knows where. The only thing on Beth's mind was getting home. Getting back to Daryl and then warring with herself cause she still didn't know if that was the better option. Knowing that if she got back to him, then the timeline would be out of sync and what would happen then. Would the other's be just as safe as when Daryl was there with them? Of course. Rick would make sure of that. Would they meet in the same way, and Beth get thrown back here? That was the question that constantly warred with her.
With a sigh, she leaned her head back on the window, wishing she could close her eye for even a moment, but things weren't looking to go that way.
"I know you want to get back home," Jackson hollered over the wind passing by them. Beth glanced at him, not moving her head from where it rested as he continued. "But I think you'd be wise to join us at our cabin. Give you a chance to rest and stock up on some much needed supplies."
Beth shook her head, even as her body protested at the thought of not resting, or eating.
"Don't be stupid. The streets in and out of any eastern cities are going to be clogged for days. Rest, wait it out for a bit and then head south."
Beth looked out past the growing crowd. Noting the New York citizens were finally understanding that something was going on, and they needed to get out as fast as they could. She could only imagine what kind of traffic jam that would create. Not to mention having to travel through it all the way back to Georgia. "Alright," she muttered, smiling at Jackson in thank you. "But just for a few days."
The man nodded, giving his own kind smile before he turned his attention back to his wife.
Beth nodded, her head lolling back as the city streets blurred. Going somewhere between sleep and awake as the miles passed. Until the city streets turned to suburban homes and even that started disappearing. Cars passed them by, others they passed. Streets clearing up slowly until it was nothing but back roads and woods once again surrounding them until Jackson leaned forward to tap on the window.
When the car slowed to the stopped at the side of the road, the woman inside opened her door, poking her head out the door as Jackson jumped out the back and Beth leaned over to talk.
"I have a cabin a few miles from here, heading north a bit. It's got food and a generator and it'll allow us to regroup from there."
The woman nodded, her eyes looking over to Beth and Lucinda as her son leaned across the cab, against his mother to hear what was being said. The woman looked at him, watching as his eye lit up at the idea of a road trip.
"It'll be safe there, right?" she looked to Beth for the answer. Her eyes curious and Beth felt her chest tightening. Not wanting the responsibility of these people. Not needing that kind of responsibility. Still, she nodded. Her eyes barely meeting the woman's as she said "Yeah. For now."
They pulled up to the cabin a couple of hours before daybreak. Much to the relief of Jackson and his wife as they eyed the building. Beth took in the two story cabin, looking over how picturesque and perfect it looked as they all jumped from the trunk of the car and Jackson mumbled, "home sweet home." Giving him a sharp look, she raised an eyebrow at him before looking back at the house in question. "What? So you earn a penny or two after being on this earth for well over a century."
"A century," the woman cried, stepping out of the passenger seat, eyeing the man in question.
It was Jackson's turn to lick his lip as he nodded his head. "Yeah, a century."
The woman looked from him, to Lucinda and then Beth, waiting on a response. When Jackson and his wife stepped toward the house without a reply, Beth let out a heavy sigh. Taking pity on the woman as she appeared even more worried than she had in the city.
"He's a vampire," Beth explained, raising her hands up in a shrug. "But I think he's harmless."
The woman narrowed her gaze at her, uncertain about that statement before Beth gave a reassuring smile. "Pretty sure he's harmless."
The woman rolled her eyes. "How do you even know that?"
Beth let her own eyes travel over the place, mostly toward the windows that she pointed up to. "Those are solar panel windows. They'll darken as the day goes on, making the house sun proof," she explained, hoping that pointing out some quick observations for the woman would help. When she looked at her a bit more curiously, Beth gave her a lopsided grin. "It's the small things that give it away, but it helps that I've had my own run in's with vampires. I already know what I'm looking for."
The woman sighed, her hand coming up to press against her forehead as she took a deep breath before looking toward the now sleeping boy. When she looked back up at the house, her focus remained on Jackson as he and his wife opened up the door. "It's just been a long couple of days. First the dead coming back and now vampires. How do you handle all this?" she asked, looking at Beth like she was some sort of super woman. Beth shrugged, looking at Jackson and Lucinda, who were whispering on the stairs.
"In stride, I guess. Not much else you can do." She glanced back at the woman as she placed her head in her hands, looking ready to sob as she slide them away and looked to the sky.
"I just..." her words trailed off and Beth nodded her head, resting a hand on the woman's shoulder.
"I know." She gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before holding her hand out."I'm Beth by the way. Everyone calls me Z though."
The woman quirked an eyebrow, obviously curious how you go from Beth to Z and the young girl just shrugged a shoulder, smiling as she said, "A nickname from my husband."
"Oh," the woman said, grabbing Beth's hand to shake it. "Jessica and my son Nicholas."
"Good to meet you, and thanks for the lift."
The woman laughed, nodding as she reached over to wake her son up. Jackson stood on the front steps, the door wide open with Lucinda already inside. Beth stepped in, giving the place a quick one over to note that it wasn't much. The downstairs consisted of a long room with a fireplace and large leather sofa on one end, an entrance of sorts with a bear rug in the center. A dining table took up space on the other side with the kitchen open to view towards the back, and a hallway with a couple of doors leading off. Upstairs looked about the same. A small sitting area at the top of the stairs and a couple of rooms branching off from the top.
"Nice," Nicholas said as he came in, twirling on the spot before heading over to the sofa to take a seat. Jackson smiled, his arms sweeping out to encompass the place. "Thank you. Feel free to make yourselves at home. Power should be up a running.." he said, moving to flip a couple of switches. The lights flickered for a moment before settling down and they all looked at him. "For now anyways. We have a back up generator out back should that become a problem. Plenty of food stalked up in the pantry and that should do it for now."
Beth spun around the place one more time, taking it in as she took a deep breath and mumbled, "just for a couple of days."
Don't know how many of you are enjoying this slow pace. I know it's almost killing me cause I have so many exciting moments planned out and I want to share them, but don't want to weigh you down with one long boring chapter, but I am trying to get past this. They are out of New York now, holed up inside a cabin with a vampire. Kind of exciting, right? Maybe not, but oh well. If you're having issues trying to figure out where they are concerning where Daryl and them are, I'm following along on the timelines on the walking dead and fear the walking dead wikia pages. I end this one days four and five for the FTWD time line.
Anyways if you've stuck through this far. Thanks a million. It's much appreciated and I promise I won't be going day by day. Maybe a few more time hops in he near future, right now just bare with me.
