Dayton walked down to the grand kitchen, happy for a change. She'd just slept with the man she liked. Hopefully that meant something. Dayton wasn't usually desperate, but something inside of her ached at the loss of a family. Maybe it was talking about her parents and siblings? And Tallahassee losing his son? Either way, she felt emotionally drained. It didn't help that Wichita took off with Little Rock as well, ripping away the only other person she'd considered a sister. (Not Wichita, she could suck a zombie off for all Dayton cared)
Footsteps walking into the kitchen broke her out of her daydream. Tallahassee groaned loudly, and pressed his hands to his eyes. "For gods sake, please tell me you have underwear on!" He moaned. Dayton rolled her eyes. "Yes, I do. I wouldn't walk around the house without my nunny out in general, much less when you're here," She replied. In all fairness, the underwear she'd found had been rather… racy… It'd obviously belonged to Bill Murray's wife or maybe a mistress he had? Dayton didn't know. He didn't have a daughter, and divorced his wife only last year. Tallahassee "mmm"ed and walked over to raid the cupboards. "I'm surprised you're not hanging over the toilet bowl this mornin'" Tallahassee commented as he shoved his hand into some coco-pops and stuffed them in his mouth. Dayton jumped onto the countertop and leaned against the cupboards, her arms crossed. "What makes you say that?" She asked, frowning.
Tallahassee gestured to his mouth while he swallowed. "You and Ohio finished about 2 bottles of wine together last night, and 2 shots of… something." He replied, shoving more food into his mouth. Dayton snorted. "Contrary to what you may or may not believe, Florida, I wasn't the best behaved girl growing up." She remarked, looking away, getting lost in memories. Tallahassee leant on the countertop, like a girl about to get some serious gossip. "Ooo, dooo tell, sweetheart." He spoke, trying to sound like an IT girl. Dayton laughed at his voice. "Ok, how old do you think I was when I had my first drink?" She asked. Tallahassee hummed. "In the eyes of the law, a year ago…" Dayton pulled a face. "Are any of us truly 21 when we have our first drink? D'ya know, you can drink at 16 in the UK?" At Tallahassee's raised eyebrows, she continued. "Well, it's only wine, but it's drinking none-the-less," She added. Tallahassee snorted. "Maybe once this is all over, we should move to the UK." Dayton laughed.
"Do you two know how loud you're being?" A voice mumbled from the doorway. "Oh, he lives," Tallahassee commented, without turning around. Dayton bit her lip at how bad the other Ohioan looked. And it appears Tallahassee had the same thoughts, just with less tact. "Fuckin' hell, Ohio. Ya didn't get bit yesterday, did you?"
Columbus was dangerously swaying in the doorway, paler than anything Dayton had seen recently. "Ok, you're clearly a light weight," She commented, hissing slightly. "Uh, no… you just have an iron stomach. I think I'd even be a bit hungover after how much yous twos drank last night," Tallahassee put in. Dayton rolled her eyes and stood up on the countertop. "What're you doing?" Tallahassee asked, guiding the male Ohioan over to a bar seat before he fell over. Dayton paused for a moment to shuffle through another useless cupboard before moving along to the next one. "Murray must have had some hangover shit in here somewhere… maybe some painkillers," She muttered as a response. She continued to look through a few more cupboards before Tallahassee spoke up with, "I think I stole some from a chemists back in Arizona. Ohio, make sure she don't die," He instructed as he left to presumably check the car for the painkillers.
Dayton rolled her eyes. "I'm 22 goddam years old, I can take care of myself just fine," She muttered to herself. "That's just his way of caring, I've come to think," Columbus more-or-less whispered. "What, belittle everyone?" She snarked back, pushing some cough medicine aside. "Maybe he thinks you as a daughter?" Columbus asked. Dayton quirked an eyebrow, but didn't say untying further. It would be quite nice if thats what Florida thought her of. Her own dad didn't care, so this would be a nice change.
A quiet groan broke her out of her well of depressing thoughts. Dayton turned around on the counter top to face Columbus. Seeing his almost white face made her whistle quitely. "You don't look great, Ohio. You doing ok?" She asked. He waved his hand dismissively. "Fine, I'm fine." He muttered. Dayton was suddenly thrown into a memory of her first proper hangover.
She was only… 13? Maybe 14? When it happened. She'd gone round to Georgia's for her birthday sleepover while Georgia's parents were out of town. They'd left them with Georgia's twin older sisters for the weekend. Dayton had decided to stay the whole time (having asked her grandfather and Georgias parents, both of whom said yes) which pissed her older siblings off. They'd arranged a party for the Saturday night, hoping Dayton had gone by then.
One thing lead to another, then Dayton was doing shots with Georgia and some college frats. Then the police arrived, kicking everyone out and giving a warning to Georgia's sisters. As soon as they heard the door knock, Emily (the younger of the twins) hustled them upstairs and made them look like they were watching a film in Georgias room. The police man bought it (considering Georgia was a messy person) seeing all the sweet wrappers on the floor, and presumed the girls were in a food coma.
Dayton's hangover the next morning was horrendous. She'd spent most of the day crying over a bucket with Georgia next to her, doing the same. Emily and Sabrina (the twins) had made every hangover cure known to man in an attempt to sober them up before their parents came home.
But the memory was enough to make her feel hungover all over again, so Dayton decided not to pressure the male Ohioan any further.
Dayton gasped when she found some Advil (still in date) and grabbed the cupboard handle to help herself down. Now… Dayton doesn't like being assisted. Not unless she needs it. It makes her look like an incompetent female. But, she also knew to accept help when it was needed.
Like then: when the cupboard handle snapped off and sent her tumbling down to the marble flooring. Dayton would have cracked her head open and died on the spot. Or broken her skull. Or broken her ribs and punctured a lung… but thank god Columbus had fast reflexes. Even as hungover as a dog, he jumped up from his seat and caught her under her armpits just as she was about to hit the ground. Dayton didn't try to get out of his grip, nor did he try to let her go. They just stayed like that for a minute.
The sound of a car door shutting reminded Dayton of why they drank last night. It wasn't because he loved her, it was because he was depressed and needed a drinking buddy. Dayton felt a sudden rush of embarrassment run through her body. She looked away from Columbus' (almost intoxicating) blue eyes and let him pull her properly off the counter so her feet were on the ground. "Thanks," She muttered before speeding out of the kitchen.
Later on that day, (and after she'd licked her still painful wounds) she prepared herself on how to say goodbye. "Are we really splitting up here?" Columbus asked. Dayton's heart clenched painfully as she listened to his voice. "Looks like it, amigo!" Tallahassee piped up, voice chipper as always. Dayton glared heavily at the Floridian. "Fuckin' hell, old man. You don't need to sound so happy were splitting here." She snapped. "I ain't good with goodbyes. Best leave on a good note," he replied simply. Dayton looked away, processing the man logic. In a way, it did make sense. Don't make a big thing about it, leave on a good note. It worked. But then again, she'd always have that lingering doubt that she'd done something that made them too happy to say goodbye. It may just be her, but she'd never let it go.
Trying to change the subject slightly, she opened her mouth with: "Where you headed, Florida?" She asked, readjusting her rucksack on her back. "Mehico!" Tallahassee chuckled, rubbing his hands together. Dayton smiled at the attempt to say Mexico with a Mexican accent. "Why Mexico of all places?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. Tallahassee shrugged. "Los Submarinos," the man replied simply, as if that was to answer her questions.
It didn't. In fact, it just made her more confused. Shaking her head, she turned to Columbus.
"Where are you headed then?" Columbus asked, timidly. Dayton bit her lip and pulled her rucksack straps tighter. "I'm going to my friends. She's about an hour away… just wanna see if she's still kicking and screaming," Dayton replied, equally as timid. "I presume you're off to Pacific Playland?" She asked. Columbus nodded.
The air became thick with tension. So thick, Dayton felt embarrassed...
Until Tallahassee (god bless his soul) chuckled. Dayton turned to him, frowning. "What're you laughing at?" She asked. "Who knew that three complete strangers would have such a hard time saying goodbye?" He asked the group. Dayton clenched her teeth tightly and moved them gently. The stimulation kept her from crying. Dayton caught one look of Columbus' (suspiciously wet) eyes and dropped her rucksack on the ground. She walked over to the other Ohioan to hug him goodbye. He wrapped his arms tightly around her back, his face in her hair. Dayton pressed her face into his shoulder and inhaled his scent to try and hold onto some memory of someone. (It was mostly vanilla esque, but with a hint of Tequila and red wine from last night)
If Tallahassee hadn't cleared his throat, Dayton would have stayed like that forever. She pulled away, awkwardly and turned to the other man. She went to go for a handshake, but at the last minute flipped the bird. Tallahassee laughed and pulled her into his side for a shoulder hug. "I'll miss our fights, Miss Ohio," He said, smiling. Then she turned back to Columbus. He looked like he was barely holding back tears. "If I do find my friend…" She began, "Or if I don't, I'll come to Pacific Playland, ok? See if you're all there still?" She asked. She didn't want to see Wichita ever again. Tha pain of knowing that she was just a pity fuck screwed with her head. And being with the main cause of that would just keep adding salt to the wound.
"If I'm not there by… lets say noon tomorrow, at the latest, I won't be coming." She continued, feeling confident. Columbus smiled at her, something that made her heart soar. "I'd like that," Columbus replied. Tallahassee nodded in agreement. Dayton nodded as she picked up her bag again. She walked over to a (fucking gorgeous) motorbike. Dayton hesitated for a second before going back over to Columbus and kissing him on the cheek. She turned away and put her helmet on before he could do anything. She swung her leg over the bike and made sure her bag was on her back tightly. Dayton revved the engine. "See ya then, fuckers!" she yelled as she took off out of Bill Murray's garage.
~3rd person POV ~ Columbus ~
Tallahassee sighed angrily, making Columbus wonder what he did wrong. "Yer so fuckin' stupid, spitfuck." He tutted as they drove to Pacific Playland. Columbus turned to him, confused and slightly offended… but mainly confused. "What are you on about?" He asked, keeping his gaze on the Floridan. "Dayton," Tallahassee replied. Columbus frowned. "What about her?" He asked. Tallahassee scoffed. "If yer playin' wi me righ now, I'm gonna show you what 60% power feels like." The man threatened. Columbus raised his hands in defence. "Honest, I don't know what you mean." Tallahassee pulled his gaze from the road briefly to stare at Columbus. "Seriously?" He asked. Columbus shook his head. "Ok… Dayton likes you," Tallahassee said, looking at the road again. "I like her as well. But that still doesn't answer my question," Columbus replied. "Not like, likes you.. like, likes you. She's crushin' on you." The Floridan answered. Columbus went quiet for a moment, processing. "Ohio, that girl would do anythin' for you. D'ya know how many times she argued with me over you? Or how she chewed Wichita out for robbing you and then leaving you?" Columbus dropped his gaze to the floor.
"Really?" He asked, timidly. "Yeah. In fact, I think her exact phrase was "if you do that to him again, I will punch you so hard in the mouth, that the next thing to come out of it will be your teeth" or something along those lines." Tallahassee replied. Columbus didn't say anything. He suddenly felt very guilty for some reason. "I don't like her in that way though… and now I feel horrible," He moaned out loud. Tallahassee tutted. "Ya can't help how ya feel, Ohio… just… respect her feelings a little more," He said. Columbus frowned, "How do I do that?" He asked. "Well, for starters, stop having eye sex with Wichita all the time. And stop gushing about her as well." Tallahassee said. "What? Why?" Columbus asked. Tallahassee scoffed. "Even I can see how much it bothers her, Ohio." Columbus looked away and studied his feet.
Tallahassee suddenly swerved to the left, making the young Ohioan bang his head on the window. "Ow! What the fuck!?" He yelled, rubbing the sore spot. "Where are you going? Pacific Playland is that way," He said, pointing to the rear of the car. "Wichita can fuckin' wait. There's a girl who needs us right now." Tallahassee answered. "But, what if she's in danger?" Columbus argued. "Need I remind you that she left us. That girl didn't leave us, ever. She might need us now. We need to be there for her," Tallahassee argued back. Columbus fell into silence. He partly agreed with Tallahassee. Dayton had defended him and made him laugh… more than Wichita had done.
~3rd person POV ~ Dayton~
Dayton was on the verge of shooting herself before a black 4x4 pulled up next to her. In the last 5 years, she'd lost her grandfather, her parents, her siblings, her friends, her best friend, and the guy she loved was only interested in her as long as she was a booty call.
"Dayton, what're you doing?" Someone had shouted at her, opening their car door. Dayton didn't find herself crying often, much less weeping. She'd stood up and ran into the persons arms, sobbing. She didn't know who it was, but human contact for a change was nice. Their hands rubbed her back, reassuringly. "What's happened? Are you ok?" They'd asked. She couldn't stop the tears. The person holding her just let her sob. "She's dead! She's dead!" Dayton cried into their shoulder. "Who's dead?" The person asked. Dayton couldn't answer for a few minutes. She focused on pulling herself out of a panic attack. She focused on the feel of the person's jacket, she focused on her breathing and she focused on the person's smell. Vaguely vanilla… oh shit, it was Columbus holding her. Dayton forced herself to pull away and wipe her eyes. She finally answered with: "Georgia,"
She finally looked into Columbus' eyes, which looked concerned. "What happened?" He asked. "I had to shoot her…" Dayton replied. Columbus pulled her into a hug again. "Let's get you in the car," He suggested as he gently guided her to the 4x4. Dayton didn't protest, she complied silently. She was put into the back of the car gently. "Hey, what's happened?" Someone new asked. "Don't ask right now, she's a mess." Columbus had replied, getting in with her. "Just drive to Pacific Playland,"
It was a damn good job they were close to the amusement park. Shooting the zombies made Dayton feel better. It was because of these bastards she'd lost her siblings, parents and friends. "Die motherfucker!" She screamed as she used her (recently stolen) machine gun. Tallahassee had drawn as many zombies away as he could, and Dayton took the others.
Columbus grabbed her arm before she could leave. He looked deep into her eyes. Dayton felt frozen on the spot: it was like it was just the two of them. "Be careful… ok?" He asked. Dayton smiled as she pulled the safety off. "I'm always careful."
~3rd person POV ~ Columbus~
Columbus, while he didn't like Dayton in a romantic way, felt turned on by the way she gunned down zombies in front of him, like they were pins in a bowling game. "I'm gonna take some off of Florida. He's gonna die if I don't," Dayton panted out, putting another magazine into the machine gun. (Since when did she get that?!)
As Dayton turned to leave, he grabbed her arm. He stared into her hazel coloured eyes. "Be careful… ok?" He said, firmly. The grin that lit up Dayton's face made his heart do something odd. "I'm always careful," She smirked as she clicked the safety off on her fun. "Come get me, ya bastards!" She yelled, shooting at a few stray zombies. Columbus watched her lead them away from Wichita and Little Rock, and felt a sense of… something… run through his body. He shook the feeling off and took off to help the girls.
"Shit!" He yelled, finding his gun empty. He threw it at the small crowd of zombies, now closing in for the kill. This is it. He thought. This is where I die. I hope Tallahassee puts a bullet through my head. He internally yelled. "Hey, fuckers!" A familiar voice yelled. Columbus opened his eyes and saw Dayton running towards him, her machine gun firing at anything that moved. Most of the zombies turned to face her, save two. She gunned them down as she ran towards him. Columbus sprinted over to the control panel and pressed the emergency break. The girls dropped down from the ride, yelling as they did so. "Ha ha! Bitches!" Dayton cheered as she gunned more down. Columbus ran over to the girls in the seat and helped lift up their harness. "Thanks, Columbus." Little Rock sighed as she jumped out of the chair, hugging him tightly.
Dayton's sudden shriek made his heart drop. "Dayton!" He yelled, spinning around. Dayton was on the ground, cornered by two zombies. She faced him, and even from 15 meters away, Columbus could see pure fear in her eyes. "I tripped and I'm out of magazines!" She yelled back.
Columbus looked around, desperate to try and find something that could kill the last two predators...
When suddenly, 4 loud bangs were heard. Columbus turned to see Little Rock's gun steaming. She, along with him, ran over to help Dayton. "I fell and I think my ankles broken," Dayton whimpered once they reached her. Columbus reached down and helped pull her up. He wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her left arm around his shoulders to keep her steady. Little Rock took the other side. Together, they helped her over to a bench, where Wichita had a look at it. She hissed as she picked the damaged appendage up. "I'm no nurse, but that feels broken." Dayton groaned. "Great, like my day can't get any fucking worse," She moaned. "I can use my jacket to wrap it up if you want?" Wichita offered. She took it off and handed it to Columbus. He lifted Dayton's broken ankle and began wrapping the leather covering over it. "Tighter," She whispered. Columbus did so. "How's that?" He asked, cautiously. "It fucking hurts, but you've done it tightly enough. Thanks guys," Dayton said. "No, thank you. If you, Ohio and Florida hadn't come, we'd be zombies by now." Wichita replied.
~3rd person POV ~ Dayton~
With the assistance of Columbus on her left and Wichita on her right, Dayton safely made it into the 4x4. Wichita got in the front, and Little Rock sat in the back, next to her. "I'm gonna go find Tallahassee, I'll only be a second." Columbus said as he shut the back door. Dayton wasn't up to speaking, so she was unpleasantly surprised when Wichita began talking. "I'm sorry I've treated you the way I have, Dayton. I wasn't fair." She said. Daytons mind was lagging due to pain and tiredness, so she took a minute to reply. "I don't apologise often, so consider yourself honoured." Wichita snapped, but not unkindly. "I don't either, so I appreciate it, Wichita." Dayton replied. The car was silent for a moment before Wichita broke it again. "Krista," She said. "What?" Dayton asked, confused. "My name… its Krista. You saved me, so I figured you deserve it." Wichita continued. "I'd give you my name, but you already know it," Dayton said in reply. "What? Dayton's your real name?" Wichita asked. "Yep… great name, isn't it?" She joked. Wichita and Little Rock snorted.
Dayton was still upset that Columbus chose Wichita over her, and she wouldn't ever get over that. But, she became friends with Krista… and that was something.