Summary: Murphy and her group meet the Atlanta survivors.
"I grew up in Atlanta, my parents were in an accident when I was around six or seven. When they passed I moved in with my Grandparents and Murphy's family lived next door. We did everything together, thick as thieves. After we both got into college, we even worked at the same diner off campus. I was a few years into getting my law degree. Guess the good thing here is no more student debt." Abby laughs, others laughing as well, figuring we needed a bit of lightheartedness. She looks over from her lawn chair and smiles at me.
It's been a day and a half since we arrived. We're quite the bunch. As I listened, I realized that while we're all so very different, we have one thing in common. Survival. We all realize in order to do that, we have to trust the next person to have our back. I honestly think the sheriff, Rick, had planned this little meet and greet to do just that. I hear Joshua speak next from his place on the ground beside me.
"Med student. I'm originally from Augusta, moved down here to attend school. It was always my mom and me, dad left when I was younger. Mom passed away last year from breast cancer. I met Murphy and Abby in school and worked as a call center support agent. Not really much to tell. I introduced the girls to John and Joanne, I always hung out at their gun range as Mom was friends with them." He smiles softly.
"John and I are retired Military. John was a special forces officer, and I was Intelligence, working behind the scenes to make sure everyone made it back home. We opened up a shop when we retired. Wanted to help people. So many people had guns placed in their hands without training. We wanted to help remedy that in any way we could. Plus, two ex-military, not many job openings for us." Joanne nods, holding John's hand as they sit in lawn chairs next to Joshua.
I listen to others tell their stories. I learned Dale is a retiree, having lost his wife, and had been taking a road trip. Andrea used to work in a law firm. Shane and Rick were cops. I notice the woman, Carol doesn't speak much, just sticks to her husband, Ed. I can tell by looking at her, the way she flinches at times, and how she cowers behind Ed at times, that she's being abused. The look in her eyes is almost the same as in mine. When she looks my way, I offer a smile.
"I've lived in Atlanta all my life, my parents weren't much, but I made it work. I tried not to let their paths darken my own, ya know. Determined to be different. Got a job at a diner, and got buried in student loans for med school. I wanted to help people. It was my calling and I enjoyed it. I met Joshua during the second week of school. He ran into me, literally. Knocked me on my ass and we have been friends ever since. Abby, Joshua, and I like to say we are a really small gang. We've always stuck together. Guess it's fitting." I chuckle and nudge Joshua.
"Nice to meet a fellow law student." Andrea smiles at Abby who nods and states "likewise."
Leaning against Joshua, head on his shoulder as we all talk, listening to Rick telling us about the hospital being overrun. The temperature is starting to drop, I can feel the cold starting to settle in my bones. I offer Joshua part of my blanket, huddling close under it. He's a human heater and I'm always cold. It works out.
"You two sure you're more than friends?" Shane teases and looks over at us.
"Positive. We tried to go on a date once, it was like kissing my brother. I'm just siphoning heat from him." I laugh.
The group laughs but is silenced after a moment when Shane addresses Ed who's tossed another log onto the fire he and Carol built. Fucking moron. I could tell he was going to be trouble, he had abusive asshole written all over him. Also have picked up that Shane is a bit of a hothead just by how he stands up and marches over to the fire.
I'm amused, I admit, that Ed seems to back down from Shane. Most men like him are cowards, when faced with someone their size, they aren't as tough as they like to think they are. I don't miss it when Shane walks back, looking down at Abby whose lawn chair was next to where he was sitting after he hears her chuckling about being cold.
"Can't be havin' that." Shane offers a smile, taking off the jacket he was wearing and handing it to Abby.
"Much obliged!" She chirps and slips the jacket on, humming as she curls up and calls Shane her hero.
I laugh and shake my head, hiding a yawn behind my hand. I look up, past the group to see Daryl Dixon coming out of the woods. I haven't talked to him, I don't really want to. He gives off angry vibes and I just don't want to associate with anyone who reminds me of Toby. Which is why mentally, I put him in the same category as Ed. I know, it's wrong of me to judge a man I have never spoken to, but he hasn't shown any reason to not judge him. I also know he doesn't owe me anything, and how he acts is none of my business.
I hear him mutter about not catching anything as he drops his crossbow to the ground and then deposits himself next to it. When I lift my head from Joshua's shoulder, I make eye contact with Daryl. I let my gaze linger for a moment, his glare not wavering, like asking what I'm staring at. I look away with a sigh, shaking my head. I wish everyone a good night, leaving Joshua the blanket and heading to turn in, in mine and Abby's tent. Kicking off my boots, I scoot into my sleeping bag, rubbing a hand against my face. I don't know what it was about Daryl's gaze, but I felt uneasy. I chalk it up to him reminding me of Toby, sighing as I lay my arm over my forehead and close my eyes.
Yelling is what stirs me from my sleep, eyes slowly opening to see morning had come, and I don't remember drifting off. I guess I was more tired than I remembered. Groaning and rubbing my face, I was glad the bruising was starting to fade. Leaning back on my hands, Abby steps into the tent and shakes her head.
"What's going on?" I ask softly.
"Apparently, Daryl's brother got left on a roof and they just told him this morning. So Daryl tried to attack Rick and there is currently an argument on who is going with Daryl to get Merle. So yeah." Abby chuckles awkwardly.
"Joy. Maybe they could leave Daryl there with his brother." I chuckle, harsh I know.
"Daryl doesn't seem -that- bad. I mean, he did bring back squirrels to eat." She shrugs, tucking her hands into the pockets of her jean shorts, only one of the berettas holstered at her side, over her pink tank top.
I snort at her, pushing up from the sleeping bag and moving to stuff my feet back into my boots. I don't miss the brow raise of hers as she watches me slide my gun holster over my shoulders, grabbing both my desert eagles from my bag and sliding them into place over my black tank top.
"What?" I finally ask once I tighten my ponytail.
"Nothing, just you seem to be gunning hard for Daryl and I think it's because he reminds you of Toby." She states.
"Eh. We have an understanding. We fight for the group, that's it. Doesn't mean we have to like one another." Sighing as we step out of the tent.
"You guys heading out?" Abby inquires about Rick as Daryl glances at me. Again our gazes linger, my eyes narrowing a bit before I look towards Rick.
"Yeah, hoping to be back by nightfall," Rick explains.
"Be careful." Abby and I both nod.
We watch the guys head out before walking over towards the rest of the group. After a quick chat, we all disperse and go about a few chores. John and Joanne offered to walk the perimeter, Abby and I heading out towards a few fruit trees we saw. Not too far in the woods, but far enough where Shane told us to stick close, yell and he'll hear us. We nod, grabbing baskets and heading off to hopefully gather some fruit.
"Sooo, gonna tell me what's eating you?" Abby inquires as we walk.
"About?" Looking towards her and raising a brow.
"I get it, Dixon's an asshole, but that was some cuntish shit you said about leaving him." She states.
"Okay, and?" I knew where this was going. Looking around for a moment, basket on my hip, I motion east as that's where I had scoped the trees.
"And… Shane's an asshole and you don't have it out for him." She points out.
"Shane…" I trail off and sigh. I knew what she was hinting at. "Can we change the subject?" I ask, stopping to look at her.
"Sure. Just remember, Daryl isn't Toby. You're letting Toby cloud your judgment. Daryl hasn't said a word to you, and I think it's unfair for you to judge him, just because of the memory of a man who's not even here." Her words cut, I know she's being honest and I'm trying my best. She is normally always right when it comes to things like this.
"I know," I mutter and continue my trek.
"Topic changing. Do you remember that year in Girl Scouts, where they had us get our berry picking or whatever badge?" She inquires with a chuckle.
"Yeah, and we came back with poison ivy on our cheeks and legs." I laugh.
"Remember when I said what the heck will we ever use this for? Yeah well…" She motions to her basket.
"Top flight berry pickers of the world right here." I joke.
The sun is setting by the time we get back to the camp, with a basket of red berries, a few peaches, and some blackberries. Proud that we put that stupid badge to use and came out of the woods without poison ivy.
"Well, you ladies brought back quite the haul." Shane grins, taking the basket as Abby and I walk towards the fire with him.
"Girl Scouts. We had a whole "class" on it. How to determine what is safe and what isn't. This time, we didn't come back with poison ivy." I laugh.
Shane hands out fruit as the night settles in, slightly worried because the search party hasn't returned. Everyone looks worried, but is trying to keep their spirits high because, at this point, you have to. We all settle around the low fire, John and Joanne having turned in for the night.
"My wife would have adored you all. She's what kept me sane, part of me though, I'm glad she is not having to live through this." Dale says, trying to smile softly.
"She'd be proud of you for helping, for not closing yourself off." Joshua chimes in, polishing off the peach he had been eating.
"I'm still searching for my one and only, maybe a little tougher now." Abby laughs softly.
"You mean to tell me, no one has scooped you up, darlin'?" Shane flirts.
"Not yet. I may also be picky and have high standards." Abby retorts and I raise my brow, sharing a look with Joshua.
"Tends to happen when you least expect it." Shane nods and gives her a boyish grin.
We all laugh and joke until we hear a scream rip through the night. Looking up, I catch a glimpse of Amy being bitten. Everyone gets to their feet, Abby unholstering her berettas and taking aim, running towards John and Joanne's tent. Calling out for them, yelling we're under attack.
My aim's quick as I unholster my eagles and shoot a walker that's coming up towards Dale. Joshua aims his rifle, nailing the walkers one by one. It's chaos. I hear yelling, looking up to see Rick and the search party heading over the hill, John and Joanne taking aim as well as they stand with backs to the van.
It happens fast, blood and screams filling the night as we fight against the horde. Just as I turn, I'm met with a walker reaching out for me. Before I can fire, a bullet flies through its head. I turn my own to avoid splatter before looking up to see it was Daryl's bullet that killed the walker.
"Thanks," I mutter.
He nods, both of us going back to the fight. I'm dreading what the morning will bring, showing what and who've we lost. When the dust settles, I run over to Abby, who tearfully embraces me along with John, Joanne, and Joshua. We share a moment, breaths heavy before we turn back to camp.
"You guys okay?!" Rick calls out.
"Yeah, we're fine," Joanne answers back as we all gather.
"Clearly we ain't safe around here anymore. We need to move out." Shane declares.
"I agree with Shane," I comment, wrapping my arms around myself.
"I know we said Fort Benning, but the CDC. It isn't far, we could make it in a day or so. Maybe there's hope there." Rick grimly muses.
"I think that's a good plan. Gather and bury our dead, burn the rest." John nods.
Just like fights with Toby, I go numb as I nod in agreement with everyone. We need to move, but we must also say goodbye to who we've lost. People we have all come together with, who we've come to know. When asked if I'm okay, I nod and walk along to camp to assess the damage. Others cry, but in my mind, I've dissociated. My focus is to gather the ones we've lost and move on. It's my survival mode, and I can feel a few eyes on me and my blank expression.
My mind is on repeat. Survive. Get out of here. Over and over.