"Getting Closer" Chapter 2: Second Day After Leaving the Greene Farm
As usual, Daryl awoke slightly before dawn to go hunting. He gently untangled his body from Carol's, and with an embarrassed nod at Glenn, moved silently into the forest. Later, as the entire group slowly woke and quietly chatted, Carol mentioned to Lori that she felt surprisingly well rested. She had no idea that she had spent the night safely in Daryl's arms.
Most of the group stayed put that morning, while Maggie, Glenn, and T-Dog took Maggie's small car further up the road to find gasoline. It didn't take long for them to find another small pile-up of cars. While T-Dog kept watch, Glenn siphoned gas, and Maggie scavenged anything that might be of use. She was delighted to find a case of bottled water – now everyone in the group could have a good long drink, and refill the bottles from the small lake they had camped beside.
They returned to camp to find Carol cooking two squirrels which Daryl had killed. Beth excitedly helped Maggie sort and distribute the assortment of foods from the pile-up: half a large bag of stale Cheetos (enjoyed by Carl and Glenn), 1 bag of teriyaki beef jerky (everyone got a little piece to supplement the squirrel), a box of assorted granola bars, and a variety of canned goods. Carl turned up his nose at the canned collard greens, while Daryl and T-Dog devoured theirs eagerly.
That day continued much as the previous one had: drive until they found a store or group of cars, then cautiously search the area for walkers before scavenging for fuel, food, and anything else they could use. At a convenience store that had been pretty thoroughly ransacked, Carl grabbed a handful of magazines and crossword puzzle books and with a grin, put a few into each of their cars. With something to occupy their minds, the day passed almost pleasantly for them, as the passengers read aloud to the drivers.
Except Carol and Daryl. Each time the group resumed their trek, Daryl had silently nodded to Carol, and she climbed back on his motorcycle with a small smile. They had hardly spoken all day, and yet somehow she felt closer to him than ever.
Around mid-afternoon the group passed a dumpy little bar, and Daryl pulled alongside Rick's SUV to indicate that they should stop. T-Dog and Glenn whooped it up, excited at the prospect of having a few drinks. They were a bit surprised when Daryl calmly explained that his reason for stopping was that it would be a good place to spend the night: few windows, a dumpster to roll in front of the back door, a flat roof for standing watch, and far from any towns on the map. Rick heartily agreed, and the group turned around to search the place. Fortunately, the found no walkers, and no bodies, so they quickly settled in.
Most of the liquor behind the counter had already been taken, but they found 6 cases of beer in the back room, along with containers of syrup for making Coke and Sprite. They also found huge bags of stale pretzels and some cans of nuts. In the office, they found 1 bottle each of vodka, gin, whisky, and rum, ranging from a few shots left, to nearly full. Rick cautioned the group: "This place is not secure enough for everyone to get shit-faced like we did at the CDC!" Hershel volunteered to be the designated non-drinker, and Beth quickly did, also. After a quick exchange of glances, Maggie reluctantly joined her father and sister, followed slowly by Glenn.
Rick nodded his thanks to the volunteers. "All right, if we add in Lori, that makes at least 5 fully sober people to share watches. Work in pairs, 2 hours each, and rotate – that should cover most of the night."
Lori volunteered to take the first watch with Rick – that way she could avoid talking to him for a few more hours. The rest of the group sat around in the bar, snacking on nuts & pretzels. Daryl grabbed the bottle of whiskey, while the others started off with beers, debating on what mixed drinks they could concoct with the few liquors and liqueurs available. They tried mixing the soda syrup in their water bottles, but all they got was very sugary brown water. Carl was disappointed at the lack of bubbles, but drank the strong Coke anyways, laughing "Since Mom's on the roof with Dad, she can't stop me from having too much caffeine this time!"
The others burst into a round of laughter, but a bittersweet smile crossed Carol's face… Daryl was beginning to feel the effects of the whisky, making him almost as talkative as Merle was when sober. "Whassa matter, Carol?" he asked, poking her arm and sitting beside her.
"Just thinking about Sophia… she didn't like Coke, but she would've enjoyed the Sprite…" Her eyes fell as she trailed off, then she shook herself and looked up at Daryl with a forced smile. "Let me have some of that." She reached for Daryl's whisky, which he passed along with a bemused look. After a tiny sip, she sputtered, "That's terrible!" as he laughed.
"Yeah, this is not the good stuff. You probably want one 'o them fruity, girly drinks, eh?" he said with a crooked grin.
Noticing their exchange, Maggie brought over a glass of "Coke" mixed with a shot of rum. "Here, try this," she said with a warm smile as she handed it to Carol.
"Well, it's not GOOD, but it's better!" Carol laughed.
As the evening progressed into night and the shifts changed, the group became rowdier. Rick made sure that there was no yelling, which might attract walkers, but did not object to the guitar playing and laughter, which could not be heard more than a few feet beyond the thick doors. After all they had been through, they needed some release.