CHAPTER 6: Home on the Range
Another week passed with the group on the road, trying to reach a place Carol had suggested in the northern part of Georgia, someplace she had gone with Sophia on a school field trip a few years ago. They often had to detour and double-back to avoid impassible traffic jams and herds of Walkers. Luckily, in some of their scavenging from cars, houses, and stores, they were able to find a couple tents, so not everyone had to sleep in the vehicles at night. Daryl continued to sleep in the pickup truck, and Carol took to sleeping in a small tent with Beth and Hershel and T-Dog.
Carol and Daryl weren't avoiding each other, but they weren't seeking each other out for conversations, either. They had reached a companionable silence during their many hours on the motorcycle together, and both were losing their awkwardness about physical contact, at least in the context of the bike.
Any other context was another matter, though. On one of their detours they ended up on a dirt road, and found a faded sign pointing to a sportsman's club. They followed the long winding driveway only to find that the place had been ransacked, probably people looking for ammunition and weapons, perhaps thinking that it would be a gun store. Daryl's mind worked a little differently than most people, and he was sure there wouldn't be any weapons left, but he was able to find two small hidden compartments in the manager's office. He found one ammo can half full of .357 Magnum rounds for Rick's Colt Python and half full of .38 special rounds for Lori's Cold Detective Special. He whooped in excitement when he found the second ammo can, completely full of 9mm rounds for his own Glock 17 and the Glock 19 shared by Hershel and Glenn. And when Carl found a package of 5 crossbow bolts fallen behind the counter in the archery target room, Daryl did a little dance of joy. Carol laughed and moved to give him a hug, but he blushed and walked away awkwardly. Carol's laughter quickly turned to disappointment, but she shook it off. "What can I expect, he's a Dixon…?"
In a room off to the side of the indoor shooting range, Hershel found some equipment for re-loading ammunition. Daryl rummaged around and found a few containers of gunpowder and a small block of lead, then he sent everyone to the indoor range and the outdoor range to collect brass. Daryl and Rick he spent the next 3 hours re-loading the calibers they needed.
Meanwhile, Hershel had been showing everyone how to disassemble, clean, and reassemble all their guns. Rick wanted everyone to be familiar with each weapon, so they could pick up whatever was handy if there was trouble. While Daryl finished the last of the reloading, Rick showed everyone how to hold the guns and aim. After dry firing for a while, each person was given 10 rounds to actually fire one of the pistols at the targets.
After watching Carol miss her first 3 shots, Daryl stepped in to help.
"Yer jerkin it. Just squeeze the trigger, slow-like. You know it's gonna be loud, don't flinch."
Carol tried again, concentrating on being more gentle with the powerful weapon in her small hands. She hit the paper this time, and turned to Daryl with a rueful half-smile. "Better?"
"Yeah." He gave her a grudging nod of approval. "But yer stance is off-balance. Like this," he said, demonstrating.
Carol tried to mimic the way Daryl was standing, but apparently didn't get it right. With a snort, he put one hand on each of her hips and moved her into position. She turned her head and smiled at him, and her warm breath on his neck made him realize just how close they were now – uncomfortably close! Daryl's ears turned red and he quickly dropped his hands to his sides and stepped back 2 paces.
Carol sighed, shrugging her shoulders. Then she took a deep breath and straightened up, determined to do better this time. With Daryl's small comments here and there to guide her, the next 6 shots were all in the circle, although not in any sort of recognizable grouping. They shared a small smile before Daryl walked away to clean his bow, and Carol helped Lori get their meager meal ready.
That night, in the lounge area of the sportsman's club, Lori and Hershel slept peacefully on the two large leather couches, while everyone else piled blankets on the floors or slouched awkwardly in the chairs. Daryl and Carol slept in old-fashioned wing chairs on either side of the empty fireplace. As she drifted off to sleep, Carol reflected on how romantic it could be, if they were alone in front of the roaring fire together… on a bearskin rug… naked. She covered her mouth to stifle the giggle that threatened to escape.
From the other side of the fireplace, Daryl thought to himself, "What's so funny over there? Women!" And then he smirked and closed his eyes.