Chapter 40 – Lauren
It's been about two months since we all came to the cabins. Life has been strangely quiet and that's so unusual for the world we now live in. I keep waiting for our luck to run out, but so far it hasn't. We still stay armed anytime we are outside, but I haven't had to fire my gun or stab a walker in the head since Daryl and I encountered that small herd on the way back to pick up the group. I feel like we could be losing our edge as we get more and more comfortable. This is what happens when I'm on watch, I have a lot of time to think. Sometimes it's too much time. I think about what was and try not to be too sad when I think about my family. I really do miss them. I also think about what I have now. I have a whole new adopted family, a new life and the man of my dreams.
Daryl and I would have never met or given each other a second look if this crazy world hadn't happened. Geographically we were too far apart to have ever met, but even if we did I doubt I would have given him a chance. A second look and maybe even a third for sure as I was always attracted to him, but he wasn't a guy I had ever considered dating…not the Daryl from back then. The Daryl now is much different, yet he's still Daryl. He lost the anger, the chip on his shoulder and most importantly he lost Merle, the loser brother that was dragging him through the gutter. My Daryl smiles occasionally now, believes in this new family we all have become and has learned to love. I know he loves me and I look forward the day he can tell me. He's never known love so it an emotion he has to learn to believe in. I believe in it and I believe in Daryl.
As I stroll through the yard with a M16 rifle in my hands, I'm keeping an eye on the woods and land beyond. It's a necessary, but boring job. We each take turns doing it. Someday a walker may get through or even worse it could be people who are out to take everything that we have and we can't be caught unaware. Walkers have ceased to exist in our crazy world and every day I pray that it continues. Besides the watch shifts we have in our compound, we run regular patrols through town keeping an eye out for any changes.
Charlie has kept the walkers at bay with his magnetic fields and as long they keep working that's half the battle. The other half is surviving the living. We still don't understand why people haven't come into Danville to live or even just pass through. That's a mystery we don't have the answer to.
We've all found our niche within the family. Daryl's our hunter and keeps us supplied with fresh meat. He prefers to hunt alone, but I accompany him sometimes. It's the only time it just the two of us, but that wasn't the only reason. I have him teaching me his tracking skills. The more I know, the better it is for the both of us.
Carol and I did the majority of cooking for the group with help from Maggie. I'd also accompany Glenn, Maggie, Tara, Sasha and Michonne on supply runs. We'd rotate through with Rick and Carl occasionally coming too. Abraham ended up being quite mechanically inclined. He and Rick would fix things around the houses. Eleven people put more wear and tear on everything than normal. He also spent some time with Charlie who was showing him how his spectromagnatrometer worked.
Rick and Carl fished, took care of Judith and Rick ran the show. He had us searching all the buildings and houses in town for supplies. We had pretty well hit every building we could and wiped them out of anything we could use. That even included the small sheriff station that I had forgotten about. We were able to gain a few guns and get more ammunition from it, not much, but every little bit helped.
My relationship with Daryl has continued to stay strong. We learn more about each other every day. Some nights we'd lie together in bed talking until all hours and others we'd fall asleep in each other's arms after making love. He's remained the most important person in my life. My heart still beats faster whenever he walked into a room and I craved his touch. I am the happiest I ever had been, even with the world going to hell.
I hear the front door open and my wandering thoughts are pushed away. Glenn and Tara walk out and down the steps. "Hey guys," I call out walking over towards them.
"We're going to make a run into Radford, you interested in going?" Glenn asks.
"Maybe. Was this scheduled and I missed it?" I thought back and didn't remember talk of going into Radford. We'd yet venture that far away from Danville.
"No, it's last minute. There's a sporting goods store on the outskirts that we thought we'd take a look at. Rick approved it." Glenn turned to Tara. "I'm going to let Maggie know what's going on. I won't be long."
Glenn walked towards the bunkhouse cabin. "Are you in?" Tara asked. "We needs a third, so if you don't want to go, I'll go ask Michonne or Sasha."
I thought about it for a second. "Yeah, I'm in. Let me tell Rick so he can find a replacement for my watch shift. I'll get my pack and meet you back here." I left Tara going to get Glenn and I headed into the main cabin. A sporting goods store was perfect. Winter was right around the corner and Daryl needed warmer clothes, we both needed boots for the snow and as always he needs more bolts for his crossbow. I was definitely going.
Rick said that he would finish my watch shift for me. My only problem was Daryl. He was out hunting turkeys with Charlie as Thanksgiving was in a few days and we had plenty to be thankful for lately. I had no way of telling him I was going out on a run, but Rick promised to tell him if he got back before me. A few minutes later Glenn, Tara and I were headed out of the drive towards Radford.
According to the map, we had to go about three miles out of our safe zone and take Route 182 west to Sprague's Sporting Goods. We made it to the store passing only small groups of walkers along the way. It was the central store of a small strip mall that was surrounded by single business buildings lining the road. My nerves kicked in. I hadn't done a run like this in a while and I felt out of practice.
Glenn pulled up in front of the store and we got out of the car. There was only a few walkers around, so we took them out easily. I felt more confident after that. Glenn got the crowbar out of the car so we could pry open the doors. I banged on the glass doors to see what type of reaction we'd get from inside. We needed to know if there were a few walkers or dozens. The more we knew the better chance we'd have of things not falling apart inside.
I banged again on the glass and finally about four walkers showed up. We'd have to still be careful, but this was looking good.
Glenn used the crowbar to open the door and Tara and I stood ready for walkers to burst through. We used our knives and soon had a pile of dead at our feet. "Let's go in slow and careful," Glenn said. "Weapons and ammo are our first priority, then we can look for anything else we may need."
"Warm clothing for us all," I suggested. "Winter's coming."
"Good idea," said Tara "And maybe more fishing supplies."
"Let's go." I started into the store heading to the left side of the store. I had a Beretta with a silencer on it in my right hand and supported that with left that held a flashlight. We only encountered a few more walkers, and only one caught me by surprise. Tara helped take it down for me. I hated the close calls.
I saw a shopping cart down an aisle and went over and grabbed it. We found the firearms sections and loaded up on what we could. There wasn't a lot, but every gun and box of ammunition helped. We grabbed hunting knives and anything else we could find. I left Glenn with the cart and went searching for crossbows.
"What are you looking for?" Glenn asked. "We should load these up and then make another loop for the rest of the stuff."
"I need to find more bolts for Daryl. He's getting low." I walked back to Glenn and Tara. "Why don't you guys bring the guns outside while I find them? It won't take me long, they have to be right around here."
"No, we'll go with you," Tara said.
"The faster we get the guns loaded, the faster we can look for warm clothing and anything else we may need. Then we can get outta here. Okay?" I could see Glenn did not want to split up. "All I have to do is find the bolts and I'll meet you at the car. I'll be right behind you."
"Alright," Glenn conceded, "But make it fast.
"I will," I told them. I heard the sound of the cart's wheels moving away and I started my search for the bolts. I went down two aisles and couldn't find anything, not even regular bows and arrows. Hunting was big in this area so there had to be a bow section, I just needs to find it and fast. Finally, here is was two more rows over I found the archery section. I was grabbing as many packages of bolts that I could carry, when I heard gunfire from outside.
I ran to the front of the store with the bolts still clutched to my chest. The street was full of walkers. "Shit!" I shouted. I could see Tara and Glenn fighting their way through the crowd towards the car. There was no way I could make it to them, not alive anyway. "Idiot! This is why we never split up. You know better!" I was yelling at myself. "Shit! Shit! Think Lauren, think!"
Glenn and Tara made it inside the car. If they didn't take off now they would never get out. I waved them to go. "Go, Go!" I yelled. I could see that they didn't want to go. "GO!" I screamed as the glass on the front door shattered and walkers started to stream in. I dropped the bolts I was still holding and ran for my life.