Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own imagination.
Hey guys, sorry for the wait, but we had an OFSTED inspection last week in my school and then I was in Ireland for a wedding over the weekend and didn't have time to post anything. But here goes and I hope you enjoy.
Only a few deserted cars sat silently outside the boarded up store front, their dirt caked window screens emphasizing the now statuesque purpose they'd been given in this new world. Daryl slowed to a stop outside the; still in pretty good condition, building and switched off the engine, eyes scanning the surrounding area for any signs of trouble. It seemed they had more to worry about than just geeks lately.
He looked to his riding companion; both shared a look of understanding and exited the vehicle, he with his crossbow and Andrea with her trusted sidearm as she came to flank his left making their way to the main door of their target. The shade of the stores wooden canopy was a welcome reprieve from the assaulting rays of the midday sun, but the eerie quiet that enveloped the area did nothing for his nerves and the lack of any activity; dead or not, put him on edge. He could see the same unease in Andrea's body language to, she was wrought with tension, her senses on high alert as her gaze flicked from left to right searchingly.
When he felt her back press against his he flinched slightly, the heat radiated from her in waves and the words 'Invasion of personal space' seemed appropriate, but trivial considering their circumstances. He knew she felt his reaction because she moved slightly away. "Something seems off her." She whispered. Brushing his actions away easily with no offense taken at all.
The fact that these people seemed to know how to react to him and accepted his moodiness after only a couple months of being near each other; without actually knowing one another at all, was a level of weird he didn't need to explore, but kept invading his mind. Stupid brain-Focus!
He looked down at the shiny new chain and padlock that wrapped around the door, its newness worrying that someone was already occupying the building or had laid claim to it at least – not that he cared, this new world meant looting was necessity and unless there was someone inside, it was free for the taking in his eyes.
"Wait here. I'm gonna check the back." He told her. As he made to move she grabbed his forearm, the heat transference from her skin once again burning into his flesh and he wondered how she didn't look like she sweating up a storm with how hot she always was? In fact she always looked quite beautiful despite their current lack of amenities and shower facilities.
"Shouldn't we stick together?" she quizzed, her eyes betraying her confident air. She was right, but he was worried that whoever might be here or might show up and feel threatened wouldn't be as scared if they saw her first.
"Need you to keep an eye out." He replied and pointed out to the cars. "Maybe you could see if there's anything of use in those?" She sighed indignantly and rolled her eyes, he had to chuckle as she turned away amused at her childish tantrum and the way her fists clenched at her sides while she mumbled something he could barely make out, like 'Seriously, Lookout…Cause I'm a woman …Stupid idea." under her breath.
He moved quietly around the side of the building, the sun beating down against his skin like a huge hot oven and he noticed that the yellowing, dry grass agreed with his assumption that it was gonna be a long dry summer and it wasn't done searing their flesh for a while yet. As he rounded the edge of the building he spotted 2 geeks feasting on some kinda animal by the stores dumpsters; by the looks of it, it was a bird, most probably been injured and couldn't get away from the chomping jaws and bony grasp of the dead. He disposed of them quickly, his bolts finding their occupied targets easily and he pulled them from the rotting skulls with a squelch.
If he was honest, it irked him some that this seemed all too natural nowadays to kill these things that used to be people, human beings and it didn't really matter. He wasn't a naïve child to think there was some 'cure' for whatever this was because dead or undead; there is no coming back from that. Now they were just…target practice.
He heard rapid but light footsteps approaching and spun quickly, pulling his gun from its place at his back. Andrea rounded the corner and stopped abruptly at seeing his raised weapon.
"Whoa it's just me." She said in a whispered haste.
"I said stay up front." He snapped, not liking the fact she disobeyed him, but liking it just the same. It was nice to see her getting back to her old self a bit more. She shot him an angry glare and a breath of air rushed from her nostrils like a raging bull.
"We got a bigger problem." She sighed tampering her anger and signalled over her shoulder.
He came closer and peered over her shoulder at a sight he dreaded more than anything. There was a small head heading towards them, more than the two of them could handle and if it wasn't for his total focus on the danger heading towards them he would have been a little more aware of their close proximity to one another and how his body was reacting despite his brain. He'd unconsciously tugged her closer to bring her more behind the building, almost pressing her between himself and the wall like her protector as the 20 or so approached; a few already meandering amongst the cars in the front of the store. Their eyes connected for the briefest of moments and he saw the complete trust she had in him in the depths of her green-blue orbs. He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel a swell of pride in that, but now was not the time to dwell on it. He could do that later.
"Shit!" he cursed aloud.
Feeling her move away was when the realisation of how close they had been filtered through his brain and the loss of her body heat despite the weather was strangely disconcerting. He grabbed at her arm, her body jerking at the unexpected halt and when she looked at him with an indignant expression once again he was elated to see the fire in her that he thought was dwindling.
"We ain't getting' in tha' way. Door's bolted shut." He said gruffly.
"But look." She pointed up at the roof. "It's not that high and we can use the drainpipe to get up." She continued and moved towards it.
He brushed past her and gripped the metal pipe, pulling at it to test its strength. It seemed solid enough to take his weight, so she'd have no problem.
"Get goin' then." He said and motioned for her to start up. She holstered her weapon quickly, shooting him a sarcastic expression and begun to ascend.
That's when the moans got louder and he knew that they had little time left before the herd was on them so without thought he stepped up behind Andrea and placing his hands on her firm ass; something he think about and appreciate at a later time, he shoved her upwards in haste.
"Hey." She yelped above him.
"Get goin' Blondie." He commanded and she willingly complied at the sight of the first geek rounding the corner.
He let her continue alone and swung his crossbow in the air, letting the readied bolt fly through the mangled eye socket of the walker and splattering out the other side of its skull. He heard Andrea yell at him that she was 'Up' and to 'Move it' so he tossed his crossbow up to her waiting hands and jumped the pipe. Just then 5 more geeks came from his left and 3 more from his right. "Shit." He cursed again and at the sound of his voice and the smell of his flesh they all groaned in unison as he tried to scramble up the metal.
He reached for Andrea's extended hand, their palms connecting in a sweaty grip, but just as he though he was clear of their decaying grasp one of the dead caught his ankle in its vice-like bony grip. "Get of me ya son'v bitch!" he yelled, shaking his leg furiously to try and get it off. It didn't want to comply and the chomping jaws and gnashing black teeth of all the frenzied dead seemed to give it some unseen strength.
He could feel his grasp slipping as the sweat poured from his skin, he looked up at Andrea who was pulling against his arm with a vicious strength of her own, her eyes set in steely determination to get him up on the roof and he'd be damned if these things were getting him for lunch. He turned around and in looking at the reaching hands he knew he needed to do something risky to get out of this. If only he could get a better grip…
A loud 'Bang' sounded in his ear, followed by a 'Whoosh' as the bullet whipped past his ear. The crack and slap of shattering bone and brain reverberated through his drum and as the body of his undead friend lost its hold on him he felt the pull of his living one pull him up and over the ledge; the two of them landing in a sweaty, breathy heap on the hot black roof of the store. They grinned at one another in celebration and Andrea chuckled; although his was probably far less wide than hers, but then a look of fear fell on her face when she looked at the blood that caked his pants leg. She moved like lightening then and tore at the fabric of his jeans, pulling up the leg a checking for any wounds. He didn't like to be touched; especially by someone he didn't really know that well, so he had to maintain his control to stop and not yank his appendage away from her prying fingers, and to remind himself that she wasn't doing anything that would cause him harm; she was worried, so he let her search until the panic he'd seen in her eyes subsided.
"Hey if ya wanted to get in my pants, all ya had ta' do was ask!" he said wryly and a little out of character.
The look she shot him knocked all the confidence he'd put behind the words and his usual stoic expression settled on his face. He didn't know why they'd even come out of his mouth in the first place. As if Andrea would ever look at him like that? It seemed ill fitting considering what had happened earlier in the day and he almost wanted to kick himself for saying it to her at all.
He still wasn't completely sure he wouldn't kick ten barrels of shit out of the stupid, cocky, son of a bitch cop once they got back to the farm for even attempting to…No, Focus on the task at hand right now!
He stood quickly and walked over to the edge of the roof, looking over at the myriad of walking corpses he hocked a lugé before sending it hurtling their way. "Fuckers." He spat venomously; that sick feeling in is stomach only just beginning to subside as the adrenaline wore off.
"That was close." Andrea whispered behind him, her presence quite comforting despite their lack of relationship since joining the group. When he thought about it, despite their trek through the woods when they were looking for…Sophia; it still hurt him to think he failed that little girl, he hadn't had much contact or need to build a relationship with Andrea at all, but he liked what he was uncovering and he was glad to see some of the fight back in her bones. They needed to work on her shooting skills, but then she seemed like a natural and would pick up fast.
The riled up reaching hands of the dead moved like a centipedes legs and the moans hummed loudly through the summer air. The heat of the day sizzled on the roof and his mouth felt parched under the suns rays.
"Almost shot me again." He said blatantly as the ringing sensation in is ears finally dissipated.
"Yeah, you're welcome." She dead-panned with obvious irritation lacing her tone.
He smiled to himself as she turned away and made for the roof access door; checking her gun and readying for what they might find inside. He followed closely behind her and she waited, back pressed to the wall as he reached for the handle.
"Ready?" he asked. She nodded in agreement and he threw the door open.
AN. Please leave a review if possible as they keep me inspired to write. Also any typos are my own and sorry for them if they're there, but I really wanted to get something up this week.
Jada