Chapter 10

-Daryl-

The three of them sat together silently in the car until they heard the shots in the distance. Daryl watched as three armed men went running past the parking lot, then connected the wires he'd pulled out of the dashboard and the car revved to life.

"There's usually four men on guard at the front gate, " Lexi whispered from the passenger's seat next to him, "And they keep the doors shut with a metal rod. They're too thick for us to just drive through."

"Switch with me," he grunted scowling, "but don't drive like no pansy bitch, someone comes in fronna you, you speed the fuck up."

They quickly climbed over each other to switch places, though not quickly enough for him not to notice her ass brushing against his crotch as she slid into the driver's seat.

'Fuckin Shane-ette over here is bad news' he thought for what must've been the twentieth time since he'd seen that photo.

As soon as she was settled threw the car in drive and ripped out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell. He glanced over at her surprised but impressed and then stared on ahead as the quickly approaching front gate.

She was right, there was no way they could just drive through it, and there was still a lone guard waiting out front. Pulling out his crossbow, Daryl hit the man straight in the head and he crumpled to the ground.

"Stop five yards from the gate. Keep it I'm drive he barked," and without argument she did as he said screeching to a halt. He threw open the passengers side door and sprinted to the gate, wrenching the bar off and swinging open the left hand gate before darting back in the car.

"You just gotta gun it no matter what," he said getting back in the car, wondering if she was in store for what lay beyond the wall. He'd heard their moans as he unlocked the gate, and he knew how loud the town had been that night- this was going to be a gruesome ride. She slammed on the gas just as gun shots started to ring out behind them, and sped headlong into the walkers that were starting to come through the door.

"Lexi!" he heard the woman in the back shriek as the bodies began to bounce off the car.

'Rick's crazy fuck sister better not do something stupid.' he thought as he looked back into her terrified eyes. 'How the fuck had they survived this long?'

"Caitie!" Lexi said sharply, not taking her eyes off the road or slowing down for a second. "Caitie, what's the song you and Ian are dancing your first dance to? What is it, do you remember?"

Clearly distressed, Caitlyn started to protest "But Lex, all these people..."

"Stars shining bright above you..." Lexi began to sing, still plowing over walkers with her eyes locked on the road.

'This girl is batshit,' Daryl thought, whipping his head around at he heard another car tear out of the gates of Woodberry. He watched at the punctured front tires blew out completely, and sparks began to fly as the hubcaps ground against the asphalt.

"Night breezes seem to whisper, I love you..."

Caitlyn was beginning to calm down, while behind her the car following them had ground to a stop and was being overrun by walkers. He could hear the screams of the men inside, and scowled in disgust at the thought. Enemies or not, he wouldn't wish that death on anyone.

Part of him knew that there wouldn't be another car sent after them for a while. With the deaths of the men in the car, the man at the gate, and the eleven Andrea had told him about earlier, there was no way they could spare more people for a vengeance killing.

"Birds singing in the Sycamore trees..."

Plus, as they rounded a corner and Woodberry fell out of sight, he noted that no one had closed the gates yet. They'd have walkers to deal with I their stupid fucking paradise. But he wasn't angry anymore, and he didn't really wish death on all those people.

All he really felt now was exhaustion, washing over him as the adrenalin left his body. he heard Caitlyn's breathing in the back get deeper and saw the road ahead illuminated in the early dawn light was almost completely clear of walkers.

Yawning, he stretched out and leaned against the window, and glanced at Lexi who was still singing softly to Caitlyn in her husky alto, with he eyes fixed on the road ahead. He heard her finish just as his eyes shut in exhaustion.

"Dream a little dream of me."