Chapter 17: Dry Leaves
The panicked voices filled the air, mingling with the angry shouts. Jenner remained calm and stayed in his seat as the other begged and screamed at him,
' You cant do this to us we have a choice!' Rick shouted at him
Abby looked around at the doomsday clock that slowly trickled down to the imminent moment when it would all become darkness and silence.
Shane lunged at Jenner as Daryl tried to break down the shuttered door with an axe. Abby was next to Jenner, everyone's words were falling on deaf ears as they pleaded with him,
' Please…don't do this…don't let murdering people be your last act on this earth…and don't let it be mine' she whispered to him, her eyes stinging at the thought of Carrie,
' What you did wasn't murder…it was the most compassionate thing I've witnessed in a long time…not many people would've helped that girl, they'd have put a bullet in her and carried on like it was nothing, you helped her, you fought for her Abby'
' Then give them a chance to fight for each other…look at them Jenner…they want to live, they want the chance…let them have it?'
He looked at her for a moment before sighing and releasing the doors,
' Thank you' she murmured quietly, he nodded in response as people began to run out of the door. Abby looked up and saw Daryl standing by the door, for a moment she thought he might be waiting for her but then he turned and joined the others.
Some had made the choice to stay, part of Abby didn't blame them and she wondered what it would be like to stay and just have it all end. She watched as the others blew up the window so they could get out of the building and then she ran.
They all ran, each of them had that clock imprinted on their brains and was silently watching it tick down.
They made it outside and tried to put as much distance between them and the CDC as they could. Abby threw herself down behind a barrier and found herself next to Daryl.
He wouldn't look at her and in the heat of the moment she snapped,
' What is your problem?' she hissed at him
' Trying to get away from a building that's about to blow up is my only problem right now' he hissed back
' You've been weird with me since the other night did I do something?' her tone was less venomous but his wasn't,
' Look I ain't got time to keep babysitting you!' he spat angrily and moved away.
Abby was stunned she just couldn't understand him; he seemed to blow hot and cold all the time.
Everyone let out a sigh of relief when they saw dale and Andrea come running out of the building and then it happened.
It started with a slight rumble beneath them and then they watched as glass shattered and bricks flew everywhere. The fire erupted up and out towards them, the heat that hit them was incredible and everyone shielded their faces.
Bits of the CDC building rained down on them as they all lay on the trembling ground, Abby looked up and saw Daryl watching her and immediately looked away from him.
They stood by the cars as Shane and Rick argued about what they should do next,
' We can't go back that way it takes us too close to the city and it'll be dark soon' Rick shouted,
' So what are we supposed to do Rick? Go back to the campsite, hide in the woods?' Shane spat back
' I think we just need to put some distance between us and here for now' dale said neutrally and most people nodded in agreement,
' Dale's right' Rick said rubbing his face, he began to reel off a list of who was going with who, Abby wasn't really paying attention until she heard her name,
' Daryl you and Abby stick together for now you're a pretty good team' Daryl looked ready to argue but instead just turned and climbed into his truck.
She had no idea what she'd done to offend him so much but it was an awkward journey, he didn't speak or look at her in fact it was as though he was pretending she didn't exist.
Their little convoy turned down a side road onto a country track and pulled up into a clearing in the woods where Rick declared they would spend the night.
Abby climbed out and helped john settle into his tent where dale joined him and the two began to talk about fishing. It made her smile to hear them both talking as though the world hadn't gone to shit around them.
It was still light when she wandered away from the campsite, she had her gun and a knife but the whole time she walked she had a horrible feeling that there was something else out there with her.
She paused suddenly when she heard the sound of a footstep crunching on the dry leaves.
She listened cautiously but heard nothing else, she was about to take another step when something slammed into her and knocked her down, a hand smothered her mouth.
She looked up panic stricken to see Daryl, his finger pushed against his lips telling her to be quiet. He removed his hand from her mouth and pointed behind her where a walker came ambling out from between some trees.
Daryl was straddling her as he took aim and took the walker out; he hunched over and rubbed his face,
' What the fuck were you thinking?' he mumbled
' I wasn't' she murmured back softly
' You can't just walk off on your own Abby'
' Well that's fine cos you're not babysitting me are you?' she said angrily as she tried to wriggle her body free from him, Daryl looked angry as he pulled her back along the ground and the two of them began to wrestle.
Daryl was stronger and she knew he'd inevitably win but it wasn't going to stop her from trying, he grunted and she gasped as they fought on the ground.
Daryl had her pinned on her back when she glimpsed it; she reached for her gun and fired, thankful that she had put the silencer on.
Daryl turned and saw the walker slumped on the ground and looked back at Abby who was lying flat on the ground her breasts heaving as she panted for breath,
' That's the second time you've fired a gun at me' he said smirking, Abby couldn't bring herself to laugh, she sat up beneath him and pulled him to her.
Their faces were inches apart and he was gripping her tightly as she closed the gap.
It wasn't tender and loving, this kiss was full of animal passion, pure lust for one another as he relaxed and they were both lying in the dry leaves.
Sorry for not updating sooner, please review peeps it does mean a lot xxx