𝓗𝓮𝔂 𝓐𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓵 | 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝔂𝓵 𝓓𝓲𝔁𝓸𝓷

Chapter 7: The CDC

Just when I thought we were trapped a bright light flashed behind and the door opened up.

My attention turned to the front gun raised as we all walked through the entrance.

"Hello?"

"Anyone infected?" A man asked emerging from the shadows.

"One of our group was," Rick answered. "But he's no longer with us."

"So what do you want?"

"A chance,"

"That's asking a lot these days."

I looked at the man with the shotgun uncertain. He was somewhere between helpful and hostile. He wanted to help but his need for self-preservation was still at the forefront of his mind.

He looked over us all taking in the fear and desperation settled among us. I still had my gun aimed at him. If he didn't let us in I was just about ready to shoot him. We wouldn't survive out there tonight and so we wouldn't be going back out there unless we wanted to.

"You all submit to a blood test that's the price of submission," he declared.

"We can do that."

We brought it the rest of our belongings and the door was closed behind us. I was still thinking about what he said. "Once those doors close they stay closed."

"Vi bring up the lights in the big room," He spoke to the nothingness and just like that bright white lights flickered on.

"Neat," I muttered to myself. 

"You know, with how large this facility seems to be one would imagine there would be more people," I spoke up.

"Alright miss fancy pants," I heard Daryl mutter behind me. I shot him a playful glare before returning my attention to the good doctor who informed us he was the only one left in the facility.

"What about the person you were speaking with?" Lori asked.

"The person you were speaking to," Andrea clarified.

It was an AI and as much as I wanted to ask more about her Dr Jenner insisted we all have our blood tests.

Thankfully from here things got better. Dr Jenner found out we all hadn't eaten for a while and so treated us to a proper meal. There was more food than I'd seen in a long while and wine too. I had already had a few glasses and I wasn't planning on stopping.

"You know in Italy, children have a little bit of wine with their dinner," Dale offered pouring some more wine.

"And in France!" I added raising my glass.

In the end, it was Rick who changed his mind and allowed Carl some wine which he drank then pulled a rather disgusted face.

"Ew!"

All the adults were in fits of laughter.

"Maybe just stick to the soda pop there bud," Shane offered.

"Yeah, but not Glenn though!" I called across the room.

"What?"

"Yeah keep drinking little man I wanna see how red your face can get," Daryl added causing more laughter.

And of course, as all things went in this new shitty world, things went sour. This time thanks to Shane who apparently couldn't allow just one evening of fun. He went on questioning the Doctor about what happened to the others. Things went darker from there. He explained the runners and suicides.

"Dude you are such a buzzkill," Glen complained.

As we were shown to our rooms, I walked with a bottle of wine still in my hands not quite ready to stop drinking and I hadn't been paying attention until the mention of hot water.

I headed straight to the showers discarding my clothes quickly after setting down my half-empty bottle of wine. The water was warm and inviting and I couldn't quite remember how long I spent just enjoying the heat. I traced my fingers over my scars as the water cascaded down me. There a few long thin scars down the inside of my arms as well as one of my tattoos. It was just below my wrist, a sketch of Saturn with a galaxy background. Noah had had one similar. I smiled fondly at the memory we had snuck out of the house and down to the nearest tattoo shop. We had been friendly with the owner and so they let us come out of hours. Our parents never even noticed them.

Eventually, I tore myself from the shower dressing in the pyjamas given to us. I had acquired some entirely black ones. The top was loose but the sleeves were long. I opened the door wine bottle in hand and went off in search of a spare bed.

"Hey, fancy pants!" I heard someone call down the hall. I turned to see Daryl poking his head around a doorway.

"What do you want Dixon?"

"That wine bottle empty?"

"Nope,"

"Then get your fine ass down here," He beckoned me with a hand.

I laughed and jogged down the corridor and went through the door. In the small room, there was a cot on the floor and a small sofa both of which had sheets and pillows.

Suddenly Daryl snatched the bottle from my hand and took a swig.

"Hey!" I exclaimed grabbing the wine back. "My wine," I pouted clutching the bottle.

I took a seat on the sofa.
"So is the wine the only reason I'm here," I questioned as he sat down on the cot.

"Nah, not completely. I felt sorry for ya wandering round like a lost puppy," He explained.

"Oh really. So it's nothing to do with my 'fine ass' then?" I teased offering him the wine this time. "Enough, I need more fun since Shane spoiled it earlier," I declared.

"Tell me about it," Daryl grumbled handing me the wine again.

"Okay, questioned time," I decided. "Favourite colour?"

"Hmm green probably you." He answered before thinking of his own question. "What d'ya do before all this?" He asked.

"Oo straight to that one huh? Tell you what guess," I decided lying down on the sofa.

"So ya challenging me now huh?"

"Sure am Dixon,"

"Okay, okay. Let's think about it," He pondered.

"Be careful, that might be dangerous," I teased rolling onto my side.

"You knew Rick before right?" He asked.
"Yep."

"And you know how to handle a gun?"

"Sure do."

"I would say cop but you don't strike me as the type a woman who would settle down in a little town. So imma say Fed," He decided propping himself up on one elbow.

"Ding ding ding. Twenty points to Slytherin!" I joked in my half-drunken state giggling.

"Sorry, what happened to the strict ass woman. Where'd she go?"

"Oh it's still the same woman just a different side that likes to come out a little with alcohol," I explained grinning.

"Enough about me. I want to know more about Daryl Dixon." I was uncertain where this confidence had come from whether it was the alcohol or how comfortable I felt around him.

The night went on and we continued to talk though Daryl was always more intent on pushing the conversation back towards me. In the end, the conversation drew to a close when I heard Daryl's soft snores from the cot.

"Good night Dixon."