sin and sawdust

5

"I need your help."

Daryl stepped into the cabin, his rugged face filled with worry. He looked tired, like he hadn't slept in days.

"Nice to see you too," Eve kidded, "It's been a while, where ya been?"

"They're sick. The people," concern etching into his features, "Some kinda flu, they're dying fast. Too fast."

Eve stood up and stepped towards him,

"What is it you need from me?"

"Meds run. We need so much. Respirator, drugs," Daryl stared straight into Eve's eyes, a silent plea behind them for her help.

Eve felt a wave of nausea wash over her, she hadn't been back into the outside world beyond these woods for weeks.

"Where?" she asked, simply.

Daryl swallowed hard, raking a hand through his mass of hair.

"Bout 50 mile from here, one of our guys says a vet clinic. Our best shot."

Eve inhaled sharply,

"Suicide," she stated bluntly, "You're asking too much,"

She stood up, pacing backwards and forwards, anxiety rushing her mind,

"You can't do this, Daryl, they can't ask you to risk your life for people who are as good as dead anyway!"

Daryl eyed her as she walked, his expression neutral except for his eyes which glinted with a mix of fear, anger and resignation.

"They're my family," he said quietly, "Please."

Eve stopped in place, searching Daryl's face for an answer she knew he couldn't give, to a question she wasn't sure of. She saw the determination there, the loyalty and love.

"We got kids. Babies," he added, quietly.

"You're gonna go anyway, aren't you,"

It wasn't a question.

He nodded in confirmation.

"Fine. When?" Eve started to pick up her gear, knowing full well what the answer was going to be.

"Got a car ready, les' go,"

Eve swung her bow over her shoulder, strapped her knife to her belt and followed Daryl who was already walking out of the cabin.

He strode quickly towards the main road which was surprisingly close to the cabin, Eve had no idea how close she had actually been to civilisation all this time. A car was waiting, but it wasn't empty. Two men sat in the back seat. Eve hesitated, pulling back into the tree line.

"They're decent," Daryl explained, quietly, "Please, can't do this without yer,"

Eve swung herself into the front seat, ignoring the looks of surprise on the faces of the two men, Daryl joining her in the drivers side.

"Daryl, who the hell is this?" exclaimed one of the men, "What the hell?"

He opened his mouth to react, but Eve got there first, whirling round in her seat to face the pair.

"I am Eve," she spat back, "I am here to help on this goddamn suicide mission your people have so kindly sent you all on. You want my advice? Pack up and move on, nobody is worth your death."

She threw her body back around in the seat roughly, eyes straight ahead on the road,

"We going or what?" she growled at Daryl,