The End of a New Beginning // Daryl Dixon

Part 8

Meredith

IT'S BEEN TWO days since we escaped the CDC. We've been driving for the most part. After driving for a few hours on the road, we came to a stop and made sure everyone was okay. Rick and Shane came to the agreement that we'd try for Fort Benning. Part of me thinks it'll be another dead end like the CDC was, but I'm hoping I'm wrong.

While everyone stretched their legs or fueled up the vehicles, Daryl pulled his bike from the bed of the truck and made sure everything was good. He decided he'd ride the bike to Fort Benning from now on. I was riding in the RV with Dale, Shane, T-Dog and Andrea.

"Hey." I turn my head and see Daryl approaching me. I folded my arms over my chest and turn my head away from him, watching everybody else. I was locked on the other side of the door, all alone, not in the known, not knowing what's going to happen. The thing I knew, Daryl was shaking me and helping me off the ground. Ever since, he'd been giving me with worried look. I was hoping he would think it was just a traumatic response being balled up on the ground the way I was. But what person is balled up on the floor covering their ears when not a single sound was in the hallway?

"I don't wanna talk about it." I tell him. Daryl nods his head. He looks down and inhales deeply.

"Just wanted to make sure you're okay." He shrugs.

"Yeah. I'm fine." I answer him. I inhaled deeply and shook my head at him. I turn my head away and noticed a small convenient store off to my left. There's no way medication would be in there, even though there is a PHARMACY sign displayed. I'm sure people raided the hell out of it when shit started hitting the fan.

"Meredith! Let's saddle up." I glance over to Daryl before gathering my things and boarding up on the RV. Everyone gets into their respected cars and follows after Daryl. For about two hours, it was nothing but land. Finally, we had merged onto the highway and we soon came to a stop. I pick up my head and see a semi truck lying on it's side, blocking the road. Dale brings the RV to a stop, looking for a way around it.

"Maybe we should just head back." Glenn says.

"We can't spare the fuel ." Dale shakes his head. Daryl pulls up to the driver side window. "See a way through?" Dale asks. Daryl nods and he guides us through. Nothing but abandoned and wrecked cars, some dead bodies lying around the highway. A huge accident occurred here, I could tell. People panicked and must've left their cars to keep getting out of here on foot or something. Crazy to think there will always be a story to everything we see these days.

With a loud, sudden clank and steam filling the windshield, Dale stops the RV and puts it in park. He lets out a low groan, anger filling his face. He shuts the engine off and gets up from the chair, pushing the door open and stepping out. Everyone else follows and we all turn to the grill of the RV, watching Dale open up the grill and inspecting the damage.

"I said it. DIdn't I say it?" He questions. "A thousand times. Dead in the water."

"Problem, Dale?" Shane asks.

"Clearly." I wave my hand out to the engine. Shane eyes me and I throw him a sarcastic smile.

"Just a small matter of being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no hope of-" Dale pauses his sentence and turns his head. I turn my head and see Daryl already digging through the cars for useful supplies. Smart. He took his chance. "Okay, that was dumb." Dale says.

"If you can't find a radiator hose here..." Shane teases.

"There's a bunch of stuff we can find." Daryl says.

"I can siphon more fuel from these cars for a start." T nods.

"Maybe some water." Carol says.

"Or food." Rick adds.