Violent Delights¹︎ | D.Dixon

1.02 ➸

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CHAPTER TWO
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          LEONA PROBABLY SHOULD'VE KNOWN THAT this was a bad idea. First of all, there was a new virus running rampant through the country and she decided that her best bet to meet back up with the only family she had left was by driving almost 7 hours to Atlanta, Georgia with two men she'd only just met. Every survival guide would tell her to do the opposite, to try and tough it out on her own and ask someone she knew for a ride, or maybe even use the last few hours of public transportation available before it shut down world-wide. Not that she had known a shut down was even a possibility when she decided to swap some of her food and fuel for a ride with the two brothers in their old beat-up truck, with a motorcycle tied down in the bed.

Old beer cans rolled around on the floor in the backseat, where she had been snuggly tucked to fit her in the car. There were two duffel bags stacked up to her left, and a few blankets messily thrown over the top of them. There was a plastic grocery bag stuffed full with food the two of them had bought at Daryl's feet in the front passenger seat, and the man in question was currently chewing on a Slim Jim.

If Leona would've known she was going to end up on this little road trip, she would've chose something a bit more nourishing than Little Debbie donuts and a peach-flavored Monster. Merle, who was driving, had taken the Diet Coke she'd gotten for Carl, and Daryl had opted for the Dr. Pepper that she'd gotten for Lori, knowing her sister-in-law loved the stuff almost as much as she did. The third drink, the one she'd gotten for Shane, was a bottle of water that had been shoved in the grocery bag with the rest of the food. She figured the two men would split it once they got thirsty enough. Leona only hoped the amount of food stashed in the old truck was enough for all three of them to get by.

It took her about an hour to realize the predicament they'd gotten themselves in by having Merle take the fastest route to Atlanta: everyone else had, too. Hundreds of cars lined every road for miles, each car bumper to bumper as they travelled to the Safe Zone hours away. Because of it, the trip would probably take twice as long, and the sun was going to set soon. She pondered the idea of Shane, Lori, and Carl having the same problem, but they'd gotten on the road immediately. There was a chance they'd beat the rush of it all. She hoped so. Carl had always hated long car rides.

"So, where ya from?"

Hearing Merle ask her that was unexpected. There hadn't been much talking the entire trip so far minus the few inappropriate remarks Merle had made about her ass in the shorts she was wearing. After he'd been told off a few times, and Daryl had begun glaring at his older brother, he shut up.

She met his gaze in the rearview mirror, not saying a word before looking back out the side window. If it was a few hours before, maybe she would've answered him with a polite tone her grandmother would've been proud of, but after the things he'd said to her she felt that she didn't owe him anything. The deal they made had been fair enough, and besides, did she want these strangers knowing where she was from? She wasn't sure.

She could hear him scoff in the drivers seat, diagonal to her own. "Just wanna make conversation, lady, that's all. Barely know ya' name, or anythin'."

"My name's Leona." She mumbled out.

"Leona...?"

"Grimes."

"Well, Leona Grimes, where ya from?"

Starting to realize that Merle wasn't fond of the idea of taking a hint, that or he was truly oblivious, which she sincerely doubted. So she caved. "Minneapolis, Minnesota."