Unexpected Love | Daryl Dixon Fanfic

Chapter 7 - The Convoy

Everybody was gathered at the top of the quarry. The once camp was now flattened. These people worked at breakneck speed. How long was I off galivanting?

The tents were gone, all signs of life were demolished, and the cars bar mine were neatly lined up near the exit. At least they had enough common sense to not touch that, otherwise somebody would've been getting a beating.

As I reached the top, I heard Shane say "Everybody listen up. Those of you with C.B.s, we're gonna be on channel 40. Let's keep the chatter down, okay? Now you got a problem, don't have a C.B., can't get a signal or anything at all, you're gonna hit your horn one time. That'll stop the caravan. Any questions?"

A man whose name I didn't bother learning spoke up. "We're, uh... We're... we're not going." His wife then said "We have family in Birmingham. We want to be with our people." Shane looked baffled by this revelation.

"You go on your own, you won't have anyone to watch your back." "We'll take the chance. I got to do what's best for my family."

My brother and Daryl had now made it up the hill. Pair of light weights. "You sure?" Rick said. "We talked about it. We're sure." The man stated. With that my brother and Shane rummaged through the gun bag, handing a pistol and a box of ammunition to the family.

"The box is half full." Shane stated. The mans wife turned to face everyone. "Thank you all... For everything." Lori pulled the emotional woman into a hug, and everybody said their goodbyes.

I didn't do emotion and I didn't remotely want to be a part of this moment so walked over to my car and dropped my meagre possessions in the boot. I haven't been with this group for more than a day and the awkward moments were already tallying up.

About 10 minutes later, the family had gone on their way and the rest of the group were deciding which cars they were going to travel in. I silently prayed that I was left to drive on my own, or Rick chose to come with me.

Actually, scratch that. Being with my brother meant being with my sister-in-law and Id rather shove sticks under my toenails and kick a wall then be stuck in a car with her.

Glenn, an older man in a bucket hat and a black woman climbed into the RV and closed the door behind them. My brother picked up Carl under his arms and placed him in the back of a car which Lori and a timid looking woman had gotten into with her daughter. I guess they weren't coming with me then, score!

T-dog had chosen, or was forced at gun point, to have the blonde woman who was mourning her sister ride shotgun, which left Shane, Daryl and I alone in the remaining three vehicles.

It seemed a waste of precious petrol to have three of us driving alone, but hey-ho. I wasn't going to start arguing about that. Maybe some alone time will do me a bit of good and with a bit of luck, I could get rid of some of the tension pent up in my body.

We drove in convoy. The RV was up in front, Rick was second, then Shane, T-Dog, Daryl and finally me bringing up the rear. From here all I could see was the beautiful bike that Daryl had in the flatbed of his truck. He already told me it was Merles.

I didn't blame him for wanting to keep it. If something had happened to Rick, I would've been grateful to have something of his to cherish. I guess it's a bit like keeping a part of them with you. A token as such.

It was at this point something caught my eye in the cup holder. Something was glistening in the sun. I reached down and pulled it out and a sudden wave of guilt crashed through my body. Before the end of the world, I was here for a job. Sometimes I worked alone, sometimes not. This time it fell in the latter category.

Yes, I was a loner and the only person I was fully close to was Rick, but I did have a partner I would go as far to class as a close acquaintance. We had each other's backs every time we were paired together, and as hard as it was to get along with me, he had always classed me as a friend.