Until the End

Chapter Twenty-One: Cujo.

Rick grinned as he scratched the side of his face.

"Well, since I didn't find you earlier, I went and asked Merle. Though he was on his way to being drunk." Rick stated, sending Merle a look.

"What?" Merle asked, balancing Mallorie and his plate.

"Anyway, I was asking about the weather." Rick said.

Daryl surprised everyone when he busted out into a fit of laughter. Seeing his point, Kirby couldn't help but to laugh a little as well.

"Rick...the weather?" Lori asked, amused.

"Yeah, so? Dale pointed out earlier that there were some thick dark clouds brewing. We wanted to know if it was something to worry about since it's still hurricane season." Rick stated.

That had Daryl's laughter subside and he glanced at Merle.

"I told him if the waves get crazy then it's most likely that we'll have to anchor at another dock or somethin'. It's not even rainin' yet, so I wouldn't worry. Yet." Merle added.

"Are you saying that there is a high chance that we may have a hurricane?" Carol asked from her seat next to Sophia and Lori.

"Slightly. It all depends if the wind picks up and it starts rainin' like hell." Daryl stated, his knees brushing Kirby's as he turned his stool to face the others who sat around the room.

"Just in case, I suggest on finding a place to anchor near the main land." Dale said.

"I can't say I disagree with ya." Daryl said.

"Alright, before it gets dark we'll find a spot." Rick said.

-

Kirby helped Carol and Amy with the dishes while Carl, Sophia and Mallorie sat on the small living room floor playing Go Fish. Sophia and Carl would have to tell Mallorie what to do every now and then, but Mallorie would surprise them by winning a few cards from them. The sun lowered into the sea, casting shadows along the water. The after glow of the sun was swallowed up into the night and the sky opened up to rain.

Tucked away in their respected rooms, everyone tried to sleep as the house boat gently rocked back and forth to each wave that hit up against the sides. Some time doing the night, the rain that started off as a light shower, transformed into a pelting mass. The waves grew stronger and higher with every minute the storm continued. A large wave crashed into the side of the Sea Beast, awakening everyone on board.

"Mama!" Mallorie awoke with a fright, crying out from in between Kirby and Daryl.

"It's just a storm, sweetheart." Kirby said, gathering Mallorie into her arms.

Daryl climbed out of bed and took Kirby's hand to help her up as the boat rocked again. They made their way down the narrow hallway, running into Carol and Sophia in the process. Together, the five made their way up to the Captain's quarters where Rick and his family were and Dale at the wheel.

"This wind practically came out of no where. It wasn't like this when we went to sleep." Dale said, balancing himself against the wheel as another wave hit the boat.

"We have to dock and find shelter on the main land." Shane said.

Although no one wanted to leave the Sea Beast in which they now called home, everyone knew that it was safer on land during a hurricane.

"Lori, here. I found these in the small supply closet down below." Shane said, passing Lori a life vest for Carl.

Shane gave one to Carol for Sophia, before turning to hand the last one Kirby. It was the smallest of the three, but was still big on Mallorie's small frame. Kirby tightened the straps around Mallorie, wanting to make sure that she wouldn't slip out of it.

"Daryl." Dale called out Daryl's name and tossed him a flashlight.

"Once we get close enough to the dock, stay together. What ever you do, keep your eyes open for walkers. It's night time and there are bound to be some around. After this storm blows over, we'll come back here and leave again." Rick said, placing his revolver in it's side harness before picking up a shot gun.

Daryl had his crossbow with him, but as a back up he had a .22 caliber handgun in the waistband of his jeans along with his hunting knife. Kirby had the .9mm that belonged to Berny in the back of her waistband.

"Remember, stay together." Rick said, before everyone made a break for the dock.

The rain slammed into everyone and Kirby covered Mallorie's face with her free hand as she followed closely behind Daryl and Merle. Merle jumped down onto the dock, moving to steady Daryl before he could slip.

"Daryl, take her!" Kirby shouted over the roar of the waves.

Daryl lifted his arms up, grabbing hold of Mallorie. He held on to Mallorie as Kirby jumped down onto the dock. Dale took Sophia as T-Dog helped Carol and Jacqui down. Shane and Rick lowered Glenn down, Amy and Andrea moving to help him. Lori and Carl jumped down after Glenn was safely on solid ground.

The wind threatened to knock everyone down as the rain slammed into them. Rain hit Kirby in the face and shoulders, stinging her from the force the rain fell. She squinted her eyes as she held one hand over them as to shield them from getting hit. It was dark and with the weather like it was, no one could see their hands in front of them.

T-Dog, who was leading, ran into something solid and would have slipped it Merle hadn't of been behind him.

"Watch it!" Merle shouted, though his voice never carried far with the loud sounds of the storm that raged on.

"Walker!" T-Dog shouted and who ever didn't hear him, saw the walker's blurry figure.

Everyone took off in different directions, not realizing that they were splitting up. Not able to see far ahead in front of her, Kirby headed towards a black rectangular object, hoping that it was a building of some sort that didn't have any of the undead inside. A hand grabbed Kirby's and she let out a startled scream. She turned to see that it was just Jacqui and tightened her fingers with hers, pulling her along.

If it weren't for the pelting rain beating down on them, Kirby and Jacqui would have heard the snarls closing in on them. They didn't see the dog until it rammed into Jacqui, taking her to the ground with it's fangs sunk deep into her forearm. Jacqui screamed in pain as Kirby screamed in fright. Reaching for the .9mm in her waistband, Kirby aimed it at the dog.

'I can't get a clear shot.' Kirby thought, beginning to panic.

She brought the butt of her gun down, hitting the dog over the head with it. All it seemed to do was get pissed as it released Jacqui just to snarl up at Kirby. Jacqui whimpered as she crawled away from the dog, slowly getting behind Kirby, before standing up. Kirby began backing up, aiming at the dog. She screamed as the dog leaped at her, it's fangs bloodied and ready to tear into some fresh meat.

Kirby pulled the trigger, but it jammed up. A gun went off and the dog's body jumped back, before hitting the ground. It laid motionless as Shane ran up. He didn't stop running, instead he snatched Kirby's hand making her run with him. Jacqui ran beside Kirby, tears of pain trailing down her face as she clutched her wounded arm to her chest. The three finally found a door and Shane kicked it in as the figures of walkers began to form out in the rain.

"Help me barricade the door!" Shane shouted over the pounding rain as he started pushing on an old ice cream box that had long since stopped working.

Kirby got on the other side of him and pushed with him until they had the heavy box up against the door. Kirby jumped when a walker from outside started to bang on the glass pane of the door. When the door didn't budge, she turned around to see that they were in what used to be a store. Jacqui let out another whimper as the burning from the bite on her arm intensified.

"Shane, find something I can use to stop the bleeding." Kirby said, rushing to Jacqui's side.

"It burns." Jacqui said, her voice trembling from the bite just as much from the cold rain.

Kirby pushed up the sleeve of Jacqui's thin sweater and gasped as a squirt of blood painted the front of her tank-top. Kirby clamped her hand over the wound, trying to slow the bleeding.

"Shane, hurry up!" Kirby shouted.