The next morning was the day we left. Rick left a map for his friend Morgan on the car Glenn drove up here. Ana and I were going to ride in the RV with the majority of the group. I leaned myself against the outside of the RV, my head to the sky, the humidity made my face wet with sweat. I wanted to leave. I pulled off my flannel so I was left in a tank top. I opened my eyes and looked straight forward to see Rick looking over at me. I ignored him and tied my flannel around my waist.
"We leavin yet?" I asked him
He blinked and he nodded his head. Morales said his family wasn't coming and Rick gave him a gun. Then we were off. I swung myself into the RV, I took a seat at the table and Ana sat next to me. Andrea sat across from us, Dale and Glenn were in the front and Jacqui kept Jim company. Andrea fumbled with a gun, she was trying to learn how to put one together quickly.
"You need help?" I asked as we started to drive
"I got it" she said and I just watched as she continued to fail. She huffed in frustration and set the gun down. She slid it to me and I showed her how to put it back to together and then take it apart.
"You make it look so easy"
"It takes practice. Ana can throw knives, I damn sure know I can't. But she practiced" I turn and look out the window
She stayed quiet. I heard the noise of small conversation and gun parts clanging. She still couldn't figure out. I could tell by her inpatient sighs and cursing under her breath.
"You can always use a knife" I told her still looking out the window
"Isabelle" Ana elbowed me
"It's fine" Andrea says to Ana
•••
As the ride went on, Jims cries grew loud. We decided to leave him by a tree on the side of the road, it was his choice. We stood around him and a half circle. Rick went to talk to him and he came back to the rest of us. Most of he group said goodbye, I just waved, I had nothing to say. I felt bad but he wanted it and I couldn't feel bad about that. Jacqui was upset. But we kept on our way to the CDC. The new sound of Jacqui crying was introduced to this part of our ride. It was annoying but I'm sure I'd be crying too. She lost a friend and that's a big deal. I didn't know why we were still headed to this place, Jim was gone. I wanted us to find a place to stay for a long time, I don't like this get up and go stuff. Now that I had a group, I hoped that it would make traveling less common, but we travel more now than when we were alone.
"You good?" I asked Ana
"Yeah. I'm just tired"
"Then sleep. We've got the time"
"I can't sleep in that bed"
"Then stay here. No one will mind. I'll make sure no one draws a dick on your face" I said jokingly and Andrea smiled at us
"You guys sisters?" She asked
"No. Just really good friends"
"Isabelle doesn't like anyone except for me"
Ana whispered
"That's not true. I'm just, careful"
"That's not bad in this world. You gotta be careful" Andrea says
"I'm not a bitch for no reason"
"You could be a good leader" Andrea tells me
"Ricks got my job it seems" I said jokingly
"You can be his right hand woman"
"Lori"
"she's not really much of a leader"
"He seems to like her more than he likes me"
"She is his wife"
"I'm just some girl who pointed a gun at him, you know?"
"And you're not very friendly apparently"
"Not really, I can be friendly. I've got my reasons. I don't get stuck in bad situations that trusting people get in"
"Rick trusted Glenn and it saved his ass"
"I haven't needed to be saved yet"
"Rick saved you. We saw that from the roof, when the walkers were about to get you"
"That didn't involve trust. Rick was just coming at the right time"
"You're good at fast responses"
"You have to when you're sarcastic and always trying to fight someone" I said with a small laugh
•••
When we arrived to the CDC the sun was going down. The ground was scattered with dead bodies and reeked of it. I coughed and quickly covered my mouth with my shirt.
"Keep moving" Rick says in a hushed tone as we step over and around bodies.
When we got the the doors, they were closed. Rick banged the door as if it would open.
"Rick. We've gotta go" Lori says, pulling him back
"We can still go to Fort Benning" Shane says
"We've got no gas and barely any food" Andrea brings up
"Walker!" Daryl calls as he shoots an arrow through ones head
"Rick. The suns going down. We need a plan!" Lori says frantically and we all start to turn back.
"The camera. It moved! Someone's in there! Open the doors!" He yelled and banged on the shutters again
"Rick, man, those are motion activated" Shane tries to convince him
"If there was no one there. Why would these shutters be down? Someone's in there! We've got women and children. No gas and hardly any food and it's dark. Let us in!"
"Rick. We've gotta go" Shane starts to pull Rick
"You're killing us!" Rick yells "you're killing us! You're killing us!" He repeats and whatever it was he said worked.
The doors of the CDC opened. A bright white light blinded us. We all stood in shock and disbelief. This felt like it was heaven sent. This was going to be the place to save us.
