Daryl's Angel (Book One in the Apocalypse Angel Trilogy)

Chapter 4: The Group

Glenn zooms down the road in the Challenger, the alarm still blaring. We can hear his whoops of joy as he passes us. Rick follows him, less loudly.

I sigh and keep staring out the window at Atlanta. That city has been my home for so long. Now, it's gone, overrun by the undead. I can never go back, as long as walkers walk the streets.

A tear trickles down my cheek.

"Hope?" I look over at Rick, who looks concerned. "Are you okay?"

I sniff and wipe my face. "It's...my home...and...well..." I shake my head and wipe my face again.

Rick nods. "I get what you're saying. I woke up alone in a hospital...I had no idea if anyone I loved was alive or not."

"A hospital? Why were you in a hospital?" I ask.

"I got shot on a run with my buddy, Shane. Before this whole thing started..." Rick sighs and rubs his side. I'm guessing that's where the gunshot wound is.

"Is your family okay? You mentioned them at the store."

"Maybe. They were gone when I got to my house," he says. "The thing is...all our photo albums were gone."

I swallow. He had been through a lot too.

"Hey guys?" Andrea asks from the back. "Who's gonna tell Daryl about Merle?"

"Daryl? Who's Daryl?" I ask.

"Merle's little brother. He's probably the only one who's gonna be upset about him being left behind," Morales says, smirking lightly.

I turn back into my seat. I wonder how many other people are at their camp. I'll find out soon.

The van turns and pulls into a little clearing. I see Glenn's Challenger parked nearby. The car alarm is no longer blaring.

Rick and I sit in the front of the van for a bit, watching people reunite with their loved ones. Andrea runs and hugs a young blonde girl and Morales meets up with a woman, a young girl, and a young boy.

I nudge Rick with my elbow and point. Glenn is talking and pointing to the van.

"We never would've made it without these two new guys," Morales says as we climb out.

Rick freezes up, and I follow his gaze to an adorable little boy and a woman.

"DAD! DAD!" The boy breaks into a sprint towards him. The woman follows close behind.

Rick's face becomes overwhelmed with too many emotions to count, and he embraces the boy tightly, sinking to the ground.

"Carl. Oh Carl," he cries happily. He releases the boy and hugs the woman. She looks stunned and overjoyed at the same time.

Glenn rubs the back of his neck, and everyone else stares at the reunited family.

He clears his throat. "Umm...so. They know each other."

"Who's she?" The young girl that Andrea was hugging points at me.

"That's Hope. She was in the department store we were in," Andrea says.

I wave at the people. Some smile, while others look at me with caution.

A man with greying hair and a beard coughs. "Well, we've all had a long day. The sun will be going down soon. We'll start a fire. You two-" He points at Rick and I, "-can tell us your stories."

Everyone nods. The crowd disperses, leaving me alone with Rick, his family, Andrea, the man that just spoke, and the blonde girl. The girl walks over to me, a pleasant smile on her face.

"I'm Amy, Andrea's little sister," she says.

"Nice to meet you," I say politely.

The two girls walk away, and the older man steps forward.

"I'm Dale." He shakes my hand. "It's nice to know that someone in Atlanta survived."

"I'm just glad I ran into your group. I was at the breaking point when they found me."

Dale smiles. "You'll need a place to sleep tonight. Lori? Do you know if any tents have room?"

The woman near Rick, Lori, shakes her head. "Not that I know of. The Dixon's might have some room...might."

"Like, Daryl and Merle Dixon?" I ask.

"That's them."

Rick and I glance at each other. We'd have to tell everyone about Merle later.