Impregnable {A Walking Dead Fanfiction}

Nine

    "Hollie, what are you thinking? Are you insane?" Shane asked anxiously, approaching me as I walked back to the Wrangler to pack for the morning. "I want to help, Cameron's car is one of the most reliable ones we have. I want to know what's out there; I need to do more than light fires and make soup." I reached into my bag, digging through Cameron and I's jumbled clothes. "Hollie, please stop and listen to me." The panic in his voice stopped me in my tracks. "You've seen two of them, you've never seen a horde. There's a good chance they're driving into a death trap tomorrow. It's not too late, you can take your name off the list. Let them take the car if you want just...please listen to me." His eyes were begging me. I glanced back at the camp, at the soft light coming out of the back window of the Winnebago. I looked at Lori, standing in the light of the fire with her arm around Carl; then at Dale, who was still flipping through his notebook. Finally, back at Shane. His eyes were desperately searching mine, looking for anything. "I hear you," I said, looking back at him. "I promise we'll turn around if it's not safe. I feel like this is the right choice, I'm sorry." His eyes grew dark, disappointed. He flared his nostrils and stared at me for a long, agonizing moment before shaking his head and turning from me, opening the back door of the Wrangler, and laying down on the seat. I continued packing my things as quickly as possible. Why am I doing this? He's right, I can take my name off the list, I don't have to be a hero. I was one of the few in the group who knew how to shoot a gun. I'd spent my summers at Shady Lake Sleepaway Camp as a kid, practicing archery and shooting clay pigeons. It didn't matter that I hadn't shot a gun in almost ten years, I'd learn again. The men had spent the whole day hunting and came back with two squirrels and a story about a deer they missed by this much. Our supply of canned food could last us two weeks if we stretched it and starved ourselves, we had to fight if we wanted to survive. I'd spoken to Lori and she agreed, she saw the writing on the wall just like I did. I finished packing my small bag and shut the trunk before walking over to the rear passenger door and opening it. Shane propped himself up on his arm and looked at me. "I'll be back tomorrow, I promise," I said, patting him on the back. He looked away from me "I'll see you then," He said, unconvincingly. 

    I was given the job of lookout, they reasoned that I was the smallest and weakest. I objected to the reasoning, but was relieved I wasn't put on the frontlines. "We'll be ready to leave in about five minutes," Daryl said, loading the last of the bags into Cameron's SUV. The morning air was cool and crisp, I grabbed an oversized long-sleeved shirt to keep warm before getting in the back seat. Shane had slept in, which wasn't normal for him. My eyes were fixed on the back door of the Wrangler, hoping it would open before we left. The rear door on the opposite side swung open and Glenn slid into the center seat, Matt following behind him. Andrea got in the passenger seat, and Theo got behind the wheel after packing the last bags. We set off down the mountain, Merle and Daryl following behind in an empty box van. Andrea was our navigator, she had a huge unfolded map in front of her, tracing the route with her finger. First stop was the army surplus, then we'd hit the Ingles and the pharmacy down the road. The owner of the army surplus was an old friend of Theo's; which made me feel simultaneously better and worse about the fact that we were on our way to loot his store. Just a normal day of running errands. 

    It was surreal how peaceful everything looked, like no one told nature the world was ending. We crested a hill and came upon a lady trudging up the road in front of us. It was becoming easier to tell them apart: the limp, the hanging jaw, the dirty, tattered clothes. Theo put on his hazard lights and moved into the other lane to pass her. I watched in the side view mirror as Daryl accelerated, the engine roaring behind us as he slammed into the woman, sending her flying into the air. "God dammit!" Theo cursed, hitting the breaks. He pulled over to the shoulder, Daryl following behind us. Theo angrily exited the car and walked towards the van, I rolled down my window to hear the conversation. I could only hear what was yelled. "DO YOU THINK THIS IS A GAME...I'M NOT GETTING KILLED OVER YOUR DUMBASS...ARE YOU WITH US OR NOT?" After a while, I saw Daryl throw his hands up and the conversation began to calm. Theo returned and turned on the ignition. "Thank you," Andrea said, not looking up from her map.