In The End | Daryl Dixon

Chapter 3

"Hold fast to one another, we will stand stranger to brother."

Erica 

They'd set up camp by an isolated quarry, which was a smart move in my opinion. It wasn't too far off the road, but still isolated enough to avoid attention. The chance of any walkers, which Shane seemed to be calling them as well, getting out here were slim. That made me feel a little more comfortable. Upon arrival, we were given tents. They only had three to spare, but I wasn't complaining. I've slept in far worse conditions. 

"Jacqui and I can share." I offered with a shrug. "The other two are one person tents anyway. Jacqui and I are big girls. We can stand sharing."

"Are you sure? T-dog and I can share if you guys want. In case you need privacy or something." Glenn tended to word vomit when speaking more than three words at a time, which adds more to his innocent charm in my opinion. It does make him more vulnerable, though. People have always taken advantage of one another's kindness, but that's going to be all the more true now. I looked to Jacqui. She shrugged, clearly caring about as much as I did. I'm willing to bet we won't be in our tents all that often, so it almost doesn't matter.

"We'll be fine. Scouts honor." I held up three fingers. I wondered how Cas was doing. I sure hope he didn't get his ass blown up. If he did, anyone in those helicopters is immediately going to hell. Crowley will have a hoot, I'm sure. As if blowing up a city full of people wasn't enough, but blasting an angel to oblivion? They'd be the number one candidate for damnation, right behind me.

"Where do you guys wanna set up?" T-dog asked. We all stared. "Hey man, I don't know anyone here. You three are the closest things I actually have to friends."

"Touché." I looked around. My eyes settled on a patch of free grass a decent distance from the other tents. "There looks good. If we're lucky, we'll make it there without having to socialize with anyone we don't know."

Yeah, we weren't that lucky. We just about met half of Georgia's population along the way. A woman named Andrea and her sister Amy, who looked terrified. Dale, the man who'd spared us the tents. A woman named Lori and her son, Carl, along with a woman named Carol and her daughter, Sophia. Morales introduced himself to us too, along with his family, but I'm a shitty person so I've already forgotten their names. Faces I can do. Voices I can do. Names? Slap me on the ass and call me Sally. That shit is not happening.

We set up our little camp and talked more. I learned more about my new compadres. Turns out T-dog is short for Theodore Douglas, which had me just about crying in laughter. Glenn looked about ready to lose it too. Glenn, who was a pizza delivery boy before the proverbial shit hit the proverbial fan. Jacqui, on the other hand, was a zoning department worker. I didn't see that one coming. She seemed more like a lawyer if anything. Maybe a really badass secretary. 

"I don't have a job." I shrugged, even though I do. It's just not one you really... get payed for. "Or didn't. I just ran around across the fifty states with my brothers, hunting shit."

"You're a hunter?" Glenn blinked at me as if he couldn't quite believe it. I wasn't about to tell him what kind of hunter I happened to be. He'd probably shoot me right between the eyes if I tried to tell him I'd just finished killing a nest of vampires right before I saved his ass from getting eaten alive. Then again, dead people are walking around. Bloodsuckers can't be all that far fetched, right?

"My dad taught my brothers and I to hunt when we were young." I waved a hand in the air flippantly. "Been doing it ever since, I guess."

"Was that man you were with your brother?" Jacqui asked. I almost forgot she was there when Castiel and I split. I should probably try praying to him to let him know where I am, since I've got shit carved onto my ribs that won't let him find me. Perk is, none of the other feathered folk can find me either. Even if the drama with them has blown over, I'm taking no risks. There are plenty winged bastards who'd still like my head on a pike. I sure hope angel radio, as Dean named it, is still up and running.

"Nah, my brothers are Sam and Dead Winchester. That guy was Castiel. He's my best friend, I guess you could say." I shrugged. I'm sure he's perfectly fine. I'd know if he was dead, right? I'd have some sort of tingly, spidey-sense type of feeling in the pit of my stomach. "You guys got any family?"

"None here." Glenn shook his head, frowning. "I mean, I had my parents and my sisters. I don't think..."

"I'm sorry, man." T-dog patted his back, shaking his head morosely. I shook my head a little. I get what he's going through. I lost my mom at a young age, and dad died a few years back in that damned car crash. That pain is still fresh, even now. But Glenn seems pretty strong, if not a little shy. He'll step up without a doubt. 

The rest of the day flew by, and we all got settled. My stomach was roaring by the time we were all ready for dinner, which we ate out of cans. I didn't mind. Jacqui, T-dog, Glenn and I stayed relatively close together as we ate. We eyed everyone else with relative suspicion. It's the apocalypse, and as pop culture instructs, you trust nobody. Unless you've ridden away from an exploding city listening to Lady Gaga. Then, apparently, it's fine. 

"What was it like in the city?" Lori asked us, sounding incredibly sad as she did so. She must have left someone behind. Friends, family. Or maybe it's just her home she's missing. I shared a look with the squad, coming to the decision that we were what could be considered 'goals.' Tighter than a virgin at this point. It's amazing the effects life and death situations can have on one's mind. I'm impressed. 

"Bombs were falling all over the place. It was chaos." Jacqui shook her head. "Erica saved me. She and this other man. He stayed behind and kept them off us long enough for us to get away. We picked up T and Glenn along the way." 

"Sounds rough." Morales said, shaking his head.

"You should have seen it." T-dog shivered a little. I took a deep breath. I wonder where Sam and Dean are, and if they got bombs dropped on them or not. 

"So do you guys know each other?" Shane looked between all of us. I like Shane so far. Even if he did interrupt our dramatic exit from what was nearly our deathbed. 

"We met when I picked them up. But it feels like I've known them all my life, for some reason. We were screaming each others ears off while bombs exploded around us and dead people chased our car. And Lady Gaga was blasting the whole time, too. I guess we're just... I don't know anymore." I shook my head, earning a few laughs. Jacqui put a hand on my arm. 

"That'll do it." Dale chuckled.

The conversation quickly shifted as a redneck named Daryl began to tell us about a Chupacabra he saw while he was out squirrel hunting. His brother was teasing the daylights out of him about it the whole time he told the story, but I couldn't help but wince. Chupacabras... god damn are they ugly little blood suckers. They're fast as hell, too. I'm surprised he saw one. They aren't common in the US.

"Were you in Texas when you saw it?" I asked, my eyebrows raising. Daryl looked up, surprised that I'd spoken. My green eyes met his blue, and I held his gaze, waiting patiently for an answer. T-dog and Glenn were staring at me in absolute disbelief, but I know what I'm talking about. Daryl isn't lying.

"Yeah." Daryl answered gruffly, returning his gaze to his can of beans. "Drove down for the week."

"That makes sense." I nodded. I looked around. I was being stared at again. "What? I believe him."

Glenn shook his head, and Jacqui downright told me I was crazy. Sad thing is, she's right. I lost my marbles a long time ago.

[Song: We Carry On by The Phantoms]