I Love You Big Brother

The Highway

"The Hell!" yelled Merle his voice full of annoyance and confusion.
Ahead of us was a line of endless traffic all heading to Atlanta.

"Well I guess we aint going anywhere anytime soon," I scoffed, which got me a glare from Merle in the mirror.
"Screw this," said Merle while putting the truck in reverse only to realise we were completely blocked in by cars.
"Shit," whispered Daryl while rubbing his face in frustration.
"I guess everyone had the same idea we did" I said looking behind at the stream of vehicles building up behind us.
"Wait 'ere," Daryl said while getting out the truck.
"Where you going?" I said not wanting him to leave. I think he noticed since he gave me a reassuring look.
"I'm just going to see if anyone in front knows why we ain't moving. Stay 'ere."
Technically I didn't have to listen to him. I mean I was nearly 18. But I respected my brothers and did as they said. I probably couldn't of done anything to help anyway.
I turned to talk to Merle only to see him rummaging through the glove box. He pulled out a little bag filled with white powder in. I just sighed.
"What?" he scoffed at me.
"Do you really have to do that right now?" I said annoyed.
"Good a time as any" he replied smiling at me.
I just rolled my eyes and laughed slightly. I was well aware that Merle did drugs, he didn't keep it a secret, but he never really did it around me especially when I was little. I guess he didn't want me to think he was a bad guy. Which I didn't. I loved my oldest brother alot, even when he was being an ass.

I turned the radio back on to station that had the announcment about the refugge centre, only to here nothing but static. I turned to Merle. He looked worried like me. Why would they stop broadcasting? Did something happen? A million questions filled my mind but soon stopped when a deafening bang filled the air. Then another one. Then another.
I looked all around trying to find the source of the noise. I was scared. Then a thought came to my head. Where the hell was Daryl? I started to panic. My breathing became shaky and tears pricked my eyes. Where was he? Was he hurt?
Next thing I knew Merles rough hand grabbed mine and squeezed it reassuringly.
"He's fine. He'll be fine." he said. I  think to try and convince himself as well as me.
I then looked out the window to see something that send a wave of relief over me. It was Daryl. He was running toward the truck with a scared look on his face.
"The hell happened?!" Merle said after Daryl had got back in the truck.
I looked at Daryl waiting for his response.

"They bombed the city."

Those words made my blood run cold.
"Wh- What?!" I said shocked.
"A bunch of helicopters flew over and dropped them. Atlanta's gone."

None of this felt real. Those words didn't feel real. How could we of gone from sitting on our couch in our dirty little trailer to being sat in our truck scared to death and near a city that had just been blown up, in only a couple hours.
This must be a nightmare. Soon I would wake up in my small room in my uncomfortable bed and hear my brothers snoring loudly from the other room.

But I didn't. Instead all I heard was screaming and shouting from outside the truck. It was chaos.

We rolled up the windows to try and drown out the noise so we could discuss what the hell to do. Daryl told us about some people he spoke to and their plan to set up near the outscurts of the city by a quarry and that he thought we should go with them. Merle was hesitant at first but me and Daryl convinced him that it was the best plan for the moment until we could make a better one.

After a while of trying to get through the mess of traffic we soon followed after the people Daryl spoke with and headed away from the highway. It was silent for a few minutes until Merle spoke up.
"You sure this is a good idea baby brotha' ?"
"No. But its the only idea we got." Daryl replied a few moments later.
I knew both of them were scared even though they didn't really show it. I was scared too but being with my brothers always made me feel safe.