My Damaged Protector

Chapter Five ~ New Faces and Lost Faces

After getting out of Atlanta, Rick had informed us all that we would be heading towards Fort Benning, a place Shane was convinced would still be up and running with the National Guard there to protect the people. No one else seemed to be convinced, but we didn't have many options.

Everyday was the same. We would send a few people out to siphon gas while a few others went on runs to stores in order to try and find some food. Daryl would take me into the woods to hunt, teaching me a few things that he knew each day I was out there, but it was hard to learn since we only had a small amount of time in the woods.

About a day ago, Daryl had to trade his truck for the bike in the bed since it used too much gas. When he offered to let me ride on the back, I quickly placed Elena in the RV with Dale, Carl, Sophia and a few others along with our bags in order to ride with Daryl.

Through these few days, I had noticed that Daryl acted a bit differently with my sister and I. He was kind and caring and spoke more to me than nearly everyone else in the group. He was protective of the two of us in a way he wasn't with the group, other than maybe Carl and Sophia.

We were currently on the highway in a line, following behind the RV with two more cars back behind us. The wind blew gently through my hair, but as we slowed down, I sat up straight to try and see what was going on. Daryl pulled up and stopped his bike next to the RV window.

Dale opened the window up and nodded towards the pile up of cars blocking our path. "See a way through?" Daryl nodded and waved for Dale to follow behind him. The bike was expertly woven through the cars, and we only stopped when the RV would no longer fit through and a screeching sound came from the engine of the RV.

Daryl stopped his bike, allowing me to get off before he did and we both walked over to the RV to hear Dale talking about the radiator hose he needed yet again. "There's a bunch of stuff here." He said, digging through the trunk of one of the many cars around us.

"Siphon more fuel from the cars for a start." I pointed out.

"Maybe we could find some water?" Carol asked.

"Food?" Glenn added.

"This is a graveyard." Lori interrupted Daryl's searching of another car. Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her. "I don't know how I feel about this." She added, looking at Rick.

"C'mon ya'll, look around and gather what you can." Shane told everyone, sending people off to dig through cars. Elena came out of the RV, demanding that I let her help me dig through the bright red truck a space up from where we were standing.

We made our way to the red pick-up truck and I opened the back of it, a gasp falling from my lips when I saw several boxes of food and a few silent weapons. I pulled out every box and sat them on the ground, digging through each one carefully, letting Elena pull a few things out to look at. When I was satisfied with my find, the two of us lugged all of it to the RV.

"Nice." Glenn cheered and I smiled brightly at him.

Dale laughed at Elena carrying three boxes of cereal behind me and pointed to the camper. "Put the food in the RV, anywhere it fits. Then find anyone that needs a weapon and rearm our people!" I nodded and did as he suggested with a smile on my face. About an hour later the food was away and everyone now had a silent weapon or two in their possession. As I turned to go look for more things, I had suggested that Elena stay back in the RV with Andrea, to keep her company while I searched.

I got up to a blue SUV and started to go through the things in the back when I heard rushed footsteps behind me. A hand was pressed over my mouth, cutting off my scream as I was dragged under the car.