Home Is Your Heartbeat ('Home Is' Book Two - Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 52 - Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam (Nirvana)

DARYL

"Today's THE day!"

Rick is all revved up and rarin to go as the souped-up sedan speeds down the centre of the road. Leaving nuthin but dust and a few walkers in our wake.

"Uh-huh"  I reply absently, poring over the map of farming supply places that Eugene had shoved into my hands.

Along with all the other lists that folk back in Alexandria have passed on. Feels like I'm a goddamn personal shopper or somethin.

"We're gonna find food and maybe some people. The law of averages has got to catch up."

"I dunno, we ain't seen nobody for weeks. Maybe we ain't gonna find nobody, and maybe....that's a good thing."

Can feel his eyes on me. Bet he's wondering about my change of heart over the last month.

I know I said to Nate that I wouldn't give up on findin people. Only my experience with Dwight in the forest and then later on with that gang of thugs? Has left me more than a bit wary.

And on top of all that, the Wolves attacking Alexandria?

We aren't alone. And our neighbours don't seem to be any friendlier than the walkers. Just can't make myself take that big a risk anymore. Don't trust myself enough....anymore.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Rick's hand reach stealthily for the console. And the flash of a CD catches my eye.

Awwww shit....noooo!

"Don't. Don't....please don't...."

Almost begged him as he cranked up the volume and began clicking his fingers. Grinnin at me slyly, while his head bobbed in time to the rockabilly shit that came pourin out of the speakers.

He noticed my look of disgust and that just made him amp it up even more.

"Draws the walkers away from home. Besides....Nate told me it was your favourite song. Will get you in the mood for a good day out?"

Give him the look that I'm itchin to give my missus. Just a pity I can't give him the butt slap that my palm is itchin to give her as well.

Wonder if Rick noticed her eyes turnin bullshit brown when she out and out lied to him?

'My bad, bad Baby Monkey is gonna pay big-time for this one when I get home tonight'  I promised myself, gazin out the car window as my mouth twitched in a grin of anticipation  😈

But she was right about one thing, no doubt.

For the first time in so long, I'm really looking forward to this run. Just him and me, like we've done hundreds of times before. But not in what seems like an age now.

I think we both need this bit of downtime together....to decompress? Get us back to basics again after all the drama and losses of the last few weeks. Hell, months even.  We're feelin the strain of havin to be responsible for so many people nowadays.

And I miss just having our little group like we did back at the prison.

My brain keeps swingin its way back to Nate's PLAN.  To just up and go. Leave everything and everyone. Claim our own turf and simply....live.

It isn't far-fetched, it'll be my idea of heaven in fact. Except....I've got somethin different in mind.

Like maybe?  We take the family and eventually head back to Georgia. Set all of us up at the Honeymoon Residence. Get Aaron, Eric, Morgan, Jorge and a few others in with us as well.