Red ~ TWD (Daryl Dixon)

Trouble in Paradise

My hand slapped against a metal bar bolted to the top of the truck. I curled my fingers around the solid steel frame, frantically trying to hang on.  My fall was abruptly halted, and I groaned at the all too familiar pain of pulled muscles in my shoulder, but pain was the least of my problems.  The truck was still speeding down the road causing my body to bump and bang against the truck, all while I desperately held on for dear life.

Grunting I reached for the metal bar with my other hand, my palms slick with sweat and blood.  The truck barreled around a corner at 50-mph, the centrifugal force trying its damndest to pry me from the vehicle despite my best effort.  I had to get back on top of the truck.  There was no possible way I could hang on for the duration of the journey, wherever the hell that was.

Gritting my teeth I flexed my biceps, slowly inching my way up.  When I was halfway there the passenger side door suddenly swung open and I cursed, pulling frantically.  A Savior leaned out of the cab, brandishing a pistol. I threw my right leg up, hooking my heel on the other side of the metal bar giving me the leverage I need to hoist myself up.  With one, pain filled lunge I threw myself back on top of the truck just as the man fired.

Before I could so much as catch my breath the driver slammed on the brakes causing me to slide towards the front of the truck.  I grabbed the metal bar, stopping myself from flying off the roof and subsequently being run over only to feel myself tossed in the opposite direction when the asshole slammed the gas pedal to the floor.

"Christ, I'm gonna get sea sick" I muttered, swallowing down a mouthful of saliva.

We played the stop-and-go game for a few more minutes, but when it was clear it wasn't going to work they settled for simply hauling ass. 

Well, I was on the truck.  Now what?

My mind drifted to my husband who only yesterday scolded me about my impulsive tendencies.

"Ya gotta learn not to kick a cow turd on a hot day Red." 

To be fair I had stepped in actual cow shit that day so it was hard to know if he was talking about that or something else entirely. 

The truck zig-zagged back-and-forth across the highway, more to avoid the numerous abandoned cars in the road than a serious effort to dislodge their stowaway.  One thing was certain, I couldn't simply stay here and wait for them to get to their destination. 

Steeling my resolve and my nerves I slowly worked my way towards the cab, careful to keep one hand on the metal bar at all times.  The wind was howling loud in my ears, whipping my hair around into knots I'd never be able to untangle.  The air was thick and steamy, making it difficult to breathe. Pressing my lips together in a hard line I rolled my limited options around before realizing I had none. Guess I'd have to go with old reliable, wingin' it.

Something told me my other half would consider this stepping in cow shit.

Admittedly it wasn't the best plan I'd ever concocted, but if these assclowns were stupid enough to fall for it then they deserved to die. 

Leaning forward I pounded on the roof of the cab then quickly slid off the roof, one hand locked on the steel bar like my life depended on it, cause it did, the other holding my gun.  It was somewhat disappointing when the passenger's head popped out of the window, gun aimed at the top of the cab like I was stupid enough to be sitting up there.  I had no idea how Negan managed to take over most of the Eastern seaboard.  These guys were so incompetent they made minimum wage mall cops look like Navy Seals. 

"Hey asshole!"

He never saw me or the shot that shattered his skull.  His body crumpled, falling out of the half-open door onto the highway.  The truck shuttered then bounced, and I puffed out my cheeks, trying not to puke at the sound of bone crushing like wrinkled wrapping paper.  Hauling myself back onto the roof I grimaced at the shrinking red spot on the highway behind us.