Daryl's Angel (Book One in the Apocalypse Angel Trilogy)

Chapter 71: Razor's Edge

Morning comes quickly, and we eat before leaving the platform. Daryl and I are the last people to go, and as we do, I see the beaten and dead body of Len, an arrow in his head. I stare at it in horror.

Daryl nudges me, and we both grab a tarp and drape it over his body. He may have been an arse, but he deserves some respect.

We keep moving down the tracks.

"Where are we going anyways?" I ask Joe after a while.

Joe's expression becomes sad, then angry. "We're tracking down a man. He killed one of our guys, Lou, when we were in a house, a little while back. Strangled him in a bathroom and left him to die. We think he's on his way to Terminus."

He notes my confused expression, and points to a sign on the side of the road that I hadn't noticed. It reads "Community for all. Sanctuary for all. Those who arrive survive." There's a map underneath, showing train tracks coming from all different directions, all leading to one star in the middle, where the word "Terminus" is written.

"This man's bad news. We need to find him," Joe says.

I nod, and we keep walking. I see a Big Cat chocolate bar wrapper lying on the tracks, and Joe points it out. I smile. Carl used to love Big Cat.

"We're getting close."

We eventually stop after hours of walking along the tracks, and we move into the forest and set up camp. Daryl and I sit on a blanket I found, and claimed, along the way, staring into the fire. The other Marauders do various other things. Dan and Tony sleep, Harley sharpens a stick with his hunting knife, Billy builds up the fire, Jack paces with his crossbow in hand, and Joe stands further away, keeping watch.

"This group doesn't share anything with each other," I whisper to Daryl. "It's so...different."

"I know, but that's how they work," he murmurs.

"This guy they're tracking down, I wonder what they'll do when they find him," I say.

"Well, probably somethin' like they did with Len, but...worse."

I nod, and we fall into silence, continuing to look into the fire.

"As soon as we get the chance, I'll take you on our honeymoon," Daryl whispers, and my nerves spark with excitement. I can just tell that he's grinning. "For now, let's get some sleep."

I nod, and lay down, drifting off.

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Once again, we spend the next day walking along the tracks, and it gets dark again. We're just about to get ready to stop for the night when Joe holds his hand up, ordering us to stop.

"I've picked up some footprints. There's three of them. The man's got company." He grins.

We walk through the dark trees, following Joe. He stops again, and points ahead. A car sits on the road, and two figures sit beside it. I can't make out anything. All I know is that there are two people.

"Formation. Surround them."

Everyone splits, moving quietly. Daryl and I loop onto the road, creeping towards the car.

"I don't want to see this, when it happens. Could we stay back, not watch?" I ask quietly. "Maybe we can leave. Find everyone else at Terminus later."

He nods in reply, and we start to creep away slowly.

"Oh dearie me. You screwed up asshole!" I hear Joe say. "You hear me? You screwed up!"

I see Dan walk up to the car and bang on the windows. The other four men stand nearby while Joe talks.