Scars (Daryl Dixon FanFiction)

||Chapter Twenty One||

||Chapter Twenty One||

||Avery's POV||

"Go, go!" I shouted once I saw their snarling faces. Daryl grabbed the shift and yanked it back in reverse. He clutched onto the shoulder of my seat and looked back through the window. My body lunged forward since the car was going in the other direction.

The engine roared from over acceleration. The car spun towards the opposite direction of the walkers making me hit my head on the door's glass window. I was surprised it didn't shatter because my head sure felt like it would.

"Hold on," Daryl snarled starting to put on his seatbelt. I followed his actions and watched as he took the turn again back to the road we were on before. I clenched my teeth feeling chills up my back. The SUV roared as it shifted to the higher gears from Daryl flooring it.

The car moved back and forth from discarded body parts and pot holes. I was waiting for us to hit the wrong thing and send us flying into a ditch. Although, Daryl tried his best avoiding everything he could.

More walkers started to come out of the brush that lined the highway hearing the dinner bell. They stretched out their hands to something they could never reach since it was going almost eighty miles an hour.

"Son of a bitch!" Daryl snarled beating the steering wheel. I didn't see anything wrong through the windshield which made me even worry more,"What?"

"We're almost outta gas. We gotta make a detour," he said before jerking the wheel onto a backroad. He stopped the car and took in a sharp breath. I immediately recognized it, but it was all dilapidated and empty now.

"We gotta find somethin' high up. Probably a brick building," he snapped looking for something.

"The orphanage," I whispered staring straight ahead. Daryl looked at me with a confused expression,"What?"

"The orphanage," I repeated louder. He still looked at me like I was crazy until I looked at him seriously.

"The orphanage!"

I saw Daryl's eyes widened as he gripped the wheel tighter. His knuckles turned white and he seemed motionless. "Well, go!" I shouted ushering him on. He looked back to the road and floored the pedal.

I saw the wire fences come into view which reminded me of the prison. I had a sudden longing for it not wanting to stay here, but knew it was my only choice. "There!" I snarled pointing to the building. Daryl took a sharp turn and smashed through the small gate. The gravel driveway was kicked up under the speeding tires throwing rocks all behind us.

"C'mon," I snarled jumping out of the car and grabbing my weapons. I also gathered a few of our bags knowing we didn't have much time left before the walkers would sniff us out. Daryl hurried to get things while closing the car doors so nothing would get to it. He locked it with the keychain and run up the wooden steps after me.

I tried the door handle not being able to go far with it since it was locked. I jiggled it back and forth cursing under my breath. I then remembered the spare key in case any of the kids needed to get in on the top of the door frame. I tiptoed to reach the board and ran my fingers along it. They hit against the metal before grabbing them and shoving them into the key hole. I twisted them before the handle came loose.

I hurried in with Daryl following panting heavily. I shut the door and placed my back against it. My bags fell to the floor and so did I. I shoved my head in my hands as I brought my knees up to my chest. Daryl watched me intensely before looking around.

"We gotta make sure there ain't no one here," he sighed putting his crossbow to his shoulder. I didn't think of that. Maybe Ms. Darlene didn't evacuate the kids when this all started. She knew more about it than I did so she had to have planned ahead.

"Okay," I muttered picking myself up and grabbing my bow and arrows,"Just help me with blocking this door."

He nodded his head and spotted a dresser near the exit. It had a vase on top with wilted flowers inside. Daryl went to the other side to push while I pulled. With a little bit of strength, we managed to get the heavy dresser in front of the door. "That oughta hold 'em for awhile," Daryl sighed grabbing his crossbow again and putting it to his shoulder.

I let him lead the way up the stairs even though I knew the place better. I just didn't want to come face to face with one of the kids I knew who are most likely dead now. Daryl glanced back at me every few seconds making me feel like I was being stalked. I knew he had to keep a close eye, but I didn't like this.

"I don't hear anything. You wanna check up here and I'll go downstairs?" he asked turning to me when we reached the top. I nodded my head slowly before he pushed passed me to race down the stairs. I waited until he reached the bottom to continue with my search.

I glanced between the narrow hallways. Each room had their own bathroom which was nice. We were all homeschooled by different teachers for different ages. It was usually two kids per room and the boys and girls were separated by two different staircases. Right now I was in the girl's halls.

The older kids got the rooms in the back so they wouldn't be disturbed by the younger ones. I would sometimes come back and help without being paid so Ms. Darlene left my room alone. It was the type of payment until I could get an apartment, but I still came to help after. That was the first place I checked.

I grazed my hand over the cold, rusted handle before grabbing it and turning it. The old door creaked open letting the scent flow out and reach my nose. I recognized the smell of lotion and perfume along with clean laundry. Small knick knacks covered the night stand next to my bed pushed against the wall. I walked over to it starting to feel a lump in my throat.

A rectangle picture looked up at me from its tack on the wall. I immediately remembers the day captured in color. It was two girls in their graduation gowns smiling at the camera. One had their arm around the other along with her hand on her hip.

It was me and Kayla. I had a diploma in my handed which said I graduated from college. Kayla had given hers to her parents because she was paranoid about losing it. Ms. Darlene snapped the picture of us as her smile grew wider.

That was a happy moment.

Now, I don't even know where my friend or artificial family is. They could be dead or surviving like I am. The kids might be in a shelter somewhere in Atlanta or somewhere in the country. For some reason, I didn't even want to know about their whereabouts.

My breath hitched up in my throat as I carefully sat down on my bed still staring at the picture. It shook slightly in my hand and my eyes stung. Water brimmed my eyes before falling overs the edge.

I heard my name being called out, but it was only whispers. Daryl was probably looking for me. I ignored his calls and kept my eyes on the picture. His boots clattered closer to the door startling me.

"Hey, it's all clear down there....," he trailed off when he saw me hunched over with my elbows on my knees. In the corner of my eye, he leaned against the door frame and let out a heavy sigh,"We don't have to stay here, you know. At least until that heard clears out some."

I nodded my head not wanting to say anything else. He watched me as my shaking body stood up to go get the bags downstairs. I pushed past him and carefully walked down with the picture still in my hand. I spotted the bag and shoved the picture inside.

This was going to be one long few days.