Season 5 Bethyl

Steel City

Steel City

It looked as if the world had frozen in time and the people disintegrated. The streets are bare and the air is crisp. Te buildings looks like a picture in a museum-all perfect and serene. They didn't expect it to look like this. Detached from the apocalypse.

As they drive through the city, no one can speak due to aw. In spite of themselves and what they've expected, no one says a damn word or really even breathes.

Sure they have stumbled upon towns that had been deserted, but a huge am city like Pittsburgh that harbored over 200,000 some people? It blows their minds at the thought. Passing over a pass, that over looks Heinz Field, Beth can remember Sunday nights. Her dad and Otis would scream at the tv as the Steelers played their games. They were good, but in the months to come before the world turned to shit, they had been losing badly. It always made Beth laugh to think that her father supported the Pittsburgh Steelers all the way in Georgia- a rare thing that always made her smile.

As they pull off, they all get out of the car and look over the bridge at the three rivers coming together. Beth holds Judith and Daryl close as they take in the sight that had been captured on so many cameras over the ages that have now broken the camel's back. Looking at Paul between Monty and herself, Beth can literally see the intensity of the city in his eyes. That's what this city had done to a lot of people. Made them feel significant in a small way- infinite in others.

"We should get going." Daryl says as they all take one last look at the glorified city.

In the truck, Monty Drives as Beth sleeps in the back with Judith, the dogs and Tibbs. Paul sits in the center of te bench seat up front and Daryl stares out the window.

"Won't be long now." Monty says as he looks down at Paul.

"No, bout 2 hours tops. We got enough gas from Bedford, we should be able to go straight through." Daryl looks down at Paul, who had been running his fingers over Daryl's side pocket's zipper string. He knows the boy wants some form of entertainment, hell he's only 4 and should have a you just like Judith. "You wanna see something cool, Paul?"

The boy looks up at Daryl and seems intrigued, but still very shy. Monty looks over at Daryl, who had taken a long string from the glove box and tied the two ends together. He starts my putting the two sides of string on either ends of his thumbs and pinkies. He starts crossing the string and eventually has several loops dangling from Daryl's thumb. Beth is awake now and leans over the seat to watch as Daryl talks to Paul.

"Now Paul, these are bananas and you are a monkey. With seven bananas to choose from, you have to know only one banana will be the one to taste the best. So, choose a banana." Paul looks at each loop until finally he pulls down on one, releasing the whole string. without a single knot.

"Wow!" Paul laughs and the adults go silent. He hasn't said a word out loud since they left the gas station all the way back at the border. Even Monty has heard the child's voice resonate in the air since his parents taught him to speak.

"Good job Buddy! High five." Daryl gives him a high five and Paul bounces in the seat.

"Paul, did you like that game?" Monty looks down at Paul and he nods his head- silence coming back to the boy.

"Monty, it's kinda late, see that small shopping plaza over there?"

"Grove City you mean?" Monty asks.

"Yeah. Why don't you pull in there an we can all rest for the night." Pulling in, they find it abandoned much like Pittsburgh. Getting out, Daryl finds a sign with the labeled buildings on it. Finding the one he wants, he hops back in the truck. "Okay, so there's a Mattress store just around the building over there."