Daryl's Angel: Saviour (Book Two)

Chapter 30: Wolves

The next morning, after the walker crew leaves for the dry run, I go to the infirmary. Denise sits on the exam bench behind a partition, a medical textbook in her lap. She mumbles to herself, pen tapping rhythmically on her leg while she reads.

"How goes studying?" I ask.

She pushes her glasses up her nose, clearing her throat. "Um, it's...it's good! Or, it's fine. I'm not..." She sighs. "There's so much to remember."

"I get it." I move to the kitchen, frowning. "Have you seen Elliot?" Usually, he comes to greet whoever comes through the door almost as quickly as Tabitha does, but neither of them is here.

"He went for a walk with Tabitha," she says. "I think he wanted to talk to Deanna about the expansions, too."

"Gotcha."

I had pretty much forgotten about that project. The Alexandrians had started building another section of wall when we showed up, and now, with Maggie and Deanna at the head, we're moving construction along. Maggie hopes to plant crops too, just another step towards a self-sustained future.

Denise focuses back on her textbook. All the better, because I'd rather avoid further small talk. I should probably look into beekeeping today, even if Tobin and Abraham are both on the horde control crew. If I can formulate a plan of attack, maybe draw rough sketches for a hive, that's a good start.

I find a notebook and settle at the kitchen island, pencil in hand, ready to dredge up my mediocre doodling skills from middle school.

The front door opens, and a voice carries in with it. "It hams by biscuits, is all," Eugene says as he and Tara enter. "And going by cubic feet, the biggest building in the expansion, and we're gonna waste it on a church."

"Hi, Hope. We won't be here long," Tara says as she moves right to the medicine cabinet next to the hospital bed, eyeing the orange bottles.

I wave. "No problem."

"Take out the benches, that could be a lab, a machine shop, very least a sweet-ass game room," Eugene continues, ignoring me. "Walled-in real estate is at a premium here. Thumpers just shouldn't get dibs."

"Churches are historically multi-purpose," I pipe up. Eugene glances back at me, and I aim my pencil at him. "Services, funerals, weddings, choir performances, the list goes on."

"Good point. We could share the church," Tara agrees as she finds the meds she's looking for. She shrugs at Eugene. "Do all that stuff on different days? Also...hams my biscuits?"

"Hams my biscuits," Denise pipes up. Their heads whip to her, and she lets out an awkward chuckle. "That's all I heard. I mean, I have no idea what you said after that."

"Going by cubic feet—" Eugene starts.

"I was kidding," Denise says. She fidgets and tries to bury herself in her books again to avoid the awkwardness.

"Are you okay, Dana?" Tara asks.

"It's Denise."

Tara winces. "Denise, I'm sorry." She lets out a short breath, like the start of a laugh.

"I'm okay," Denise says. "Just trying to brush up on everything, be the...best doctor I can be." She waves her hand a little. "What's the aspirin for?"

Tara glances at me, then at the bottle. "Oh, um, Hope...prescribed me some before. I figured I'd grab more."

"Is your head bothering you?" Denise asks.

"Oh, um..." Tara motions to Eugene. "We were working on a platform for another guard tower. I got a little dizzy. You know, I still get headaches."