Road trip to nowhere (ln4)
Lando Norris x fem!bestfriend!reader
Word count: 2.5k
Warnings: mild smut, unedited
A/n: as always, feedback is appreciated :)
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It was something out of a fairytale. Soft snowflakes spin down around the car adding to the twinkling layer of snow covering everything. The ground, the trees, and the sky are all painted a pearly white by the thickly falling flakes.
The boy next to you hums along to your playlist as he navigates the icy roads with ease. His curls are still damp with melted snow from your mad dash to the car two hours earlier.
“How much longer?”
Lando all but giggles. “You’ll see soon enough princess,” he grins, dragging out the S as he turns onto another small forest road, even thinner than the one you’d been on for the last hour.
The winter break had come with never ending flurries of snow and lots of time spent with the Norris family. It was supposed to be you, Cisca, Flo and Lando on the trip, a cozy winter getaway with your oldest friends. The cold had come with consequences though, and a vicious winter flu had wiped the sisters off the map, leaving all the hot cocoa and board games for you and Lando.
If it had been any other of your guy friends, the drive would have felt awkward and the prospect of spending a weekend alone with them would have made you more than uncomfortable, but you’d never felt that way with Lando. Your friends had told you countless times they thought you were blind and naive to not realize how perfect you would be together, but you had always brushed it off with a laugh the same way you did when they found out you were alone this weekend.
The car turns one more time around a pocket of trees.
“Woah,” you exhale,” That’s, wow.” Landos eyes glint at your reaction to the cabin suddenly sitting in front if you. The small clearing before you is lined with shimmering, snow covered trees and a wood cabin straight out of an instagram post. The windowsills are lined with greenery and you can see warm lights and Christmas decorations inside the cozy house. Lando stops the car and pulls the hood of his sweater up.
“Run in on 3?”
~
Shards of snow clinging to the hem of your socks slowly melt as you unpack your bags. A slight sheen of sweat clings to your skin. After dinner, you and Lando had explored the property, which ended in you both lying in a pile of snow. The bedrooms in the cabin are cozy, with thick duvets and soft chairs. Dancing around the bedroom, you slide clothes into drawers and pull your stack of books out of your bags.
You’re in the middle of digging through your backpack for a lipgloss when the room goes dark and dead silent. Your heart skips a beat as your eyes adjust to the dark. Peeking out into the hallway, you notice the rest of the cabin has gone just as black.
“Lando?” The sudden dark seems to make your voice echo down the hallway more than it did in in the daylight. His footsteps pat down towards the kitchen.
“I think the breaker went. I’m going to take a look at it.”
“Mk.”
You make your way to the kitchen, sitting on the couch under the window before pulling you legs up under you. It’s only 3 minutes until you hear Lando come back inside.
“There’s nothing wrong. I reset everything multiple times. It might be something wrong with the grid?” He unlocks his phone and flops down the the couch next to you. Seconds later, he groans. “The snow took out a power line. It might be a while.”
“We’ll end up freezing to death in our sleep.”
Lando grins before dashing down the hallway, returning with his mattress in tow and duvets slung over his shoulder. “We can sleep in here! You know body heat and whatnot?”
You only laugh at his antics while you head to your room to get pyjamas on as he skips around the living room setting up the makeshift bed.
~~~
After winning five rounds of Uno lit by candles, and then dealing with a boy who happens to be a very sore loser when it comes to card games, you crawled as far under the covers as possible and curled up. Lando slid in next to you and tossed a still sour goodnight in your direction.
You’re close enough that you can hear him taking small little breaths in the dark, breaths that catch when you accidentally brush against him on the small mattress. The silence is almost deafening, but it all fades to a dull hum as you let yourself get lost in your head. Butterflies are dancing in your stomach and anticipation is building in your chest, tingling on your skin as your thoughts drift towards dangerous places. Things you know won’t happen, you know shouldn’t happen, but in moments like this, you wish for anyway.
Neither of you say anything for a long while, letting the night wrap around you, hoping you’ll fall asleep before anything crosses the line toed in the sand. The line that does, whether you both admit it or not, have footprints tainting the opposite side of it. The good-nights and I love you texts are never quite platonic, the words exchanged and phone calls after hard days are never the support of someone who is just a friend.
But I’d didn’t matter, and it wouldn’t ever matter, because you and Lando let everything go unspoken.
“You’re shaking the whole fucking blanket Y/N” What’s supposed to be a silence breaking joke comes out as nothing more than a whiny whisper. Even with the low light you can see Lando’s face flush at the pitch of his voice as he coughs lightly.
Your response is blunt and dripping of unappreciated sarcasm for his benefit. “It’s cold.”
A flash of white teeth as Landos lips stretch into a grin. “Thanks for the weather report Princess.” Closing your eyes again and flipping around in a small attempt to find a warmer position, you scoff at him before cuddling even deeper into your flat pillow.
When you speak, there’s an annoyed edge to your words. “A weather report would have been a good thing to check before you dragged me to the middle of the woods. You should at least say you’re sorry, don’t you think Lando?” The blankets move around you again but he doesn’t give anything but a grunt of acknowledgment to your snide comment.
The cabin is once again quiet but for the sound of the soft snow on the windows. If the heavens hadn’t decided to dump three winters worth of snow in two days, this would have been the perfect way to end what what, so far, been a perfect winter break.
“Y/N.”
You slide your eyelids apart the tiniest bit to see the silhouette of Landos face mere inches from yours. Even in the pitch black, you can find hints of colour in his pearlescent blue eyes and the pretty colour on his cheeks.
“Lando.” His name slips from your lips as nothing more than a whisp of air between you, so incredibly opposite to the tone you said it in minutes ago. The rose in his cheeks deepens half a shade before you begins to talk.
“Y/N, I’m sorry about the shitty weather, and the fact that it’s midnight and were awake because it’s -30 and we have no heating, and I’m sorry if you regret coming out here, but I’m not sorry for bringing you out here.”
Your eyes meet his and you’re so close to him you can see the small beads of moisture lining his bottom lashes.
“I’m not sorry because this is the only time I’ve got to be alone this winter, and of course I love our family Y/N, but I love you more. When I’m away and I’m stressed it’s you I call, it’s your good morning text I want, it’s your face I want to come home to every single night. I’m not sorry we ended up having to share this bed because every time I’ve touched you since we were about 13 Y/N, I’ve felt fireworks and I’m pretty sure you have to.”
Now fully formed tears on his dark eyelashes begin to drop, making their way down the planes of his face before slowly dampening yours.
“Im not sorry because the butterflies and anticipation and the way I crave your touch when you’re anywhere near me isn’t something you feel for a friend. And you can correct me if I’m wrong, but the eye contact we make across tables and rooms and through phones across continents is edging on something we don’t talk about.”
Your face is stinging in the cold, slick with both your tears as you watch Lando smear his accord his cheek with a long finger.
“But I am sorry if you don’t feel the same way. If you truly believe that the way our souls connect is nothing more than a good friendship. I’ll respect that, I promise, and Im sorry. I just,-“
Time air surrounding you feels suffocating, kicking you into Landos gaze as your blood boils and skin crackles alive with thousands of emotions.
“Kiss me?”
Every muscle in your body sparks to life and aches for more, more, as Landos lips brush yours with gentle pressure. His breath is hot on your face as your noses touch and he pulls away slightly, eyes searching yours for regret that he doesn’t find.
His hands slip down your body like silk, leaving a path of suddenly burning skin in their wake. You feel your soul vibrate with the need to be touching him, to be as close as you possibly can to the boy who stole your heart all those years ago. Who took all these years to confess to you the very ruing that ran through your kind every time his face popped up in your train of thoughts.
He emits a low groan as you tangle your hand through his curls, leaving a kiss on your lower stomach before allowing himself to be pulled back up to your lips. You kiss like you’re making up for years of lost time, and maybe you are, but as Landos tounge slips past your lips with ease you decide that you’ll have many, many more nights to catch up. The wet desire of your tongues slipping past each other draws a quiet moan from you, which sends Lando into a spiral as he tries to find the sweet spot that will bring you to make that sound again and again and again.
Helplessly you clutch at his body, hands running down his biceps and taught abs before pulling at his thigh until he gets the hint, pulling it up and beside your chest. Reaching under you, Lando grabs your ass, squeezing as he flips you around to lie on him, getting another breathless moan to slip past your lips against your will.
He clenches his eyes shut at the noise, opening them to find you looking at him like he’s the only thing in the world worth looking at. Dropping your head, you begin leaving a trail of short kisses up his collarbone and around his muscled neck. You allow your body to collapse onto his, giving up on trying to support yourself as Lando circles his fingertips over the swell of your ass.
You can feel him on your thigh. A surge of boldness taking you over, you push aside all the heady thoughts swirling around and shift to free you hand from their grasps on his body. Lando grunts lowly as he winds his fingers in your hair, a sound just short of pornographic as you cup him through his sweats. He pushes his hips up into yours as you start to tug at the waist of the sweatpants.
“Y/N.” He catches your wrist, stalling your movements as he tips your chin forward to see you face.
“Please.”
“We’re not having sex for the first time on the floor of a cabin, freezing to death in pitch black.”
“Why not? We’ve waited so long Lando.”
“You deserve the world. I’m not going to have our first time be any less than that.”
You whine, grinding down on him, desperate for any form of friction. He gasps and wraps a hand around your waist with a bruising grip.
“Y/N.” A feeble warning, one that only makes you smile as you watch Lando. He’s too far gone at this point to care, intoxicated by the feeling of your body and your heartbeat on his.
“I’m going to come in my pants like a teenager if you keep doing that.”
“I want you to feel good.” You whisper. At that his mind goes blank, hand moving to swiftly remove your shirt. He tips his head back and moans as he sees you’re not wearing a bra before pushing your chest to his lips with a single finger.
“Princess, I’m going to-“ he hisses against your chest, the warm breathe making your nipples peak. You grind down onto him one more time before he bucks his hips into yours and moans loud enough that the cabin is filled with the sound of his pleasure.
You both breathing heavily as he meets your eyes, small flecks of gold catching the moonlight as he smiles softly before pulling you to him.
His sculpted chest is warm against your bare breasts while you lie, completely covering every inch of his body with your own. You stay that way for what could have been hours, content in each other. After a while, Lando begins to suck hickeys into your neck, giving occasional soft noises of delight at his work.
Silence with him has always been comfortable, but this time wa sa different type of comfort. The air is cool, but heavy with the weight of the events that had just unfolded, leaving both of you wondering why you had ever doubted your feelings.
The arms around your middle tighten and you look down to see Landos eyes waiting for you.
“Hey princess.”
“Hey there pretty boy.” You trace the outline of his features, the drop of his nose and the lines of his jaw. The smile he gives you brings light into his eyes and a ruby blush to his cheeks.
He yawns, leaving into the small shakes you’re drawing on his head. “I’m tired Y/N.”
“Go to sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”
He hums contentedly, nestling his face further into your lower stomach as his torso rests softly between your legs. There’s no noise for a few moments before he whispers softly, voice tickling the sensitive skin of your navel.
“Please don’t move. I’ve wanted this for longer than you can imagine.”
You respond by staying perfectly still, listening until his breaths steady and slow to a comforting rhythm. Resting your hands in his hair and wondering you how long he’ll sleep before waking up feeling sticky and gross, you fall asleep, cuddly and warm.
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8 Years Part One
Photo Edit by Me
A Daryl Dixon/ Sybil Tremont Fanfiction (Daryl x OC)
Background information: It’s assumed the reader knows the world of TWD. This Fanfic takes place after Alexandria, Hilltop, Oceanside, and the Kingdom are established and at the height of success. Carl is dead. The communities are bound by a doctrine created by Michonne. Rick is presumed dead. Daryl and Michonne never lost hope and searched for several years for Rick without luck. Daryl had a short relationship with Leah. The Saviors disbanded with Negan in a jail cell in Alexandria. The Whisperers have been defeated, and Lydia is a valued member of the Hilltop homestead.
18+
Daryl x OC (Female)
Warnings: Violence, Alcohol, Slow Burn, Fluff, Smut
Part Two
Master List
Chapter 1: Caramel
The summer of 1990 was a record-breaker for heat. The sun shone brighter than ever by early June. While people around Atlanta were finding ways to keep cool, Merle Dixon along with his younger brother Daryl, and their motorcycle gang pulled into the local 7-11 to get some ice-cold brews. They were headed to Pine Lake for a party. Merle and two of his buddies went inside for drinks.
“Hey Merle, get some snacks too!” Daryl yelled after him. Merle shot him the middle finger, laughed, and went inside. Daryl lit up a cigarette. As he listened to the group talking and laughing, a small group of young ladies walked past them. Daryl’s attention averted to have a gander at these five women. One, in particular, stood out to him. She was a curvaceous woman, with an ample chest, wide hips, and thick thighs. Her long ebony curls bounced in a neat ponytail as she walked in flip-flops with painted red toenails. She was wearing a pair of cut-off blue jean shorts that hugged her apple-shaped bottom. Her skin was a delicious shade of caramel, tanned from the hot sun no doubt. Her red halter top complimented the shade well. As she passed him he said, “Hot day.”
She nodded curtly, eyeing the pale-skinned man in the grey tank top as her friends giggled and they went into the store. She stopped for a moment to look over her shoulder at him, “You better watch yourself, you’re gonna get burned.”
He smiled slyly and playfully smacked Terry in the chest as the automatic door swung shut, “damn!”
“She’s outta your league, Daryl.” Terry chuckled as Daryl rubbed his dirty blonde goatee. He was already plotting what to do next.
“Naw… she ain’t.” He took a breath before heading into the convenience store himself. Terry looked at Buck and sniggered.
Inside, Daryl could hear Merle’s loud voice back by the beer cooler laughing with Sam and Joe. He casually walked down one aisle with low shelves, spying on the girls over by the Slurpee machine comparing flavors. He paused by the snacks and perused the various chips, raising his eyes often to watch the girls as they laughed and poured themselves the thick icy beverage. He glanced back praying his brother wouldn’t come up while he made his move. He walked to the girls and said, “Hey, ‘s y’ flavor?”
“Caramel” sucked slowly on her straw before saying, “Cherry.” A pair of large green eyes framed with long lashes lifted to look at him. He felt his insides turn to mush, as a boyish grin crossed his face.
He followed her outside and as she started walking away with her friends he called out, “’s yer name?”
Looking over her rounded shoulder, “Sybil.”
From that moment on, he was hooked.
Chapter 2: The Receipt
Alexandria
Daryl rolled over, restless in his bed. He heard footsteps thudding on the basement ceiling. Judith and RJ must be over for breakfast. He sat up, Dog instantly licking his face.
“Down, boy…” he grunted. Dog jumped to the floor and waited patiently by the back door for his morning walk. Daryl shirked into some clothes, donned his boots, and opened the door. Dog ran out into the dew-covered grass behind the house to do his duties. Daryl whistled, beckoning for Dog to join him as he walked down the road toward the Alexandria main gate.
Rosita and Aaron were up on the platform, keeping watch for possible trouble.
“Good Morning, Daryl!” Aaron called out. Daryl waved quietly and moved along, toward the community center where many of the residents chose to eat together. He walked in, nabbed a fresh loaf of bread, and returned to Carol’s house.
“Good morning Uncle Daryl!” Judith exclaimed running to him as soon as he closed the door.
“Mornin’ Jude,” he answered as she hugged him around the waist. He put his arms around her shoulders and hugged her in return. RJ joined them and gave Daryl a high five.
“Come on, Judith… RJ… let’s get you fed before classes.”
“Y’ heard Aunt Carol… c’mon and get to the table.” Daryl grabbed a knife and started cutting up the bread for toast. Carol served the kids fresh scrambled eggs, apple slices, and orange juice. They munched on the yummy food while Carol poured Daryl his first cup of coffee. He leaned against the counter sipping it, his mind wandering.
He went weeks before he saw Sybil again. This time, she was at a grocery store as a cashier. What luck Daryl had! He spotted her immediately as he carried the armloads of food to the register. He decided to go through her line, affording him a great opportunity to talk to her again.
“Have a nice day,” she was saying as she handed the receipt over to the customer in front of him.
He scratched the back of his neck as she started cashing him out, “find everything you were looking for?” She lifted her eyes, a smile on her face, dimples adorning her cheeks.
“Naw…”
“No? Is there something I can help you with?”
“Sure. Y’all could give me y’ number.”
She chuckled, “You’re mighty confident.”
“’ Member me?”
“Not sure that I do,” she replied, toying with him. There was no way Sybil could forget those deep-set blue eyes and that handsome face.
“I can make it so y’ never f’get me again.” He leaned on the conveyor belt, stopping it.
“Oh yeah?”
There was a line forming behind him.
“You’re right I’ll never forget you if you get me fired,” she feigned being cross.
“Give me y’ number an’ I’ll pay m’ total.”
“I don’t even know your name,” she said, “that will be twenty-eighty-seven.”
He pulled out thirty bucks. When she returned his change, she handed him his receipt.
“Daryl. M’ name’s Daryl.”
She smirked, “have a nice day, Daryl.”
He grabbed his bag, frowning. As he put his change in his pocket, he realized she’d written a phone number on the back of the receipt.
She winked at him and started on her next customer’s order.
“… Daryl?”
Daryl looked up from his mug at Carol, “Huh?”
“I asked what your plans were for today. Where were you just now?”
He shook his head, “Nowhere. ‘M thinkin’ of takin’ a ride t’ Hilltop.”
“Yeah? If so, could you take a few things for me? I made Maggie some curtains for Hershel’s room in the Barrington House, and there are some parts that Eugene needs for the radio.”
He shrugged, “Yeah, get t’ stuff t’gether n’ I’ll take it w’ me.”
He took a plate of eggs and set it on the floor for Dog. Dog chowed down while Daryl munched on a piece of toast.
“Alright, go get washed up and Uncle Daryl will walk you to school on his way out.”
“Okay,” Judith looked at her younger brother, “get your stuff.”
Once Daryl delivered the kids to class, he and Dog ambled to the gate where Carol was waiting for him. He shouldered his pack and strapped the box of things to take down on his motorcycle. Carol squeezed his shoulder, “You have a safe trip, okay? Tell everyone I say hello. Oh, and I nearly forgot. Judith wrote Hershel a letter.” She slipped it into his hand. Daryl smiled.
“I’ll make sure he gets it.”
Chapter 3: Lending A Hand
Hilltop
Daryl sped into Hilltop, Dog in tow, and parked close to the barn. He got several waves from various community members and was warmly greeted by Maggie. She wrapped her arms around him for a big hug, “Been a long time, stranger,” she remarked, squeezed his shoulder, and knelt to pet Dog.
“Too long,” Daryl confessed, nodding in acknowledgment toward Jesus and Tara.
“Damn right it’s been too long,” Tara piped up, “tell us, what’s everyone been up to?”
“Y’ know,” he shrugged, “same old. Ain’t much t’ tell.” He patted his jacket pocket, “Got somethin’ f’ Hershel though.” He pulled out the envelope and handed it to Maggie.
“A letter from Judith?” She ran her fingers over the front of the makeshift envelope.
“Mhm. Seems they’re becomin’ pretty good pen pals,” He smiled.
“They are. It won’t be long, they’ll be on the radio talkin’. I think Hershel has a lil’ crush,” Maggie’s toothy grin spread.
Daryl grunted, “I got stuff f’ Eugene too.”
“He’s up in the attic monkeying with things, I’ll run it up to him,” Jesus said knowing full well how Eugene liked to talk people’s ears off, and Daryl was more of a quiet man.
“Thanks f’ that,” Daryl remarked looking around, “Where’s Connie?”
“She’s at Oceanside with Kelly and Luke. I know you’re disappointed,” Maggie teased.
“I’ll catch her soon ‘nough.” He shrugged, “’m here now. What can I do t’ help out?”
“We have a few cabins to build. Wanna help with that?”
“Sure,” he nodded, walking with Maggie to the area of expansion past the orchards. He was greeted by Alden, one of the blacksmiths, who was delivering a box of nails.
“Daryl, good to have you here,” Alden smiled, handing him a hammer.
“Jus’ tell me where t’ go.”
He pointed to one of the cabins already in progress. Daryl joined in immediately. As he worked with the others, it wasn’t long before he was sawing logs, roofing, and throwing himself into the job at hand. Daryl didn’t mind hard work. When the frame of the cabin was finished, he felt a sense of accomplishment and moved onto the exterior walls.
When he paused to take a cigarette break, he spotted Lydia making her way over to him. She had a wide smile on her face, her long black hair hanging loosely around her shoulders. Elijah was holding her hand, the same goofy smile on his face. Daryl smirked. Young’uns.
“We brought you some water. You’ve been working hard,” Lydia handed him a canteen.
“Thanks,” he said, swishing the cold liquid in his mouth. Felt cool and refreshing on this warm Spring day.
“We were going to head to Alexandria for a visit, but now seeing as you’re here, we won’t leave until you do. If you don’t mind.”
“Naw could use the company,” he answered, patting her shoulder.
“Great! I miss everyone. And I wanted to see Negan.”
Frowning, “What y’ need t’ see him for? He ain’t no good, Lydia.”
“I know his past, and I know how you feel about him-”
“You don’t know all ‘bout that sumbitch.” Daryl never talked with anyone in his family about what transpired when he was held prisoner at Negan’s compound, Sanctuary. Tortured, starved, stripped down for humiliation…
“I suppose I don’t. But he stuck up for me when those kids attacked me. If it weren’t for him, I might not be here. I don’t need you to understand it, but I won’t sneak around to talk to him.”
Daryl had to give her credit for being so upfront about her connection with Negan. It was true that he helped her one night when three members of Alexandria ganged up on her. It was also true that one ended up dead at Negan’s hand. It was an accident, but with Negan’s history, it nearly got him lynched.
“I don’t understand it, an’ I don’t like it. But I ain’t gonna stop ya.”
That’s one thing Lydia admired about Daryl – he didn’t treat her like a little girl. He talked to her as if she was an adult, and she respected that. Too many people tried to treat her like a child. She was seventeen, and beyond her years in many ways.
Daryl tossed her back the canteen, “Back t’ work. Y’ know, y’all could help out. Get done a lot faster.”
“I can swing a hammer,” Elijah smirked, “I’m gonna help out.”
“I’ve got some other things to do, but then I’ll be back over.” Lydia kissed Elijah before leaving. Elijah blushed and cleared his throat.
“C’mon,” Daryl spoke up, “ ‘s getcha that hammer.”
Chapter 4: First Date
(One Week Later) Daryl drove up to the house where Sybil lived. Already outside, she’d been waiting for him. She laughed when he turned off his motorcycle.
“I just knew you were going to show up on that thing.”
Daryl looked down at the bike, “’s my ride.”
She nodded, “Oh yeah… it’s your ride alright. I’ve never been on one before.”
“Well, y’all will have the time o’ yer life then.” He smiled. She walked over in a pair of tight-fitted jeans, her hips swaying practically mesmerizing him.
“Interesting way to start a first date,” She commented, sliding on behind him. Her hands went to his waist, clutching tight as he kicked the motor on and took off down the street.
“Shouldn’t we have helmets?” She called into the wind. Daryl swung the bike onto the main road.
“Naw… yer fine.”
She laughed, “As I said before, you’re mighty confident.”
Daryl enjoyed the feeling of her behind him, her hands tightening their grip. He lowered his left hand and pulled one of her arms around him tighter.
“You’re bold,” she remarked, but slid her other arm around, locking her hands in front of his stomach.
“So are ya.”
They drove along Pine Lake, one of the first places he could think of to take her. When they got off the bike she said, “You’ve got me alone, in the woods. Should I be afraid?”
“I didn’t keep y’ alive on that bike only t’ kill ya in the woods,” He smirked. She laughed. It was music to his ears; so light and genuine.
“Been t’ Pine Lake ‘fore?”
“Oh yes. This is the main hang-out spot. You?”
“Come here a bit.”
They walked a trail along the east side of the lake, quiet at first.
“So that gang you’re with…” she finally cut the silence as she studied the trees, “been with them long?”
Daryl shrugged, “yeah. They’re kinda family. My big brother Merle started hangin’ out w’ some guys an’ it went from there.”
“How many of you are there?”
“Just one,” he teased.
“Ha ha,” she rolled her eyes.
“’ Bout twenty or so. Why?”
She shrugged, “Just curious.”
She pulled a leaf off a branch and twirled it between her fingers.
“Y’ thinkin’ ‘m gonna be trouble?”
“I don’t know… are you?”
“Maybe,” he stopped walking and pointed, “look,” he whispered, “a doe.”
She squinted, “Where?”
He extended his arm with his fingertip pointing, “Between them two birch trees. See her?”
After a few moments, Sybil smiled brightly, “I do. She’s beautiful. You have a keen eye.”
Daryl shrugged, “maybe.”
“Do you spend a lot of time in the woods?”
“Quite a bit. How ‘bout ya?”
“I love nature, but no… I haven’t been camping since I was a kid.”
“Yer missin’ out.”
“I suppose I am.”
“C’mon, I wanna show y’ somethin’.”
“Okay.”
They continued casually down the trail until he veered off it, onto an unbeaten path.
“Okay, now I know you’re going to kill me,” she teased.
“C’mon,” he rolled his eyes. They came to some tall rocks, “Up f’ a lil’ climbin’?”
Hands on hips she looked up at the rocks, “Should I have worn hiking boots?”
“Naw… them shoes are fine.”
She looked down at her vans and was thankful she’d chosen them.
“Alright. Let’s go. Show me the way.”
“It ain’t gonna be as hard as it looks. Found an easy way to get up there.” He motioned for her to follow. He went around the right-hand side of the stone goliaths.
“See here,” he pointed in front of him and upward, “almost like someone made a trail in them rocks.”
“They look like they have stepping stones cut into them.”
He started up the incline, turning around every so often to make sure she was still behind him. She was eagerly bringing up the rear, keeping close.
“’s is the hard part,” he said, reaching for her hand, “lemme help y’ up the rest o’ the way.”
She took his hand and he pulled just enough to get her over the final ledge. She took a breath and looked down behind her whistling, “We are up high.”
He nodded, “Higher than it looks from down there.”
She noticed a singed area and a pile of wood.
“You come here often?”
He nodded, “’s m’ place t’ getaway. C’mere… an’ look.”
She joined him on the opposite side of the rocks and looked out. What a sight to behold. She could see the large lake in its entirety from this vantage point, and the multitude of trees on the other side. The sun was bright in the sky. She felt as if she could reach out and touch it. The rays warmed her face. She turned to look at Daryl. His blue eyes were studying her, gauging her reaction. The humongous smile on her face was enough for him. He was convinced that she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.
Daryl rolled to his side and stared into the darkness inside the hay mound sighing. He didn’t sleep much, to begin with. And even less since the world fell. Thinking of her made it near impossible. He sat up while Dog rustled through the hay to rest his head in Daryl’s lap. He brusquely pet the dog's head. Dog whined. He’d been with Daryl so long that he could read his emotions.
“S’ alright, boy. ‘ll get through it. Always do.” He got to his feet, stretched, and said, “C’mon. ‘S go f’ a walk.” Daryl and Dog made their rounds, checking the sentinels on the wall, joining them for a bit to watch for walkers or marauders.
“You’re up early,” Cal commented, shaking out his foot that fell asleep.
Daryl shrugged, “Always am. Don’t need much sleep.”
“I don’t know how you do it, Dixon,” Cal continued.
Diane looked over at the two men, “Be thankful Daryl doesn’t sleep much. He’s saved a lot of our asses more than once because of it.”
Cal knew it was true and agreed, “Oh I know he has. It’s just when I manage to have some time to rest, I conk out. Sometimes for half a day.”
People meandered about as the sun rose, and Daryl found himself back to work at the cabins.
“You know, there’s always one of those here for you,” Jesus said, holding up a board to be nailed.
Daryl said, “Hate t’ take a place from someone else. I don’t mind the hay mound or a tent. ‘M easy.”
“So have you completely set down roots in Alexandria?”
Daryl shrugged, “Dunno if I set roots down anywhere.” The truth was the man had huge bouts of wanderlust and couldn’t sit still for too long before needing to be out in the wild again. He went with Aaron sometimes to look for more people to bring back to the communities. He brought messages from one community to the next. He also liked to provide food, go on scavenging runs; anything to keep himself busy.
People that knew him knew he was this way. They noticed a big change when Rick infamously blew up the bridge that was to connect everyone to save his people.
Daryl disappeared for three years. During his search for Rick, he met a woman by the name of Leah. No one knew about the affair he’d had with her except Carol. Dog had discovered an old house that seemed abandoned one day during their travels. But it wasn’t empty. That’s when he found an ornery woman living there that didn’t want him anywhere around her land. After about a year they began to talk, her more than him, and in a few more months they shared food. After that Daryl realized how lonely he was; one thing led to another and the two became involved. It didn’t last long. Daryl pulled away for several reasons: he wanted to continue looking for Rick, and he couldn’t allow himself to feel what he once felt for Sybil. When he was with Leah, she knew he was far away in his mind: thinking about his brother, and she had no idea what else. He couldn’t open up to her. That took years and trust. Something he knew he could never have with her. She put conditions on him and gave him ultimatums.
“It’s your brother or me.”
“It’s your family or me.” He was not a man who responded well to conditions. He wasn’t about to choose a woman that wanted all or nothing. So he walked away, never looking back.
Chapter 5: The Race
After two weeks of working on cabins, several were finished thanks to the hard labor everyone put in. Daryl wanted to reward them all with some venison, so he decided he’d head out before the light of day to hunt.
Dog stayed in step with Daryl as they silently made their way through the forest. He’d seen deer droppings which decided the direction they would go. Tell-tale signs of a foraging deer were seen everywhere if you were observant enough. Daryl was a master of tracking. He held his breath as soon as he saw the three-point, lifted his crossbow, aimed, and fired. The arrow hit its mark between the front shoulder and the ribcage, piercing the heart. The deer dropped where it stood, feeling no pain. Just the way Daryl liked it. No suffering.
He set to work right away field dressing the internal organs before he heard the groans of Walkers coming from the left.
“Shit,” he muttered, hefting the deer over his shoulders, “c’mon Dog,” he called, quickly making his exit. The organs would keep the few Walkers busy. At least enough for him to get safely away.
He returned at dusk with his prize, congratulated by many, and thanked personally by Maggie.
“Can’t have them people be veg’tarians,” Daryl teased, taking it to hang out back.
“Oh no, too many vegetables will make the people weak,” Maggie teased. Daryl eyed her between his curtains of bangs, a smirk on his face.
“They’ll appreciate it to be sure. We can do a lot with poultry and beef…”
“But there ain’t nothin’ like venison,” he cut in.
She nodded, “Right.”
They heard kids laughing and spotted Hershel and the other kids playing with Dog. Dog of course loved all the attention.
“Seems good to have them bein’ kids, huh?” Maggie asked, sighing. She had to dig deep to remember the days of misspent youth and no fear. Riding horses with her sister Beth, playing in the fields, and nights catching fireflies.
Daryl nodded as he shoved his bloodied hands into a basin of water, “Mhm… they ain’t had it so good, growin’ up too fast ‘cause t’ way t’ world turned out.” He dried his clean hands on a rag and watched the kids for a bit, a small smile on his face.
“Can’t catch me dog,” Marigold yelled out, her laugh echoing through the trees.
(August) ”You’ll never catch me, Daryl!” Sybil yelled, swimming faster out towards the floating dock in the middle of the lake. Daryl however was an experienced swimmer and was soon closing in on her. The thrill of the chase caused Sybil to start laughing and slowed her down in speed. Daryl slowed his pace, waiting for her to gain her wits and start moving faster again. Soon her hands were touching the dock.
“Damn, y’ got away,” he said, holding the edge of the dock with his hands. She splashed him playfully.
“I know you let me win.”
“Did no such thing.”
She giggled, “Okay… deny it all you want.” She caressed his damp cheek, “I’ll still give you your reward,” she moved closer and kissed his wet lips before pulling up onto the dock. Daryl could feel his stomach flip flop and his heart quicken in reaction to her affection. It was their first kiss. His cheeks reddened and he pulled up onto the dock next to her, their feet dangling in the water. He’d been pursuing her avidly for several months. His first thoughts of just wanting to bed the woman passed once he realized there was so much more to her than just a beautiful body. She had spunk, a clever mind, and kept him on his toes. He’d never met anyone like her before. Sybil seemed to enjoy her time with him, and this kiss just solidified what he was hoping for. He knew that other guys were trying to get her attention, he wasn’t blind. But the more she accepted offers of dates from him, the less concerned he became with them.
She laid back on the dock, the sun’s rays kissing her wet skin. Her hair spread out above her head like a dark halo. Her red one-piece showed plenty but left just the right amount covered to let the imagination run wild.
Daryl chewed his lip for a moment, “Sybil…”
“Mhm?” She hummed, shielding her eyes from the bright sky as she looked his way.
“’S a band playin’ at a bar next weekend. A local band… thought maybe y’all would like t’ go.”
“What kind of music?” she asked him curiously.
“Heavy stuff. Ain’t no room for country shit.”
She grinned, “You’ve got yourself a plus one then. I think it would be a lot of fun.” The idea of being squished in close to her was on his mind. He was still a man after all.
“Rememberin’ the good old days?” Maggie asked. Daryl stopped chewing his lip.
“Gonna go find somethin’ t’ do.”
Chapter 6: Scavenging Parts
“Hey, Daryl…” Jesus caught up with the archer after morning chores, “Eugene needs some parts for the solar panel he’s been working on and gave me directions to a place he thinks I can find those parts. Wanna ride with me, help me out?”
Daryl nodded as he finished brushing a horse down, “be ready in a few. Lemme finish up here.”
Jesus drove fast down the road. Daryl stared at the directions, “A bullfrog’s hop t’ the right of a… what t’ hell is this?” He asked, scratching his head.
Jesus laughed, “It’s directions. Eugene wrote them.”
“F’ fuck’s sake. Two leagues past the old maple tree… ‘s a million maple trees out here!” He threw the instructions on the dashboard.
Jesus smirked, “Don’t kill me. I wrote those just to tease you.”
“You bastard,” Daryl huffed, but smiled in the end, “figures. Where’s them directions at?”
Jesus pulled a paper out of his front pocket, “Here.”
Daryl read them quickly, “’s more like it.”
When they rolled up to the old rusty warehouse, Jesus cut the engine and looked over the list Eugene had given him. Daryl got out and started scouting for Walkers, and anyone else who happened along the way. He and Jesus cleared out a small group of the dead before breaking the chain lock on the door to head inside. Pigeons flew in the disturbed air kicking up dust and dirt. The men covered their mouths, Daryl quickly pulling his rag from his back pocket. He tied it over the bottom half of his mouth. Both were silent as the grave as they passed through the large building in search of any trespassers alive, or undead. Once they were certain it was empty, they set out to find each of the things Eugene wanted. It took longer than they expected since neither knew where to start. Searching boxes, and reading labels… they’d found two of the five things before dark.
“Looks like we’ll be staying the night,” Jesus huffed, wiping the dust from his hands onto his pants.
“Mhm,” Daryl lowered his backpack and brought out some salted dried venison, doling out some pieces to Jesus.
“Thanks,” Jesus said as they sat on the cold cement floor.
As they settled in for the night, Daryl volunteered to keep a watch out.
“T’morrow we hit them boxes upstairs. Can’t see shit now.”
“Agreed. I didn’t think this would be a two-day trip. I’ll just catch a few winks.”
(1 Year Later) “Sybil, get on over here, woman!” Daryl had called out over the heavy strains of guitar on the jukebox to his girl.
Sybil’s green eyes danced with merriment as she set her beer on the bar and made her way over to the young man who beckoned her. She laughed as he snaked his arms around her waist.
His nose brushed against her ear as he said, “Dance w’ me.” As if she was ever interested in dancing with someone else. She slid her palms flat against his chest as they moved to their own beat. It certainly didn’t match the fast drum solo in the Motorhead song. But finding their way to sway their bodies together had never been a problem. They began to sweat there under the hot lights, their friends milling around them. Some were dancing, others playing pool, and still, some just drinking and sharing conversation.
Daryl’s brother Merle was leaning on his old lady, licking salt from her neck as he downed another shot of tequila. He followed up with a lemon wedge from her cleavage as his loyal gang cheered him on.
“ ‘s get outta here,” Daryl said into Sybil’s ear, “ ‘s gonna get crazy t’night.”
“It’s well on its way,” she said, gripping his hand. They made a quick exit and soon were taking off on his bike. The wind whipped through Sybil’s untethered hair. The exhilaration from the cool air and the feel of her cheek against his back were enough to make Daryl giddy. He pulled up to her apartment and as he walked her to the door she stopped, key in her hand.
“We’ve been seeing each other for a while now,” she spoke up, her eyes staring into his, “and you’ve been good to me, Daryl. Come inside. I want you to stay the night.”
His jaw twitched. He’d been excited for this moment, he wouldn’t deny it. But now that it was here, he felt a sense of pride. He’d spent his time getting to know her. There was still so much to learn. And tonight would be another lesson in the ways of Sybil.
There was no small talk as her roommates were already in their respective rooms sleeping. He hadn’t been in the apartment at night unless there was a crowd of sorority sisters having a party. He and Sybil preferred being out of the house and hanging out with his gang often. She closed her room door there in the dark and turned on a dim lamp next to the bed.
She smiled at him, walking close, her hands caressing either side of his face as they began to kiss passionately. His palms rested on the flat of her back, rubbing slowly up and down as their mouths opened to explore like so many times before. It was more intense though, with pure need behind each tongue lashing and twisting together. A small groan lifted from his throat as she stepped back from him. They stared at one another, the soft glow from the light accentuating her features. The shadows delved into her curves and along the line of her legs.
“Help me out of this skirt, will you, Daryl?”
Daryl heard a noise that caught his attention. He went to investigate but seeing that it was a raccoon he shooed it away before walking the interior of the building alone. He placed a cigarette to his dry lips and lit it. Staring out one of the wide warehouse windows, he saw a few Walkers milling about near the truck. He puffed out some smoke and moved on toward the opposite end.
Sybil was more amazing than he could’ve imagined. Her body was perfection to him, and as she lifted on top of him, her hair swung down her back. He tangled his fingers into it before rubbing down around her ass while she ground her hips on top of him. He breathed as if through honey, labored, and sweet. As she rubbed his chest, a little pout curled on her lips as she neared the height of pleasure, calling out to him. He rolled her to her back, taking her breath away as he kept the rhythm up, bringing her to orgasm. He came in sync with her. He looked down at Sybil, the sweat beading on her forehead, their wet bodies sticking together, and he felt something he’d never felt before – fulfilled.
“Kiss me…” she gasped, still feeling the aftershocks of their lovemaking.
“Ain’t gotta ask, Syb…” He lowered his mouth onto hers, sucking her lips slowly, delightfully before withdrawing. He lay back, his chest still heaving as she lay her cheek upon it, listening to his fast heartbeat. He opened his legs, and she nestled her lower half between them, her stomach resting on his groin, not uncomfortable. He rubbed her saturated back, fingers slipping in the sweat, her hair pasted to her shoulders and his chest. Their bodies fit together like an intimate puzzle. Their hands locked together, fingers woven tight, his free hand cradling her. It was at that moment he knew his heart belonged to her.
When the first hint of light came through the windows, Jesus was up. He and Daryl searched the remainder of the building and found the rest of the items for Eugene by midday.
When they got outside, the Walkers from last night were still wandering around the truck, and seeing the two men, started lurching towards them.
“Dammit,” Jesus uttered while Daryl shot the closest in the head and then pulled his knives. Jesus round-housed one right in the skull, its rotted head exploding from the connection. Daryl took out two, a stab to the front of each temple, and Jesus took down the last one.
“ ‘ll drive,” Daryl said once everything was packed into the back of the pickup. Jesus tossed the keys to him. On the drive to Hilltop, Daryl was reliving those moments with Sybil still. Waking up with his legs wrapped around hers, her body still on his. He could almost feel her warmth, smell her perfume. He swerved almost hitting a Walker in the road. Jesus looked over at him, “Are you sure you’re up for driving?”
“Yeah, ‘m fine.” He sped up to get past the gathering herd quickly leaving them in the dust.
Eugene was pleased as he met the men getting out of the pickup.
“Did y’all find everything?” he asked as he pulled back the tarp over the parts. He went over the list and marked each item off, “Well done, you guys. I know these doodads don’t look like much, but when I get ‘em all put together, we’ll have some fine additions to those cabins y’all been working so hard on. Electricity! Creature comforts.”
“Glad we could help,” Jesus said as he and Daryl unloaded.
“Did you meet up with any trouble?” Maggie asked as she picked up a small box from the back.
“Naw,” Daryl responded.
“Nothing we couldn’t handle,” Jesus added.
( 1 Month Later) Carver College
Daryl spotted Sybil and her friends in the throes of students in the cafeteria. She’d been pouring over textbooks for a test coming up in English Lit class. He breathed hot air on the back of her neck, “Hey babe.”
She smiled as she whispered, “Daryl…”
Mandy sniggered, “You two are something else.”
Daryl kissed Sybil lightly and slid into the chair next to her.
“Where have you been?” She asked in a hushed tone. She hadn’t seen him in four days. No explanations, no phone calls, “I was worried about you. I thought something might have happened to you!”
“Naw, no need t’ worry. ‘M here now.” He rubbed her hand slowly.
She picked up her books and excused herself from her circle of friends. Daryl grabbed them to carry for her. Once they were outside she turned to him, “Where have you been?” She asked him again, “You just disappeared.”
“I had t’ go outta town w’ Merle.”
“To do what?” She asked curiously.
He shrugged, “Just some odd errands, ain’t no big deal.”
“Daryl, it’s a big deal when you’re dating someone, and you just disappear. What if something happened to you?”
“Syb… don’t need t’ keep tabs on me. Ain’t nothin’ gonna happen t’ me.”
She frowned, “I’m not keeping tabs. Why are you keeping secrets?”
Chapter 7: Unavailable
The deer was finally ready to process. Many offered to help him, but he kindly rejected those offers. He wanted to work alone and get things off his mind. His memories were flooding in and he couldn’t build the dam fast enough to keep them at bay. It was close to the time of year when he first met Sybil. Even though people referred to parts of the year by the period of Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, Daryl knew it was around June. He felt it in his heart, and thoughts of Sybil were at their pinnacle. He sharpened his knife on a whetstone til the blade could slice easily through the meat, and as he removed the hide, he halted suddenly.
(6 Months Later) Sybil looked up from the bed, “Where are you going, hot stuff?”
He zipped his jeans, “gotta go outta town f’ a few days.”
She sat up, slipping on one of his t-shirts, “where? You never say.”
“Nothin’ y’ need t’ worry y’self over, Syb.” He rubbed her shoulders slowly, “Y’ won’t even have time t’ miss me.” He kissed her lips.
“Your brother is a troublemaker. Why do I have the feeling you two get up to no good when you’re gone?”
He shook out his head and started working the hide again, bound to have the hide salted and stretched before dinner. His workworn hands rubbed the salt into the thin layer of skin remaining, and as he was stretching it, he could smell dinner. His stomach rumbled. He covered the meat with an old tarp and went to join the others.
That night he sat by the campfire longer than most. The dog was sleeping by his foot, basking in the heat from the flames.
(One Year Later) Daryl knew it was late. It was nearly one. He’d been out fucking around with his gang, causing a ruckus, getting into a fight with another gang, and then Merle suggested they all go out for drinks. Daryl had a few and lost track of time.
“Shit, I gotta go!” He told his brother.
“What? Why?”
“’S Sybil’s birthday. ‘M late.”
“You’re so whipped. Hell, she’ll have another one next year.”
“That ain’t the point!” He said goodbye to his friends and rushed out to his bike. When he got to Sybil’s apartment, he could see the windows were dark. He pulled the present he had messily wrapped out of his saddle bag and went up to the second floor. He knocked on the door, and Theresa answered.
“What are you doing here, Daryl? Don’t you know how to tell time?”
“Jus’ wanna see Syb… don’t need y’all givin’ m’ a hard time. Lemme in.”
“Why don’t you just go and try to make amends tomorrow? You’re on her shit list you know.”
“Who’s at the door?” Sybil called out behind her. Daryl looked over Theresa’s shoulder and saw Sybil tying up her silky robe.
“Syb… ‘s me. I wanna come in.”
“I’ve got this Theresa…”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, you go on back to bed.”
Daryl ducked his head in shame, “Happy Birthday.” He held out the gift. Sybil’s hands were on her hips.
“Kind of late for that. My birthday was yesterday. It’s nearly two. What happened?”
“Got caught up w’ the boys. I lost track o’ time s’ all.”
“Oh, that’s all huh? My birthday didn’t matter much to you then, did it?”
“That ain’t true.”
“Sure it is. If you cared, you’d have been on time. You get with those guys and forget everything.” She pulled him into the room, and looked at him in the light, “And what the hell happened to your chin?”
Daryl instinctively touched his jaw. He must’ve gotten a bruise from the fight.
“You’ve been fighting again?”
“Weren’t much o’ a fight,” he half–laughed, “We got ‘em good.”
She stared at him angrily, “I can’t believe you’re missing the point here.” She wiped tears from her eyes, “I don’t think this is going to work out.”
“What? Y’ breakin’ up w’ me?!”
“Yes, I am.”
“Because m’ late f’ y’ birthday?”
“You just don’t get it. You didn’t show up. You didn’t call. And when you finally do show up you don’t feel one inch of remorse for it all.”
“Said I was sorry, Syb. Don’t be like that.”
“No, you didn’t apologize. You bragged about a fight. I don’t want to be a part of this. I expect more from the man I care about.”
He wiped his eyes, blaming the smoke from the fire, and decided it was time to head back to Alexandria. He’d leave as soon as he finished preparing the meat for Hilltop.
Chapter 8: Camping
Daryl waited a couple weeks for Sybil to cool off after their split.
“You’re better off without her baby brother. Now you ain’t tied down to one woman, you can date any y’all want.”
“Don’t wanna date anyone else. I want Sybil,” he muttered, wiping his greasy hands on a rag. He turned over the engine on his bike, bringing it back to life after its tune-up.
“Well she don’t want nothin’ to do with your sorry ass. She thinks she’s too good for ya! There’s plenty of other bitches that are interested in ya.”
“She ain’t a bitch, Merle. She’s different than them other girls.”
“Ooh, are you in love, pussy?”
“Why am I tellin’ y’ anythin’?” He put his tools away, and said, “Goin’ out f’ a bit.”
“Go on then, run back to that highfalutin’ uptown bitch. She must have some sugar ‘tween her legs to keep ya comin’ back to her.”
He showed up at Save A Lot where Sybil worked. She wasn’t at the cash register, but he found her stocking shelves as he searched the aisles.
“Hey Syb…” he said as he approached. She stopped marking canned goods with the pricing gun and looked in his direction.
“What are you doing here?”
“Came t’ apologize. M’ sorry I was such a dick.”
“Are you? Because I have the feeling that the sort of thing that got you in trouble with me in the first place is going to keep happening.”
“Naw… it ain’t. What can I do t’ make y’ change y’ mind?”
She huffed, “You need to stop fighting. I knew full well you were in a gang when I met you. But I don’t think I realized what that entailed.”
He reached out and touched one of her curls, wrapping it around his finger, “I can stop fightin’.”
“Yeah, right,” She rolled her eyes.
“I can,” he insisted.
“Prove it.”
“I will. Supposed t’ be a lil’ somethin’ on Friday. ‘ll come an’ see y’all instead. Maybe I can help you study…” he leaned his arm against the shelf, keeping close to her, “what d’ ya say?”
“Give me a week to think things over. Stay out of trouble until then. I refuse to have a boyfriend that will probably end up in jail. You’re better than that.”
He screeched to a halt on his bike. Right in the middle of the road.
“Can’t go back to Alexandria.” He felt a tightness in his chest, “Just can’t. C’mon.” He veered off the road and pushed his bike into some bramble to hide it.
He and Dog made their way deep into the forest around them. He knew the area well. He retreated towards a long winding river that cut through a clearing and set up a little lean-to between two trees and dug out a hole for a campfire. He set up a perimeter and fashioned a spear from a sturdy branch to go fishing. He and Dog ate a fine catch of fish for dinner.
He lay back against a log and stared up through the tree branches as the stars peeked into the holes between the leaves.
Three months later, they were back together. It took him that long to convince Sybil that he was staying out of trouble. He hung with the gang but skipped out when any brouhahas took place. His brother and friends didn’t let him live it down. He took the brunt of their brutal teasing, keeping his focus on what he really wanted, Sybil.
He watched as Sybil tried to figure out the instructions to the tent she’d brought on their first camping trip. It was early Autumn, and the weather was still pretty warm. He snorted, “Don’t need that booklet. Didn’t need no fancy tent neither.”
“I wanted it to be special,” she huffed, “and I can’t make heads or tails of any of this.”
He walked over, grabbed the instructions, and tossed them in the fire.
“Hey!” She laughed, “How do you expect to set up this tent then?”
He set to work, “Syb… pull them ropes your way.” He handed her a spike, “Stick ‘em in the ground…”
He pulled the other side and did the same. He put together the supports inside, assembling the tent in no time. She smiled proudly as she looked at the results.
“I knew you were good for something,” she teased, messing with his short hair.
That night after hot and heavy lovemaking, they went skinny dipping in the river not far from their setup. She shone under the moonlight, her body dancing with the beads of water dripping down her shoulders, over her breasts, and into the water at her waist. Daryl joined her and as they made out she said, “I could stay here forever.”
How he wished he had.
Chapter 9: The Thick of the Woods
Daryl spent weeks wandering the woods. He’d become so silent, he didn’t even need to call Dog, Dog just knew when to come. He’d gone a longer distance with each day, following the river downstream. He’d passed some small makeshift cabins and checked them out. Even spent some nights in one or two of them. He fought Walkers. Trudged through a downpour. Played with Dog in different clearings they happened upon. They lived off fish, rabbits, squirrels, wild yams, and leeks.
(2 Years Later) Sybil and Daryl got an apartment together. They’d been together for well over four years, and things just fell into place. They were happy, content with life. She was in her fourth year of college, she wanted to be a teacher, and Daryl was working for a local garage fixing just about anything with a motor.
“C’mon Syb… y’all get that cute ass in here. ‘ll help y’ study.” Daryl wanted to be as supportive to Sybil as he could. Even when he didn’t understand what he was quizzing her on, he felt proud of his girl for being so smart.
“If I don’t know it by now, I’m never going to know it.”
“C’mon ‘s the hard stuff, Early Childhood Development,” He held up the book, “We’re gonna go over t’ ones highlighted. Y’all got the rest down pat.”
“Okay, okay,” She threw her hands up in the air.
“Listen… ‘s somethin’ y’ really want, right?”
“Yes,” she answered, her eyes locking with his.
“Then y’ gotta put the time in. ‘S been four long years, but ‘s almost over. Don’t give up.” He squeezed her hand gently as he leaned in to kiss her.
“What would I do without you?” She asked, rubbing his scruffy cheek.
“Fail t’ damn test,” he teased, wiggling his eyebrows. They both laughed, “Right. Question one…”
He smiled at the thought, on how she graduated in the top five of her class. He’d liked to have thought he was part of the reason for that, if she wasn’t so smart to begin with. Still, it was some of his favorite time back then, watching her mind work, the way she’d bite her tongue and look at the ceiling while she thought about her answers, and how she loved to be rewarded with kisses.
One evening, just before dusk he heard a scream. Another voice was yelling, “Over here… this way!”
Heavy footfalls, groaning, and growling. Walkers. He followed the sounds and before crashing through the brush, he surveyed the situation. About ten Walkers were surrounding a couple of women and a man. They were fighting the Walkers pretty well, but there were too many. Daryl aimed his crossbow, clipping one Walker in the head about to bite the man’s shoulder. He fell to the ground. Unsure of what happened, the people continued to fight. He unsheathed his two knives, broke through the brush, and took two out, slicing another at the knees. One of the women brought down a knife into its brain. The other woman shoved a Walker into a tree and split its head with a machete. Three more to go. The man was backing up, looking to see if there were any more, turned around, and got one mere moment from attacking him. Daryl wiped the blades on his filthy pants and looked at the people quickly.
“Thank you,” one of the women breathed, “I don’t know if we could’ve made it without your help. Imagine finding another living soul in the woods.”
Daryl nodded as Dog sniffed around for any other threats. The woman with the cleaver was kneeling, cleaning her blade on one of the Walker’s shirts.
“Yes, thank you.” She stood up and turned to face the man, “we wouldn’t have made it.” She brushed an arm across her grimy face and said, “Do we look as bad as you do?” She smiled at the light joke. Daryl did a double-take. He squinted his eyes and studied the woman closely. She wasn’t anything to look at from first glance being road worn and ragged. But he saw those mystifying green eyes he’d never forget.
“S… Sybil?” His voice broke from being quiet for so long. It sounded foreign to him.
“How do you know my name?” She asked, eyeing the stranger. He was caked in mud, grungy from head to toe, long filthy hair pasted to his dirtied face.
“’S me…” was all he could muster taking a step closer. The woman looked deeply into the man’s eyes.
“Syb… ‘s Daryl…” he patted his chest.
“Daryl?” Her eyes widened. With sharp analysis, she determined that under that mess was the man from her past when everything was right in the world. Her throat closed as she stood stone still. The air was so thick, no one spoke, but everyone was bewildered that Sybil could find someone in the middle of nowhere that knew her.
There was movement behind her and a voice, “Mom? Is it safe to come out?”
For Part Two Click Here
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