Beyond Terminus (Book Two)

Chapter 43: Strange

The next morning, everyone leaves the house and prepares to scope out the town.

"They said explore. Let's explore," Rick says, looking to Daryl.

Daryl, who sits on the porch, shakes his head.

"Nah, I'll stay."

"Alright." Rick nods.

I sigh, leaning against the railing. Aaron is supposed to come by and introduce me to this Doctor Elliot guy.

"Lori and me, we used to drive through neighbourhoods like this thinking, 'One day'," Rick comments.

"Well, here we are." Daryl shrugs.

Rick nods. "We'll be back."

He heads off, and I watch him jog away down the street. I move to Daryl's side and he looks up at me.

"Are you ok?" I ask.

"Fine."

"Studies show that when a person says they're 'fine', they're anything but that."

"Well, this time I am. Isn't Aaron comin' by to brin' you to your new job?"

I purse my lips. "Yeah. He is."

"Have fun with that."

"I'll try." I kneel down and press a kiss to his forehead. "I love you."

"Yeah...I love you too," he mumbles.

I stand back up, jogging off the porch and meeting up with Aaron as he walks down the street. He smiles at me.

"You seem happy," he comments.

"I'm excited, I guess." I shrug.

"Well, I think you'll like Elliot. He's a good guy."

We walk to a proper looking home with a red cross painted on the front door. Aaron holds the door open for me, and I go inside. I hear barking as a small black lab scrambles towards me. I grin and kneel down, letting her sniff my hand. She licks it, her tail wagging a mile a minute.

"Lightning?" a man's voice calls. "Lightning?"

A tall black guy with buzzed black hair rounds the corner, noticing Aaron and I. He smiles, moving towards us and adjusting his white lab coat as he pockets a pair of glasses.

"Elliot, this is Hope," Aaron introduces.

"Pleasure to meet you," Elliot says, shaking my hand firmly. Aaron waves and disappears out the door. "Deanna told me you're the newest nursing recruit."

"I guess so." I smile.

He nods. "It's a good thing too. It's just Pete and I around here, and let me tell you, it gets busy."

"Well, I'm glad to help."

He ushers me down a long hall, and Lightning follows at our heels.

"Deanna said that you had vet training."

"Yes. Five years up in Saskatoon."

He smiles and nods thoughtfully. "It's a good school, that's for sure. I was going to go there, but plans changed."

"You're a vet too?"

"Pete's the real doctor. I'm a vet, and now-" He pats my shoulder. "We've got our nurse in training. We're glad to have you here."

"I'm glad to be helping."

Daryl's POV

I lean against the porch, chipping away at the handle of Hope's old knife. It was difficult enough trying to carve away the ivory part of the handle, but I managed to get to the wood inside.