infection | D. Dixon

chapter nine

suddenly

The light to the gas station had turned on, but there was no movement. Daryl had pulled me to the ground, weapon raised. I glanced between the store and the road behind us. "We got to get in there." I muttered. "Can't have another group so close to the others."

Daryl nodded and slowly crouched forward. "I'll take the back." He said quietly, moving around the lights to the back-employee door.

I slowly hung around the front, throwing a rock towards the window. There was no movement inside.

Furrowing my brow, I walked straight up to the front door and twisted the handle. The door squeaked open without protest. "Daryl!" I called, propping the door open with the rock.

He came around the corner with a glare on his face. "What the hell are you yelling for?" he snapped.

I holstered my gun and pointed up to the lights. "They're on a timer. There's no one here." I said, walking inside.

Daryl followed me, dropping his weapon and picking something up off the shelf. "That is a damn shame." He said, dropping the item. It rolled over to me. It was an empty can of soda.

I smiled and hopped over the counter. Inside there was gum, cigarettes, lighters, and candy bars. I threw a pack of cigarettes to Daryl and peeled open a wrapper.

We cleared everything out, and before we left, I snuck a pregnancy test into my back pocket.

Daryl was already walking away when I grabbed the test, and right beside it was something I thought I might need in the future. I put the can in my bag and ran to catch Daryl.

+

The next morning I handed the test to Lori as soon as she came to the ambulance. She smiled and handed me a bag of clothes. She smiled and left without a word spoken between us. I changed into the black jeans and long sleeved brown shirt while everyone was busy.

Andrea smiled when she came out to the ambulance. "You look freshened up." Andrea commented, holding out a plate with some berries and crackers on it.

I accepted the plate and set it on the small counter. "Thanks." I said, feeling guilty for being showered in these items.

Andrea scoffed at me. "Don't act like that. Lori is making her way around with clothes for everyone. Carol told me to give you the food, she's in charge of rations." Andrea stated, sitting in the chair next to her sister.

I smiled to myself and slipped on a jacket and a hat to cover my greasy hair. "I'm going to head out, holler if you need me." I said, stepping outside with my police belt in my hand.

Daryl was sifting through an abandoned car when I made my way over to him. He didn't turn his head to acknowledge me, but he stopped moving his hands. "You looking for something?" He snapped.

I didn't respond, I just moved around to the other side of the car and propped open the door. "Last night, you said you didn't take me for a rock girl. What did you take me for?" I asked with a small smile on my face.

Daryl rolled his eyes and shut the car door. I didn't know what I had done to make him so angry with me, so I figured now would be as good a time as any to give him my olive branch.

"Daryl!" I called, running around the car and catching his arm.

He ripped his arm from my hand and glared hard at me. I almost backed away in fear, but I knew he wouldn't hit me. Of all the times I had already seen Daryl mad, I've never been scared of him. "What do you want?" He seethed, taking a slow step towards me.