Watch Your Back

Chapter 8 : Too Close for Comfort

Chapter 8 : Too Close for Comfort

I wake up to the long missed smell of eggs and bacon. Curious I slowly open the sunroom door and step into the living room. The air is cooler so I'm guessing some of the windows are open.

I see Daryl standing over the oven making breakfast. I smile to myself and walk over to him.

"Where'd you get the eggs and bacon?"I ask, knowing all of the stuff we had in the fridge got spoiled and we had to throw it out.

"Went on a run this mornin." he says not taking his eyes off the eggs.

One of the eggs starts to burn. He groans in frustration and scrapes it off the pan, putting in in the garbage.

"Want me to take over?" I laugh at the many burnt eggs in the garbage.

"Sure." he mutters then grabs 7 plates from the cupboard and sets the table.

I crack an egg and let it cook before flipping it. Once its crispy brown on the edges I put it onto a plate. I then grab the bacon Daryl managed not to burn and put it on the plate as well. I walk over to Daryl who is sitting t the table patiently, and set it in front of him.

"You don't have to..." He starts but I cut him off.

"Just eat, we have lots left." I state.

As everyone gradually wakes up I make them their share of eggs and bacon. Daryl must have found milk too because there's 3 cartons in the fridge.

Erica pours everyone a glass of milk and we eat the most normal breakfast we've had in awhile. Eggs and bacon, the most cliche breakfast, but it is nearly impossible now as almost everything will spoil without a fridge.

Everyone seems to be enjoying the rare meal. We talk about the average things you talk about in the morning, how you slept, the dreams you had , and what you're gonna do today.

"So lil miss, we never got your name."Meryl asks, calling me by what seems to be my new nickname.

"Dani, my name is Dani."I tell them.

"So Dani."Daryl says getting used to the name.

"How old are you and your friends?" he wonders.

"I just turned 13 and everyone else is the same age, except Hailee. She's only 10." I explain to him.

He nods. And Meryl clears his throat. "Anyone wanna come on another run with me?"he asks looking straight at Brandon.

Brandon shakes his head but Meryl doesn't back down.

"Fine, fine, I'll go." Brandon gives up and puts his plate in the sink along with Meryl's.

He grabs his backpack and leaves the cabin with Meryl, taking the motorcycle for the run.

Once everyone's plates are in the sink I wash the dishes. It takes a bit longer that usual because of the pan and the extra plates but the meal we just had was worth it.

Hailee comes over to the sink and drys the dishes then puts them away in their proper places. She runs back to the sunroom to finish her new favorite book, The Wizard of Oz.

"Wanna go outside? The deck is cleared?"Brooke questions Erica and I.

"That works." I replied, putting the towel down.

We filed out the front door and into the warm sunlight. It felt nice to be outside again, no worries about biters getting me. I take a seat between the two girls on the bench that we pulled onto the deck.

The cool wind blew through my hair, it was quite refreshing to be honest.

"I'm sure we could get to the water safely. There's a path that goes straight to it." Erica suggests.

"I don't know. It seems risky." I reply.

Erica shrugs before sitting back on the bench. We sit like this a little longer, enjoying the outdoors, before Hailee opens the door and comes outside.

"They're knocking the door down!" She says quickly.

"What do you mean they're knocking it down?" Brooke questions.

"Mac and Kaitlyn are knocking the door down! Hurry!" Hailee grabs my hand and pulls me inside the cabin, the girls following closely behind us.

Kayla was sitting on the ground with her back up against the door. The door handle giggled and there were noises from the other room.

"They're gonna get out!" Kayla shouts.

"Is there anymore wood planks anywhere?" Daryl runs into the cabin, questioning no one in particular.

"We can take them off the wood shed." Erica says before going outside with him.

They return momentarily with red wood planks. Most of the paint was chipping off but it didn't matter. Everyone pitched in, weather it was holding the door, or hammering nails into the door.

I could hear their moans in the other room. Once the door was patched up, we went and sat in the living area.

"That was too close." I sigh.

"It sure was." Daryl replies.

The cabin door opens and closes.

"We're back." Brandon shouts so we know its them.

"What took ya'll so long?" Daryl asks while looking at the setting sun.

"Well..." Brandon starts.

"We were looking for a few specific things." Meryl says the signals to Brandon who pulls out a jumbo bag of marshmallows.

"MARSHMALLOWS!!" Hailee screeches and tackles the bag out of his hands.

We laugh at her as she holds it like its her long lost teddy bear.

Kaila and Brooke decide they would make dinner tonight, so I just sit and read one of the books that were in Erica's room. I didn't pay much attention to the book, I mostly used it to disguise the fact that I was eavesdropping on the two newcomers.

They spoke in hushed voices, almost too quite to understand. There was only one thing that I caught, and it sort of freaked me out.

"How long until we take over?"Meryl asks.

"Is that really a good idea? These kids are scared. I say we spend another day here then leave. I'll teach them some hunting skills and we will be on our way. No worries." Daryl says.

I shake my head before putting down the book, to go check on dinner.

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Ooooh! What are they hiding?

-Two_Blonde_Chicks