Not Desperate

Chapter 23 Hall of Mirrors

 Chapter 23

House of Mirrors

            Yvonne had forgotten all about the carnival in Senoia. Daryl had mentioned it a long time ago after they first met, but she hadn’t heard a word about it since. They hadn’t seen each other since he brought them home Sunday. They had both been busy with work; Daryl had been going to T’s garage after the construction site every night. He had called her when he got home, though, to tell her how much he loved her. They hadn’t told Michael yet, Daryl wanted them to do it together. They would all go out to dinner, then maybe ice cream or go do something fun.

            The carnival started on Friday and would be in town for a week. Everyone was going together as a group. Daryl, Yvonne, Michael, Rick, Lori, Carl, Merle, Carol, Sophia T-Dog and his girlfriend Jackie. When Yvonne picked up Michael from school that day, they went straight to Carol’s house to meet everybody since Daryl and Merle didn’t want them anywhere near the trailer. Michael and Sophia rode with Carl. Merle and Carol took his truck and Daryl and Yvonne rode with T-Dog and Jackie. Carl was the only one of the kids that had ever been to a carnival before, so he took the lead with Michael and Sophia showing them around.

            Not long after they arrived, the couples went their separate ways agreeing to meet back in two hours for food. Daryl and Yvonne headed to the rides first. Roller coaster, Ferris wheel and tilt-a-whirl. They did them all one right after the other. Daryl was having more fun the he had ever had in his life. Yvonne loved it all, except the Ferris wheel. She was afraid of heights. When they were stuck at the top, her breathing quickened and her hands began to shake. Daryl put his arm around her and tucked her into his side. He turned her face to his and kissed her until they were on the ground again. “Thank you. I just get real nervous being off the ground.”

            “No problem darlin’. I’ll always keep you safe. You don’t need to worry about anything when I’m around.” It was almost time to meet the others to eat, so they walked to the pic-nic area. They were too engrossed in each other to notice they were being watched.

            T-Dog, Jackie, Merle, Carol and the kids were anxiously waiting when they arrived .Merle stood to meet Daryl and took him to the side to talk. “I don’t mean to alarm you baby brother, but you and your woman are on somebody’s radar tonight and I think I know who it is.”

            “What the hell? How you figure that shit?”

            “There’s three men been just about everywhere ya’ll been. Carol and I been shadowing ya since we got here I saw a familiar truck in the lot and got suspicious.”

            “Who the hell is it Merle?” Daryl said, rage building in his bones.

            “I think it’s Joe and Len. That was Joe’s truck I saw and if I ain’t with him, he’s got Len by his side. Keep an eye out and you might want to talk to your buddies and get them looking out too.”

            “He ain’t getting near her Merle. I’ll kill him!”