The Archer and The Airship » 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕝𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕕𝕖𝕒𝕕 «

Chapter Six

  Zepp reached behind her into the bag she managed to snag from an abandoned car last week and tossed her the shirt, still looking down at her boots. She couldn't bear to look at her while she was so.. vulnerable. Even given their history, it felt wrong to see her that way after all these years.

  They had been on the road for a while now and fell into the habit of pairing off together, wether that was for runs, to bathe in nearby creeks and rivers, or just sleeping close to each other around the fire at night. They whispered softly, heads together, of their time away from each other.

  Where they were, what jobs they had, what relationships they had gone through. Veronica politely feigned surprise that Zepp's 'relationships' chalked up to a few one night stands while Zepp pretended it didn't hurt to hear she was engaged before the fall of the world. His name was Beau, he was a firefighter, and that's all the information she could pry from her before she turned away to face the fire.

Dressed and ready to go, the women headed back up the hill towards the rest of their group. In the months that passed, she found herself growing closer to the D.C crew than she had originally expected to.

  Rosita was a calm lighthouse in the shitstorm, and while Abraham could do with a few knocks to the head every once in a while, he was a genuinely caring person, always on the lookout for each of them. Even Eugene was beginning to grow on her, though she chose to ignore him most days.

  While their routine as a family came easier to her now, each day only seemed to get harder. They met new people along the way and met disaster as well. Every stranger that took up their mission with them was somehow lost a short time later. They spent a week holed up in a gas station as a herd clamored through, their small group weak and on the brink of starvation. They lost two men who decided to take a chance and run despite Veronica's pleas. Soon after, they could hear the screams as the father and son were torn apart just outside their walls.

  When the herd finally passed and they broke free of their cage, they spent another three days running from another herd, only to find they had gone in circles from their starting point. Abraham's rage almost tore them apart that day, and he only came to once Zeppelin slapped him clean across the face.

  Speaking of the devil, as impatient and stubborn as ever, Abraham anxiously tapped his fingers against his gun, the baby that never left his hands. Rosita narrowed her eyes as the other women approached and gave her man a small nudge on the shoulder. He whipped his head towards them and immediately stood, stomping down the path back towards the truck.

  "Squeaky clean ladies?" He grunted. "Let's get moving then."

  Veronica rolled her eyes and grabbed a water bottle out of her bag to toss towards Zepp before moving to walk close beside her. When their shoulders brushed together, Zepp gritted her teeth as she was reminded of her time with Daryl, so close and intimate on the most basic level. Her mind wandered.

  Where was he now? Was he still alive? Did he hate me for leaving them?

  She was reminded of him at every deer that crossed their paths, every rippling creek that slithered next to them, every ray of sunlight that shone through the trees like a golden waterfall. She felt his absence like a scratch she couldn't reach, always there and growing every day.

  She made her choice.

She pushed on.

  Veronica bumped into her with a little more force,  her expression a mixture of amusement and worry. Zepp wondered how long she had been talking while she was off in another world.

"Earth to Z. You listening? I said what's on your mind? Clearly a lot," she mused.

  Zepp shrugged incredulously and continued walking. "Just stuff," she decided was the safest answer. Veronica took it though from the incredulous look on her face, this conversation wasn't over. She tucked a strawberry blonde lock behind her ear and pranced to catch up with the others, leaving Zepp to hold the rear.