I Need You

Weapons

It has been at least an hour and Noah still hasn't returned. I am getting concerned but I know he is strong. I decide to give him another hour before I begin to panic. My shoulder finally has stopped bleeding. I untie the makeshift bandage to get a look at the wound. Pain shoots through me as I remove the tourniquet. Moving my scrubs out of the way, I look down at the gaping hole in my shoulder. The exit wound is big and I may need stitches. Once Noah gets back we will have to clean it. The last thing we need is for it to get infected. I quickly put the bandage on and secure it with a strong, tight knot.
My mind begins to wander to Daryl. Was he okay? Is he alone? Did he find the others? So many questions. I hope I will be able to find him again. I miss him. I miss his eyes... the way he would look at me. It was like he could see right into my soul. I will never forget the way he looked at me that night at the funeral home when I asked him what changed his mind. He just stared back at me with those piercing blue eyes. Not uttering a single word but the silence and the look he gave me spoke volumes. My heart flutters at the memory.
I hear a distant door open and shut, "Beth?" Noah calls.
"I am still here." I reply looking towards the door I know he is about to come through.
"I got us some weapons. Found some food and water too." I hear him as he approaches the door.
I smile at the news. He walks through the door and I look up at him. I can't believe my eyes. My mouth drops open as he stands before me. His brow furrows as he looks down at me. He has got a bag in one hand which I assume has the food and water he mentioned. Strapped to his back is a rifle. But it is what is in his other hand that I can't take my eyes off of... a crossbow. I would recognize that weapon anywhere.
"What?" He asks.
"Where did you get that?" I question pointing at the crossbow in his hand.
"Oh I... took it from a rough looking man I found in the parking garage next door." He says motioning to the window in front of me. "He was with a woman..."
"Was he wearing a leather vest with angel wings on the back? The woman, what did she look like?" I inquired quickly cutting him off. I had to know for sure if it was him. Maybe he found Maggie...
"Uh... yeah he did. The woman was older. She had salt and peppery hair."
"Noah, when did you see them? We have to find them. That is my family. The man... that's Daryl he was with me when the officers from Grady took me. The woman has got to be Carol. My group, my family we got separated a couple weeks before. They must have found each other and came looking for me."
"It was about 30 minutes ago. I don't know where they are now."
I run to the window. My eyes eagerly search the view before me looking for any sign of them. I see the parking garage. I turn and ask him where exactly they were. Noah comes to the window and points a bridge connecting the garage to another building across the street. He tells me they took the bridge to the other building, stayed there for a few minutes and when they returned back to the bridge, he was waiting for them. I only listen as my eyes continue there desperate search. Still nothing.
"Let's go." I say prying myself from the window.
"Where?" Noah asks confused.
"To the bridge and building across the street. They were just there. Maybe we can get a different vantage point and spot them." I say. I cross the room, pick up the crossbow and make my way towards the door not waiting for Noah to follow.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Once we get to the bridge, I look out through the glass on both sides. Nothing. With a sigh I go to the doors where Noah says he got the drop on them. He holds the chained door open for me as I wiggle through. Once inside, I realize it is another office building. Readying Daryl's crossbow as I wait for Noah to finish squeezing his way through the doors, I notice an open door to my right. Noah stands beside me and gives me a quick nod.

We clear the hall and I go to the open door I noticed. It is a very nice luxurious office with expensive furnishings and artwork. There are two windows across the room in front of a desk separated by an ugly painting. I can't help but think it looks like a dog sat in paint and rubbed it's butt across the canvas. I chuckle at the thought. Noah comes in right behind me and starts looking around. I go to the window on the right. Looking out, I can see the good portion of the city. A park below, burned buildings, and a bridge off in the distance. In my peripherals, I see Noah stand in front of the other window. Turning back to the window in front of me, I notice movement on the street below. My heart flutters and then drops when I realize it is just a walker.
"Beth..." Noah says. I look over at him peering through the scope, "...on that bridge is a van from Grady."
I peer through the scope and see the van with two white crosses on the back windows. Daryl must have seen this and went to check it out.
I smile to myself and think, "I am coming Daryl."