In the Very End: Book One

Chapter 3

"Well," Jenner started, "when things got bad, people just left. They went to be with their families. And when things got worse, when the military corrden was overrun, the rest bolted."

"Every last one?" Shane asked.

"No, many couldn't face walkin' out the door...they 'opted out'. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time," Doc concluded.

"You didn't leave. Why?" Andrea asked.

"I just kept working, hoping to do some good," Jenner replied.

Glenn shook his head at Shane. "Dude, you are such a buzzkill, man."

___

"Most of the facility is powered down, including the housing, so you'll have to make do here. Couches are comfortable, but there are cots in storage if you'd like," Jenner explained while leading us down the hall. The lights lit up as we walked by. "There is a rec. room down the hall that you kids might enjoy. Just don't plug in the video games or anything that draws power. Same applies; if you shower, go easy on the hot water." And with that, he walked away.

Glenn smiled. "Hot water?"

"That's what the man said," T-dog replied, a huge grin on his face.

Everybody parted and went their separate ways, leaving me standing alone in the empty hallway.

"This room's open."

I turned to the voice and saw Daryl standing in the door way, his arms crossed and eyes pointed to the floor.

"Thanks," I said. "You gonna shower?"

"Yeah, but you can go ahead."

"Alright. I'll be quick," I said, grabbing clothes out of my bag.

I hurried into the bathroom and closed the door. I slipped off my dirty clothes. I started the shower and stepped inside. I never thought I'd get this feeling ever again. I let the water run over my body.

I shampooed and conditioned my hair and washed my body with the soaps in the shower already. I stepped out of the tub and got dressed. I walked out of the bathroom to find a shirtless Daryl lying on the cot.

"All yours," I said, tucking the dirty clothes into my bag.

He unfolded his hands and stood up, going into the bathroom. I headed out the door and for the rec. room. Books were the only thing to keep you occupied nowadays. As I approached the door, I heard calls for help. I opened the door.

Now, I'm not sure what I expected, but it definitely was not this. Shane looked up and climbed off of Lori. Lori was fighting back tears as he stomped off. I closed the door and made my way to her.

"Are you okay?" I asked, eyes wide. She started crying and I pulled her into a hug. "He didn't do anything, did he?" I asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"No."

"What was that all about?"

We sat in the rec. room and talked about what happened before Rick found the group. She explained how Shane told her Rick was dead and then they had a thing going on. When she found out Rick was alive and Shane had lied to her, she wanted nothing to do with Shane.

I walked her to her room and headed back for mine.

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Daryl's POV

I wandered out of the bathroom in my plaid pajama bottoms and no shirt. Quinn had left. As I threw my dirty clothes onto the cot, she walked through the door.