Chasing Amy (Daryl Dixon/The Walking Dead)

Chapter 27 - Scavengers

To my surprise, T-Dog and Glenn didn't force me to go back inside. I was half expecting them to, especially since Rick had been feeling particularly snappy that whole day, and I hated to think what he'd say if he caught me. In fact, mostly everyone seemed to be in a bitter mood, including myself.

"I guess..." T-Dog looked to Glenn for reassurance, but he was still lost in his own world. "You can carry those empty petrol cans for me, if you really want to come."

"Okay." I quickly stepped to the back of the truck, grabbing the two empty cans. They must've been used up throughout the day that I spent sleeping in the truck.

The walk to the road was spent in a nervous silence on my part, as I was praying Rick wouldn't show up and make me go back inside. I knew what the consequences would have been if he caught me disobeying his orders, but frankly I didn't care as much as I should have. He had been directing everyone about like a sheepdog, and I was in the worst of moods as it was.

Sure enough, there was a sizeable cluster of banged-up cars, all trapped on the road by yet another fallen tree.

"Must've been a storm or something... It had to have happened early on, look." Glenn pointed to the car doors, each of them left ajar. There were no blood splatters, no roamers... Nothing. "They bolted on foot."

There had to be something of use here.

"Which one first?" I couldn't hold back the grin, holding up the first gas can. I didn't actually know how to siphon petrol, but that kind of petty crime was a common occurrence where I used to live, where people would literally steal the gas out of locked cars.

"I'll search the trunks. Might be something worth taking." T-Dog shrugged, heading to the closest car, a small rusted yellow old thing, which looked like it would fall apart at any moment.

We followed, stopping a bit further behind him to where the fuel tank was. I watched Glenn as he dropped to his knees and flipped open the little circular door. He swiftly dumped the crowbar in his hands to the floor, the metal weapon making a loud clattering sound which echoed though the empty silence.

"I seriously hate doing this," Glenn muttered as he slid the tube into the tank, before covering the gap around the tubing with an old piece of cloth that was tied to his belt. It was blackened with grease and oil, leading me to believe he usually took care of vehicles. "Could you make sure the can is close enough?"

I nudged the can closed to his knee and, to my surprise, he brought the tip of the tube to his lips, his cheeks puffing out as he blew into it forcefully.

At first nothing happened, until Glenn lowered the other end of the tubing so it covered the nozzle of the can.

I watched curiously, as this was a skill that could certainly come in handy.

"Watch now..." Glenn nodded to his other hand, which was still covering the fuel tank with the dirty cloth. The almost clear golden fuel began to flow just as soon as he finished the sentence, slowly moving down the tube and into the petrol can below.

"That's awesome." I watched with wondering eyes as the petrol continued to trickle into the can.

"You think Maggie would still respect me if she knew how good I was at sucking gas through a hose?" He grinned up at me. His baseball cap covered his eyes slightly, but I could tell there was something serious behind his joking tone.

"You two seem to be getting on well, Glenn. I'm happy for you." I smiled at him, leaning to the left so I was against the horrible rusty car. "And also, I think being able to suck petrol through a tube is much cooler than going on runs anyway."