𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 | 𝐭𝐰𝐝 ¹

06.

   Daryl allowed the vehicle to roll to a stop. "I'm gonna go look for some supplies. Some gas," he stated while looking over to the woman and child in the passenger.

   "Do you want me to come?" Nicole inquired as she sat up straight.

   "Nah, you stay with the littlun," he paused wiping the sweat from his face. "I'll try not to use the ammo. I'll be in a tight spot if I do."

   "I hear a gunshot, I'll come running." Nicole gave him an affirming nod. Daryl didn't try to argue with the stubborn woman. He got out of the vehicle, grabbing his crossbow in the process.

   Cheyanne looked up to her mother with sad eyes. "Mama," she whimpered, "are we going to be okay?"

   Nicole didn't want to lie to the little girl, but she didn't want to tell her that she didn't know. Cheyanne had lost so much hope in the past few days; Jess' death had taken a toll on her the most. She blamed herself because she couldn't shoot the monster that bit him fast enough. "We'll be just fine, baby girl."

   With a sigh, Cheyanne rubbed her face. "We'll always be together, right Mama?" she questioned, looking up to her mother with her big, brown eyes.

   "Always, my love. I promise."

   Bang! Bang!

   Nicole flinched and grabbed her gun out of reflex. Daryl. She instant tensed up, looking down to the little girl beside her. "Look, sweetie, Daryl needs my help."

   Cheyanne hesitantly nodded.

   "I will be back soon. You got your gun?" Nicole asked. Cheyanne nodded, pulling out her weapon. "Ammo?"

   Chey unloaded the clip to check it. "Six."

   "Where do you aim?"

   Cheyanne put her gun down and made one with her hands. She aimed for her mother's forehead and whispered the noise it made.

   Nicole smiled, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Good job." She whispered. "Do not let anyone in and if they try, shoot. Don't shoot the monsters unless they somehow get inside, understand?"

   The little girl nodded. Nicole popped open the door and jumped out. "I love you," she spoke before shutting the door and stalking to the gunshots.

   She crouched car to car. She avoided the eyes of the abominations that were roaming the streets of this wasteland of a town. Nicole had her bat ready for any batting practice. Another gunshot went off inside a building and she made a beeline for it.

   The monsters roared around her as she ran for the door. One got to close for her liking and she swung -- the sickening crack rang through her head. It made Nicole nauseous to think about how it was starting to be a comforting sound. Or how she was starting to enjoy bashing the brains out of the undead.

   That thought made her sick to her core. She hated what this world was starting to make her into. Nicole was merely a middle school English teacher before the world went to hell. She never thought she'd be whacking heads to survive.

   Nicole opened the door and immediately shut it. She came face to face with at least four monsters. Instinctually, she swung back and forth at the monster's heads. Nicole kept knocking down the monsters until there was one left. She went to go kill it, but it went stiff.

   A swish pulled from its head, and there stood the bloody man she'd been looking for. "I though' I told you to stay in the car!" He exclaimed as another man waddled out from around the corner.

   "And I thought I told you that I'd come running if I heard a gunshot." She shot back as she lifted up her bloody bat. Daryl scoffed before looking back to the sunburnt man that was struggling to stand up behind him.

   "Damn, lil' bro. You snagged a fine piece of ass." The man announced out while looking dead at the blonde woman.

   Nicole rolled her eyes and then flipped the man off. "Merle, I presume."

   "Oh, you told 'er about me. You plannin' on sharin'?" Merle licked his lips.

   "Shut up, bro."

   Nicole rolled her eyes. "I have to get back to Chey. Glad to know you're safe and sound, Daryl," the evident sarcasm poured from her mouth. She turned around to go back out toward her daughter.

   Eventually, she got back to the truck. Nicole's bat was drenched in bone fragments and the thick consistency of the undead's blood. She ripped a piece of her black flannel and cleaned off the residue. Cheyanne opened the door for her and she jumped in. Daryl and Merle got into the vehicle a few minutes later.

   Merle made many slut-shaming remarks to Nicole. She quickly figured out that this man had no respect toward women at all. He was almost nothing like Daryl. If Daryl hadn't told her, she never would've believed that they were even related.

   Nicole's observations of the brothers were completely contrasted. Daryl was a quiet, loyal but a reserved guy. He was the type of person she wanted by her side. Dependable. While Merle was an obnoxious, sexist and an "every man for himself" type of guy. Not her ideal choice in a group member.

   She wanted to stick with Daryl. They shared a mutual trust in each other. She did not want to lose that bond. Even if that meant dealing with his ridiculous brother.