Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse

When she woke up the next morning, Leah vaguely remembered being in Daryl's room. She had a headache, and she kept her eyes shut as she tried to remember everything that had happened. She remembered kissing him, and he had pulled her into his lap. Then, for whatever reason, he stopped her, turned her away. She tried to remember what he said to her, but it was too fuzzy. She groaned and sat up. She needed food, and to be around people. She didn't want to be alone.

That morning Daryl seemed to be avoiding Leah. Maybe he was mad at her for coming onto him, or perhaps they had gotten into an argument, and she just couldn't remember what it was about. After breakfast, Jenner showed them footage of a test subject, number 19, who had agreed to be observed after they had become infected. They watched how the virus had affected the brain, and then explained that it had been his wife, and he eventually had to kill her. Then Dale asked about the clock that seemed to be on some kind of count down.

Jenner explained that the facility was on lockdown, and at the end of the count down the place would be decontaminated. The air would basically catch on fire, and they would all die a painless death. They all pleaded with Jenner to let them leave, but Jenner reminded them that the doors wouldn't open. Even if they were able to stop the countdown, power to the facility was running out, and Jenner insisted that it was the best thing for everyone.

"There has to be hope!" Rick countered.

Jenner opened the doors for them, but before he left, Jenner whispered something that seemed to disturb him in Rick's ear. Thinking they had nothing left to live for, Jacqui and Andrea decided to stay behind. Leah thought about how Daryl had been treating her all morning, then she thought about Marissa and Felecia. She thought about staying to, but one look from Daryl and she knew she had to keep going, even if it was for nothing.

They ran for the front of the facility, leaving Jacqui, Andrea, and Dale behind. Rick used a grenade to shatter a window, and they ran for the vehicles. Leah had never been much of a runner. She was too short, and it made her slow. Realizing she wasn't beside him, Daryl turned around, he handed her one of the two axes he was carrying so he could take her hand and pull her to the truck with him. She smiled when he grabbed her wrist, he wasn't angry with her at all.

They got in the vehicle and she turned to see Dale and Andrea climbing out of the shattered window and running for the camper before the bomb could detonate.

As they started the vehicles Leah reached into her bag to pull out a bottle of water. She was out of breath. "Thank you," she gasped. "I doubt I would have made it if it weren't for you."

"No thanks needed," he replied as the truck pulled away from the facility. He glanced at her for a moment and seen that she was smiling. He smiled back.

"Where are we going to go now?"

Daryl shrugged, "Don't know. We just have to get away from here. Considering the sound of the explosion, walkers will be here within minutes."

Leah nodded, "I guess we'll stop before night fall, and we'll try to figure something out then."

"Yeah." He glanced at Leah. He could tell something was bothering her. He assumed it had to do with Marissa and Felecia, so he reached over and squeezed her hand.

She squeezed his back and they sat there in silence as he drove down the road. Neither one bothered to remove their hand from the other one's. It wasn't meant to be a romantic gesture on either one's part. Just a sign of friendship and comfort. They weren't alone anymore because they had each other. Neither one was going to let the other give up.