Somebody That I Used to Know

It’s only the second day of being down in the quarry and already I’m starting to question whether or not anyone is going to come for us. It also doesn’t help that there is now almost a dozen people taking shelter in the quarry and supplies are running low because no one prepared for this.

“What are we going to do?” Asks Glenn, a very polite Asian boy that wandered into camp around sunset last night. He’s been helping with collecting the food some of us had brought and were willing to share with the others who only thought of keepsakes to pack.

Dale starts, “Well, I’ve been looking at my map -”

“You’re always looking at your map.” Amy comments and Dale smiles sheepishly as he pulls it out of his front pocket of his Hawaiian style button down shirt.

“There’s a town... Whitesburg...about twenty or so miles away.” Dale hands the map off to Shane, a police officer who followed us into the quarry the morning we moved down here. Lori, his friend’s wife, peers over his shoulder while tucked underneath her arm pressing tightly against her side is her son Carl. He’s fiddling with a harmless Swiss army knife, looking somber and distant.

“Someone can make a run? And see what’s left to scavenge?” Glenn suggests.

At first, no one in the group circle said anything. We just look at each other and the map, debating if we want to risk our lives.

Surprisingly, it’s Glenn who volunteers first. “I’ll do it.”

“I’ll come with. You might need an extra pair of hands.” Shane says a moment or two. I can see the worry in Lori’s eyes immediately.

“We won’t be gone long. Two hours at most, depending on how fast we drive and how long it’ll take to find the supplies.” Shane explains. He looks over at Glenn, “We can take my jeep.”

“Are you sure about this Shane?” Lori asks quietly.

Shane nods, fixing his ball cap as he glances over at her. “They are important stuff and things we need, Lori.”

“Well, sooner or later someone is going to have to make a run into somewhere. We’ve been here over twenty-four hours and we’re already rationing the water.” I speak my mind on the situation and Andrea is quick to agree with me. I continue on after I see a couple more heads nod, “And it’ll relieve some tension with the food we gathered.”

“Daisy’s right. We can’t survive on a cup of water and cocktail wieners.” Andrea says right after me.

“Like who brings six cans of cocktail wieners?” Amy giggles.

“Hey! Those are my comfort food and if you don’t appreciate them, I’ll gladly take them back.” Glenn replies defensively.

“Alright, hold your horses wiener boy.” Shane teases, “So it’s settled? We’ll go to Whitesburg and gather what we can?”

The group nods.

“Great! Let’s start a list for you two and you can be on your way.” Dale says, taking his map and folding it perfectly. He slips it back inside of his pocket and starts off toward the RV.



Lori is placing large stones around the unfinished fire pot for safety when I walk up to her, holding a brown paper bag.

“Hey Lori,” I greet the brunette and she stops to look up at me.

“Oh, hi there Daisy. What’s up?” She replies with a friendly smile as she stands up and wipes her dirty hands on her jeans.

“Not much just found my stash of emergency candy and wondered if Carl wanted some?” My eyes glance over to the young boy who’s sitting on the grass, reading the same two comics over and over again. He perks up at the word candy and glances sheepishly over to his mom.

His ears and cheeks go red as he pleads with Lori. “Please mom.”

“Alright but you have to share.” Lori replies and a smile splashes across her sons face. I hand over the bag and he starts to open it.

“Carl,” Lori says in a playful warning tone. “What do you say to Daisy?”

He blushes again and gives me a quick, shy glance. “Thank you, Daisy.”

His face lights up once more as he gets a full look at what’s inside of the bag. “No way! Cherry blasts and sour watermelons, mom! All my favorites.”

“My favorites, too – I had fuzzy peaches but I ate them all.” I reply with a chuckle.

“That’s okay, I don’t like those but my dad does… I mean… he did…” His voice trails off and he hurriedly shoves some sweets into his mouth. Lori slowly walks over and settles down in the grass with him, putting an arm around his shoulder. She doesn’t say anything. Just holds him tight.

I want to say something except for the fact that I’m a complete stranger who doesn’t know what happened. But I’m not stupid and my brain collects the data. I bite my lip and look away.

That’s when Dale calls out, “I think… I think I see them!”

I look up at Dale, standing on top the RV with a pair of binoculars that he’s been looking out of for the last hour.

“And… and it looks like they have company.” Dale says after a moment or two. He doesn’t sound happy about it, probably because of the fact that we’re already struggling with food and water. But he climbs down never the less as Glenn and Shane pull up in the jeep.

“So? Successful?” Dale asks them once they’re out.

Glenn grins and puts his two thumbs up. “We hit the jack pot!”

“Don’t get cocky, now.” Shane laughs as he opens up the back of his vehicle. I’m walking over to help unload, not paying attention to the people getting out of the truck parked a few feet away.

Shane hands over a large, five person tent, “That’s for you, Amy and Andrea. Cool?”

I nod and start walking toward Amy, and Andrea when I heard a voice that made my stomach churn.

“Hot damn! I know those daisy dukes anywhere!”

In that moment, I feel everyone’s eyes on me and I very slowly turn around, making sure to stand in the most appealing way. My heart jumps into my throat the second I see the two brothers from my childhood but I play it cool.

“Well, well… aren’t you a sight for sore eyes Merle Dixon.” I retort, keeping a good distance between the rednecks and me. I’m struggling to keep my eyes on the drunken hick who I hate with a passion. I give in because my heart is demanding it and the moment my eyes meet Daryl Dixon’s, it sets fire to everything.

All the immunity I thought I built up during the last five years is gone. Maybe it’s because of what I saw the other night or maybe it’s because I’ll love the stupid man forever. I can see he’s surprised to me but doesn’t do or say a damn thing to me. He just looks away and spits.

“What? Ten fucking years and I don’t get a hug?” Merle laughs and I cringe, looking away. The sight of him makes me sick and it’s for good reason. Merle Dixon is a piece of shit, poor excuse of a man. He’s a stupid, inbred asshole who fucks over anybody he meets and that includes his flesh and blood baby brother, Daryl.

“C’mon Merle. There are kids around.” I hear Daryl say and the sound of his voice is like hearing angels sing. Okay, well not so much angels… but it helps knowing that someone I love is still alive. Every part of me wants to desperately run into his arms and cry. I want him to comfort him like he once did…

I fight the urge and instead, turn around on my heel and hurriedly walk towards the Holden sisters. Amy looks questioningly at me and I toss her a small glare as I huff quietly,

“I don’t want to talk about it.”