Tiptoe Through the Tulips
Seven
He moved his face closer to mine, his other hand wrapping around my arm and pulling me properly into the small office, closing the door behind me.
“I’m not going to hurt you okay?” I paused, trying to find a hint of a lie in his face, willing the other three to wonder where the hell I was and enter the store, “I’m not going to hurt you,” he repeated, a thick New Jersey accent, glancing at the door, “Those people you’re with, do you trust them?” I nodded, confused, he bit his lip.
“If I move my hand away please don’t scream.” I nodded again, stepping slightly back and his hand moved off of my face, drawing back to his side. “You need to leave. Now.” he told me, voice deadly serious.
"Why?” I asked, scanning his face again, he looked nervous, unwilling to talk to me.
“You just need to, before they realise you’re all here.”
Who the hell was they?
I asked him so and he let out a sarcastic chuckle, “You don’t want to know sugar.”
A voice rang out, Daryl.
“Don’t tell him I’m here” he said and I nodded, I have no idea why I was doing as he said, "Get out of this shithole as soon as you can. Before tonight!”
I nodded again, clearing my throat, “Who are you?”
“I’m the idiot trying to save you, just get the fuck away from this town.”
Another call rang through the air and I called back, “Just a second!”, I turned back to the stranger, “Please, cant you tell me what’s wrong?” He shook his head,
“Not enough time sweetheart, Just take your little boyfriend and get the fuck out of here.” He pushed me towards the door and I felt his eyes fixed on me as I exited, almost walking straight into Daryl.
“What took you so long?” He complained, looking at me suspiciously, “I was looking for morphine and stuff but...” I paused, glancing at the office behind me.
Who was he? Why did he want to help us? What should we be running from?
Daryl flicked my forehead and I winced, stepping back and rubbing where it stung, “You alright in there Barbie?” He mocked, smirking at me.
“Oh shut up you tool.” I countered, pushing my way past him, eager to lead him out of the store and away from the stranger hidden in the back office. “Are you coming or not?” I asked, placing my hands on my hips and tilting my head.
He rolled his eyes and started towards me, grabbing the backpack off of the counter, “You PMSing or summin?” he muttered, catching up with me, I rolled my eyes "How many times Daryl, I've got the implant. You need to learn to fucking listen." he snorted seemingly finding my random irritation amusing, and I lightly hit his arm.
“Where we heading next?” I asked, trying to sound casual as he chucked the backpack on a growing pile of supplies we had on the bonnet of an old Cadillac.
“Rick said clothes, there a lil charity place at the end of the road.” I nodded and interlaced my fingers with his. He continued talking, but I wasn’t really listening. My thoughts were with the stranger back in the Pharmacy.
This place was weirdly empty and untouched, but what was there that was so terrifying?
“When are we leaving?” I asked, cutting off Daryl mid sentence, he shrugged.
“Think we’re staying a few days, this place is empty. It’s weird, but good. We can get some better cars, gather a hell of a lot more supplies, Rick grabbed a map from the post office so we can finally work out where the fuck we’re heading.”
“Are we safe at the motel?” I continued, catching him frown slightly.
“Safer than in a field...you’re acting weird. You’re all twitchy...”
“I’m fine.” I answered quickly, too quickly. His frown deepened and his eyes narrowed.
“I’m just tired,” I lied again, forcing a smile at him, “It’s been a long few days.”
I don’t think he brought my words but he nodded none the less and squeezed my hand tighter. As we approached the others he smoothly unlinked out fingers, drawing away from me and putting on what I call his “hard” face, uncaring and serious.
He didn’t show me much affection in front of the others, I understood it, he didn’t want to be seen as weak, he was one of the strongest members of the group.
Doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt my feelings though.
Meeting the others outside the charity shop I saw Glenn quickly shooting me a worried look and I groaned internally forcing a smile on my face, until I decide how to take what that guy told me I wasn’t going to tell the others.
I needed to perfect my poker face until that moment.
“I’m not going to hurt you okay?” I paused, trying to find a hint of a lie in his face, willing the other three to wonder where the hell I was and enter the store, “I’m not going to hurt you,” he repeated, a thick New Jersey accent, glancing at the door, “Those people you’re with, do you trust them?” I nodded, confused, he bit his lip.
“If I move my hand away please don’t scream.” I nodded again, stepping slightly back and his hand moved off of my face, drawing back to his side. “You need to leave. Now.” he told me, voice deadly serious.
"Why?” I asked, scanning his face again, he looked nervous, unwilling to talk to me.
“You just need to, before they realise you’re all here.”
Who the hell was they?
I asked him so and he let out a sarcastic chuckle, “You don’t want to know sugar.”
A voice rang out, Daryl.
“Don’t tell him I’m here” he said and I nodded, I have no idea why I was doing as he said, "Get out of this shithole as soon as you can. Before tonight!”
I nodded again, clearing my throat, “Who are you?”
“I’m the idiot trying to save you, just get the fuck away from this town.”
Another call rang through the air and I called back, “Just a second!”, I turned back to the stranger, “Please, cant you tell me what’s wrong?” He shook his head,
“Not enough time sweetheart, Just take your little boyfriend and get the fuck out of here.” He pushed me towards the door and I felt his eyes fixed on me as I exited, almost walking straight into Daryl.
“What took you so long?” He complained, looking at me suspiciously, “I was looking for morphine and stuff but...” I paused, glancing at the office behind me.
Who was he? Why did he want to help us? What should we be running from?
Daryl flicked my forehead and I winced, stepping back and rubbing where it stung, “You alright in there Barbie?” He mocked, smirking at me.
“Oh shut up you tool.” I countered, pushing my way past him, eager to lead him out of the store and away from the stranger hidden in the back office. “Are you coming or not?” I asked, placing my hands on my hips and tilting my head.
He rolled his eyes and started towards me, grabbing the backpack off of the counter, “You PMSing or summin?” he muttered, catching up with me, I rolled my eyes "How many times Daryl, I've got the implant. You need to learn to fucking listen." he snorted seemingly finding my random irritation amusing, and I lightly hit his arm.
“Where we heading next?” I asked, trying to sound casual as he chucked the backpack on a growing pile of supplies we had on the bonnet of an old Cadillac.
“Rick said clothes, there a lil charity place at the end of the road.” I nodded and interlaced my fingers with his. He continued talking, but I wasn’t really listening. My thoughts were with the stranger back in the Pharmacy.
This place was weirdly empty and untouched, but what was there that was so terrifying?
“When are we leaving?” I asked, cutting off Daryl mid sentence, he shrugged.
“Think we’re staying a few days, this place is empty. It’s weird, but good. We can get some better cars, gather a hell of a lot more supplies, Rick grabbed a map from the post office so we can finally work out where the fuck we’re heading.”
“Are we safe at the motel?” I continued, catching him frown slightly.
“Safer than in a field...you’re acting weird. You’re all twitchy...”
“I’m fine.” I answered quickly, too quickly. His frown deepened and his eyes narrowed.
“I’m just tired,” I lied again, forcing a smile at him, “It’s been a long few days.”
I don’t think he brought my words but he nodded none the less and squeezed my hand tighter. As we approached the others he smoothly unlinked out fingers, drawing away from me and putting on what I call his “hard” face, uncaring and serious.
He didn’t show me much affection in front of the others, I understood it, he didn’t want to be seen as weak, he was one of the strongest members of the group.
Doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt my feelings though.
Meeting the others outside the charity shop I saw Glenn quickly shooting me a worried look and I groaned internally forcing a smile on my face, until I decide how to take what that guy told me I wasn’t going to tell the others.
I needed to perfect my poker face until that moment.
♠ ♠ ♠
<3