Starting Over...

The first night sleeping in the holding cell was restless and uncomfortable... Well, for me at least. Every one else seemed to be snoozing soundly in their sleeping bags.

I tossed and turned in my spot on the ground next to Tina, who could sleep literally anywhere... I envied that about her. I had always struggled with insomnia, even before the world changed... But when it did change, my sleeping problems got a lot worse.

There was always so much to think about, way too much to worry about, and usually always something that needed to be planned out... So my mind was never at rest. It really was exhausting.

Usually, I thought about my family, and my normal life that was only a little over a year in the past. It seemed like I had fallen asleep in the comfort of loved ones, electricity and hot water, and woken up in this brutal, primative nightmare of survival, stripped of everything I once knew.

On a normal day, the pleasant memories of barbecues, dates to the movies, and even taking tests in my college classes consumed me. No matter how hard I tried to shove them out, they always lingered...

But ever since we had walked into this prison, it had been a little easier to push aside the painful images of my old life, because now something else was persistantly taking their place...

And that was Daryl. As much as I tried to keep him out of my personal memories, there he was around every corner in my mind. I didn't understand it... I had only known this man for the better part of two days, and he had done nothing but put me down, judge me and drive me nuts the entire time.

So, why couldn't I get those steel blue eyes out of my mind...? The best I could do was try to ignore them...

So, I layed quietly on my side, facing the back wall and staring out the window. The sky outside was beginning to show just the slightest gradient of color, from blue to magenta. It was early in the morning... The sun would be rising in maybe two hours or so.

I let out an impatient sigh, closing my eyes and waiting for the relieving *click* of the cell door unlocking.

After another ten or twenty minutes of laying awake and waiting, I heard footsteps walking down the short hallway, accompanied by the soft jingle of keys.

My stomach fluttered in excitement as I listened to whoever it was; most likely Rick, Daryl, or Glenn; slide the key into the lock, and turn it. I hadn't been expecting someone quite this early in the morning, so it was definately a pleasant surprise.

*click*

I stayed still and kept my eyes on the back wall, listening to the footsteps trail over to the left. There was the soft jingling again, and I heard a key slide into a different lock.

*click*

The cell next to ours unlocked, enabling Michonne to move freely about the prison as well.

Michonne was the African American woman I'd seen miraculously slash her way to the gate of the prison just a day before.

I didn't know a lot about her besides her name... I wasn't able to get much more out of her when I'd seen her awake the night before, besides that Rick had offered her the same deal that he had offered my group, and she too was under-going the three day probation period.

She just seemed very angry...

When I heard the footsteps travel away from the cell doors and back down the hall, I sat up, catching the angel wings on the back of Daryl's leather vest as he disappeared around the corner.

It actually surprised me that he even bothered to unlock the doors and let us out at all.

Never the less, I was free from my restless prison. I kicked my sleeping bag off me, already dressed in my white tank top and snug, dark wash skinny jeans. I sat on the cement floor and tugged my brown hiking boots on, lacing them up over my jeans.

I winced as I quietly stood up. My stomach was still sore, and as I lifted my tank top I could see I'd have to pay a visit to Hershel later... A small red stain could be seen through the bandages, a sign that they needed to be changed soon. But, I'd be okay for now.

I tried to be as silent as possible as I stepped over a sleeping Zach, kneeling down next to my worn out red backpack that was up against the wall with everyone else's.

I slowly unzipped the side pocket, and began to dig around in search of my hair brush. Of course, it was at the very bottom... I sighed in frustrarion as I struggled to pull the brush from my backpack without pulling everything ontop of it out along with it.

Somehow, I managed to make it happen, and smiled in triumph as I quickly ran the bristles through my long auburn hair. I was too lazy to braid it, so I just let the long strands flow freely down to my waist.

When I slipped the brush back into my backpack, an all too familiar feeling hit me... Nicotine craving.

I quickly zipped up the side pocket, moving on to the larger front pocket; the treasure chest that held my cigarette goldmine. I lightly chewed my bottom lip as I tugged on the zipper and stared down at all the different packs of smokes I had to choose from, and I would definately be choosy this time.

After getting stuck with those Newports, I decided I would always take my time picking which cigarettes I wanted... If I had the time to spare, that is.

My eyes scanned all the different brands and flavors, and finally I reached into the pocket and snatched a pack of Camel Crush, one of my favorites. After a sleepless night like the one I had, I could really use the boost from the menthol.

Flipping back the lid of the pack, I could see that I had already smoked a little more than half the pack over time, leaving only eight or nine cigarettes. I pursed my lips as I debated picking out a different kind to savor the last of the Camels, but then remembered there was another unopened pack floating around in there somewhere.

So, with a shrug, I tucked the pack into my back pocket, almost forgetting to grab a lighter. I reached my hand inside the bag and grabbed the first one my fingers touched.

Once the lighter had joined the cigarettes in my pocket, I zipped my bag back up, and slowly rose to my feet, being careful of my injury. I stepped back over Zach, who had rolled over onto his back inside his sleeping bag with one arm drapped over his eyes.

Now I had a clear path to the door.

"Smoking kills..."

The voice was so soft, but in this extreme silence it seemed loud and jarring.

Startled, I gasped and jumped a bit. My eyes danced around the cell, in search of the source of the voice.

Finally, my eyes were met with a pair of fierce, dark ones through the bars of the cell.

I was staring at Michonne, who was sitting upright on her cot, perched on the far wall of the neighboring cell. She kept her eyes on me as I stared, the intensity never wavering.

How long had she been watching me...?

"Well..." I spoke up softly, my voice sounding a little raspy, "I'd much rather die from smoking, which is something that's my choice, than let those freaks out there decide when I die.."

I nodded toward the window as I mentioned the walkers.

Michonne tilted her head slightly, before her lips curved into a smirk. She dropped her head down as she chuckled darkly, her dreads hanging in her face.

Needless to say, I was confused.

Michonne then glanced back up at me. The smirk had almost completely vanished from her face.

"You sound just like an old friend of mine..." She hissed at me, just barely audible.

I assumed that she meant an old friend that had suffered the same fate that the rest of the world did... Maybe that was why she was so angry?

I shifted my weight uncomfortably. I didn't know what to say, so I said the only thing floating around my mind.

"I'm sorry for your loss..." the generic, cookie cutter greeting card phrase rolled from my lips in a whisper.

Michonne's face twisted up into a scowl as she turned her head to stare at the back wall.

"No." She growled, "She's not dead..."

I watched her for a second as she seemed to become lost in her thoughts. Slowly, I exited the cell, thinking it was best to leave Michonne to herself for now.

"That was weird..." I grumbled to myself as I made my way down the hall.

It was still dark in the cafeteria, and after my eyes adjusted a little bit, I could see that everyone else was asleep soundly in their cells.

I looked around for Daryl as I quietly made my way into the main portion of the cafeteria, but he was no where to be found. I shrugged, thinking it was actually better that he wasn't around.

He'd probably just have something rude to say in that thick Georgia accent of his, and I wasn't in the mood for arguing so early in the morning... Especially not before I had my cigarette.

I took the long way around the tables to the door and pushed it open as quietly as possible. The early morning air was cool and humid against my face. It was refreshing, but I knew it wouldn't last long. As soon as that summer sun began to rise, it would be hot and muggy, so I enjoyed the cool air while it was lasting.

While lighting my first cigarette, I turned to my left and strolled over to the neighboring building. I passed the three vehicles; four if you counted the motorcycle; and rounded the corner to the back of the building where the fire escape was.

I reached up and gripped the bottom wrung, clamping my burning cigarette between my lips as I pulled myself up. The cool metal was damp with morning dew against my hands, so I made a point to keep a steady grip.

Soon, I reached the top of the latter,

and stepped onto the roof of the building. I pulled on the cigarette that was still clamped in between my lips, then plucked it away from my mouth with my two fingers so I could exhale the smoke.

The sky was getting just a little brighter, but the sun was still about an hour away from rising. A thin layer of fog coated the field around the outside perimeter of the prison, and it made the walkers that wandered around look even more eerie than usual.

I stifled a yawn as I carefully walked along the edge of the building, deciding to take a seat on the righthand corner, which pointed directly at the treeline. I enjoyed the last of the cool menthol cigarette, then pulled another from the pack and sparked it up... Hey, I could die literally at any moment, so what did it matter if I chain smoked?

The first fresh hit off the cigarette was crisp and refreshing, and as my eyes followed the countless walkers mindlessly droning about through the field, my mind reverted to a time when the "zombie apocalypse" was just something used to make movies and TV shows...

Five years ago...

"Hey, Jess, grab me another beer?"

"Sure."

17 year old Jessie bounded through the sliding glass door leading to my screened in back porch with a bowl of Cheddar Chex Mix in her hands. She bumped the door closed with her hip, then set the bowl ontop of the mini fridge that was just a step to the right.

"Do you want another Bud Light?"  Jessie asked me as she popped the door open and peered inside the fridge.

I downed the last foamy sip at the bottom of my bottle, then spun it around in my hand to look at the blue and white label.

"Mmm.." I hummed in thought, pursing my lips, "What else is there?"

"Theeeere's a few Millers, a Corona..." Jessie began naming off beers, "...and something weird and fuzzy looking all the way in the back..."

I laughed at the face my friend made, scrunching her nose up in disgust.

"Bud's good." I assured her through my giggles.

She snatched two bottles out of the fridge, one for each of us, and joined me on the small wicker couch in the far corner of the porch. In front of the couch was a small tv with a dvd player hooked up to it. Nothing fancy.

"Thanks," I said as I took the beer from her outstretched hand, "Okay, are we ready?"

Jessie nodded her head of curly blonde hair, crunching on a mouthful of Chex Mix. "Yup. Hit play."

I eagerly complied, the remote was already pointed at the TV, and my thumb already rested on the 'play' button. When I pressed it, Zombieland started up right where we had left off, before Jessie had needed a bathroom break.

The two of us cracked open our beers and laughed as Columbus slammed through a wall of zombies with the badass yellow hummer.

"That hummer is seriously, like, my dream vehicle." I said as I reached over to snatch the Chex Mix from the bowl.

Jessie set it inbetween us so we could both reach it easily.

"I know." She agreed after a sip of Bud Light, "Totally zombie proof!... But kind of a gas hog."

I shrugged. "That's why you always make sure you have a hose to syphon gas. It's the zombie apocalypse, anything goes." I mimiced Jessie's sip of beer.

We watched for a few minutes in silence, gasping as Tallahassee shot Bill Murray, just like we did every single time we watched the movie... It was our favorite, after all. Our go-to. We knew almost every line from every single character.

"Where would you go in the zombie apocalypse?" Jessie asked me as the movie transitioned into the amusement park scene.

"Hmmm.." I hummed as I thought. We always had this conversation when we watched Zombieland.

"I'd go to the school." Jessie replied matter-of-factly, popping a pretzel from the Chex Mix into her mouth. "It only has, like, four main exits. It'd be so easy to board up... It really is like a prison, now that I think of it that way..."

"Doesn't help that it's just one big, gray box, either..." I replied in a mumble, watching as Columbus stood face to face with the most gruesome zombie in the movie; the clown. "But, yes, perfect zombie fort."

The rest of the movie played through, and at the very second the credits started rolling, the slider flew open.

"FREEZE." My brother shouted from the door frame, pointing his hand at us like a pistol, as if he were a cop. "Drop the beer. I believe you ladies are underage."

"I believe this lady doesn't give a fuck." I countered with a sneer while taking a long swig of my Bud Light.

"What she said." My best friend agreed, raising her now empty bottle into the air.

Zach laughed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever, I bet you'll give a fuck when Mom and Dad ask where all the beer went."

"Oh, we already know to just blame it on you, big bro." I said with a smartass smile, which Zach reflected right back at me.

"What were you watching?" He changed the subject while strolling over to the mini fridge, popping it open, and grabbing a Bud Light for himself. Unlike Jessie and I, Zach was 25, well past the drinking age.

"Zombieland." Jessie said while popping the DVD out of the player and securing it back inside the case.

"Again??" Zach asked in disbelief. "Aren't you getting tired of watching people smack zombies in the face with shovels yet?"

"No way!" Jessie exclaimed, "Zombie guts never get boring."

"The more guts, the better!" I agreed with a laugh.

My brother rolled his eyes at us, drinking from the frosty bottle in his hand.

"Well, at least if it ever does happen, you two'll be prepared."

Present...

Zach had been completely wrong that day. We weren't prepared, none of us. There was just no way you could possibly prepare yourself for a world like this, mentally or physically... Especially not from a movie.

"Shit." I muttered as I finally caught a glimpse of my cigarette, which was now just a filter with a stack of ash falling from the end. "Guess I spaced out for a minute.."

I let the filter drop from my fingertips, loosing sight of it as it sailed toward the cement lot. I contemplated lighting another one, but the sound of the gate opening and closing from below distracted me.

Daryl caught my eye as I peered down toward the noise, which had obviously been him. He had his back turned to me, latching the lock and avoiding the greedy grasps of the walkers on the outside. I noticed a string hanging from his belt that harnessed a bunch of dead squirrels... He'd been hunting.

A soft gasp escaped my lips as I noticed one of the walkers managed to snag the collar of Daryl's vest in its boney fingers. It didn't last too long, though.. He grabbed a long hunting knife strapped to his side, swiftly swinging it upward and impaling the walker's skull straight through the links of the fence.

Even from this distance, I could see the black blood spray, dead and deseased just like the corpse it came from. Daryl instinctively tossed his head in the other direction to avoid getting the slime in his eyes, nose or mouth. He ripped his knife free, and the now lifeless walker crumpled to the ground.

Daryl wiped the walker blood off his face with his forearm, then spit through the fence at the other walkers in anger and triumph. Of course, they did nothing but squirm, moan and hiss.

He then turned in a huff, about to make his way back towards the cafeteria, when he stopped in his tracks. My stomach fluttered as his eyes unexpectedly locked with mine.

After an awkward moment, I tilted my head to the side a bit and waved to him.

I hadn't really expected him to notice me...

-DARYL POV-

*swish* .... *plunk*

I stood still as I possibly could, my crossbow aimed between two tree trunks. I smirked as my eyes focused into the distance where my arrow had pinned a pretty good sized squirrel to the ground by its skull.

I reloaded my bow, just in case a group'a geeks sniffed me out... 'N I knew they would, sooner 'er later.

"Sorry, little fella..." I mumbled to myself while I slowly wiggled the arrow outta the dead rodent, "Must suck bein' at the bottom'a the food chain."

Truth was, I wasn't much farther up on the chain than he was. These days, walkers ruled the roost. If I wasn't careful, I'd end up just like that squirrel... A meal for somethin' hungrier than me.

That was the 12th squirrel I'd caught since I'd left the prison only about an hour earlier... There had always been somethin' about early mornin' that zeroed in on my huntin' instincts.

Just as I had tied the knot to secure the little guy to my belt with the rest'a 'em, I heard it. That sound that made ya freeze in your tracks, with your heart up in your throat. Those confused, stumblin' footsteps on the ground creepin' closer.

"Dammit..." I cursed to myself. I knew I wasn't the only one that liked to hunt in the mornin'...

I couldn't see the freaks yet, which meant I had time to get a head start on 'em. Twelve squirrels was as good'a catch as any, 'n I needed to get back to the prison before a herd mowed me down.

Somehow, I managed to out run the group'a walkers on my tail in the woods, 'n made it to the tree line. Now I had another problem... Makin' it through the foggy field'a corpses in front'a me, back to the gate.

My eyes scanned over the walkers, who hadn't noticed me yet. I spotted the best place to charge through, then reached down to my side and gripped the handle'a my huntin' knife I'd stolen from my brother when I was 18... Almost 20 years ago now.

I braced myself and withdrew the razor sharp, silver blade from its leather sheath. I gripped the handle with all my might, and took off into the foggy field like a bullet from a gun.

xxxxxx

I managed to make my way through the scragglers, only havin' to take out a few before I was safe behind the gate again.

The geeks crowded the gate while I latched it shut to keep 'em out.

Somehow, one'a 'em got its boney fingers through the fence and got a hold'a my collar. I could hear it gurglin' 'n wheezin' while it tried to yank my neck towards its bloody chompers. The snappin'a its jaw was loud enough to make me go deaf.

I re-positioned my knife in my hand, drawin' it back. "Man, shut up...!"

I heard myself grunt while I drove the blade into the walker's skull, hittin' just the right spot above its eye to cause a heavy shower'a blood to spray out. Lucky for me I had good reflexes, 'n turned my head away just in time to avoid the worst'a it.

I scowled while rippin' my knife from the rotten flesh 'n bone, wipin' the blood splatter from my face with my forearm. The walker's body buckled, and all his little friends trampled him to get just a little closer to what they thought was gonna be their next meal.

I found myself sneerin' at 'em through the fence. Even after a year'a this shit, I still couldn't believe this nightmare was for real.

I spit on the walkers in pure disgust, then turned to head back to the cafeteria... 'N that's when my eye caught somethin' up above me. I tilted my head up a little bit toward the building to my left, and a'course... There sat little Kayla, danglin' her legs over the side'a the roof, starin' right at me. After a second, she tilted her head to the side 'n waved at me.

I didn't wave back to her. Instead, I rested my hands on my waist and shifted my stance.

"How long've you been up'ere?" I asked her, nodding my head up in her direction.

"A while." She said back, her voice bouncin' off the concrete walls'a the buildings.

"What'er ya doin'? Spyin' again?"

I could see Kayla roll her eyes as she pushed herself up to stand on the edge'a the roof.

"You'd best be careful, little girl." I warned her as she balanced herself.

"I'm 23 years old. I'm not a little girl." Kayla barked back at me.

23... Hah. She was still a kid, pretty much.. I couldn't even remember my 23rd birthday, which was fifteen years ago. Man, I felt old...

"Alright, whatever." I shot back at her, "You gonna stay up'ere all day?"

"Maybe." Kayla answered me with a shrug, "What does it matter to you, Daryl? I'll just get in your way down there, right?"

She cocked her left hip to the side and looked at me with an attitude. I rolled my eyes at her, this time.

"'N what if I say yes?" I crossed my arms over my chest, "What'er you gonna do? Flip me the bird again?"

After I said that, Kayla placed her left hand on her hip and held the right one up high, extendin' her middle finger.

"You mean like this?" She asked, pretendin' to be innocent.

I shook my head. Should'a seen that one comin'...

"Real lady-like." I scoffed at her.

"Yea, so is killing walkers and skinning animals, right?" Kayla spat at me sarcastically.

I felt my eyebrows raise. "You know how'ta skin a squirrel?"

"Well, last time I checked, a squirrel's an animal."

"Smartass..." I grumbled to myself, then called back up to Kayla, "Well why don't ya get down here 'n help me, then."

A gust'a wind cut through the lot and whipped Kayla's long hair away from her body. She made a face like she was shocked or surprised, and her hands shot up and covered her mouth.

"Daryl needs my help??" She gasped in mock disbelief while her hands went down to cover her heart. I rolled my eyes.

"Just shut the hell up 'n get down here." I snapped, then made my way toward the side of the cafeteria where there was a little bit'a shade.

I could hear Kayla gigglin' as she walked away from the edge'a the building. With a frustrated sigh, I ran my hand through my hair and took a seat on the ground up against the brick wall 'n cut the squirrels loose from the rope while I waited for her.

It was almost perfect timing; Kayla walked across the cement lot and took a seat on the wall near me just as I snapped the knot that held the last squirrel.

"Why don't you just have one of the guys help you?" She asked me as I tossed one'a the dead squirrels into her lap.

Kayla surprised me when she didn't squeal about how gross the bloody animal was, or shove it off her lap. She just grabbed ahold of it 'n looked it over.

"None of 'em are up yet," I told Kayla, "Figured I'd see what you're made of when you mentioned skinnin' animals."

"Ahh. Okay." She nodded in understanding, "...Well, I'm pretty damn good at skinning, but I can't do it with my bare hands. I'm not quite that good."

When I gave Kayla a confused look, I realized she was hintin' that she needed a knife. I forgot she didn't have any weapons on her... So I dug around in my left pocket, 'n my fingers curled around somethin' small and metal; My pocket knife.

"Here." I grunted as I handed Kayla the pocket knife.

She wiped a little bit'a squirrel blood onto her jeans before reachin' out and takin' the knife from me. The soft skin of her long, skinny fingers grazed the tips of my own, which were worn and leathery from years of workin' on cars 'n fightin'... It made the hair on the back'a my neck stand up, and I quickly shook that feelin' away.

I glanced to my side at Kayla's face without her noticing while she flipped open the knife. I could see a little bit've a red tint on her freckley cheeks as she reached up to tuck her long hair behind her ear.

I felt a little better about my reaction to our hands touching... It was probably just natural instinct. Seems intincts were becomin' a part'a life more 'n more these days...

But I wasn't interested in pursuin' Kayla that way, or any woman for that matter. I didn't need the drama 'n bullshit that came along with 'em.

Instead, I focused on the squirrel in front'a me. I took my own knife 'n carefully cut into the soft skin'a the belly, makin' sure I didn't rip or tear the delicate flesh.

I was only able to work the blade up to the squirrel's neck and around the head before Kayla piped up from beside me.

"Done." She said while she shoved the skinned 'n gutted squirrel toward me, "Gimme another one."

I stared at the squirrel. It was skinned near perfect, with no rips or tears in the meat that I could see. My eyes flickered from the animal to the girl holdin' it.

Slowly, I reached my hand up 'n grabbed the squirrel. I raised my eyebrow suspiciously at Kayla.

"How'd you learn to do that?" I muttered my question to the girl before handing her another squirrel.

Kayla shrugged. "My dad and my brother used to hunt a lot... I never liked killing the animals, but there was something about skinning them that I thought was... Fun, I guess... As demented as that sounds."

"Comin' from a chick," I tossed my first skinned squirrel into the pile with Kayla's now first and second, "It's pretty demented."

I noticed Kayla whip her head up from her work on her third squirrel to glare at me, but I just ignored her.

"Oh, whatever." She scoffed at me, "I guess it never bothered me because they were already dead. Now I couldn't care less 'cause it's either him or me..."

Kayla finished skinning her third squirrel, but after she tossed it into the pile she reached into her back pocket instead'a grabbin' a fourth one.

I watched outta the corner'a my eye while she pulled out a pack'a cigarettes 'n a lighter. Quick as lightening, she had one of 'em lit between her lips.

"You seem like the kinda guy that would smoke." Kayla observed while she held the pack out to me.

I furrowed my brows at the cigarettes in her hand before reachin' up 'n pluckin' one from the pack.

"You'd be right... Menthols?" I made a face at Kayla as I grabbed her lighter that sat next to her on the ground.

"They wake me up in the morning." Kayla said at the same time as she was exhalin' a drag. She was cuttin' into her fourth squirrel now.

I took a puff'a my own, holdin' the smoke in my lungs before lettin' it loose. I never liked menthol much, but these days I wasn't one to turn down any kind'a nicotine fix.

"Guess I can't complain," I said to her while I looked back down at the squirrel, "I don't remember the last time I had a smoke."

We were quiet after that. Soon all the squirrels were skinned, 'n Kayla 'n I had smoked through the rest'a the cigarettes she had in her pack.

"I have more." She had assured me when she let me take the last one.

I nodded to her humbly when I lit it up.

"Thanks for the fix, kid." I muttered to Kayla. Smoke leaked from my lips with the words. "Had a lot on my mind lately."

She seemed like she was annoyed that I called her 'kid', but I guess she got over it pretty quick, 'cause I saw her grin a little.

"No problem." She replied to me. She didn't have her sassy attitude anymore, at least not in that moment. "Always happy to help a fellow smoker out."

She actually wasn't that bad to talk to... But I wasn't plannin' on makin' a big habbit've it.

"I think my squirrels look better than yours." Kayla said suddenly, and I raised my eyebrow at her bold comment while she studied the pile of fresh meat.

"Oh, ya do, huh...?" I asked, pullin' on the cigarette in my lips and tryin' to keep a straight face. "I don't think so... But they're alright, I guess."

"They're pefect and you know it!" Kayla taunted me, wavin' her own cigarette all around. I shook my head 'n she crossed her arms in a huff, "You just don't wanna admit that I'm not useless like you thought I was."

I raised my eyebrows at the young girl in mid-drag of my cigarette, 'n slowly let the smoke outta my lungs.

"Don't get too ahead'a yerself." I said to Kayla, 'n she narrowed her eyes at me... Whoa, they were two different colors... I'd never noticed until now.

Suddenly, I heard the main door to the cafeteria open on the other side'a the building. Then, footsteps started comin' our way.

"Kayla?" A man's voice hollered out, and Danny came strollin' around the corner.

He froze in his track when he saw the two'a us sittin' against the wall.

"Oh.. There you are." He said to Kayla after a second, but I felt like he was lookin' at me 'n not her.

"Hey, Danny," Kayla greeted him while stubbin' the lit ember of her cigarette butt into the cement.

"What're you doin' out here?" He asked her, but it sounded sharper, more like a demand. I felt my eyes narrow a little bit as I gnawed at my cigarette's filter.

"I was just helping Daryl skin these squirrels..." Kayla told the tall blonde slowly, "Why, what's up?"

"Nothin', Zach was lookin' for you." Danny told her. His scruffy jaw was clenched tightly.

What was this dude's deal...? I stared him straight in the eyes each time I saw him turn them on me.

"Oh, okay." Kayla complied and stood up, "I'll see you later, Daryl."

I lifted my hand in a limp wave, without a word. Danny's eyes seemed to linger on me, and since Kayla's back was turned, I flipped him the bird.

It might'a been childish, but I didn't like his attitude.

Danny looked like he wanted to come back at me with some smartass insult or somethin', but I could tell he was holdin' his tongue because'a Kayla.

As she rounded the corner, I noticed him drop his hand to the small'a her back, like he was tryin' to guide her 'n be chilvalrous... But it was pretty obvious she wanted no part'a that.

As soon as his hand touched her, she shrugged away from him, softly pushin' his hand off her. When they turned the corner she whispered somethin' to him, but I couldn't hear her.

Then, the door opened, fell closed again, 'n it was quiet.

I shook my head as I finished the cigarette in my hand, flickin' the filter away from me.

"What a fuckin' douche..."

-TO BE CONTINUED-