#especially after the shit the cops pulled after the atlanta shooting

[thelanterncity]

i just wanna know what happened to abolishing the police

[lenademonn]

All This Time

*Summary: Elena used to be closed off and composed, always in control of her feelings and actions. She knew how to survive long before world ended and didn’t need anyone to keep her alive. Because attachments are liability, make you weak especially in this new world where dead are walking and living are more dangerous than before.

A slow burn Daryl Dixon x OC; from season 1 forward, ongoing. Angst, Violence, strong language, sarcastic humour and more.

Chapter 1

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Day 1 When I heard the phone call, I was already packing my backpack and duffel bag. I was breathing steadily, and my moves were calm and methodical. I already had a set of clothes, a few thermals, pants, t-shirts, a collection of underwear, and my shooting gloves, which I stashed in the front pocket. All the weapons were put in the duffel bag alongside spare ammo and two sets of throwing knives. I flipped my hair over the shoulder while reaching for my mobile, thinking of what other necessities I should put in the bags.

"SSA James, speaking" My voice was even and on point. I reached for a flashlight and put it in the side pocket of my backpack. There was shouting on the other side of the line, and shots were heard.

"Elena! Did you see the news?" It was Michelle, my best friend of many years. We met at work ages ago and hit it off instantly, even though we've worked in different departments that didn't stop our friendship from blossoming. Right now, she was shouting orders and breathing heavily into the phone.

"Of course, I did. I also saw what's happening outside of my window" I snorted in laughter and moved towards the kitchen. Holding the phone by my shoulder, I started packing food from cupboards and analyzing what will last the longest. "I'm heading to Atlanta right now, Jackson called me just before you did." Gunfire, on the other side, grew louder, and screams became more fearful.

"Michelle, are you still there? What's happening?!" I was usually a composed type of person, and it was hard to put me off balance, but right now I started to realize how serious everything was. I was afraid for my friend.

"Elena, no time! DC is overrun, we lost contact with others." I stopped and swallowed hard. I knew what she was trying to say, and my breathing quickened.

"Michelle, I love you, I couldn't wish for a better friend."

"Me too, El. Head for Atlanta, stay safe, try to trust people, you can't make it alone! I -" Before Michelle could say anything else, the line was cut off. My shoulders were shaking from silent cry, both hands holding tightly to the counter. This feeling inside me, like someone, was trying to rip my heart out and was squeezing my guts, the sense of pain I knew too well, was the main reason I decided to not get attached to anyone anymore.  I let out an uncontrollable sob, and few tears slipped from under my eyelids.

Minutes passed before I managed to compose myself, wiping tears from my cheeks. I pulled my long, blonde curls into a high bun and quickly finished packing. When I left for the car, I knew that nothing will ever be the same. Without looking back, I put the car in gear and headed towards Atlanta.

*

The highway leading to the city was packed, and cars were full of people. Some were bored, inpatient and some started showing signs of panic. My car was on the outer line, engine turned off, and I was slowly chewing on a granola bar. I pushed a few loose hair strands from my face and reached for the radio that sat on the passenger side, turning it on and putting it onto the right channel.

"This is Agent James, broadcasting to Atlanta base, please respond," I voiced with determination. I had tried this already at least five times in the last two hours, but without any effect. Finally, making a decision, I opened the door and left the car, checking if my handgun was in place and reached the back seat to grab a hunting knife out of my duffel bag. I drove for three hours before I've gotten to where I am now, and there were few things I noticed on the road.

One, these sick people, well, they weren't people anymore, more like animals, doing anything to get what they want. And it seems that what they want now is to eat other people.

Two, hurting them in any other place, but their head does shit nothing. Three, the noise attracts them, hence stabbing and silent weapons are the smartest thing. What I would do to have a bow with me right now, unfortunately, that's not a weapon I usually use anywhere but on the training grounds.

I moved towards the city, maneuvering between still cars.

"This is Agent James, broadcasting to Atlanta base, please respond!" I passed a big RV with an older guy in a fisherman hat, a few families, a fat black guy who tried to call someone on his cellphone. People were all around me, and I saw a couple of kids playing cards, eating, and setting sleeping bags in their cars. My radio crackled, and I quickly put it up to my ear.

"Agent James, this is Anderson. Stay away from the city!" Anderson? He was a low key level office mouse, where is the rest?

"Anderson, what the fuck is happening?! Where is Lee?" I stopped in my tracks when I heard the sound of planes and helicopters flying towards the city. People around me started getting out of the cars and trying to see what was happening. Is it evacuation? Or...

"City is lost! We lost - contact with White House" Radio started crackling, and I heard screams and pain sounds coming through it. My breath hitched in my chest. "--Not safe - lost - get out."

And then I saw it: no evacuation, no refugee centers, no safe house in Atlanta. The planes, they were dropping napalm onto the streets, sounds of explosions started reaching the highway, and I quickly turned around to run to my car.

"Go back to your cars! The city is lost, go back, turn around!" I screamed while running towards my black SUV. As I was passing a cream RV, the guy in the fisherman hat grabbed my arm.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, what's happening, what do you mean the city is lost?" I tensed under his touch and looked up at him, my eyebrow rose just slightly. The man looked ashamed and quickly released me and stepped back. That's what I thought, old man.

"They dropping napalm into the city," I said with a steady voice still looking at him with a stern look. "Whatever camps were left, they got overrun. There is nothing in Atlanta, but dead right now" He shook his head in disbelieve.

"We need to leave this place, Ma'am." He took his hat off and run a hand through his graying hair. "There is an old quarry about 5 miles south from here, we need to turn around and get off this highway" I looked at him again with calculating eyes. Michelle's words rang in my head, about trusting people and letting them in. Can I do it? I am perfectly capable of doing this by myself, but what exactly is it. Is it just some virus that will die out in a few days? Or is it something way more severe.

Even during working on a case, I had a team to work with, to watch each other's backs. I know how to survive, my childhood, and later training took care of that. But can I make it completely alone? God knows how long it all will last or even if it will ever end.

"Lead the way, we should try to get as many people with us as possible. It's not safe here." I answered and run off to her car, while the man stepped into his RV.

I was thinking quickly while turning the car around. Being with people isn't anything new, but that isn't just another case with work colleagues, I don't have a plan, witnesses or suspects to interrogate. That would be just me, plain Elena James without masks and without federal backup. Can I let these people know who I am, or will it be another play on my part, for God only knows how long?

*

Day 3

After two days at the quarry, we've already had around twenty people in our little camp. We stationed cars in strategic places and set up the tents Glenn found yesterday on the run to the city. The city, Atlanta. Both me and Shane were against him going back there. It was stupid and reckless, close to a suicide mission. But we eventually agreed, after a young man told us that he knows the streets and is basically a walking map of Atlanta. When he came back, everyone wanted to know what happened there and if there are any survivors. There weren't, not that he could tell, and we didn't ask anymore as he looked shaken up.

Shane was a cop, so everyone automatically trusted him, he was good at quick thinking and had protective instincts. When I mentioned that I was working for the government, it also set me high in their eyes, and now people were either looking at Shane or me with their needs. I still wasn't comfortable around them, hell I probably never will, but I promised myself that I will try, for Michelle.

"Where are you going?" Dale, the RV guy, came up to me when I started heading towards the tree line, gun, and machete by my side. "I am going to the woods, I need to gather few things" I looked at the old man and smiled, reassuring him everything will be fine. "I can take care of myself, don't worry." Without waiting for his response, I walked away towards the forest.

My boots were quiet against the ground. We did swift perimeter check when we set up the camp, but still, better to be careful than sorry. I knew exactly what I was looking for. I wasn't wasting any time, scooted a few branches and sticks, still looking for more and collected small rocks into my bag. I breathed in deeply, enjoying the quiet, wondering how the hell all this started. Will it ever end? Is it just temporary plaque, like black death in the old ages or is it something we can't overcome. In the woods' peacefulness, it was easy to forget that our country was now in a state of emergency.

I was moving silently through the forest, looking around and on the ground, searching for things I needed.

I was perfectly aware that someone was following me, for the last fifteen minutes, the steps were quiet, but I had good hearing and knew how to recognize noises even in the forest. I had a pretty good idea who it was. I saw him move yesterday when they were checking the area and securing the quarry. I noticed then that even though he was a well-built man, he moved quietly and carefully, a typical hunter. He had to be experienced, and the forest was definitely his forte, even before what happened in the last few days. Not surprising as his weapon of choice was a crossbow that also explained deliciously looking arms, no one learns how to use that kind of thing overnight.

I stopped suddenly, shaking my head. What the fuck am I thinking about?! That's not the time or place to think about some guys arms, some guy I don't even know, no matter how good looking.

I closed my eyes and listened. His footsteps stopped as well, and on my left, I could hear soft noises of birds. Yes, this is precisely what I needed to finish this little trip. I reached carefully for one of my knives, which sat secured on my sides, just under my breasts, by reins. It was an ingenious looking holster for my throwing knives set, design of yours truly. All that construction was hidden under my open flannel shirt, holding six knives altogether.

I took one out, turned in the direction of a bird I heard. It sat on one of the higher branches on a nearby tree. Now I know jack shit about birds, all I know it's medium-sized, and at the moment, it was using its beak to clean its feathers. I looked only at my target, positioning my body quietly in the perfect angle for a throw, I breathe in and out, steadily and release. The knife hit the mark perfectly in the bird's neck, the only issue was that the force of a throw impaled it to a tree's bark. It was tall and almost completely lacked any smaller branches on the bottom.

"Fuck!" I walked quickly to the tree and looked around it for any reachable branches which would allow me to climb up. Nothing, just my luck. I guess it's time for plan B.

"Well, I guess the show's over Dixon!" I spoke loud enough for him to hear me. "Move your ass here and give me a boost." I turned around on my heel to look in the spot where he supposed to be. That is if I didn't misjudge the distance and direction of his steps. I didn't luckily, that would make me look super stupid, he came out from between the trees.

"How the hell did ya know I was there, woman?" Daryl looked at me through squinted eyes,  brooding expression on his face. Not that it was something weird, these few times I tried to talk to him that was the only look he was giving to people.

"It wasn't that hard. I heard you since you started to follow me. Oh yeah, what's that about?" I crossed my arms on my chest and looked him in the eyes. Or I would if he would be looking anywhere near my face. That's another thing I noticed, Daryl never looked directly at you, not unless you were his brother, Merle. He always was pacing as well, showing how uncomfortable he is around other people.

"I didn't... - I wasn't. I saw ya walkin' around, and ya were in the path of my game." I smirked at how uncomfortable I made him feel, while he tried to make excuses for himself.

"Alright, nevermind that. I wasn't lying about the boost, though. I need that bird and my knife." I put wood I collected by the tree trunk, my bag next to it and waited for the men to come around. He didn't. He looked at me like I'd grew a second head, and his scowl deepened. I sighed quietly.

"Come on, Daryl, I am not some helpless lady, and if I didn't need your help, I wouldn't ask. The tree doesn't have any lower branches, and I'm way too short to reach it even if I'd jump. So move your ass here and give me a boost." After a second of silence, I added strained "Please" through gritted teeth. I hated the fact that I need to ask for help, especially someone like Dixon.

That's all I need some Redneck thinking that I can't do shit by myself. But I had to admit that the thought of his hands touching me, this bulky arms wrapped around me 'stop it!'. Daryl finally moved towards me, pulling his bow's strap around him, so it sat safely on his back.

"Alright, you stand here, give me a nice steady and high boost, so I can reach it. I'll be fine with pulling myself up." He stood almost entirely underneath the branch, while I looked up accessing the distance and how I need to grab the tree to properly pull myself up. I nodded while man laced his fingers together and stood in a steady position.

"Ok, three, two, one!" I placed my right foot in his hands, placed mine onto his shoulders to stabilize myself, and when he straightened his back and pushed me up, I reached my arms out, stretching for the branch. I felt it under my palms, and using my upper body strength pulled up to get on a tree. Lying on my stomach, I twisted my body and pulled my left leg around the other side of the branch, so I was sitting just in front of my game.

I smiled wildly and removed the knife from the bird's neck, it looked like a smaller version of a hawk, but again my ornithology knowledge was ultimately none existing. I wiped the animal blood from the blade on my pants and put it back in its holder. I took the bird and threw it to the ground, looking down. Daryl still stood under the branch tracing her movement with his blue eyes.

I smiled again as an idea popped into my head. Now, I'm not sure why I kept pushing younger Dixon's buttons, I was usually proper and composed, but something about him made me behave like a silly girl. I was perfectly able to make my way down, yet I chose this. "Hey, Big Guy, are you ready?"

"What for?" He grunted, barely raising his voice, shifting his weight from one leg to another, only sign that my comment made him uncomfortable.

"Well the plan up was great, just didn't really think about going down. So..." I looked at him with a smug smile. "Catch me!"

Daryl had only seconds to process what's this crazy woman above him was talking about, when I swang my leg over the branch facing him and pushed myself off the tree, falling down. I am not stupid; I was ready to roll on impact to minimalize the damage, just if he wasn't quick enough. Or simply in case, Daryl would decide not to react at all.

Luckily he responded immediately, stepping forward, arms in front of him, legs spread and knees slightly bent to steady himself for the impact. He caught me almost bridal style as I wrapped my arms around his neck. Impact winded him and caused Daryl to lose his balance and fall on his ass with me still in his arms. I laughed softly, aware of the position I got us in, my body flushed against his. He quickly shoved me off him and stood up, not looking in my direction at all.

"Ya're crazy as they come, woman!" His voice sounded more like a growl, and that just made me laugh harder. Oh, that was a great idea, I think I just found my new favorite activity. Making Daryl Dixon uncomfortable. He shook his head and just walked away, leaving me alone on the forest floor.

*

I was sitting in front of my blue single-person tent, few hours after the event in the woods, I had a bunch of sticks in my lap, hunting knife in my right hand and tool bag on the ground next to me.

"What you doing?" I glanced up to see Carl standing in front of me, his young face full of interest.

"You'll see when I finish, kiddo." My smile was gentle, or I hoped it was, while I kept sliding my knife on a piece of wood.

"Come on, Miss Elena, please tell me." I noticed that several adults were looking in our direction, sitting just a few steps away in the small group eating lunch: Lori, Shane, joyful T-Dog, and Jaquie, who always smiled. Further away, separately, I could see Dixon brothers. Merle noticed that I watched them and made a kiss face, making me roll my eyes and look back at the kid standing in front of me. I was never very good with children, truth to be told—small babies yes but teenagers that's a different story.

"I'm making bow and arrows so I can go hunting and also, so I have a long-distance weapon without attracting the dead," I explained to him quietly, hoping that not many others will hear my answer. Glancing at their faces, I could tell that I half succeeded.

"Really? That's so cool, can you teach me how to do it? Please!" Carl seemed impressed, but then he was a teenage boy, I guessed many stories I could tell would impress him if I would be willing to share them with anybody. I looked at his excited face and put a smile on my face.

"Tell you what kiddo. When you a bit older and have a bit more muscles to pull back the arrow, I'll teach you. But for now, you can watch what I'm doing, ok?" The boy nodded quickly and sat down next to me, moving my bag just slightly but not out of my reach, carefully observing my every move. Up ahead, I saw Lori smiling at me as in thanks for making her child happy. But I could also feel stares from my right, and then I heard older Dixon speak.

"Where lil' lady like you learned to do shit like that, Blondie?" I stopped carving with a silent sigh and reached for a tool bag and took out a sandpaper piece. I started gently but firmly to drag it along the wood, smoothing the edges. Bidding my time and thinking what to say to that. Am I supposed, to tell the truth or lie my face off?

Does it still matter what I did before? I knew that others were still hoping that the military would save them, but me... I knew that it probably won't happen.

I cleared my throat, making a decision, and finally looked at Merle, my face blank, lacking a smile I was sporting just moments ago. "The Farm"

"The Farm? What kind of fuckin' farm teaches that type of survival skills?" Merle's face shows confusion, his southern drawl deepening while he cursed, but it was Shane's eyes I was looking at, and I could see a recognition.

"The one in Williamsburg, Virginia," I answered shortly, glancing again in Dixon brothers' direction.

"No fuckin’ way!" Finally, that triggered something in Merle's head as his eyes widened.

"Watch the language Dixon!" said Lori looking in his direction. Shane stood up and walked over towards me and crouched on the grass in front. I stopped my work, knowing that this conversation was unavoidable and looked over at him, face blank, lips pulled in the thin line, and my eyes' stern glare.

"You're CIA?" he said quietly with a look of disbelief on his face.

"No. FBI, but my unit had survival training there." The man stood up and pulled hands to his face before turning away from me and then back, nearly shouting in my face.

"Then why the fuck are we still here? Where's military, government, where are your buddies?!"

I sighed. I should've known that this will be the reaction, at least from a few of them. They were scared, waiting for help, which will most probably never come. I noticed that more people came around wanting to see what's all the commotion was about. I tucked a few loose strands behind my ears, just a quick way to compose myself, and after a deep breath, I started talking.

"I left my home in Palmetto three days ago. I got an order to go to Atlanta, meet with people, and work on solutions, pull our intels together to find out if it's a terrorist attack, or like a biological weapon. Before I left, I got a phone call from my friend in DC." I closed my eyes for second, wounds of losing Michelle still fresh. I was also looking for the right words to explain rest.

"Capitol was overrun, lost. They lost contact with others. That's all the information I received before lines were cut off. Later that day in Atlanta, you know just before they set the city on fire, I communicated with our people in there. Most agents lost their lives, I've been told not to come in and also that White House has fallen."

I looked up along faces in front of me to see what's their reactions were. I saw that they are scared and that last piece of hope they had disappeared after what I said.

"I am sorry I didn't tell you guys earlier it's just--" I stopped myself, thinking for second how to deliver what I wanted to say "I don't know what it means. I don't know if there is any safe place left, if any other government parts are still in place. So I didn't say anything because, how could I take that hope away from you when I don't know by myself what's next."

I collected my tools and shoved them inside the tent and then did this same with the sticks, I gave them one last glance and went into the tent, zipping it shut.

Next Chapter

[dontdietwd]

Don’t Die, day 16

A narrow dirt road went up a small hill away from Atlanta. An old sign miles before said it lead to a deactivated quarry. There was a clearing on top of the hill and it was quiet, eerily empty. Nobody moved for a while, looking around though the closed windows of the cars. The clearing overlooked the road that had lead that way and a deep, old quarry filled with crystal clear water and large patch of woods all around it. It was beautiful. We just stayed there for a while, the noise of the motors quickly dissipating, giving place to a foreign quietness.

After seeing there was no movement, from the dead and the living alike, we all started pouring out of the cars and the empty, small field was filled with the group silently looking around, walking the perimeter, guns ready. Dale climbed up on his RV to check the view, Merle entered the woods, Shane walked for a few yards down the patch that’d take them down to the water, Daryl checked the perimeter for walkers and I checked the other smaller clearing just on the line of the woods. The other men on camp watched our backs, all the other women gathered around one of the cars with the children. After a few minutes of silence, as if we had planned, everybody gathered wordlessly in the middle of the area.

“I think it looks good,” Glenn risked shyly, being the first to break the silence.

“Yeah,” T-Dog agreed. “High enough to make it harder for the dead to come.”

“I think we could set camp here, at least for now?” Dale affirmed with a questioning tone.

“Woods’ good to find food,” Daryl mumbled quietly.

“Rabbit, dear… Maybe pigs.” Merle contrasted with his brother by opining loudly. “Could be barbecuing soon!”

“Water down there might have fish too,” Shane nodded. We all looked at each other nodding in agreement, and Shane crossed his arms when he looked at me. “What ya think?”

I had a more realistic approach. While all of there were thinking just of the positive things, my mind whet ahead and noticed all the things that could go wrong here. It was too open. We had just gotten there with no problems at all, others could too, and who said walkers could not go up the hill?

“Gotta check deeper for walkers,” I said worriedly, making a shade to cover me eyes from the afternoon sun with a hand. “Seems a good place, but gotta be sure. Set a safety perimeter on the woods, go down to the quarry as well and see if it’s really empty. If it’s alright, we set camp here. There’s a good spot over there to set the tents,” I pointed to where I had been looking before.

“Thought ‘bout setting ‘em right here.” Shane disagreed with a tone of finality, shaking his head.

“I think we gotta use this as a living area,” I insisted, crossing my arms. “Make a fire in the middle, put the cars there at the entrance to protect the area and sleep further from it. It’ll be safer if something or someone comes up the road.”

“Sleeping in the woods don’t seem dangerous to you?” Shane asked with a smirk before rubbing at his nose, like he thought I was stupid.

“Not if we get the area clear,” Daryl was the one to answer, coming to stand by me. I guess he really did have my back as he said.

“This part here’s too close to the road,” Merle agreed. “If anyone comes that way, better not find us right away.”

“Especially if most are sleeping,” Glenn completed with an apologetic tone.

Without saying anything, Shane finally nodded his agreement, his eyes on me. Oh, fuck that man! They had just simply repeated what I had just said, but when it was me saying it, Shane was quick to disagree, but with them it was another story. Goddamn fucking misogynist.

“Let’s split up to check it,” I said instead of fuck you, Shane. “Sooner the better if we want to get settled before night,” I avoided looking at him again, my arms still crossed and hands balled into fists. “Who’s already killed a walker?”

The men looked at each other. I watched them, Daryl and Merle standing one on each side of me – my very own guards, it felt like, also facing the others. Glenn looked around for a moment before raising a hand, a shy smile on his lips.

“Me too,” T-Dog said after a moment. “Though I ain’t sure it really died, I ran after hitting it.”

“No one else?” Merle asked after the silence that followed. “Fuck, and here we thinkin’ it’d be safer in a fuckin’ group!”

“Ya never killed a walker?” Daryl asked for confirmation in disbelief.

“Never had too”, Dale shrugged.

“Just escaped by running and avoiding them” Shane completed.

“Shit.” I uncrossed my arms and rubbed my face. There was probably soot there now. “Ya’ll know it’s gonna happen? You gonna have to kill them eventually.”

“How do you kill someone who’s already dead?” Dale asked.

“We saw on tv the cops shooting them and they just kept comin’.” T-Dog said amongst a shiver. “That’s why I ain’t sure that one died.”

“You hit the brain!” I a matter-of-fact, but in exasperation.

“And you don’t make noise,” Daryl stated. “Anything loud enough will attract them.”

“Gotta a lot to teach ya kids.” Merle laughed. “Damn, gotta teach ‘em it all!”

I crossed her arms again and turned away from them, walking over to the car where the rest of the group was waiting. I heard all the men’s steps following me, shoes crunching the dirt on the cleaning.

“We gonna stay here, but only after we check the area”, I started and the quiet conversation that had been going on among them died out to give me full attention. “I’d suggest whoever can’t kill a walker to stay inside the cars, but it’s up to you. Gonna have to learn how to do any anyway.”

“Do you know how to kill them?” it was Amy who asked, uncertain, glued to her older sister’s side.

“Yeah. We ran into lots of them on our way here.”

Ed, who was leaning against the car, once again smoking a cigarette, snorted aloud. “Mustn’t be a big challenge, then,” he mumbled smirking before pulling on the cigarette.

“You haven’t killed any, have you?” I asked him in a louder voice. By his side, his wife Carol, arms crossed, moved uncomfortably.

“Nah,” Ed shook his head. “Don’t worry me though. If ya can do it…”

Were there still laws in action against murder? Maybe it’s time to make a new law, it is okay to murder bigots, racists and misogynists.

“Alright, fella!” Merle cut before I could answer. I sure I had just started taking a step towards him as I took a breath in. “Let’s see whatcha can do then! Go on, ya comin’ with.”

I walked away from the group shaking my head, mainly away from where Merle walked with Ed, not wanting to hear anything else the later said. People gathered again in the middle of the field after gathering a few weapons from the cars, a few of the women joining us as well, except for Carol, Miranda and Amy, who decided to stay inside a car with the children. I instructed them no not leave the car in any circumstance. If a walker appeared, they’d just not panic and stay there; walkers apparently couldn’t open car doors.

“Alright everybody!” Shane started clapping his hand together once. “Apparently most of us have never had to deal hand to hand with a dead, or a –” and he looked smiling amused at where Daryl and I stood together. “– a walker? That what you call them?” Shane paused, as if waiting for an answer, but got none. Daryl and I stared back at him, expressions unchanging. What did he expect us to say? Maybe laugh with him? Shane cleared his throat, looked down for a second before raising it again and moved on. “But if we gonna set camp here and keep it safe, we all have to be able to do it. We’ll protect each other from them; we will protect the weakest and the children, so we gotta know how to do it.”

“But… Kill?” Lori spoke worriedly. “I don’t know, it feels strange… I mean, they might have got this decease, this something we don’t know what is, but they’re people,” and she looked around, looking for support. “Right?”

“Wrong.” Merle said from where he had been hovering outside the group.

“They’re dead,” Daryl said and everyone looked at him. “They’re no people no more.”

“It was a person up until they died,” I completed his thought. “Then they just get up and try to eat you. You don’t kill it; it kills you, simple as that.”

“See one of ‘em going for your kid, ya gonna know how ya feel ‘bout it.” Daryl’s quiet voice sounded grave.

I only nodded when all of the others exchanged nervous looks, and nobody voiced any more worries about it, although I knew by their looks that they all still had many.

“Alright, we gotta check the area soon if we want the tents up to sleep in tonight,” Shane cut the silence, clapping his hands once more as he repeated my words from before. “Now, the only ones of us who have ever had to kill them were our Savannah friends over there and Glenn,” he nodded at his direction and then at where Daryl and I stood, Merle out of the circle but hovering somewhere behind us. “I’d say we listen to their orientations about it.”

“Go on, babykins.” Merle said and stood behind me, tall enough to look at the others from above my head. “Show’em how it’s done.”

I turned slightly to look at Merle for only an instant, an amused grin on my face, and looked back. “Best thing would be to show you, but I’m glad to see we don’t have any walkers around right now, so you’ll see as we walk around the area in a minute. Most important thing ya gotta know is that they do not die if you don’t hit their brain. You cut the head off the body, the head still tries to bite you,” I saw some reaction from the people around, especially from women, but ignored it and moved on. I hoped those reaction would vanish with time, for their own sake. “Best way is with a knife through the eye socket, this part’s easier ‘cause you won’t need to break through skull. Never forget to pull the knife off, don’t let it fall down with the walker or you’ll be unarmed if another one approaches.”

“Can’t we just shoot them?” T-Dog asked. “We got guns.”

“Guns will ring the dinner bell,” it was Daryl who answered. “Any walker around who heard it will turn to ya. I say only use guns if ya have no other option.”

“Also we won’t have bullets forever, gotta make ‘em last,” I agreed. “That’s it in theory, seems easy but when you do it the first time ya might get scared, I know I did. They are loud, disgusting and smell horrible, but you gotta know that if you freeze or panic, you will die.”

“Well, that’s cheery.” Andrea smiled nervously.

“It ain’t supposed to be,” I told her.

“Anyone got another question or can we just go and kill ‘em motherfuckers already?” Daryl asked as he swung his crossbow from his back and held it pointing to the ground.

Mumbling in agreement, the group followed. I waked in front side by side with Daryl, Merle closing the group without having to be asked to. We walked for long minutes with nothing happening. Everybody was silent, I could feel their nervousness and wondered for a moment it walkers were like cats who could pick up the energy of the people around.

“What?” I heard Daryl ask quietly by my side, and only then I noticed I had been smiling.

“Oh, nothing… Just if walkers can feel the fear, we’re fucked.”

Daryl looked behind them, at the group, and as he looked back at me he was also smiling, trying to hide it, though. “Guess we’re fucked anyway. They’d better start looking after themselves soon, or we gonna end up doin’ all the work.”

“It’s ok, we trade protection for food and supplies,” I smiled up at him again.

He smiled back, but before he could say anything else, something on the woods made him stop. A twig cracking and laves spreading out on the ground made him stop dead in his tracks. I stopped immediately, raising an arm to warn everybody else. There was silence for a long moment, and Daryl just kept still, eyes darting around the trees. I just waited for some warning.

“What’s going on?” Andrea’s voice sounded loud among the threes, above the rustling of the wind on the leaves and the birds chirping.

Goddam, motherfucker. Weren’t people fucking listening what we said earlier?

I turned to her, scowling, and whispered firmly “What did we say about silence?”

“Good job, blondie, they heard you,” Daryl said and pointed further to the woods.

I looked at the same direction and saw two walkers stumbling over their legs to approach the group. I raised my hand again, gesturing two with my fingers, and unsheathed my knife.

“You guys don’t move,” I said without taking my eyes off the couple of rotting corpses approaching.

Daryl and I moved towards the walkers, he with his crossbow raised and aimed. When they were a few yards away, Daryl shot a bolt into one of their eye sockets, and the body fell instantly to the floor. Not stopping, I quickened my pace towards the other and shoved my knife sideways into the temple. I had gotten better in breaking the skull. It was over before people around could even think.

“Hey, their friend came to join the party!” Merle said happily from behind the group and everybody turned towards him. Another walker was approaching from behind. Merle already had his red axe in hand, but unlike me, he didn’t walk over to meet with the corpse. He let it approach him, the moans getting hungrier with the proximity.

“Yeah, come and get me, mooch!”

The axe was swung from behind him into the thing’s skull, nearly parting it in half with Merle’s muscular force. Sounds of disgust and even some cheering erupted from the group. Andrea and Lori seemed a little grey from where I was standing. Even though I laughed at Merle’s theatricals, my stomach turned slightly, suddenly remembering the can of pork brains. I swallowed and breathed slowly, willing it to pass.

“That’s how is done!” Merle cheered holding up the axe covered in rotting brain matter.

“Now ya wonder if you should’ve watched more gore movies growing up, huh?” I asked the others, laughing to cover up my nausea.

“Awesome!” Morales cheered.

The three walkers turned out to be the only ones we found in the immediate area of the woods by the camp. Daryl did see quite a lot of squirrels, thought, a good promise for a hunt later on. After a long walk around the perimeter, we led the group down the path to the quarry. A single male walker stood in the middle of the road, very still, as if dormant. It turned its head towards our steps on the gravel sound and moaned before turning its whole body and talking unsteady but quite fast steps towards us.

“Who wants to get this one?” I asked to the group, my eyes on the walker.

“I’ll go.” Shane said walking past me as he unsheathed his hunting knife, his eyes on the walker who focused its attention on him.

“The faster the better,” I reminded him when Shane hesitated for a moment to decide whether to go for it or wait for it to come to him, my words making him decide to go. He raised his knife and attacked as he walked in fast steps, the lack of focus on aiming right making him miss the walker’s skull. It got him unbalanced and, in less than a second, the corpse was on to him, hands gripping his shoulders and pulling him closer.

“Hold the neck!” Daryl shouted even as he ran to stand by them, ready. “Keep it away!”

“Do something!!” Lori’s shriek panicking voice came from the group.

“The neck!” Daryl shouted again, but raised his crossbow taking aim instantly all the same.

Shane let his left hand go from where it had been holding the corpse’s arm to grab the rotting neck, his fingers dipping into the flesh a little more than expected, and forced it away, gaining the control to lift his knifed hand and stuck it into the white, dead looking left eye. The corpse fell to the ground, silence coating the group except for all the labored breaths; especially Shane’s. He turned on the spot, looking at the people, a quick glance and a nod to Daryl. His eyes were a little more open than usual and he as breathing real hard.

“It’s harder than it looks,” he told the group. “Be careful.”

A low laugh issued from the middle of the group, clearly audible among the otherwise quiet, shocked people. All eyes turned to him, Ed looking down, still smiling and shaking his head slightly.

“Again, Ed, got somethin’ to say?” Shane asked him, crossing his arms, tongue coming out to lick at his dry lips.

“Nah,” the man said. “I’m good.”

Shane took an angry step towards him, much like I had done before, but just as Merle stopped me, I stopped Shane. “Hey, I got an idea!” I smiled at him. “Why don’t you take the next one? You should lead the group, go ahead, walk in front of us and take the next walker that shows up.”

Ed carried a sarcastic, annoying smile on his face when he walked towards me. “Don’t think you’re giving me orders, pixie. Ain’t ‘bout to get orders from a puss.”

Daryl took a step towards him; breathe hitching in anger, but I reached out and held his wrist. Saying nothing, I just shook my head slightly when he looked at me, the angry in his eyes not directed at me.

“Well, you are, apparently,” Ed laughed as he looked up and down Daryl before walking down the path, the rest of the group moving unsurely the same way.

“Not worth it,” I whispered, her hand still on Daryl’s wrist, but not holding him in place anymore, just touching. What a damn strong wrist. “He’s gonna get his, ya know that.”

“Yeah, he gonna,” Daryl said looking down at me. “Might as well get it from me.”

I smiled, “Thanks, but I saw him first,” and squeezed his wrist a little before letting go. “He’s mine!”

“Told ya, honeybun,” Merle said as he reached us, no stopping walking. “Got an eye on him.”

We all walked after Ed down the path, the bottom of the quarry slowly approaching. After a couple of minutes in silence, Ed stopped dead in his tracks, starring down at two walkers. Both had already seen him and the group and were walking unsteadily towards us.

“They ya go, big guy,” Daryl said as he approached Ed, while the rest of the group stood behind. He took aim with the crossbow. “One of ‘em is all yours,” he completed before pulling the trigger and eliminating one with a well placed arrow.

Ed looked behind him for a moment, directly at me, the son of a bitch, and smiled. I raised an eyebrow and nodded towards the walker, encouraging him to show what he could do. He turned again, the walker much closer now, and lunged for it, an old and rusty machete in hand, clumsiness all over. He tried the head but the machete went straight down into its shoulder, getting stuck there as the walker growled even angrier and kept coming. Ed forced the blade up and out of the rotting flesh and tried again, gasping in the effort. He got the head this time, but not strongly enough. It broke the skin and blood flew all over, but didn’t even break the skull. He felt the blood covering his face and tried a step back gasping and breathing hard, only to have the sole of his tennis shoe slip on the loose earth of the path. He fell on his ass, barely having time to think and the walker was on him, hands pinning him down by the shoulders, blood and drool oozing down on him.

“No! Fuck! Help me!”

Merle’s laugh could be heard over all the noise right before the other people on the group insisted that someone did something. Daryl even raised the crossbow, but I was closer and obviously ready because I knew there was no way he would be able to kill that walker, and simply stuck the knife in the back of the walker’s skull. It stopped moving and fell on top of Ed just as I removed the blade.

“Shit! Help, help me!” Ed still shouted.

“Shut up, it’s dead already!” I yelled at him and Ed pushed the corpse away. The group passed, some shaking their heads, but most of them looking completely terrified.

Most of the people had the chance to kill their first walker that afternoon. T-Dog was the next after Ed, who looked very red in the face when the men did it quickly by shoving a knife into a walker’s eye. A little more confident, Morales did the same and laughed after, celebrating. Lori and Andrea, even though they looked very green even before it, were also able to do it quite well. Other people had more difficulties, like Dale, Jim and Jackie, but their specific walker fell finally dead to the ground after a little struggle.

Merle lit a cigarette and passed one to Daryl as they stood together in silence, looking around. I approached them after a minute, also quiet, and Daryl passed his own to cigarette to me. I shook my head, refusing it.

“So what you think?” I asked them, ignoring the confused look Daryl shot me.

“Good for now,” Daryl answered; brows still frowned down at me.

“Far enough from city to keep big crowds away for now,” Merle said looking up towards the camp. “But nothin’ to stop ‘em from reaching it.”

“Yeah, that’s what I worry about.” I looked up the same way. “Gotta have lookouts all the time.”

“Got enough people for that. They can learn, you saw it,” and looking back somewhere behind them, Daryl snorted. “Except for Ed. He’ll get killed real soon.”

“If he don’t take any of us with him, is good riddance.”

We went quiet again for a moment until Shane came to us, the group already starting to walk slowly up the path back to camp.

“So, uh, that last one was standing in the water when Jackie got him… So I’m thinking we don’t use any of this water without a good boil before.”

“Yeah you’re right”, I agreed and started to walk, the three men following me. “We’re still not sure how we get this thing. If a walker doesn’t kill me, I ain’t going down ‘cause of tainted water.”

 * * *

 My tent was still flat on the ground as most of the others’ were up, people putting their personal things inside, making a livable place. I yawned. In the last few minutes I felt like my energy was completely drained, now that things were somewhat calmer. I blinked heavily looking down at the tent’s bright orange fabric and at the folded poles in my hand. Crouching down on my heels, I tried to insert the pole in the right place, or at least what I thought was the right place.

“You never camped before, did ya, poppet?”

I looked up from my position to see Merle approaching. “Nah. I got no idea what I’m doing,” I confessed.

“First of all, ya trying to put the wrong pole in the wrong hole.���

“Shit…” I let the pole and fabric fall to the ground. “Fuck it, I’ll just set up that hammock… It’s still warm anyway.”

I got up and groaned at the pain the position brought to my legs and looked around, rolling my neck to feel a satisfying, loud pop. Merle took my place by the tent saying nothing else, only mumbling “women”, under his breath.

“Hey, Andrea! Amy!” I called aloud over the tents, looking to the back of the clearing, and continued once the two sisters looked at me. “That’s too far away. Tents should be closer together, it’s safer this way.”

“But we’re still in the clearing!” Andrea contested.

“Barely, you’re almost under the trees. It’d be better if you moved a little more to the middle, ok?”

Andrea and Amy shared a look. I don’t think they liked me, but fuck it. I preferred them alive than liking me. Amy nodded, though, and they started moving their things closer. I yawned again and turned around to Merle. My tent was up, Merle adjusting the last of it. I noticed it was small, probably the smallest tent on camp.

“You got magical fuckin’ powers or something?” I asked him, impressed, as he got up.

“Just been camping too many times to count,” he told me. “Ya just need the sleeping bag and ya set.”

“That’s great –” I started but another yawn forced itself out.

He laughed at me, “Fuck, woman, just go to sleep!”

“No, got things to do…”

“Hey, by the way, when did ya become the freakin’ little boss ‘round here? I see ya telling people what to do and not to do all day, and bossin’ up Mr. Sniffers over there. The hell’s that all about?”

“Shit, I got no idea, it’s not like I planned to do that,” I said while I zipped the tent open and peaked inside. “I’m just saying what I think, like I always did.”

“Yeah, well, careful with that. Ya don’t wanna be responsible for all those shitheads. Wouldn’t wanna be in your shoes if they start seein’ you as the leader.”

“I don’t even think they, or we, I don’t know, actually need a leader. Why can’t everybody just do shit and survive together?”

“Every pack needs a leader, sweetheart. And every male in the pack wants to be the alpha.”

“I ain’t no male! Where does that put me?”

He laughed, “You procreate with the alpha!”

I laughed aloud, “Fuck, please kill me first!”

“I’ll do it quick and painless.”

My voice was flat when I said “Thanks, that’s sweet, and he laughed.

“Or I’ll just fight Mr. Sniffs-a-lot for the alpha position and ya’d have to procreate with me!”

“Aaaand now you’re an asshole again,” I turned away from him, ready to head back to the clearing.

“Why did ya think I quit bein’?” he laughed more and also turned around to walk away. “Good hangin’ with ya, but I gotta take a piss.”

“Thanks for the tent!”

Minutes later, sleeping bag inside the tent along with my backpack – bless Merle for going to that store that day in Savannah and getting that stuff – I returned to the empty area in the middle of the camp. I that Dale’s RV was already parked where I had said it should be, a folding camping table set up and Carol around it, a few bags on the floor. I could see the bags were filled with food supplies from the others and that Carol was organizing them; I noticed Daryl’s bag was among them. On the hood of one of the cars parked at the entrance of the camp, Shane, Glenn, T-Dog and Daryl were going through the weapons we had – not all, seeing that I still had my gun holster with two pistols hanging from my shoulders and a knife tucked into the sheath. Dale was on top of the RV, binoculars aiming down the road and quarry. Ed, Morales and Jim were setting up twigs and dry leaves in the exact middle of the clearing, preparing to start a fire. Lori had Carl helping her carry a few pans and kettles towards were the fire would be.

I smiled looking around, understanding how everybody had got occupied with something, working together. It looked like it might work. I got hopeful then, seeing we had probably gathered a good group. In a moment so much passed through my mind, many ideas, things we should do, all the stuff we could do. Too much, actually, for someone as tired as I was not. Maybe I’d best think about them later, not now.

Occupying myself as well, I grabbed two big buckets I found where Lori had taken the pans and walked alone down the quarry. I returned with them filled with water a few minutes later.

“Oh, I was just going to do that!” Lori said when I placed them by the fire, which was already starting to burn.

I rolled my shoulders; the buckets had been fucking heavy, “Yeah, it’s alright. We gonna need it to cook whatever it is we can invent from those cans,” I said nodding to where Carol as still fussing over the cans, noticing she had separated a few to the side. “And to drink as well, gotta boil it all.”

“We still have bottles of mineral water for now; do you think we should save them?”

“I guess, yeah. Maybe do what Carol did with the cans, put together all we have and save it all. If we ever got to leave here we have water to carry.”

Lori looked worried, “Why would we need to leave? I mean, other than when all of this is over?”

I stared, nearly laughing and saying what?! at her face. It kinda baffled me that she thought this all would one day be over. It was so obvious to me that once the dead started to rise to ear the living, there was no coming back. Wasn’t it obvious? Or was it obvious just to me? It took me a moment to realize I probably should give her an answer. But what, should I tell Lori all I thought about it, crush her hopes? I was too tired to do it and also I felt for her.

So I just smiled, lips tight together, before saying “We never know. What if we find a place that’s even better than this?”

“I think this looks pretty god. The children like it. It’s like an unexpected vacation for them. Carl always wanted to go camping but Rick and I –” Lori paused and swallowed hard, looking down at her feet. “We never had the time.”

I looked around, looking for something to say. I’d never been too good in comforting someone with words. I cleared her throat after a moment. “All it matters is that Carl is safe and even happy. Look at that,” I pointed to the tree line where Carl, Sophia, Elisa and Louis were playing together, running around and laughing. “We just gonna try to keep it that way.”

Lori smiled with sad eyes. “Yes, you’re right. Thank you…”

“It’s nothing.”

Lori took a deep breath and shook her head a little, as if to shake away the sad thought from her mind, and changed the subject. “Hey, that small orange tent is yours, right?”

“Yeah?”

“You left the zipper open so I went to close it, you don’t want bugs making their way in here, and well, I saw you only have a sleeping bag?”

“Yeah, and it’s not even mine; Merle got it somewhere before we left Savannah. Why?”

“We have an extra folding bed,” Lori said pointing over her shoulder to the general direction of the tents. “If you want it, at least you won’t be sleeping on the ground.”

“You got an extra folding bed?” I laughed out now. “I find it amazing that someone would’ve even one folding bed in the middle of the freakin’ walking dead apocalypse, and you got an extra? How did you guys think about that?”

“Well, I thought about it when Shane said we might need to camp for a night or two before reaching the shelter. And you know, I have a kid, mothers develop a strange talent of thinking about every detail. Shane had them in his house; he likes camping.”

“Alright. So it means you, Carl and Shane already have a bed?”

“Yeah, if you want one…”

“Hell yeah!” I laughed with her.

We went together to the tents and Lori gave me the folded aluminum bed. She left me to rearrange my things inside the small habitation. It felt even more crowded now with the bed, but I was satisfied with it. There was no intention if staying in there for long periods anyway. As I was leaving, Sophia, Carol’s eleven-year-old daughter, was passing by running after the other kids. The girl stopped when she saw me.

“Hi,” she said timidly and smiling.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“I like your hair,” the girl still smiled.

“Yeah?” I smiled at her. She was cute. “You know, you can have that one day if you want,” I said as I threw all the loose dreads to one side, over my shoulder.

“Can I touch it?”

Damn, I was proud of those locks. I leaned down a bit, “Of course!”

Sophia took one of the dreads in her hand, rolling it between her fingers. “Cool”, she said after a moment.

“Look, this one has a ring on it,” I easily found that specific one with the ornament.

Sophia took the ring in her hand, looking at the carvings, “You put rings on your hair?”

“And in my nose”.

Sophia seemed to find everything about me interesting. I think my appearance was not very common where she lived, God knows where, especially with a father like that who probably dragged her across the street if he saw someone tattooed coming their way. My, pierced nose, the tattoos – I had a phoenix on the back of my shoulder and I explained to her what it meant, she had never heard about them before – and even my gun holster. I was still tired, but the energy and curiosity of the girl, still so optimistic before the facts, seemed to give me a boost of energy. I was now explaining what was the sport I practiced not only to Sophia, but for the other three children too. They got excited when I said what I could to do, jumping up and down around me, asked me to show them.

I forced myself not to yawn as I walked with them back to the clearing. The sky was only now starting to darken, the night approaching, the fire in the middle, one metal bucket of water heating up over it. I looked around, looking for something I could do. The possibilities were infinite, so I opted for leaving the children behind as I sped up in run towards the RV. In speed, I climbed on her side of it, pulling myself up on top of it in less than a second – it was not as high as I had thought. I heard the four children cheer and run closer to the car. I smiled at Dale, who had gotten up from his folding chair, scared by my sudden appearance.

“Sorry!” I told him before turning to the kids again, standing in the very edge of the RV. I opened my arms to my sides and stood like this for a moment before jumping down again with a front flip. I was surrounded by children the moment my feet hit the ground, their cheering calling the attention of the whole camp.

I was laughing at their excitement, my cheeks warmer than usual, and I looked around to see the others looking at me. Close to the cars, Daryl and Merle was talking, or more like arguing if their body languages told me anything, and I felt weirdly disappointed that Daryl had not been looking to see what I did. Maybe he’d think I’m cool. And just like that I was 13 again hoping a boy would notice me. Stupid.

The children asked me to show more, how I’d learned that, if I could teach them, how many flips I could do and how high I could climb. Although I’d never had much contact with children in my life, I liked them; found their pureness a blessing, their excitement before life refreshing, especially now with the world ending. I wanted to show them more, to play around with them, I really did, but my stomach seemed to find my running a flipping over completely abusive. It was turning again; bile rising to my throat, my head spinning a little.

Still smiling, I told the children they’d have to ask their parents if I could teach them, and that we’d talk again tomorrow. It hurt a little to see their disappointed faces as I walked away from them – nearly running – back towards the tent area. I passed right through it, towards the woods, now really running, a hand covering my mouth, until I found herself far away enough from anyone to get my relief. After emptying further my already empty stomach, I fell on my ass on the wood’s ground, tears falling freely from my eyes, catching my breath. I didn’t even know I was crying. Does exhaustion make people cry? I felt tired to the bones and only wished to lie down right there and take a nap. I was shaking, stomach still turning, tears now falling for some other reason.

I knew she was fucked. If those symptoms really meant what I thought they meant, I was even more fucked than I’d have been back in the normal life. And, who was I kidding? I knew damn well what the symptoms meant. I was never one to get sick and feel this bad for nothing. Before, I would have the help of the guy I had slept with – or I imagined I would, I didn’t really know him that well to know it – and I could make the choice to keep it or not, and if I didn’t want to keep it, I’d find a safe place to go and solve the problem. But now I wondered what my options were, but just as I started to think better into it, my body gave up on thinking and on sitting up and I felt herself falling backwards slowly to the ground, vision growing dark, thoughts failing my mind. All I was able to think was that I shouldn’t let myself fall asleep right there, it wasn’t safe, a walker could find me and eat me nobody would even know about it.

At least it would solve my tiny little problem.

So I forced myself up, ever so slowly, holding up to the tree and walked back to the camp, tree by three, glad nobody was around. My orange tent seemed too damn far away and the minutes it took me to reach it and zip myself in felt like a week. There were no more thoughts as I fell over the folding bed, finally permitting darkness to engulf my exhausted body and mind.

[multiplefandomfics]

Grimes sisters Chapter 5

And the next chapter. Hope you’ll keep up with us and stay with our stories.

Words 2345

Warnings: Drama, run almost goné wrong,

Pairings: Shane x Fabienne ; Alex x Daryl

Alex POV

The whole morning Daryl and I had studied the Maps of the surrounded area and made a plan where to look for supplies first. In close proximity there were some houses and even something close to a small village that we really wanted to look into. I knew that Daryl wanted to do this on his own but even for him it was too dangerous alone. I had to convince him with all I got for quite some time in the end we decided to ask Rick first. He was the chief of our group and my big brother even if I hated it when he behaved as if he was my father, he still earned our respect and Daryl didn’t wanna get onto his dark side. After Fabi told me to find him on the watchtower I immediately made my way over. As I climb up I saw Shane and my brother discussing something. Probably about my sister. “Hey you two.” I interrupted them. “Shane would you go for a break and give Rick and me a minute?” I asked the ex cop friendly. It still looked like Shane was fighting the urge to scream every time he had to take a step on his injured foot. After Shane had left I turned my attention back to Rick. “What is bothering you?” he asked concerned. “Well you found the Map, remember? And Daryl and I… we thought about driving to one of the villages around that we found. Maybe we’ll find something useful.” I told him hesitating a little. I purposefully used the pronoun “we” to show him that it was as much my idea than it was Daryl’s. While Rick thought about our plan, he looked across the yard and I into the distance. “You know that I am not happy about that suggestion, right?!” “I know. But otherwise Daryl would go alone and we can’t risk that, so I offered myself.” I interrupted him. I was sure we could make it together. Rick sighed silently “I can’t stop you anyways. But tell him he’s gonna be in trouble when he comes home without you!” he was smiling saying hat last bit. He was so right I would have gone under any circumstances but he didn’t have to know that. Probably would have pushed his ego too high we couldn’t have stood him afterwards.  I embraced him quickly, he kissed my forehead and I decided to stay till the end of his shift to relieve Shane.

Fabienne POV

Scared to death I turned around just to be met with the loving eyes of Shane. “Damn it you scared me.” I admitted. Our faces were so close that I could feel his breath on mine. My heart was already pounding so heart in my chest I could hear my blood pulsing through my veins. His face inched closer and closer to mine until his lips were pressing against my chapped ones. Carefully but with force he pushed me against the wall behind me his hands on my hips. That time I couldn’t break it up I wanted this too damn bad. “Sorry I couldn’t help it.” he muttered still against my lips. “’tis alright.” I slurred high on endorphins and pulled him closer by his collar to prolong the kiss. I had no idea what that thing between us was I just knew we both needed it badly. “Fabienne?” a voice suddenly called out my name. Our heads snapped up immediately. It was Carol who had just stepped around the corner. Shane started rubbing his neck nervously smiling crookedly and then he left in a hurry. My face was red as a tomato and Carol just snickered a bit to herself. Of course she had seen the whole scene and knew what was going on. I just hoped she wouldn’t tell Rick for now. It was a relieve to have at least one person being happy about Shane and me. I thought if Rick had seen that he would have killed us both. “That’s new between you two right?” she asked amused. I didn’t know how to respond to that. “Emm, I don’t even know what it is between him and me.” She just shrugged and pulled up a new topic “why I really wanted to talk to you is that Daryl and Alex want to go for another run tomorrow maybe they’ll find a few more seeds. So we could use our time tomorrow to put up some more flowerbeds.” I nodded at her in agreement.

In the evening we had our everyday ritual: sitting together, eating, talking just like a real family. Again Shane’s eyes were always on me but I tried not to return the glances to not alarm my brother of our little whatever it was.

Daryl POV

The sun came up and I was already loaded an fueled the bike up. Some food and water and gas for the way. After I was done I leaned against her and waited for Alex. She had already wanted to be here a while ago. Women! I thought. The moment she stepped out of the building and came into view I climbed onto the saddle. “Good morning.” she beamed. “Ye’re late.” I mumbled. “Sorry” came it back from her as she took her place behind me. “Hold on.” I said as I revved the engine. She put her arms around me and put her hands on my belly. The feelings I had there I definitely wasn’t supposed to feel so I pushed them down. We pulled out of the prison gates and drove a while. I always watched her. Couldn’t have anything happening to her. Rick would have killed me. We arrived at the first destination point. A few walkers were running around the streets but nothing too serious that we couldn’t have handled it. I killed the engine on my bike. “Stay close.” I said to Alex and we made our way into the first house. Quietly we search through every room always alert of Zombies or people still living here. “I found some formula.” she said suddenly while sifting through kitchen cupboards. Perfect I thought, the little asskicker definitely needed it. We grabbed a few cans and baby stuff. There was not much else to find. In the garden and the garage we even found some tools that we could use. I had the feeling that we hadn’t been the first living people to look through this town and now had to take the rest that nobody else wanted. We got back on the bike and kept on driving. About half an hour later we arrived at another village. I always had an eye on Alex that was the reason why I much rather drove out on my own. Much less responsibility. “You don’t have to watch me like a hawk. I can handle myself.” she said after a while. She had seen my glances toward her. She thought this was all so easy when it clearly wasn’t. I promised Rick to bring her back safe and sound and I was not gonna break that one.

Together we made our way into the heart of the town. “there is a grocery store.” Alex pointed south to the other side of the street. We closed in on the store and I knocked against the window to draw any walkers out that might have hidden there. Suddenly we heard the noises. There were a lot of them inside but also still a lot of food and medicine. “We can’t go in there. Not a chance.” I said to Alex. She looked like she was thinking while looking through the glass window. “We gotta at least try.” “Damn it girl you wanna get killed?? No way are we riskin’ our lives in there!” I told her sternly. She was damn stubborn and was starting to open the door. The door opened with a click and she slipped inside so I had to get after her. What was she thinking? We ducked behind a shelf. “I found this flare gun. I’m gonna shoot it to the back so we’ll have some time to grab what we need.” she exclaimed. It was a risky plan but I didn’t have time to argue with her before she went through with her plan. After Alex had fired the flare the walkers were drawn by it. We started packing everything of use to us in our backpacks. Suddenly she started to head further into the market, closer to the undead. “Alex!” I whisper yell after her. I saw that she had found the baby isle and packed some baby food in glasses in her pack. Unfortunately when she turned around she hit the backpack against the metal shelf and it made an obscenely loud noise which of course made the walkers fixate on her. Shit! I was able to see the panic rising in her eyes as she turned around to look for a way out. She discovered a door behind her and locked herself in there. I knew that this wasn’t gonna end well. On my way out I killed a few with my arrows and outside I started hitting on a nearby car with an iron rod I found which set the car alarm in motion. The noises drew a lot of them out so I could sneak back in and get Alex. Blood ran down over my hands as I frantically knocked on the door “Alex get your ass out here. We gotta go!”. At first she didn’t wanna open the door I guessed maybe because I sounded like a maniac who wanted to strangle her. Hesitantly the door opened and she wanted to say something but I shut her up with a gesture. First we had to get out of there. We snuck out the way we got in and got back to the bike. I drove us out of town for a good bit and then I pulled over on the side of the road. “What in hell was that about?” I yelled at her. “You could have died damn it! Could have gotten both of us killed for fucks sake” I screamed at her. “But the baby things.” she tried to excuse herself with. “Those are no good to anyone when we don’t come back!” I kept on yelling. I was so mad but more at myself for letting her accompany me than at her. “Now I know why I rather go alone. don’t you get that I can’t loose anyone else?? Especially you!” I was so frustrated in that moment that I didn’t even realize what I had just said. She looked at me confused for a second until the understood what I had meant. She stepped closer to me so I could see the beautiful blue of her eyes and got lost in it. I had always felt a connection towards her. Ever since the camp in Atlanta. She was feisty and tough just how I liked a woman. She let her hands ghost over my naked upper arms and I just stood completely in shock and couldn’t move. That was so unlike me. I hated being so vulnerable but around her it felt like I could finally breath. She took another step forward and suddenly connected our lips. It took me a second to respond to the kiss and put my hands around her waist. I don’t remember how long we stood there like this but it sure felt amazing. We finally pulled away and suddenly I didn’t even remember why I had been so mad before.

We got back on the bike and drove back home.

As we arrived it was already starting to get dark. Glenn and Maggie opened the gate and then took the bags from us. Inside everyone was already waiting to see what we had found.

Alex had immediately vanished after dinner and I hadn’t spoken another word with her. I would have liked to know what the kiss was all about but that day I didn’t get the chance. When Rick asked me how the run went I remembered Alex’s dumb action earlier “Your sister.. she sometimes is very boisterous.” I sighed. “but she brought us the baby food.” I wasn’t gonna tell Rick anymore about what happened. That would have only caused trouble.

That evening Alex came over to me in my cell. “Thanks again for saving me. It was a dumb idea.” she apologized. Than she just turned away without a word of the kiss. I was a little confused.

One thing was for sure: next time I was gonna head out alone again.

Rick POV

Daryl and Alex had been out since very early this morning. The whole day I couldn’t relax. I was always on edge because I didn’t know if I would see my sister and newly found brother again. I was so relieved when they finally came cruising threw our gate and had a lot of things for my daughter with them. Fabienne and Shane were unpacking things all evening. “Now you can finally have some good nights sleep.” Carol said and put her hand on my shoulder. “Carl and the little one have also already turned in for the night.” she added. “Carol do you know what is going on between Shane and Fabi?” I asked her. She just smiled but said nothing. They had started to being even closer than they already had been. I had my suspicions but I hoped they wouldn’t become reality. I was sure that Shane was gonna break her fragile heart at some point and that was to avoid at any costs. Even if I would have lost her or my best friend. I just shook my head. “Good night Rick.” with those words Carol went to her cell for the night. It had been a long and successful day so I decided to also turn in. tomorrow was gonna be a new day.

[dealersofatlanta]

Part 1:Chapter 3 (pt. 1)

(X and Heiress, Tiana will be introduced in the other half of this chapter)

Year: February 3rd 2011 

Omari: age 26

I stood by my car watching Ace come through the gate. “Aye my nigga” Ace said smiling. He had been in jail for 2 years after killing Mamas crazy ass boyfriend. “You been working out nigga?” I asked him. My brother was almost as lean as me. He laughed. “I had nothing better to do man” He told me. “How was Mama?” He asked me. Our mom had been diagnosed with a mental illness, she had to get admitted. I been paying for her care. I shrugged. “Good I guess, she still want nothing to do with us” I told him. He slowly nodded. “Uh you heard anything about J?” He asked me. I shook my head. “Nah, Her aunt reported her as a runaway, she been missing since you left. I tried to ask around and shit but they aint seen her” I told him. He sighed. “Well what’s next?” He asked. I smiled. “Demetri wants you to start your training, he still wants to hand shit over to you”.

 “Yeah girl you already know” My nigga Teej was caking on the phone with some girl he met a week ago. I smacked the back of his head. “Business time nigga get off the phone” I told him. He sucked his teeth in. I pulled up my sweats that was sagging, as we walked into the basement. Over the years Demetri grew as a father figure for me, always watching out for me and taking care of me, he looks out for me like his son along with his son X. We like brothers. Then I met Teej. He wanted in, after he seen my whip. Teej, and K.C and Slim are my main niggas. My riders. X and Ace, Demetri are my family. “Welcome home Ace” Demetri greeted him. Ace smiled and dapped him up. “Thanks for real fam, for putting money on my books and getting me out sooner than later” He said to Demetri. “Only the best for my boys” He told us. “Aight lets get to business” He pulled out a map. Demetri planned a big heist on the Eastside. He wanted there merch, they had been stealing from us for a minute especially since they got more men and crews then us. “Ace ima get you trained by my trainer Jai, he the best assasain on my team, I heard you never miss a shot, I need that on my team. Get set up and meet him upstairs, and Ace here’s the keys to the Lambo I just got you, my men only have the best” He said to him. Ace ran upsairs cheesing. “Aight so O, I need you to get everyone together and Im putting you in charge of the plan, I have a deal I need to set up” He left me downstairs to orchestrate everything. “Teej, you always late for this you need to be on time, K.C get Joe and Nash the heads up to get getaways cars set up. Teej I need you to get the guns and start scoping the place out. Ima get Slim to hack into they cellphone and emails to see when they about to drop the merch. Demetri came back downstairs. “O, let me holla at you right quick” He said. I followed him upstairs. “I need you to drop of some money to my daughter Tiana, she lives on the east side” He told me. I looked at him crazy. “Daughter?” I asked. He nodded. “Yes, I had been unhappy in my marriage and I stepped out on Keish, got my side piece pregnant. She’s 14, I will give the address I just need you to handle that for me. I nodded.

 6 months later: July 6th, 2011

 “Ever since I can remember I been poppin my collar, poppin my collar, poppin collar ever since I can remember I been working these hoes so they better put my money in my hand” I sang along to Three 6 Mafia bumpin as I sat in my truck waiting for my nigga Teej to pull up. “Man where is this motherfucker” I said to myself. I heard music blasting. I seen Teej pull up, he was blasting Rick Ross “Boss”. I sucked my teeth in. I grabbed my glock and put it in my back pocket. I got out my whip, and locked it. “Nigga you late!” I said. He turned off his car and got out. He laughed. “Man sorry, I was getting some play play from my shawty” He told me. I rolled my eyes. “Man fuck love you supposed to focus, we got a big drop, Demetri blowing up my phone” I told him. He pulled up my sweats that was sagging, as we walked to the meet up. We was meeting my mentor and our boss Demetri. He was more like a father figure. I was kicked out at 17 and he raised me like his son along with his son X. Then I met Teej. He wanted in, after he seen my whip, He was selling stolen phones at a Texaco across from Cascade. Demetri had us meet him in Bankhead to meet these niggas to get some more pills. He said niggas been going crazy over these Xanz he recently started selling. He wanted to cop more, but he wanted the best kind, word on the block a nigga named Pharaoh only had them. He was in Zone 1. Demetri ran all of Atlanta, but Westside was our major selling Turf. When we got over to the spot. We see Demetri in the middle of the deal. He looked over at us and waved his hand over. “Yall late” He said sternly. As soon as he looked at us, I could see the nigga that he was meeting with pull out his gun. It felt like slow motion. “Demetri!” I yelled grabbing my gun. The nigga shot multiple shots into Demetris body. I see him drop to the ground. Teej started shooting back, the dealers niggas hopped out the whip and started shooting back. Our crew shot them before they could shoot back. I ran over to Demetri and grabbed his body to safety. I pulled out my phone and called Sharita. The number 1 rule was to never call 911 but to call Sharita. She ran an underground hospital in her basement for our crew only. I was shaking waiting for her to answer. “Mari whats up?” She asked. I was breathing hard trying to keep Demetri with me. “Demetri is shot, its bad Rita. Real bad” I said. “Calm down Omari, Q and Sammy it’s a code 1 boss down!” She yelled. “Stay calm Omari, we are on the way” She hung up. I heard more shots and I see one of our boys hit the ground. “Teeej!” I yelled. Demetri grabbed at my shirt as he was struggling to breathe. “Hold on D, man help is on the way” I told him trying to keep it together. Teej ran up to me holding his chest. He was shot. “He good?” He asked. I shook my head. “You good?” I asked. He sat down against the wall breathing hard. We were in a car garage. I was praying hard, I didnt want to lose my bestfriend and the man I looked up to. My phone rang. It was Sharita. “Omari listen to me, we just listened on the cop scanner and the police are 7minutes away, you got to meet us away from there or you will get arresred and Demetri will die” She said. “Teej, is down too” I told her. “Go Omari!” She yelled. “Come on Teej we got to go”. He got up holding his side. He tried his best to help me. Demetri was going in and out. I got to my car. I tried to get Demetri in the car. Teej dropped to the ground and Demetri went limp. He started closing his eyes. “D! Come on man” I yelled. I heard the police sirens. “Go O!” Teej yelled. I shook my head man. “I can’t leave yall!” I yelled. He shook his head. “Ima be fine, man we both can’t go down, this was my fault anyways”. Sharita was calling again. I looked at Teej. He waved me off. I got in my car and sped off. I met Sharita at the address she sent me. “Wheres D?” He asked. I looked at her with watery eyes. “He didn’t make it” I told her. Q and Sammy sighed deeply.

 4 days later: August 10th, 2011

 The cops arrested Teej, after they took him in to the hospital. Demetri was pronounced dead the scene. The niggas who killed him was dead as well. Teej killed them. 3 of our niggas died. At the funeral everybody showed out. We all loved Demetri even though he was ruthless he was loved. He gave everybody a chance. At the end of the funeral we had a big meeting. “Okay so Demetri had handled everything just in case something like this were to happen” Maxwell his bodyguard and best friend said. He pulled out a letter. “He leaves 10 million placed his son X’s, he wants X to go to college and get a degree and learn the business. He leaves $10,000 for Keisha Demetris Wife, he says he knows that you been cheating on him, and going behind his back. He leaves 10million for his daughter Tiana once she turns 18 who he concieved will still married to Keisha. He says he’s sorry for not telling X sooner, but he needs him to watch over her now. $50,000 to her mother Melissa, who he is sorry he never stepped up sooner. Omari he wants you to take over the business and make smarter decisions. He knows that you will accomplish more than he ever could. Ace he leaves you with the gangs the Ace of Spades. He says you are now the leader and he need you to watch over Zone 4-6 he also leaves you guys 100 million dollars to split evenly. He knows you will create an empire, the house is you guys. He needs you to take care of Ace, X and Tiana. He says yall are family now” Maxwell said. “$10,000 fuck D, he can rot in hell for all I care. I birth that nigga his first son and he do me like this! Trifflin ass mother fucker!” Keisha yelled leaving. X stayed to himself. Tiana was crying in her mother’s arms. I sighed looking at Ace my little brother. “So, we knew who killed D yet?” He asked. I nodded. “Yeah somebody from The Eastbound crew, we will handle that later we got to get Teej out of jail and shit” I told him. He shook his head. “My trigger finger itching” He said. I sighed. “It always is, crazy ass” I said getting up. I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. I made moves without D all the time but now I got to completely shit was weird. “You got this youngblood” Maxwell said to me.

 3 months later: November 5th 2011

 After the funeral, we tried to get Teej out, but Demetri Scott was a well-known drug kingpin. The cops tried for years to catch him, and at the worst possible time the judge we normally had on payroll, was reinstated and a new judge was at Teej’s trial. Teej was sentenced to 10years for not snitching. It was a minor sentence that what they were going to give him, but our lawyer bargained the best he could. Teej, had mentioned how he was seing this shawty or whatever but shit just wasn’t going to work out. I took it upon myself to tell her, so she wouldn’t think he just dipped. I see her walk in from getting off the bus. She seemed like she had a lot going on, but she was very pretty. I got out my car and debated about saying anything. “Man fuck it” I got out my car and jogged up to her. “Hey”.

 Naomi: age 20

I rushed into work. I put my shit up and ran to the time clock to clock in. I worked at Forever 21. I know not the best job, but I just needed the money to make ends meet. I was full time back stock associate. I didn’t have to try too hard to look cute coming into work. I would work 7 days a week and go to school 5 days a week. Even though I’m only 20 years old I plan on being a millionare before 30. I know thats wishfull thinking, but I know God has a big plan for me. I just feel it. I hadn’t heard shit from Teej my boyfriend well ex in a while. I had seen he had gone to jail on the news for killing somebody. I was hurt and confused at first. But I wasn’t in love with him really. Before I could even go sit in the back, I heard someone yell out to me. “Hey” I heard. I turned around to see a tall fine ass guy. “Hey, my name is Omari” He said. I slowly nodded. “Um okay” I said turning back around. “Um my bad, I just seen you walking, and you are very beautiful” He said. I looked down and smiled. “Thanks” I said. “Yeah um, I know this shit is weird, but can I like take you out maybe we can kick it or something?” He asked. I laughed. “I’ll think about it” I told him. He smirked. “Name?” He asked. “Naomi, Naomi Richards” I told him. He pulled out his phone, and it seemed like he was texting something. “Okay and your number sweetheart?” He asked. I laughed. “You smooth as fuck its 678 890 6754” I said. “I get off at 8 tonight” I told him. The fuck he came from I thought. He licked his lips at me. “Ima call you”. He said before leaving. “Who is that?” My friend Valentine asked. “Girl, I don’t know but he can definitely get the business” We started laughing. “Didn’t you just get out of a relationship though?” She asked. I shrugged. “Girl he went to Jail, I’m not riding or dying for nobody I aint in love with, we were just kicking it ya know” She nodded. “Got it”.

 Work was kind of slow, my manager Jessica allowed me to leave early so I can catch my train. My phone vibrated.

  I was kind of nervous to meet up with Omari tonight. Uhh why did I agree, I thought to myself. I was walking down the street almost near my house. I lived in College Park, Atlanta. I was 20 years old, living with my gay cousin Teddy and my Auntie Vi. My parents moved back to Michigan after I graduated from Highschool, I wanted to stay in Atlanta.

 “Baby girl don’t you ever get too comfortable, (comfortable) yeah to left to the left if you want to leave be my guess you can step, feeling irreplaceable listen to Beyoncé’, well okay I’ll put you out on your b-day” I sang along to Lil Wayne- “Comfortable”, while I was doing my hair in the mirror. It was 7:45 and I wasn’t trying to do too much but I wanted to be cute still. “I'm not saying this to shake you up, I'm just saying this to wake you up

It’s all good when we making love

All I ask is don't take our love

For granted, its granted. My love for you, is real.

Baby if you don't love me

Somebody else will, so baby girl

Don't you ever get too comfortable” I continued to sing into my flat iron as I bumped my bangs. “Well somebody is happy” Teddy said. I smiled. “I got like this date tonight” I told him. He smirked. “Ooh with who?” he said sitting on my bed. I shrugged. “This guy I met at work today named Omari” I said spraying my Sweet Pea perfume from Bath and Body Works. “No last name? Girl we need a last name to find his Facebook” He said. I groaned. “Dang I know, to make sure he aint got no baby mama drama, no bitch. I mean he has a car” I told Teddy. “Ehh, but what kind of car? I’m tired of these bummy niggas. I mean we both aint got no car either but if me and my nigga ain’t got no car, oh helll nah” He said. I started laughing. “Shut the fuck up, but you right though”. He pointed at me. “Imagine being cold cause yall both walking, bitch no mam” I was laughing hard as hell. My cousin always had me dying. My phone rang. I see it was Omari. “Hello?” I answered. “What up shawty, I’m outside” He said. I smiled. “Okay, I’ll be out shortly” I told him. I hung up the phone. “Okay, I’m gone Teddy Bear” I said to him. He smirked. “You getting some dick tonight?” He asked. I shrugged. “Mmm I got class in the morning so maybe” I said smirking. I rushed outside so Omari wouldn’t have to wait too long. I walked up my drive way and got in his car. He drove a 2012 Lexus. He must be rich or something. I thought. “Hey beautiful” He said smiling at me. “You must have done this before this can’t be your first time” Drakes “The Real Her” softly played as I was putting on my seatbelt. He had his iPhone on the aux. “I’m shocked, a nigga that bumps Drake” I said to him. He smiled. “Yeah man, he be doing the damn thing” He said. I laughed a little a nodded. “I’m glad actually, I just got the CD, this is best one yet” I said. We went to Camp Creek to eat Chipotle. It was cool outside, it was about to be fall so we wasn’t cold or too hot, so we decided to sit outside alone to talk and eat. “Favorite Movie?” I asked. He started to think hard. “Man, I don’t know that’s tough, I’d have to say Juice” He said. I smiled. “Juice why Juice?” I asked curious. He shrugged. “Shit dope, Tupac went hard on that one” He told me. I smiled. “Yeah, I agree” I said. “Mmm let me guess your favorite movie is love & basketball?” He said. I laughed. “Okay the movie was good but no I have so many it’s hard to pick” I told him. “I can agree with that as well, so tell me about yourself, how old are you?” He said looking at me seriously. “I’m 20, I’m in school for Fashion and Design, I live with my Aunt and my cousin Teddy he’s like my best friend, I of course work at Forever 21, I work full time and go to school full time this is the first time I been out in a while actually” I said to him. He nodded smiling. “Dang 20, I’m old then. I’m 26, I am a business man. I have a brother named Ace, my dad died when I was 7, my mom is in a mental facility right now” He told me slightly smiling. I nodded slowly. “Wow, um is she okay?” I asked. He softly smiled. “Um last I heard she was fine” He said. I nodded. “You ever been to Star Night?” He asked. I looked at him crazy. “It’s this place that I know downtown where you can ride this 4D space ship ride for up to 3hrs, it’s a little pricey but whatever, it’s like you’re really in outer space, they close @12am” He said. I smiled. “I’m down” we got up and threw our food away. “You sure now, you know you got class?” He said playfully. I nodded. “Yes, I’m sure” I said. He grabbed my hand. We got in the car and listened to some more Drake. “Word on road is that clique about to blow, you aint got to run and tell nobody they already know, we’ve been living on the high, they’ve been talking on the low, but it’s cool know you heard it all before, that’s why I ask you how you mean, how you mean what you heard about the team?” We rapped together in the car. He had his hand on my thigh swerving through traffic. He was fine as hell, making me feel some type of a way. He had the mentality of a boss. I liked that. We pulled up the place, it was empty as hell. “Um is it closed?” I asked. He smiled and shook his head. “For everybody else but not for us” He told me. He grabbed my hand again. He banged on the glass door of the facility. The door opened revealing some nerdy guy. “Wazzam fam” He said dapping the guy up. “Aye this my patna, Slim he works here, and he works for me” He said. I smiled. “Hi, I’m Naomi” I said. He gave me a head nod. “Wazzam”. We walked inside. I could tell it was a Nasa Muesum, something of the sort. We walked into a big room with a space ship looking thing. Slim gave us some our 4D glasses. “Ima give you the keys O, you know how to turn it off” He threw him the keys. Omari dapped him up. “Aight be safe fam”. Omari grabbed my hand as we walked into the mock space ship. He pressed a button, and quickly sat down. “Seatbelts baby girl” He told me. I buckled myself in. It felt like we were lifting off like a plane. I felt turbulence and shit. “Woah what the fuck” I said holding on to Omari. 10 minutes later a sign popped up signaling we can take off our seatbelts. He pulled out his phone and started playing Drake again. He leaned over me slowly and undid my seatbelt. He licked his lips looking at me. I instantly was turned on more than I was before. “Uh um what type of business do you do? Is this your business?” I asked him. He laughed a little. “I will eventually tell you, in due time if you want to stick around” He said. I grabbed his chin closer to me and we started making out. This nigga had me in a fake space ship, listening to Drake. Yeah he can get the draws. He stopped the kiss and grabbed my hand and bought me to the back of the ship. He had to have planned this because it was a pallet on the ground with Rellos and Wine, and snacks. “You smoke?” He asked. I nodded. “Duh” I said laughing. We talked for an hour smoking and drinking. “You got any other men you got lined up?” He asked me. I shook my head. “I was talking to one nigga but he in jail, I guess. We wasn’t serious but I was feeling him” I said smoking my blunt. “You feeling me?” He asked. I shrugged. “You aight” I said smiling. He drunk henny from the bottle and put it down. He started kissing me again. I normally don’t have sex on the first night but oh well.

  Jade: age 19

��I inhaled the blunt, as I sat and watched Davis play cards. “Yooooo uno my nigga! Uno!” He yelled. He looked over at me. “Baby go fix me a drink” He said. I looked at him high as fuck. “What?” I asked. “I said fix me a got damn drink” He said sternly. I got up and went over to the liquor table. I put his ice in his cup and bored him some grey goose. I stumbled from being drunk, and high. I passed him his drink. He smacked my ass. “Thanks” He said smiling. “It’s a shame you keep her all to yourself” His friend Deon said shaking his head. “Cause Im the only man that been up in there and I want to keep it like that” He said. His friend shook his head. “She got a baby face, nigga would pay high price for her, niggas like me” Deon said. Davis looked over at me. “She been making me a lot of money dancing though, aint that right baby” He said to me. I nodded slowly. Deon put a stack on the table. “$1500, one hour?” He asked. I got up feeling sick, I went towards the back. “Aye, where you going?” He asked me. “The bathroom” I stumbled. He nodded. I went into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. I had been with Davis since I was 16, I fell for his charm, his money. I gave him my virginity and everything. He bought me anything I wanted. He then started getting me into pills, smoking weed, and selling me to men to dance for, sometimes hitting me if I don’t listen. Maybe this is love. I don’t know. I got myself together looking at the makeup I put under my eye. Davis had seen me smiling at the waiter earlier today when we went out to eat and punched me in my face. I heard banging on the bathroom door. “Baby come on out” I slowly opened the door. He grabbed my face softly and kissed me. “You know we been short on money so I need you to just fuck Deon for this 1500 real quick” He told me. I shook my head. “Noo!” I yelled. He sighed. “Go in the room and get undressed it’s just an hour” He said pleading with me. “I love you, I need this please Baby” He said. I nodded slowly. He gave me some pills. “It’s X” He told me handing me some liquor to chase it down. I slowly went to the room to get undressed. I cried silently to myself. I heard a knock at the door and quickly wiped my face. “Come in” I said. I see Deon come in then another guy I never seen. I shielded my body. “Um why is he in here?” I asked. Deon smiled. “My homie here wanted to join in” He said. I shook my head. “No, Davis!” I yelled. Deon smiled. “Davis went out for a while, we paid 3000 for you pretty girl” He and his friend started to get undressed I tried to keep my tears in.

 I laid in bed feeling dirty. After Deon and his friend left. I got up feeling crazy as fuck, high and geeking from the pill and being drunk. I got in the shower and cried to myself sitting under the shower faucet. “I heard the bathroom door slam. I jumped up. “Get out now!” He yelled. I quickly got up and turned off the water. I tried to grab my towel, but he snatched it from me. He held a belt in his hand. “Davis, what’s wrong?” I asked shaking. “You fucked two niggas?” He asked me. I nodded. “They said they paid you” I said. “But did you get my permission?” He asked. I shook my head. He came at me and grabbed my hair. “You aint nothing but a hoe, I can’t marry no hoe” He said. He unraveled his belt. “Davis, Im sorry” I said crying.

  3 weeks later: December 14th 2011

  Ace: age 20

 Since Demetri died, I been taking over things for O, developing my crew for my terf. Training hard every day, I felt good everybody knew not to fuck with me on the eastside. “Hustle, Hustle, Hustle Hard, Hustle Hustle, Hustle Hard closed mouths don’t get fed on this boulevard” I rapped riding around in my Lambo. I pulled up at my friend Deon bachelor party “Yoooo Ace what up blood?” He said dapping me up. “What up fam” I met Deon when I was in juvie. “This your crib nigga?” I asked. He nodded. “Yeah made a come up” He said. I smiled. “Aye I aint mad at ya bruh”. He smiled. “Well I got entertainment soon, for the niggas in my ball room” He said. I nodded and started to walk around the party, checking my surroundings. “Okay fellas we have a nice sexy treat for you in the ballroom” Deon said grabbing the mic from the DJ. I followed the niggas into the ballroom. It was dark, and a pole was set up. “Fellas get your money out and give it up for Sweet Caramel!” The DJ yelled. A spotlight was on the stage, and the music started. A girl with all white lingerie on came out. “This is for you, you my #1, spotlight big stage 50,000 fans screaming in a rage” Usher “Superstar” played. I was mesmerized by her dancing. “I’ll be groupie baby, cause you are my superstar, and as your number one fan, give me your autograph sign it right here on my heart” The song played. Niggas was whistling throwing dollars. She slid down the pole facing the crowd. I see her face, she looked very familiar. I got up closer towards the stage. “Now you know I how feel, your truly special, your love is legendary to me”. I could see her face clearly. Jade? I thought. Jade? My Jade? My heart dropped as she stood up there naked as fuck. I could feel my face getting hot, I wanted to kill all the niggas in here drooling over her and throwing money at her, she was better than this. She slowly crawled over towards me seductively. Our eyes met each other’s as the song ended. I knew instantly she knew who I was. “Damnnn give it up for Sweet Caramel” All the niggas cheered. She grabbed the money looking at me and she walked off the stage. “Now give it up for Honey Glaze, the baddest” He yelled as “Aint no way around it” By Future played. Deon came up to me. “How you are liking my mini strip club?” He asked. I forced a smile. “It’s dope, can we get private dances?” I asked. He smiled and nodded. “Yeah, ask my nigga Davis over there he takes all the payment for the girls” He told me. I walked over to this clown ass looking dude Davis standing by some big dudes by a room with a velvet rope. “Aye what up Patna, how much for shawty Carmel?” I asked. “500 for a dance, $2000 to fuck” He said. I clenched my jaw “To fuck?” I asked. He nodded. “Yeah” He said. I pulled out $500. “You can pick your song” he told me. He moved the rope and let me through. I went to the iPod that was hooked the speaker. I see a song I wanted to listen to, it was a song I felt was right. I sat in a room with hookah and liquor. She came out as the song played. She started moving to the beat. “Hey there pretty girl, you know exactly what got, I don’t blame you at all, you can’t resist it, especially when the lights so bright, and the money so right” Drake HoustAlantaVegas played. She danced in my lap. “Why are you doing this?” I asked in her ear. She ignored me and kept dancing. “And she danced to this song, and she dance to this sooong” Drake sang. “I been looking for you since I got out” I said to her. She slowly grinded on me. “You left me” She simply said. I put my hands on her hips as she moved. She slowly moved my hands. “You don’t have to do this J, I told you I would always make sure you straight” I said. “She just stuck in HoustAtlantaVegas” The song slowly ended. “Times up” She said before leaving. If she thought I was leaving her here she got me fucked up. “Times up player” Davis said. I walked out seeing 3 niggas was paying in bands. “Yall all trying to fuck?” Davis asked. The niggas nodded. “Which one?” He asked. “Carmel” One of them said. Davis nodded. “Aight”. I walked out the house and went to the car and grabbed one gun and put it in my pants in the back then I grabbed my silencer, I closed my trunk. I pulled out my trap phone. “O, I need back up” I said. “What the fuck you got yourself into Ace?” He asked. “Long story, I need back up and cleanup” I said. He sighed. “Aight send location”. I walked back into the house. I was checking how many men I had take out. Security was blocking the door still. I seen that Davis nigga icing his hand. “You good nigga? I asked. He nodded. “Yeah man just got to keep bitches in check ya feel me?” He asked. I slowly nodded. “Yeah, I want another Dance with shawty” I said. He shook his head. “She upstairs with 3 niggas right now it might be a minute” He said. I nodded. I went over to the stair case, everybody was too busy to notice me. I got upstairs and heard niggas laughing. I tried to open the door, but it was locked. I knocked on the door. “We busy in here” I heard a nigga say. I knocked again. The door swung open. “Man, the fuck you want?” He asked. I pulled out my silencer and shot him in the head. I walked in and seen Jade pleading with the men as one of them is pinning her down. I shot them both. She jumped up crying. She looked at me, I seen she had a bloody nose. “I wasn’t bout to leave here without you” I told her. She stared at me in shock. I went through the drawers in the room, I found some basketball shorts and a big t-shirt. “Put these clothes on” I told her. She quickly put them on. I grabbed her face and looked over her face. “That nigga Davis did this?” He asked. She looked at me with tears and nodded. I grabbed her hand as we walked downstairs. “Yo where you going with my girl?” Davis asked talking to Deon by the stair case. “We leaving” I simply said. He shook his head. “You not leaving here with my girl nigga” He said. “Aye nigga, you might want to chill” Deon said to Davis. “Man I aint scared of him”. I pulled my gun back out, and I shot him in the leg. “Shit!” He yelled. “You been selling your girl, hitting your girl” I said to him shooting him again in his dick. “I’m sorry! Please!” He yelled. “Put your hands up!” I yelled at him. He was screaming on the ground. “Man fuck this you loud as hell” I said shooting him in the head. Deon jumped back. I shot security coming around the corner with their guns. “Yo chill Ace” Deon said. “He payed to run a train on me” Jade said. I looked at her. “Who?” I asked. She pointed at Deon. “Look I’m sorry, she just a bitch man, she aint worth it” He said to me. “You were in juvie with me, you was my homie, so you remember how I told you I had a shawty back home right?” I asked. He nodded. “Some girl named J something” He asked. “Jade” I told him. “Say hey to Jade” I told him. He looked at both of us. “Fuck, man I’m sorry”. I nodded. “Me too” I shot him in the head. Thank God for the DJ blasting music. I grabbed Jade and we quickly ran to my car. I threw my guns in my trunk under the mat and got in the car and sped off. “What was that Ace, what the fuck!” She yelled. “Jade a lot had changed since we last seen each other” I told her, speeding through 285.

 We pulled up at a condo. “What you need from here?” I asked her. I broke into the Condo. She ran upstairs. I looked around and seen pictures of Jade and that nigga Davis. She ran back downstairs with a book bag. “You got what you needed?” I asked. She nodded. “I just needed my journals and my cds” She simply said. We quickly went back to the car and headed to my place. We was silent the whole ride. We when pulled up at my house, she looked at the house then me. “You live here?” She asked. I nodded. “Yeah” I said. She followed me inside. “You have 3 cars?” She asked. I laughed a little. “Yeah” I said. She sat down on the couch admiring my crib. I sat across from her. She looked at me as she played with her hands. “I thought you got locked up?” She asked. I nodded. “I did, I got out earlier this year. I been working with O and shit” I said. She slowly nodded. “Why were you with that nigga Jade?” I asked. “When you got arrested, you left me. Rodney tried to rape me, my aunt caught him and she tried to fight me so I left. I had no where to go, so Davis picked me up. I thought he was my knight and shinning armor or some shit, but he just was like a pimp and I was his hoe” She said wiping her face. I looked down. “I’m sorry for leaving, my mama man she was getting beat by Greg. I just wanted to save her but I should’ve saved you instead” I told her.  She started laughing.  “You did though” She said. I smiled. “I’m sorry you had to see that side of me, but this is my job I kill people I sell drugs I make money” I told her. She shrugged. “I’m not judging you Ace” She said looking at me. She got off the couch and came over to me. I looked at her. She leaned in, and we started kissing. I wasn’t used to feeling this type of way about Jade. I had feelings for her but, I couldn’t figure out what they were until I was in jail and she was all I thought about. “I don’t want you to think I’m trying to fuck or take advantage of you” I said. She shook her head. “Ace, I always been in love with you. I always wanted to kiss you” She simply said. I shook my head. “I don’t know man” I told her. She sighed. “I ain’t never felt this way about anybody it’s scary to me J, just give me time” I told her she nodded. I went to my liquor cabinet and took a shot. I kept thinking about her kissing me, and dancing on me. Man Fuck it. I walked back into the living room and kissed her back.

Supporting Characters:

Teej: (Dave East)

Slim: Romeo Miller

K.C: Lil Durk

[joneswilliam72]

Meet Dominique Purdy, writer and star of the fiercely comedic dark satire, Driving While Black.

With February being Black History Month – honoring the triumphs and struggles of African Americans throughout U.S. history – we caught up with Driving While Black star and writer Dominique Purdy for a chat on acting, the film, the experience of people of color in dealing with the police, what births the "fuck the police" attitude in youth, what we can do about it as individuals and much more.

Driving While Black is a fierce, truly Kafkaesque satire that everyone should see. It is based on real experiences Purdy has had with the police from his teenage years to today and is ever so relevant in an era where deadly experiences with police and people of color seem to be happening with increasing regularity since Michael Brown and Ferguson, Missouri in 2014. The whole thing is Kafkaesque when often the people being singled out and harassed by the police as bureaucratic enforcers, are targeted for no other reason than their race.

We should all be upset when that kind of treatment occurs, no matter the color. Yet, police harassment can and does happen to more and more people precisely because of over-policing as a result of the Drug War and the cops being weaponized when they are in the role of collecting revenue for the state for non-crimes like not wearing your seat-belt or in the abuses of civil asset forfeiture; to even the police shooting the wrong people when executing a no-knock search warrant on the wrong house entirely. Even pets are often not immune with some officers executing dogs with impunity – there's even a national database tracking these "puppycide" numbers.

All those things are directly attributable to over-policing. When you make nonsense things – like not wearing a seat-belt or possessing a little pot – crimes you still create real criminals. The way those "criminals" are handled is always harassing, and far too often that harassment is based purely on the race of the "suspect". This is a problem we should all be worried about and doing what we can to stop.

In Driving While Black, Dmitri (Purdy) is a pizza guy who would rather smoke weed and suffer for his art, but his mom and his girl won't stop nagging him to get a real job. When he's offered a gig mouthing off to tourists behind the wheel of a Hollywood "star tour" bus, it looks like everyone might get what they want. Trouble is, our man can't seem to step out the door to get to the interview without endless complications: busted radiators, simple weed scores gone sideways and LAPD cruisers seemingly everywhere. Dmitri's skill at going unnoticed by cops is honed by painful experiences growing up black in L.A., but even his keen survival instincts won't save him from the week from hell.

Dominique Purdy in the behind the scenes shot from DRIVING WHILE BLACK.

With a jovial swagger to its walking pace, Driving While Black is half comedy of errors and half hard-bitten realism, tucked into a sly treatise on 21st-century over-policing. Enjoy the interview below and catch Driving While Black on digital now.

Hello Dominique and welcome to The 405! To start things off, what initially inspired the film? DWB is so timely not just from (sadly) what is happening in society but also in film with movies like Green Book and BlacKkKlansman. Seeing especially the racism and discrimination in Green Book paired with the racism in Driving While Black made me wonder, have we really come that far from 1962?

The inspiration for Driving While Black came from just that "Driving While Black " It's my experiences growing up dealing with the cops in LA since being a kid up to the present time. Police prejudice against black people and other people of color is always gonna be a timeless topic in the culture!

A sad thing indeed.

This movie was shot in 2014 and first premiered at the El Rey Theater on Wilshire Blvd. [Los Angeles] on June 30th 2015 to a packed house. We had to turn people away to not violate the fire code on capacity.

Great you had that kind of turnout.

I believe we sparked a wave with DWB in this era of Hollywood wanting to invest in more black stories on film and TV. Look at some of the most popular movies and show since 2016: Insecure, Atlanta, Random Acts of Flyness, Get Out etc.

From DRIVING WHILE BLACK.

We definitely have made a lot of progress since 1962 . Niggas couldn't even eat at the same restaurants as white people without gettin' sprayed with a hose or the Ku Klux Klan burning a crucifix in front of their house later that night.  Racists never went away – just got quieter because it became less cool to be so blatant. Is there whole lot of progress to be made? You damn right!!!

I'd add in a movie that DWB kind of reminded me of: Boots Riley's incredible satire Sorry to Bother You. Of course, DWB didn't go full-on surrealist like Riley's movie but I see them as both very satirical.

The rest is true too. I suppose it can be just hard at times to be hopeful in the current cultural climate. What did your collective process look like on writing the film with Paul [Sapiano]?

I've known Paul for a cool minute so when we would kick it I would always be telling him some shit that happened to me with the cops. Even though it was wild shit, I'm so used to it I can see the humor in it of how ridiculous it is that black people have to have these feelings and take certain precautions when dealing with the police. So we would start writing some of these stories down to start forming what would become the film.

DWB was a fiercely satirical and darkly comedic piece (in a sort of neo-Kafkaesque absurd way) that is sadly far too true to life. Dominique, what would you like our readers to know who don't have to go through these kinds of harassing experiences on a daily basis? Not just while driving but I'm sure while doing other everyday things too. As I am not a person of color, I can't really speak to it, but I can do my best to listen and learn.

For people who haven't really  experienced any police drama in their lifetime and want to just get an understanding of it from the perspective of a young black male watch the film it shows you with humor better than I can explain. I've had elderly white people come up to me after seeing the film during a film festival saying when they saw this police issue we deal with through a new set of eyes. It changed how they thought about situations they had previously saw only from the cops side.

From DRIVING WHILE BLACK.

That's fantastic that people have been touched like that and I can certainly see why, having watched the film. What can people who don't have to go through these kinds of experiences do to help those who do and help make the social climate better?

Watch DWB and spread the word.

What do you think can be done on a community level to fight the kind of discrimination the film shows?

I don't know the answer but everyone becoming more aware of what's going on. Meaning ALL people not just people of color. We ALL have to understand the history to be able to create change.

So true. I think steps like having mandatory body cams and citizens' review boards to oversee them may be good first steps too. But certainly everybody has to pitch in on this. Any funny or memorable moments that stick out from the process of filming?

When we were in the editing process for the film, I was coming in to the office to do some voice overs one day. The whole area was surrounded by cops. I guess they were searching for someone.

Oh shit.

I called the office and said "Yoooo the whole area is crawlin' with police how can I get through to the office?"

Someone said I could cut through the alley and it would let out right by the office. I drive in this alley and as soon as I come out the other side more cops are right there…

Damn.

…they pull out guns and ask to search the car. They thought I might be hiding the person they were looking for in the backside. Cops were like "What are you doing over here?"

I said "Yo, I'm actually going to this right here. I'm working on a movie about y'all".

Then I hopped on the phone and called Paul to come outside and vouch for me. One cop was a straight asshole claiming I fit the description on the suspect they were looking for. The other cop was chill apologizing for the hostility.

Wow. Good cop/bad cop quite literally.

When Paul came out they realized I was telling the truth and let me go. When I went inside the office, there was another actor in the film – a black guy – who was like " How come the cops didn't harass me like you? They just let me right in…"

He was offended that they didn't harass him at all. I was like "You a clean cut nigga! I got too much of that hip hop vibe they had to fuck with me&".

Damn. Glad it didn't get much beyond that. Still sucks you were hassled though. What do you hope audiences will ultimately take with them from the film?

I'd like for black people and other people  of color to be happy seeing a story being told focused on something we deal with in society from a fresh perspective that they relate to. There has never been a film like this.

From DRIVING WHILE BLACK.

Absolutely agreed. It was refreshing, brave, and very funny. And I'm a white guy.

I'd like for white people and others who have never had experience any kind of police prejudice to leave understanding the psychology of how the FUCK THE POLICE attitude is born in a black child and how it grows. Through humor we can make people laugh and then think deeply at the same time. The uneasy feeling I get when I see the police never is going to go away but that's just life for a lot of black people... ain't that a bitch?

It sucks. Not to say others (particularly white people) who go through shitty experiences with the cops have similar experiences to people of color here, but I often wonder why more people aren’t instinctively worried when they get pulled over – especially when you see increased enforcement of more BS “non-crimes” like seat-belt laws. But I've also had my share of bad experiences there too like the cop who grew increasingly agitated because of my hands after he pulled me over. I have a hand tremor similar to Parkinson's and I tried explaining that but he didn't care, made me do the field sobriety test because of it in fact. So absolutely those shitty experiences are universal. But, I digress there…

A question I ask everybody: what makes a great film?

A great idea and unique execution of that idea makes a great film. Don't try to be like anyone. Take risks. Trust your instincts and keep them parallel with your vision.

Very well said. And all marks that DWB absolutely hit.

And another question I ask everybody: what films and performances have really stuck with you over the years and influenced you as an artist? A big question as well I know.

Shit, that's a tough one because my influences are all over the place. So let's do off top of my head…

Definitely.

…the Japanese Samurai Saga film Lone Wolf with Child and Ice Cube's Friday.

Cool. Final question, what is next for you?

I've got a lot of fly music shit coming this year! Catch me on the gram under my moniker: @KTOWNODD.

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