Crossing The Line Chapter Six

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Beth and Maggie snuggled into their tent and prepared to go to sleep. Because of the fourteen year gap in their ages they’d rarely gotten to discuss guys. At least not outside of Maggie offering Beth advice. Now, however they passed time talking about Glenn and Daryl.

“Glenn is so shy,” said Beth. “He tries so hard to come off as suave and experienced when really, he isn’t. He’s so cute, though.”

“You got anywhere with him, yet?” asked Maggie.

“I was hoping to at least kiss him when we went out to the duck pond but this whole thing happened with those attackers, so no. How about you and Daryl?”

“He’s shyer than Glenn. I think he’s interested but he has no idea what to do with a woman.”

“Is he a virgin, you think?” Beth asked, intrigued.

“I really doubt that, but I think he’s not really experienced in having any kind of relationships,” said Maggie. “He and I are gonna go on a run into town for supplies. He needs bolts for his crossbow.”

“That thing is so cool,” Beth said. “Have him teach you to use it.”

Maggie smiled. “Maybe. I just want to see how he is when I have him all to myself tomorrow.”

“You think Dad spooked him?”

“Dad spooks all the guys who come around us,” Maggie lamented. “I think once he and I are alone, we’ll make some progress.”

“Progress?” Beth laughed. “Is that what you’re calling it these days?”

They dissolved into giggles until Patricia came in and they settled down. She marveled at how unconcerned Maggie and Beth were. They didn’t realize, she knew, exactly what a man like Shane would do to them and the horrors that awaited them if they were captured. Still, she didn’t say anything or admonish them. Life was tough enough as it was without trying to heap fear onto their backs.

*****

“Michonne?”

Carol approached the fire where a pot of water for instant coffee boiled. Michonne glanced up. This was the first time Carol had approached her since that night at the church.

“Morning. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“No, thanks. All this stress has got me feeling queasy. I’m going to have to get back to the house, though. I’ve started spotting and my stomach is cramping.”

“We’ll probably get back today,” Michonne speculated. “We’ll have to bury that man Shane left dead in the front yard. I think I’ve got a couple of bags of ginger tea. That’ll settle your stomach.”

“Thanks.”

Michonne dug into her bag and came out with the tea. She poured Carol a cup of hot water and then sat down, waiting quietly for Carol to say whatever it was she’d come to talk about.

“I wanted to say sorry for last week. Like I told Daryl, I’m not sorry for being angry. I have a right to be. I am sorry, though, for taking it out on you and the rest of the group. I should never have hit you. I hope you can forgive me.”

“No forgiveness necessary,” Michonne said. She squeezed Carol’s knee. “I never faulted you, Carol. You’ve been through so much.”

“Rick called off shooting practice. We’re low on ammo. I feel like I’ve gotten a lot out of the practice, though. I’ve gotten pretty good with a gun. When Shane comes back, I hope I’m the one who gets to end him.”

“Me too. If anybody deserves revenge, it’s you. Carol…have you considered learning to use a sword?”

Carol smiled as she pictured herself hacking at walkers with a katana. “Me, with a sword?”

“Hey, don’t laugh it off. Ammo is limited. Knowing how to use a sword would come in handy. Not just for you but for everyone in our group. Think about it.”

Carol nodded, and then winced when she went to set her cup down. “I will.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’ll be all right. I’m just exhausted, even after eight hours of sleep. Also, my girls are sore.”

Michonne knew that by ‘girls’ Carol meant her breasts. She motioned toward the tent Carol had slept in the night before with Andrea. “Go get another hour or two of sleep. I’ve got watch.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely.”

Carol squeezed Michonne’s hand, grateful that she’d been willing to forgive and move on. “Thanks, Michonne, for everything.”

“That’s what friends are for, right?”

*****

Rick, Glenn, and Hershel spent hours wandering the area, looking for any sign of Shane’s camp. Hershel led them to every place he could imagine a group may want to hole up in for shelter, only to find them empty.

“Where in hell could he be?” Rick wondered aloud. He was desperate to locate Shane and plan an offensive. He wanted the threat eliminated once and for all.

“I can think of only one last place he could be,” said Hershel. “Drive up this dirt road. When you’ve gone about a quarter mile, take a left. We’ll need to park and go the rest of the way on foot.”

The road was on an incline, though not a very steep one. Rick drove up and then took the left Hershel pointed out. It was so overgrown with wild grass and weeds that Rick wouldn’t have noticed it without it being pointed out. One encouraging clue was that the tire tracks in the soil leading into the side road looked fresh; an indication of recent activity. Rick parked the truck around a bend in the road to hide the truck should any of Shane’s men return from an outing.

“There’s an old abandoned school up here,” said Hershel. “I attended classes here when I was a boy.”

“Let me guess, you had to walk to and from every day?” Glenn joked.

Hershel would have been amused if the situation wasn’t so serious. “Yes, actually, I did,” he glowered, and Glenn caved.

They fell silent and continued walking. The road widened and they soon heard human activity. Rick led them into the trees beside the road, wishing mother nature would have helped them out with a rainstorm to cover sound and to darken the shadows in the trees, but the sky remained a pristine shade of blue uninterrupted by a single cloud.

Rick’s gut clenched when he saw Shane walking through camp with two beefy men following after him. The school house was a very small, one story brick building with perhaps four classrooms on either side of a central hall. A dilapidated sign read Peachtree Elementary, est. 1935.

Carol and Michonne had been right when they said Shane had shaved off his hair. He was practically bald now.

“There he is. There’s the son of a bitch who raped Carol and almost killed Carl,” whispered Rick.

Hershel nodded. “He certainly looks dangerous.”

“I count six able-bodied men, four women. The rest are kids,” said Glenn.

“We don’t know how many guns they got,” Rick said.

“They hunkered down in the tall grass when a couple of kids raced by, chasing a ball, and laughing. Rick strained his ears, trying to listen in on Shane. He only caught snippets of conversation, but from what Rick gathered Shane wasn’t happy with their manpower or their weapons. As they drew closer, however, it became easier to make out what Shane was saying.

“...and the truth is I don’t want the farm,” Shane said. He was easy to hear since he was moving in Rick’s general direction, talking to the two big men with him.

Rick’s hand tensed and rested on the revolver strapped to his hip. It would be easier to take Shane out now and leave. The people in the camp may possess the wit to realize they’d lost too many people moving against Hershel’s farm and it just wasn’t worth risking anymore of their people’s lives. Or, they could be vengeful fools. Chances are they would prove to be the latter.

“We’ve done lost six men on two raids over there,” said the bigger of the two men. “I say we live and let live. Hell, we didn’t know nothing about that place until Dave came back talking about his buddies were killed.”

“I agree,” said the other man.

“They’ve got resources, but then so do we,” said Shane. “My only thing is they’ve got something I want. Someone, I want, I should say. My woman.”

Rick’s stomach clenched again. He was referring to Michonne as his woman?

“The leader of that group, Rick, he kicked me out so he could keep me away from her. I understand if y’all don’t want to waste blood on a personal vendetta of mine.”

“We really don’t,” said the biggest man.

Shane nodded. “I just ask you don’t stand in my way when the time comes for me to make my move. We’ll add to our numbers as time goes on and we’ll build up ammo. When we do, I’m going to take some men and I’m gonna get what’s mine.”

Shane and his men wandered away, still talking, but Rick didn’t need to hear the rest. Shane wasn’t going to move immediately. He was going to try to build up his numbers and come after them again.

That meant he would have to move against Shane first, take the man out and then give his people a choice--fight or leave them in peace. He figured they would opt for peace considering they didn’t want any part of Shane’s bad blood with Rick and the old group.

Rick nodded his head toward the road and they started off, slipping away as quickly and as quietly as they’d come. When they reached the truck, Rick coasted it downhill in neutral, waiting until they reached the road before turning the engine over to minimize the chances that anyone in Shane’s camp would hear them leaving. 

*****

Daryl wasn’t keen on horses but they didn’t need gasoline to run and they were a lot quieter than the rumbling engine of Daryl’s bike. He and Maggie rode in complete silence. He wanted to converse with her but he didn’t know what to say. He didn’t like being around people with college degrees. They made him feel stupid.

“Here we are,” said Maggie. She dismounted and Daryl got an eyeful of her firm, round ass as she did. She approached the front door of the sporting goods store and the door opened easily for her. “Unlocked. Lucky for us.”

Once they were inside they looked over the mostly empty shelves.

“I was right. It’s been looted,” said Maggie.

“There’s a lot of good, useful stuff left behind,” Daryl countered. He grabbed a fishing rod and line, setting them on the counter. “Andrea will like this.”

“Andrea huh? Figures,” Maggie huffed.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Daryl asked in confusion.

“Nothin’. None of my business.”

“You pissed ‘cause I wanna get a fishin’ pole for Andrea?”

Maggie shrugged. “Of course not,” she lied. The truth was she was a little peeved and damned if she could figure out any legitimate justification for it other than petty jealousy. It wasn’t like Daryl was her man. Plus, Andrea had known him first.

Daryl shrugged and moved on back to look at a selection of knives. He saw a case and looked inside. He seemed to like what he saw because he decided to take it. She was about to make a comment about whether or not it was another gift for his precious Andrea when she saw movement in the shadows of the office.

“Daryl!”

Daryl spun around just as a walker lumbered from the office, its arms stretched out toward Daryl. He lowered the section of counter that had been left up and blocked the walker, who couldn’t figure out a way to overcome the obstacle.

Maggie sighed in relief. “That’s Mr. Farrell. Thanks for not killing him.”

“You still think they’re alive, huh?” Daryl asked.

“Yes, I do.”

Daryl shrugged. He wasn’t going to argue with the host who was giving him room and board. He found ten bolts for his crossbow and considered himself lucky. “Ok. Let’s hit the pharmacy.”

“Why?”

“Michonne gave me a list. I said I’d fill it if I could.”

With their things secured to the horses they walked the animals over to the pharmacy.

“You don’t do a lot of talking, huh?” said Maggie. She was still trying to figure Daryl out. She thought that if they were alone he’d open up more. That was turning out not to be the case.

“You want some highbrow conversation you need to hit Andrea or Glenn up. Dale, too. Hell, anybody in the group but me. I didn’t graduate High School. All I got is a GED.”

Maggie looked partially amused and partially offended. “Is that why you don’t talk to me? You think I’m some snob? That ain’t me at all, Daryl.”

“I just don’t talk a lot. I like my quiet. I prefer to listen.”

“That’s a sign of wisdom, you know. Listening instead of talking,” Maggie said.

Daryl felt the knot in his belly at being alone with Maggie begin to lessen. She could accept he wasn’t a talker. She also wasn’t a snob. He hadn’t really thought she would be, but it was good to hear her say it. He just wished he could fathom her dislike of Andrea.

The door of the pharmacy opened and let out an awful stench from the walker that Michonne had killed the week prior. Daryl let Maggie off the hook. She waited outside while he went in and got all the items on Michonne’s list. There were no bags left so he had to carry everything lose in his arms until he could get to the saddle bag.

One of the boxes dropped from Daryl’s arms and Maggie scooped it up. Shew as surprised at what it was. She handed it back to Daryl, who flushed. They were halfway back to the farm when Maggie asked the question that had been on her mind since she’d picked up the box.

“Those condoms also for you and Andrea?”

Finally Maggie’s attitude regarding Andrea made sense. She was jealous. Daryl was surprised by how much he liked that.

“Is that what you think?”

“Well?” she pressed.

“I’m not boning Andrea,” he said.

A saucy grin suddenly pulled at Maggie’s lips. “Good. You can bone me instead.”

“What?” Daryl asked in surprise.“You don’t mean now.”

Maggie stopped her horse and dismounted. “Yes, now. Come on,” she said, pointing to a stand of trees beside the road.

“I got those for Rick and Michonne,” Daryl told her.

“They won’t mind sharing.”

Her open smile was tempting but Daryl didn’t dismount. Maggie sighed. “Don’t you like me?”

“Yeah, I like you.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“You’re just…”

“Moving too fast?”

Daryl nodded.

“Daryl, it’s the end of the world. Your psycho ex group member may come to rape and pillage at the farm at literally any second. It’s not like we have all the time in the world.”

“That’s why you wanna screw me? Cause you feel like time is short?”

“No. I also don’t want to be alone anymore and I don’t think you do either. I wanna bone you because I like you and you’re sexy.”

Daryl snorted at that last.

“I mean it. You are. Come on,” she coaxed. “There’s plenty of privacy in that shack there.”

Daryl noticed the shack for the first time. “Lot’s of rusty nails, more like it.”

“We’ll be really careful.”

She suddenly unbuttoned her shirt, revealing a bra that hooked in the front. She unsnapped it and pulled it aside, revealing large, firm breasts. He felt a stirring in his groin that undid his resolve.

“Fuck,” he said, and dismounted. He didn’t want to be alone anymore either.

*****

Daryl was right about the inside of the shack having lots of rusty nails. The table they found, however, was dusty but free of sharp objects. Maggie threw herself into his arms and kissed him deeply. He turned her around and reached up to massage her breasts. She sighed as he rolled her hardened nipples gently with his fingers. He slipped a hand down her jeans, which she’d already started to unfasten, and rubbed at her moistened curls.

“Daryl…yeah…”

Her hand came behind her to rub at his hardened length. His fingers slipped into her moistened folds and massaged tight nub of her clit, making her moan under his lips.

Daryl picked Maggie up and set her on the table. He was glad it was stable and didn’t rock under her weight. He quickly undid his jeans while she ripped open a condom and then rolled it over him.

“I wanna taste you,” he said.

“Next time. This is what I need right now,” she said, and cupped his balls in her hand. His lips found hers as he pulled her to the edge of the table. Maggie wrapped her strong thighs around Daryl’s waist while he positioned himself at her entrance. He slid in slowly, giving her body time to adjust to him.

“You’re so thick,” she said, and breathed out, relaxing, as she took him into her body, inch by inch.

He began to move, slowly, as he felt her body clench tightly around him. Her face told a story that said she was still adjusting. It had, he could tell, been a very long time for her, and the feel of her slick tightness was quickly undoing him. He didn’t want to come too soon but the feel of her body gripping him was driving him over the edge. He stopped moving and ran his hands languidly over her breasts, over her belly, and then he began to thumb her clit. He could feel her body open to him as she sighed and he moved once again.

Daryl rocked his hips, his movements faster and also increasingly erratic as he felt her moisten with each thrust. Her whimpers elongated into moans. He gripped her legs, willing himself to hold out. When Maggie came he began to thrust hard, and fast, until he found release. He leaned over her when it was over, trying to keep his legs from giving out.

“They’ll definitely have to share those condoms,” Maggie said, smiling, when Daryl stood up and withdrew from her.

“Nah. I got three boxes,” he said, making her laugh. For the first time in a long time, Daryl found himself chuckling too.  

*****

Rick moved them back to the farm as soon as he, Hershel, and Glenn returned from their scouting trip. They sat around the dining room table and discussed what they’d overheard.

“Any chance he knew you were there and was putting on an act?” asked Daryl.

“I can assure you, Dale, if Shane knew we were there, we’d be dead and he’d be raiding the farm right now,” said Rick.

“This buys us some time,” said Andrea. “We can build up ammunition--”

“Or we could go on the offensive,” Michonne interrupted. “You thinking what I’m thinking? We go in there and take him out. We give the rest of the group the chance to pack up and leave.”

Rick nodded. That’s what he loved about Michonne. They were always on the same page.

“There are women and children in that camp,” Hershel said.

“We make it clear that all we want is Shane,” Rick said.

“How did he become leader so damn quickly?” asked Glenn.

“Other guy must have been a real bastard,” Rick reasoned. “Shane’s also charming. He can fool people into believing he’s the good guy. You don’t know till it’s too late what a snake in the grass he is.”

He was speaking more from his own experience than anything else, but it was no less true.

“We’ll work out a plan. We’ll need to move within three days,” said Rick. “Three days, and we take that son of a bitch out.”

Daryl found Michonne after the meeting and handed her the items she’d asked for. Michonne noticed the box of open condoms. Daryl snatched it up while she smirked at him.

“You and Maggie, huh?”

Daryl shrugged.

“You two make a nice couple,” Michonne said. She was surprised when Daryl took the second of the three boxes. “Really? Planning a long weekend?”

“These are for Glenn. Better they’re safe than sorry,” said Daryl, and headed off to find Glenn, who was rummaging in the refrigerator for potato salad.



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