[hr][hr][center][h1]Into the Wilderness![/h1][img]https://media.giphy.com/media/3xz2BqAT9FcTTUgiIM/giphy.gif[/img][hr][b]Starring:[/b] [color=fff79a][b][i]Ryan[/i][/b][/color], [color=#23D5B7][b][i]Beatrice[/i][/b][/color], [color=f26522][b][i]Gavin[/i][/b][/color], and [color=firebrick][b][i]James[/i][/b][/color]
[b]Location:[/b] Outside of Newnan[/center][hr][hr]	[color=fff79a]"Yeah, least someone can act as a buffer between me and James,"[/color] Ryan chuckled as the truck rolled down Lagrange Street and away from Newnan. Ryan watched as the wall of the city became smaller and then disappeared around the bend of the road as they passed Reese Street. James seemed to know where he was going, or at least Ryan hoped he did. Right then though, whatever plans they had were stopped by a rather large tree that had up rooted from the weight of the snow. Seemed it had been down for several days and had been half covered by snow in the last full snow fall that happened a few days ago. 

	[color=#23D5B7]"He is a murderer, you know,"[/color] Beatrice observed dryly. [color=#23D5B7]"He fits the bill to live in the Rejects House with you now,"[/color] she then added with a bit of a chuckle. She cared deeply for James, but she also knew that everyone had a certain amount of darkness in them. When she wasn't being asked to serve papers, she did freelance work, on occasion being hired to track down cheating spouses, runaway teens, and even gang members who had left the fold. She had made a living off of looking for the worst in people. 

	[color=f26522]"Seems like we's be taking the long way around,"[/color] Gavin said to James as he spotted the down tree off in the distance. It was down right before the turn off onto Hollis Heights. That road took them north but there were a lot of cross streets surrounding Newnan and it looked clearer than the other roads they had passed so far. [color=f26522]"Thataway?"[/color]

	It was a quite surreal feeling, driving that truck down the street. The chilly quiet outside seemed to force a sense of emotional numbness in James. The sudden lull in action following the intensity earlier probably had something to do with it as well; just as much as his sudden and dramatic change in living circumstances. They hadn't been in the truck long, but James was grateful to Gavin for the conversational hiatus for the past couple of minutes. Vaguely, he was aware of the discussion between Beatrice and Ryan, unable to make out individual words (nor did he attempt to eavesdrop). 

	[color=fff79a]"So as of right now that cowboy is the only one we know of that doesn't belong in the reject house,"[/color] Ryan said chuckling to himself but from the look on the mans face when they were leaving he had to wonder just how southern the man was. He sure talked it. 

	Beatrice faked a look of mild shock and offense. [color=#23D5B7]"My record was clean,"[/color] Beatrice protested. Her juvi record, of course, was a complete other story, but it had been sealed. Sure, a few of the people she served weren't too happy with her tactics, but the firms she worked with always made those complaints go away quietly. She hadn't been incarcerated since she was fifteen. Her eyes scanned the horizon for a moment, wondering where exactly they were headed. Away from Newnan was a good general location, but she hadn't left with James just to wait for walkers to come. [color=#23D5B7]"Any idea where we're headed?"[/color] Beatrice then asked, unable to hear much of James' and Gavin's conversation. 

	James's quiet thoughts turned outward as he noticed the fallen tree denying them passage. [color=firebrick]"Yeah, man."[/color] he responded to Gavin wearily. It was a fair observation and by rights, the only practical suggestion. [color=firebrick]"Thataways it is. See if we can get back on after a block..."[/color] His voice trailed off. James knew their destination, and just wanted to get there so they could have that much needed talk. Keeping an eye out, he turned the wheel to the Silverado and pulled onto Hollis Heights. 

	Gavin gave a nod and propped his elbow up on the arm rest as the scenery went by. The snow was melting and it was warming up. Placing his cigarette in his mouth he shrugged off his duster and left it under his rear instead of trying to pull it out. Rolling down the window some he ashed the smoke before finishing it off and flicking it out the window. 

	The plan, if indeed what they had was a [i]plan[/i] in the classical sense, was to take the first clear street to the left and swing back onto LaGrange, hopefully to be about their way. The way up Hollis Heights seemed clear enough, except for the constant presence of pack ice, just now starting to become slick as the temperature rose. Driving in this was dangerous at the best of times, and James wasn't exactly in the best of emotional states just then. If he could keep it together for a little while longer, he would be able to vent a LOT of what he was feeling, and do something nice for Newnan in the process. 

	Ryan chuckled a bit and shook his head. [color=fff79a]"No fucking clue,"[/color] he said as he looked around. 

	James had to stop himself from putting on his blinker as he began to turn onto the next street to his left; a once quaint neighborhood thoroughfare named Waverly Circle. Yet just before he committed to the road, he caught something in the distance. It was a huge mound of white, piled up in the middle of the road. [color=firebrick]"Aw, hot damn..."[/color] That was either the mother of all snow drifts, or a standard drift piled on top of a mound of leaves. Or a truck. [color=firebrick]"Aight, big nuh-uh there, Tex."[/color] He course corrected to continue rolling up Hollis Heights. [color=firebrick]"Now, if'n that's leaves n' such, I can bust that mutha out real quick. But if'n that there's a Volkswagon... Nah."[/color] Next block up, try again.  

	[color=fff79a]"But wherever we are going mother nature sure isn't making it fucking easy that's for sure,"[/color] he laughed as they came up to another block in the road. This was going about as well as a monkey trying to fuck a football at this point. 

	Gavin heard Ryan and glanced over to James. His window being down was making hearing things when they were going slow or backing up a lot easier now. [color=f26522]"Ain't one damn road leadin' ta Rome right now,"[/color] he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. Rolling the window back up real fast he scooted down in the seat some to get more comfortable. [color=f26522]"Hows fars outs we gonnas gets b'fers we break the news of our little quest?"[/color]

	Beatrice sighed slightly as Gavin rolled his window back up. She disliked not being able to hear what other people were saying. Eavesdropping was an important source of information and she couldn't help but feel like James and Gavin were keeping something from them. The elements were enough to hold her attention, but just barely. She only hoped that any walkers nearby were still too frozen to move quickly. She didn't like the idea of being exposed, out in the open, with no sense of what the plan was. 

	[color=#23D5B7]"Mother Nature doesn't seem to want to let us get too far away from Newnan,"[/color] Beatrice agreed. 

	The truck rolled up to the next intersection as smoothly as it could with James at the helm, considering the treacherous roads. The fact was that he had lived the vast majority of his life in the Southern United States and had only driven in these conditions sparingly. The truck was a superior vehicle for this, but it had no chains to help grip and snag the slick, icy roads. James would have to maintain a respectfully moderate pace, at best. But what he saw down the road a block or so might as well have been a flickering neon sign that screamed "You Wasted Your Time". 

	[color=fff79a]"Well hopefully these two yahoo's have some idea of where to go. Been so damn long since I have been outside the wall I have no idea what is out here anymore. Granted as long as we aren't heading north east I don't give a good god damn,"[/color] Ryan said, referring to Eden. Last thing he ever wanted to do was cross paths with those asshats again. 

	Beatrice nodded. She understood Ryan's distaste for Eden. Despite never having any direct interactions with them herself, just about everyone in Newnan knew a story or two about that place. And from what Beatrice had heard, it made the combination of Chloe, Richard, and Ryan look like a saintly trio. [color=#23D5B7]"I don't imagine James would go there. Though, I didn't imagine he would commit murder today,"[/color] Beatrice said thoughtfully. [color=#23D5B7]"He's become unpredictable...but at least his driving isn't too shabby, even in these conditions."[/color] 

	Both hands rested on the wheel, but James's head fell forward. Another tree, a larger one this time, blocked the path and was covered with rivulets of thawed and refrozen ice. This whole residential area seemed laden with the stuff; the trees blocked all but the most aggressive sunlight, ensuring that winter held sway for a few hours more than everywhere else. [color=firebrick]"Damn, damn, [i]damn[/i]."[/color] he breathed. Turning to Gavin, he said, [color=firebrick]"Cap'n Ash done us a solid, Tex. Couldn't tell anybody, but he done us right. Spot we goin's only a couple miles south, if'n we ever get a straight shot. Not a lotta folks knows about it, either. Tucked away, sorta. Good stuff. We talk when we get there. Thems that don't wanna play can hole up, make back for Newnan when the road clears."[/color] But the road was not clear [i]now[/i], he painfully realized as he found a clear driveway and turned back to Hollis Heights. 

	Gavin looked over towards James and gave the man a broad smile. [color=f26522]"Well ain't that right neighborly of him. Damn fine to be doin' ya rights likes that. Makes ya wonders why he even bother makin' yas leaves but if that Cap'n be anything military likes Strawberry Wine, I cans guess whys. She's all rules and business likes that. Don't thank that gurl ever even jaywalked,"[/color] he laughed. He knew about her history to a point but ever since he met her she was one to stand the wall as it was.

	[color=firebrick]"Mmm hmm, mmm hmm..."[/color] agreed James with a nod. Mostly, his concentration was on getting his truck the hell out of this little conundrum and down to where it needed to go before he could have that uncomfortable sit-down with the others in his group. Pulling back to Hollis, he turned left yet again and got back onto what was probably the only clear(ish) road left in human existence. [color=firebrick]"Nutha left turn, nutha left turn. I ought be in muthafuckin' NASCAR, all the left turns I'm doin' here."[/color] 

	[color=fff79a]"Yeah we haven't been thrown out of the truck yet,"[/color] Ryan chuckled as he slipped his coat off. It was warming up quickly outside and with as slow as the driving was going he was starting to get a lot warmer than he liked. Granted Ryan was from New York. 

	Beatrice smiled amusedly as Ryan took off his coat. She figured that it was starting to get a little too warm for him, but she was a California girl at heart. Heat was second nature to her, even if she had spent her teenage years in northern Californian. It hadn't been enough to change her preferred temperature range. As the weather continued to warm up, so did Beatrice's spirits. The long winter had been a bit exasperating. [color=#23D5B7]"So many lefts...,"[/color] Beatrice observed with a sigh. [color=#23D5B7]"You'd think the man had forgotten what a right turn was..."[/color]	

	The next intersection also showed a blockage, but luckily, it was to the right. As previously noted, the crew in the Silverado was turning left. In this instance, left onto 4th Street, which despite the melting ice and snow, looked nice and open. James knew this area pretty well; he had gone on runs to scavenge supplies and fixtures for Newnan all around here. 4th, if it stayed clear (and it looked like it might) stretched all the way to Boone Dr., which was the street he wanted to exit LaGrange onto. This could work. He proceeded at a steady pace, hoping that his luck had finally turned. Unfortuntely, he then realized he'd have to make at least two more lefts before this was done with. Damn NASCAR. 

	[color=f26522]"Longs as we don'ts wrecks like Earnheart I'd be all fer some good old fashion racing. Damn man, imagine opening up this truck on the Atlanta Speedway? Hot damn, that be a right fun time!"[/color] Gavin said excitedly as he thought about it. 

	The truck made its next obligatory left turn onto 4th. It was straight and level, but most importantly it was clear of debris that had stymied their journey so far. James risked putting a little more weight on the gas pedal, stepping up their progress somewhat but not so much as to slide or fishtail. The sun had more opportunity to do its work on this road; the trees were lighter and further apart, giving more breaks in the snow and ice that were steadily widening in the morning light. This little break gave James the slightest elevation of mood. [color=firebrick]"Tells ya what... We survive this - you, me, an' this truck're gonna take a little trip to the Speedway. Deal?"[/color] 

	The next few moments passed with James looking cautiously hopeful. Within the near distance, he could see the street sign indicating the presence of Boone Drive. The way was blessedly clear, all the way up to it. Just [i]one more left[/i], and they would be back on track.