So I have decided to rewrite my previous Daryl story since I had lost all interest in where it was headed in the short two chapters I had. It wasn't coming out the way I wanted so I figured I would just start over. I'm really sorry to those who had already favorited and added the story to their alerts. I can only hope you will like this one better.
The creaking got louder and louder as the decaying body got closer. Madison pressed her hand tighter around the younger girls mouth silently begging her not to make a sound. They had been cornered by three walkers and the closet was the only place she could get to without having either bitten. After shoving the little girl in she had closed the door and pressed the two of them against the wall quietly. The shuffling was almost on top of them and Madison's grip grew tighter around the baseball bat. Jacey pushed her back against Madison's chest tighter and instinctually Madison's legs closed around her tighter. For weeks they had been fine, just the two of them. This one slip up could have them both wandering as walkers. Madison could feel the tears slide down onto her hand as Jacey's small hand came up to press againsts hers on her mouth. This was it. This was going to be a fight to the death and all Madison could think about was that Jacey would escape and be alone while she sacrificed herself to save the little girl. "I love you." She whispered as the scratching began on the door. It would be a matter of minutes before those things broke in and tore her apart.
Shouts and crashing sounded off below her and Madison found herself holding her breath now. Someone was here. But who? The growling grew louder and scratching more frantic as the door began to give way. Slipping out from Jacey's hold she pushed the girl further back into the closet and put her finger to her mouth. "When you get a chance I want you to run. Jace, run as fast as you can and don't stop until you find some place safe. Find other people. If you get surrounded climb. They can't get into the trees." Madison knew the little girl wanted to argue but this was the only way. "I'll find you when I get out ok? But I need you to keep going and not look back or come back here you hear me?" She nodded and Madison gave her a watery smile before turning to the door and kicking it open. The bat came swinging down in a wide arc to hit the walker in the side of the head. No sooner had the first walker gone down another appeared in its place. There were not three now, but five or six and the bedroom they had hidden in was small, too small for Madison to fight in. Swinging for the second one she shouted for Jacey to run for it. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the girl slip through the walkers and out of the door. The second walker had gone down when she heard the scream. "Jacey!" Madison kicked the walker blocking the door and ran out the room only to be knocked down. Arms circled around her and she screamed and thrashed as hard as she could.
"Calm the hell down would ya woman?" Walkers didn't talk. Madison stopped all movement to find a bald man holding on to her with a pistol in his hand. The hand on his right hand was missing and replaced with some leather contraption.
"The rest are dead." A voice sounded from the room she had just left. How did someone get passed her and into that room without her noticing? The man holding on to her pulled her to her feet but kept his arm wrapped around her waist. Madison was too stunned, too confused to speak.
"Jacey." She whispered and the man's grip tightened.
"She's downstairs with the Govna." His thick southern drawl said. He led her to the stairs and slowly made their way down. There were more men down here, men with guns and bats and one with a bow and arrow. Her eyes landed on a well dressed man holding Jacey in his arms as she sobbed. Hearing Madison squeak in an attempt to say her name the little girl's eyes landed on her and she scrambled to get down from the man's arms. Madison pulled away from the man and limped toward the girl catching her in her arms. Madison fell to her knees as she held Jacey tight.
"Oh baby, thank god you are ok. I am so sorry, there were too many." The little girl shook in her arms as she cried and Madison picked her up. Looking to the man that had been holding Jacey she smiled. "I can't thank you enough." She spoke softly. The man was really handsome, maybe ten years older than her mere 24 years.
"It is no problem at all. I am merely doing what has to be done. Is it just you and this one here?" Madison nodded. "You must be an amzing woman to survive this world with a child." He stepped forward and in a fatherly fashion smooth Jacey's hair.
"She isn't mine. I found her a few weeks ago living in a car. Her family is gone. Everyone is." The Govenor nodded in understanding.
"Seems that way doesn't it? You'll come with us to safety. We have a community, it's safe. There is food, water, protection. I'll take care of you." Everything sounded wonderful. Too wonderful.
"Catch?" She questioned and he laughed.
"No catch. Jacey will have school, you a job or two to help out. Everything will be close to as it was before." His voice was smooth, a little too smooth. Madison nodded knowing this was the right choice for Jacey. The man who had grabbed her before stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her shoulders and began leading her out the door and into a Hummer parked outside. Climbing in Jacey settled in her lap and was soon asleep.
"So why'd ya save the girl?" The man asked. Madison turned her eyes to his and frowned.
"Why wouldn't I have? She's a child." He laughed and held up his hands in mock surrender.
"Jus' askin' there girlie, no harm. I'm Merle."
"Madison. You always been with this Governor guy?" Merle shook his head and she could have sworn something had crossed his face.
"Nah, been wit' my brotha when all this broke out. Got seperated awhile ago. May be dead, might not. Dunno. The Govna found me almost bled out cause a sum dick playing sherrif handcuffin' me to a roof." Madison looked at where his hand was missing before looking back to his face. "Don't matta none. He saved me like he is savin' you and that girl there." Madison nodded before pulling Jacey closer and soon enough fall asleep.