Hello everyone, and welcome to my new story!
I'm really happy to see Y'all liked TWM and decided to ask for it's sequel. Let me tell y'all readers a quick story before starting the real deal. Y'all can skip it if you want
I started writing TWM after I wrote a weird thing, that I dont think that can be even called a one shot because it is extremely confusing, about the things that would happen if Merle and Daryl had a sister and how she would manage to survive alone in the woods for a long period of time. I didnt upload that because it doesn't even tell a story. Its just weird situations mixed together like an ugly burger. It was just ideas, bits and pieces that have sometimes helped me go through the real story. Even the unnamed OC was way older, which I really dont like because it wouldnt match Mac's sometimes childish and annoying personality towards her brother. Anyway after that I watched season one and realized I could just shove her in there and see how it all went, and thats how all this was born. I was afraid to upload it because it was the first thing I've ever written in my life to follow a storyline, and I really, REALLY appreciate all the reviews and follows I got for it. Even the mean private messages saying how 1st person view for writing this kinds of stuff sucks. Thank you, cause it made me be better at this.
Y'all are amazing readers and reviewers and I think I just wrote more than I intended here... Sorry
Oh well, here's the disclaimer like always:
The Art Of Drowning follows AMC's TWD's original plot, but it ain't necessarily the same!
Some of the dialogue, situations, and character behavior might be different due to the OC character's POV
Just like last time, if something was missing just let me know and I'll fix it
There may be some grammar mistakes, I know, I'll try to do it all correctly even though shit happens sometimes
Let me know what y'all think on the reviews
And finally, I own nothing, not even Daryl's ear necklace. All characters, locations, and storyline belong to AMC and/or the state of Georgia.
Lyrics at the beginning of the 1st chapter belong to The Animals.
Only Mac (with all her crazy shit) is mine and only mine and can't be used unless permission is given. In case someone needs to know, she's 18 at the beginning of this.
Dont like what you read? Stop reading and look for something that makes your imagination happy (:
LET'S DO THIS!
-Cynoodn
"There is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun
And it's been the ruin of many a poor boy
And God, I know I'm one.."
Music echoes through the cold cellblock as I roll on my back and stretch myself a little, ending up facing the upper bed. I open my eyes lazily and smirk slightly when I recognize the song playing on the old CD player powered by batteries.
Rick found it a while ago and he sometimes plays music on it in the mornings while getting ready to head out to work on the animals and crops on the field. Just one song every now and then to make the batteries last.
I think thats kind of cute, but I wont mention anything about it. I don't want him to stop doing it.
The others seem to think the same way; No one says anything about it because we secretly like it.
Today's song seems to be 'the house of the rising sun' by 'The Animals'.
I take a deep breath telling my body its time to get up and sit slowly on the bunkbed before rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand and yawning.
Its been months since we got rid of the governor. Beth's been counting them.
7 months and a half to be exact
According to Hershel, winter is almost over which is good because it means Rick's crops will give us food anytime soon.
And we haven't seen or heard anything about the governor since then. If only I could find the son of a bitch...
He still owes me and Daryl
I get up, lift my arms and stretch my entire body. I let my arms fall by my sides.
After that I take some clothes and head to the showers. The water is always cold, but we've all gotten used to it.
I used to go out to look for the governor with Michonne every morning; We tracked him for days until the trail just disappeared into thin air, but she's still looking for him for some reason.
I don't think she'll be able to track him alone, but sadly, I gave up on that search long ago...
Anyway, waking up to Rick's music usually gets me in a good mood. Life's changed for us one more time, and this time it seems its a good change. We're just normal people again
Simply ordinary
I don't remember the last time I felt hungry enough to be sick or tired enough to pass out
I'm glad all this happened, and I wouldn't change a thing for this to be perfect... Except maybe Merle...
I feel thankful for the prison and for my...family...
I walk out of the cell block lazily. Most of the people are eating or talking with one another.
They're all eating a deer Daryl brought yesterday.
We still hunt together sometimes, sometimes being the key word, but yesterday I spent my day with Carol, helping her sort the food.
I head to where Carol is usually cooking only to find Patrick trying to not overcook the meat.
I greet him normally even though in the inside I find it weird to see him here instead of her
He's a good kid. No parents since the day of the outbreak. Lived in Woodbury since.
Carl joins us sometimes when we have free time and we hang out around the prison. The only thing that I don't understand is why Patrick goes to Story Time with Carol.
I take a look at the food and ask "you the cook now, huh"
"Oh, no. Carol just wanted me to watch these while she talked to your brother"
"About what?"
"About the walkers" Patrick replies awkwardly. "Mr. Dixon is a real badass"
Wait, what!? Oh my fucking God!
I burst out laughing.
I cant believe he called Daryl 'Mr. Dixon'!
"Whats so funny?" I hear Daryl's voice behind me and look at him and Carol as they walk next to us. Patrick turns red and walks away.
"Nothing, Mr. Dixon. We were just talking about how popular you were" I explain
Daryl is not amused by it. "Don't call me that"
"Sounds pretty formal." Carol says "I like it"
"I'm sorry." I say "didn't mean to embarrass you in front of your fans"
He growls giving me a warning look "stop"
"Fine. Don't get your panties in a bunch, princess."
"jackass" he scoffs eyeing me, making Carol eye us with what I think is a worried look.
I understand why he hates when people calls him Mr. Dixon
Mr. Dixon was our father, and the last thing he wants to be is like him, but I still don't know why after all we've been through we just couldn't handle being together after Merle died.
We stopped going on runs together, hunting, even taking watch together..
We only spoke to each other when needed
It just didn't feel right
I'm happy to have him by my side right now
"Anyway," I give him a jokingly 'fuck you' look and turn to look at Carol now "Good morning, Carol"
"Good morning, sweetheart. Do you want something to eat?" She asks sweetly and looks down to the food Patrick was taking care of for her
I shake my head "M'not hungry. Thanks."
Both look at me.
"Not hungry?" She asks "how so?"
"Good Morning, Daryl" a girl passes by and my brother replies with a distracted nod before concentrating on me once more. I smirk and roll my eyes
"I guess your fame is ruining my appetite." I joke causing him to raise an eyebrow. "I don't know, I guess I cant be starving 24/7."
"If you don't eat now you gonna be starving in the middle of the road." He mutters
Oh, I'm invited now? What an honor!
"Daryl's right. You can't go out there without eating something" Carol tells me while Daryl eyes me as if saying 'I told you so'
"I'm invited to the party this time?"
"If you wanna come" he says simply "I never told you jerk to stop coming with us"
"I know" I mumble and see how he offers me some of the food he's got on a plate.
I sigh and take a piece of the meat he's got before he puts the almost empty plate close to Carol
My brother speaks and starts walking away "come on we gotta get things ready"
"Fine by me" I give Carol a gentle smirk and follow Daryl eating quickly what's left in my hand
"Check that one over there" Daryl tells me shaking a gas tank that sounds almost empty. I walk on the bed of the truck to get the one he said and take it.
I don't need to shake it "empty"
"Gonna have to get more gas" he walks away. "Wait here"
I sit on the bed of the truck and look at the gunshots that made holes in the wall next to the truck waiting for him to come back. I see Beth going to the yard where everyone was eating but then Zack comes walking from one side of the truck.
"Hey." He says startling me and making me look behind me "I was just gonna come find you." He tells Beth walking close to her.
He throws his backpack close to me and tells me "mind getting that?"
I frown.
Yes. I mind, Romeo.
I stand up and grab it. I throw it to the back where I see an empty spot.
I jump down the bed of the truck and lean on the side. I only watch them both kissing.
"Hi." She replies "What's up?"
"Well, the council pulled back everyone on the coal crew from going on the run." Zack explains. "They're shorthanded right now. I figured I'd step up to help, go with 'em.."
I keep listening
"Just, you know, wanted to make sure that I saw you before."
Ugh, so sweet Beth's gonna end up having diabetes.
I roll my eyes.
"Okay." I hear Beth saying
"I just... cause, you know, it's dangerous going out there."
Yeah no shit
"I know." She kisses his cheek and starts walking like before.
I smirk.
Burn?
I hear steps and see Daryl coming back with a box in his hands. I wonder what it is. I'll check it later.
"Okay, are you gonna say good-bye?" Zack asks making me look back at them
"Nope." Beth smiles
Ouch... Burn x2
"Damn romance novel" Daryl chuckles walking past me and putting the box on the truck
I laugh
I nod towards the truck and tell Zack "Hey, Romeo. Don't cut your veins yet. We ain't done here"
He nods. He comes closer to help us.
Daryl smirks and shakes his head.
Were driving to the prison gate to go to the Big Spot like Daryl said yesterday. Zach stops the truck and leans on the door frame looking bored. Maybe thoughtful.
"Shes back already?" He mutters making me look at him quickly.
"Hold on. Let me hear what they're saying" I lean on the window frame to know whats up
"How was your search?" I hear Daryl ask Michonne, who was talking to Rick after another morning of looking for the governor talks to my brother now
"I didn't find anything" Michonne replies looking tired. Shes standing next to Rick, Carl, and Flames, her horse.
Michonne's been trying to track the governor after some tracking lessons we gave her a few months back.
Unfortunately she's not good at it. It took me years to learn and even after that I lose the prints sometimes. I'm not as good as Daryl.
My brother nods disappointedly after hearing she failed once more, but then smirks slightly "Well, Glad to see you in one piece"
"I'm thinking of looking over near Macon." Michonne tells him making Rick frown
My brother asks "how you gonna track him?"
Michonne looks at me. Daryl looks back for a brief moment.
Me? To Macon?
"She ain't going to Macon." Daryl says after shaking his head dryly
"It's worth a shot." She argues
"70 miles of walkers. You might run into a few unneighborly types. " He tilts his head and raises an eyebrow calmly "Is it?"
I chew on my lip. He's right
Michonne frowns and looks down in disagreement.
"Anyway," Daryl looks at Rick "I'm gonna go check out the Big Spot. The one I was talking about, just seeing."
Rick nods "Yeah, I got to go out and check the snares. I don't want to lose whatever we catch to the walkers."
"I'll go." Michonne suddenly says
I look up to her.
Where? To the Big Spot? Or with Rick?
"You just got here!" Carl tells her as if he wanted something else from here. Michonne smiles and stops next to the kid holding the horse
"And I'll be back." She replies and walks toward us. He whistles and looks at me. He gestures 'come here' and so I do.
"Guess you got new copilot" I tell Zach and get out of the truck. He nods.
I let the door open for Michonne and walk next to Daryl
Rick and Daryl look at me. My brother says "I'll take you"
I nod "ok"
he moves a bit forward on the seat. I walk and get on the bike behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and nod to Rick.
Rick nods back and after Daryl pats his stomach quickly, he runs to open the gates.
When I get down the bike I look around me. This looks like it was a really secure zone.
I just wonder why there's music playing somewhere "So this is the Big Spot you were talking about"
Daryl nods
"How come I wasn't here when you found it?" I ask curiously
"Last time I made you go on a run with me you told me to stop being your fucking chaperone. I ain't dealing with a hormonal teen" he mumbles "You're old enough to decide where you go and what you do"
I raise an eyebrow. "Touché... Guess I gotta stick to you again"
"Maybe" he mutters looking at the building
"Looks like an army camp" Bob says.
I don't know why they let him come with us. We barely know him.
Daryl and Glenn found him on the road by himself. Again, I wasn't with them.
Daryl does his thing, and I do mine. I spend most of my time inside one of the guard towers or with Rick setting traps for the animals around the prison while he goes on runs and hunts deeper in the woods.
"Army came in and put these fences up. Made it a place for the people to go." My brother explains about the store
"Looks like it didn't work" I see a hole in the fence and touch around it slightly.
"Last week when we spotted this place, there was a bunch of walkers behind this chain-link keeping people out like a bunch of guard dogs." He explains
"So they all just left?" I ask
"Give a listen." Daryl tells me
"You drew 'em out."
"We put a boom box out there three days ago." Sasha tells us. Was she here too?
"Three days playing?" I ask
"Hooked it up to two car batteries." Glenn explains making me realize how much I missed going on runs
"Smart" I whisper
"All right, let's make a sweep. Make sure it's safe." Daryl walks through the space on the fence. We start following him carefully "Grab what you can. We'll come back tomorrow with more people."
"Ok" I whisper.
Theres medical supplies. Broken, dirty, scattered. Completely useless.
Dead people. Dead animals.
Nothing useful out here
I stop walking when I see a hand on the floor. I only stare at it and think..
What would he think of us right now?...
I only stare at it until Daryl pushes me slightly "Come on, don't think about it"
I nod and keep walking quietly
"Just give it a second" Daryl sits on the window frame on one side of the building after knocking on the window with his elbow.
I sigh. Walkers are just so slow...
I stand in front of him with the rifle Rick gave me hanging on my back and my beretta inside my holster since I lost the revolver on a run. I felt so stupid that day...
"Okay, I think I got it."
I look at Zack and frown slightly.
"Got what?" Michonne comes closer.
Yeah, got what?
Zach sits next to my brother and explains while Michonne leans on the wall "I've been trying to guess what Daryl did before the turn."
I look at Daryl and smirk. "Has he?"
He shrugs "He's been trying to guess for like, six weeks."
Zach takes a deep breath "Yeah, I'm pacing myself. One shot a day."
"All right then," I say "shoot."
Daryl smirks
Zach looks at him for a moment and then says "Well, the way you are at the prison, you being on the council, you're able to track, you're helping people, but you're still being kind of surly."
Surly. Sure
"Big swing here." He points out
"Oh yes, of course" I mutter
"Homicide cop."
I raise my eyebrows and listen to Michonne cracking out laughing
"What's so funny?" Daryl looks at her seeming amused by it
"Nothing. It makes perfect sense." She replies
"Actually, the man's right." My brother tells them and look at me "Undercover."
"Come on, really?" Zach asks surprised
"Yeah" I nod "you got it"
"Even she got to see some corpses."Daryl nods to me "I don't like to talk about it 'cause it was a lot of heavy shit, you know?"
"Dude, come on, really?"
My brother looks at him as if saying 'Do I look like the kind of man working for the cops?'
This time it is me that laughs. I think I'm the only one that knows what Daryl really was.
Daryl was not a cop!, he just made sure consumers paid for the blue. He was sometimes a dealer when Merle was in jail. He would watch me if Merle wasn't home, but that's pretty much it.
Cops were avoided if possible.
"Okay. I'll just keep guessing, I guess." Zach says
"Yeah, you keep doing that." My brother clears his throat
"Mm-hmm."
I see the a walker coming closer to the window
"Heads up" I tell them and the walker hits the glass
Daryl stands up, he puts an arrow on the crossbow while Michonne asks "We're gonna do this, Detective?"
He nods and clears his throat "Let's do it"I pull my beretta out.
I walk around the store looking for something. Anything may catch my attention.
getting rid of the walkers in here was easy
I grab some stuff for Daryl and some for Rick.
I walk through the Toys area. Maybe I can get something for Judith.
I see dolls and action figures. Some plastic tools for the boys.
Nah, that is not for an eight month old little girl. I keep looking.
I see some stuffed animals and smirk. That's gonna do the trick.
I walk over to those. They're adorable.
I take one by one to check them. I want to give her the cutest and softest one.
Finally I make a decision.
I take a giraffe thats about the size of my forearm and so fluffy I would've died to have it when I was little.
I put the smiley giraffe inside my backpack and keep going.
I see Glenn looking at an advertisement and when I see he's gone I get closer to see what it is.
Its about babies.
Makes me wonder why he stared at it for so long. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the Ass-Kicker.
I look in his direction once more. Maybe...
Maggie...?
"Found anything interesting?" I get startled by Daryl's voice and turn my head do where he is.
"Don't do that!" I whisper to him "And no. This place is full of furniture and electronics."
I got him cigarettes but I'll give them to him once we're back
I wish I could smoke... But, I'm afraid something could happen to me once more
I just abstain from smoking
He's about to say something, but a scream and the sound of a lot of bottles breaking catch our attention. We don't hesitate to run towards the center of the store where we find Tyreese trying to lift a shelf and the smell of wine filling the place.
What would he be doing there? Trying to get fucking drunk in the middle of the apocalypse and drag the rest of us down with him?
"You all right? You cut or something?" We hear Tyreese asking making me realize it was not him who broke the thing. I hear Bob under the shelf
"No, man, but my foot is caught."
Daryl walks closer to Tyreese. I stay where I am to give them space to do their work.
"He's just caught." The black guy says
"What happened?" My brother asks getting his flashlight out and kneeling to see the man's foot better
Bob considers a joke but stops himself when he sees Daryl's serious face "I was moving fast, man. I drove right into the drinks."
"Man, you lucked out." Daryl says getting up to lift the shelf with Tyreese "If this thing had come down on you the wrong way..."
He'd be dead
They start lifting the shelf. Some other group members join us.
They're about to free Bob when we hear a crushing sound on top of us and lookup to the ceiling to see a walker falling right through but his guts get stuck somehow and he ends up hanging as if it was a piñata.
After a fucking jump-scare and everyone surprised by the undead, I dont know if I should laugh at it or be running out terrified by the fact that it started raining walkers inside of the store
"We should probably go now." I tell my brother
"Bob's still stuck." Zack says
"Get him out of there. We'll get the others." Daryl tells Glenn and Tyreese and runs
I run to help him with whatever the fuck he's doing.
Later that night...
I sit on my bed looking at nothing in particular. My cell is almost dark because we don't use the generators to power the cells. We use oil lamps at night or flash lights, which I really prefer.
"Daryl!" I scream when I see all the walkers surrounding him and the old helicopter breaking whats left to hold it slowly. Daryl looks up to it and widens his eyes. He looks at me before getting back to shoot the walkers around him faster than before. I am afraid. The thing will collapse and kill him. I try to kill all the walkers around him as well and protect myself at the same time.
The helicopter moves a bit more
"Daryl, go!" I hear Glenn's voice screaming
I blink absently and the memory keeps playing in my mind
Bob is free. Daryl and Zack just got him out. The store starts shaking.
"Come on, time to go." Tyreese screams. We start running.
Someone screams.
Zack. A walker pulled him down and is not ripping the flesh off his neck. He cries for help we we can't do nothing about it
I stare in horror
"Let's go, now!" Glenn's voice comes once more
"Come on!" Daryl screams "Go!"
He tells the others and grabs my arm tightly
I look at him confused
"Go, go!" He runs pulling me with him and I look up. The helicopter is coming right down on us "Come on! Move!" My brother yells
"Hey."
I blink and look in the direction of the voice. Daryl walks inside my cell and leans on the wall while I follow him with my eyes "did you tell her?"
He said he was going to tell Beth about Zack. He nods.
"How is she?" I ask without moving from my bed
he shrugs "she'll be fine"
I nod and awkward silence fills the cell
I just realized I'm afraid something happens to him while I'm here and he risks his ass out there. "Thank you... For taking me with you"
Daryl nods
I look down before passing a finger through the wristband on my arm carefully. He looks at it and thinks for a moment
We stay quiet before he asks "You good?"
I smirk and stare at him in disbelief
I have a slight headache, but It'll go away once I sleep "When was the last time you asked me that?"
Daryl shrugs
"I'm good." tell him. "just kinda tired. You?"
He nods and chews on his lower lip "fine"
I nod too Its cool to have a conversation with him after months of not even getting close to him
"So, we good now?"
He nods once more "we good."
I smirk. That makes me feel better. He even says "I'll be hunting tomorrow. In case you wanna come"
I chuckle "just like the old times, huh"
"Im just letting you know"
"I'll be there"
I make him look back at me by saying "by the way, I got you this today"
I take my backpack
He waits patiently for me to pull out Jude's giraffe, which I'll give to her in the morning, Rick's batteries, and then the cigarettes.
"Thanks" he tells me and takes them when I hand them to him
"Don't smoke 'em all in one night, ok?" After all, those are cancer sticks...
He smirks "what about the plushy?"
"Ass Kicker" I smile and get up from my bed taking the toy and the batteries "Wanna come?"
He shakes his head and moves closer to the entrance of my cell "nah, go ahead. I'll go crash now"
"G'night then" I say
"Night"
I'm glad things are getting better with him.
I walk out and down the stairs. I find Rick rocking Judith and approach him
I love spending time with them
