Sorry for the delay - had a lot of unplanned stuff going on in my life over the past couple of weeks, buts it's finally here thank God. Enjoy! xx


Rotten Bait

Chapter 4

"These. ones won't kill you, but you'll wish you didn't eat 'em" Daryl says, showing the berries on a small bush. He's crouched down, crossbow flung over his shoulder.
"How'd you know that ?" I question. He gives me a long stare.
"Does it matter?" He rebuts.
"No, no" I say quickly trying to brush it off.
"These ones are good, well they don't taste nice, but it won't kill you." He continues taking a berry from a small shrub and hands it to me. "Eat it" he demands. I'm cautious, he shakes his hand, urging me to hurry up. The taste, once I bursted the berry in between my teeth, was sour and rapidly inflamed my whole mouth. It sent a shiver through my body. My mouth wants to turn inside out from the bitter flavour of the berry.
"Ehhhh, that was bad, really bad" I say with my mouth on fire. Daryl freezes at the sound of something rustling the bush near us.
"Little brother, there you are." Merle emerges from the bushes.
"Still tired or do you want some more sleep, bro?" Daryl questions sarcastically.
"Mmm, that was some heavy shit, you carried there, missy" Merle says with a grin on his face.
"They were the walker's meds" I inform. He nods his head in my direction. There is a moment of silence, Daryl and Merle make intense eye contact. It feels as if there is an elephant in the room that I can't see.
"Now" Merle says then pauses like he has to construct the next sentence in his head, "Daryl and I are wondering... where's the gun?" He walks near me not making eye contact.
"Excuse me?" I ask having no idea what he means. Even if I had a gun I would not know how to use it well.
"The walker's gun, we know you have it." Merle accuses, watching my every move, "How can she shoot herself and there be no gun lay'in round."
His voice is becoming more intimidating and he moves really close to me, but I hold my ground.
"There really was no gun. The only thing close to a gun I found on her was this." I pull the bullet I found on the walker out of my chest pocket. Daryl snatches it from me.
"This was on the walker?" Daryl enquires, analysing the bullet.
"Yeah, in her pocket," I reply.
"She was shot by a small gun, this is for a shotgun," Daryl says. He pauses for a second, "she might not have shot her self," Daryl says looking at Merle.
"That would explain why she shot 'er self in the heart," Merle says.
"She was killed. The killer must have taken her stuff, it could have been that group east of 'ere," Daryl says, putting the bullet in his pants pocket.
"What group?" Merle asks, his face looks quite alarmed.
"Group of about twenty, there's kids too. They have a lot of guns and ammo." Daryl answers, he's looking at the ground, while he kicks some dirt around.
"You think we could get some of their stuff?" Merle says with a grin.
"You really think you two can take on a group of twenty?" I ask. Merle must still be under the influence of the pills he took yesterday if he thinks him and Daryl can steal weapons from a group that size.
"She's right, it's risky. We can't do it." Daryl backs me up. I look at Daryl, his crossbow is in his hands now, he has a bead of sweat building on his forehead. It's approaching midday, so it is getting hot now, and it's building the tension, we need to find food and water.
"Why can't we just join them?" I ask, it would be a good idea.
"We could work as part of their community and earn our rights," I follow up. I want this to happen, with a big group I could have friends again.
"Well missy, that is the best idea you have come up with!" Merle says excitedly. I can't believe what's coming out of his mouth, words that I actually agree on!
"We gain their trust then sneak away one night, taking their stuff with us." Merle finishes. I knew it was too good to be true. I shake my head, but Merle ignores. Daryl says nothing, I thought he would disagree with Merle.
"These people could be dangerous to approach." Daryl finally says, "we can't just walk up and magically become friends." Daryl gestured that we start walking back to the ledge. We all follow.
"How's about we send missy over there. She'll put on her puppy dog eyes and ask to join. Then missy will tell them about her 'uncles' that need to join," Merle plots, proud of his idea. Daryl's facial expression seems disapproving.
"What if they reject her? They all ready killed a girl." Daryl says glaring at Merle.
"Like I said, she is your responsibility, little brother" Merle says smugly, "just make 'er do it."

•••

Huddled behind the fallen tree Daryl and I look at the new group. They have a camper van which looks like it's the look-out station, there's a beach chair and a shading umbrella perched on top, although at this time nobody is sitting in the chair. There are a few tents dotted around the camper van, only small tents, nothing extravagant. We also see a nice looking social area with a fire pit, the fire pit is pretty big and has two very comfortable looking yet ratty lounge chairs around it. There is one man sitting at the pit, he's setting tinder up, I think he's trying starting the fire for tonight's warmth supply as it is getting late now, the sun is about to fall below in the distance.
"There are not as many people here this time" Daryl says, his rubbing his eye, I think his tired from staying up all last night.
"Well I can only see the guy lighting a fire" I conjure up. I look back into the wood I can sense something bad, I don't feel safe, yet I can't pinpoint why. The tinder guy finally gets his fire alight.
" 'bout fucking time! " I hear him say.
"Gretel" Daryl says while punching my arm lightly, "get your toy sword out"
"Why?" I say as I turn around, I thought we were going to ask them not fight them. Then I see it. A herd.
"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!" I say quietly but quickly. I can feel my heart protruding into my chest. The herd seems to be walking past us. Daryl looks at me and puts a finger to his lips signalling me to shut up.
"Yo Dale! Where the juicy fish at!" A voice yells from the camp. The walkers pause then all simultaneously turn towards us. My heart drops into my stomach. I look to Daryl, I need his guidance, I don't know what to do in a situation like this.
"Run to the others tell 'em what's happened, I will try an knock a few out here and meet you there" Daryl says. I do what he orders, I trust his knowledge. As I run towards the new group I hear Daryl crunch a skull in with his cross bow. The tinder man sees me run towards him. He archers up, his dark skin shinny from sweat. His hand behind his back suspiciously, probably a knife or a gun back there.
"There is a herd of walkers approaching you camp!" I say, pointing over to where Daryl is you can hardly see him through the trees, "Daryl is trying to knock them out but is won't be long before they get here." The tinder man looks at me unconvinced. He pulls his knife from behind his back. Im nervous, what if they don't cooperate, Daryl and I could be eaten alive while they watch.
"Oh for gods sake T-Dog. Help the man and his girl!" An old man yells from in front of the camper. I sigh of relief washes over me till I realise we still have a herd of walkers to attend to. Daryl runs towards us, he has blood on his hands, shirt and forehead.
"I killed few of 'em, grab your weapons it's going to be a tough one" he says looking at T-Dogs weapon then back to his face. I can hear the walkers coming, there grunts and gasps are the sound of my nightmares. I feel so terrified that vomit has lined it's self us in my oesophagus. 'Come on Gretel, you can fight' I prep-talk myself.
"Dale, grab the women and children. Get them out of here." T-Dog demands. The walkers are here. The fight commences with the darting sound of a cross bow click.
I swing my sword at two walkers knees, tipping the both. I stab one of them in the eye while the other scrambles to get up. I twist my replica sword in the eye socket of the old walker man, ensuring true death an as I turn to the other T-Dog pounds it with boot, it's brains squelch out like strawberry through a mesh severe.
"Gretel! Behind you" Daryl yells, he's punching a walker with side of his cross bow repeatedly. I turn around, a walker too close for comfort. My adrenalin give me the extra strength I need push it away, I let out a yell ineffectively help my cause. I didn't push it away far enough it's back in my personal bubble. I push all my strength against it's forehead, trying to direct it's mouth away from my living skin. When then my worst fear becomes reality, I feel another cold hand on my neck.
"Daryl!" I yell for my life, "help me Daryl!" It feels at if a million years have past before I seen Daryl shoot one of his life saving arrows at the first walkers head. I pull the arrow out of it head then rapidly stab the second walker in the mouth. It loudly growls at me as the life is leaving it's body. I notice Daryl is stabbing walkers now, his out of arrows. I pull two arrows from a pile of dead walkers and add it to the one that saved my life.
"Daryl, take these" I say as I hand him the arrows. There are not as many walkers now we have killed at least two thirds of them now. I pick up my sword and start to kill walkers again, I'm getting the hang of it now, you must penetrate the brain. As T-Dog kills the last walker over this side of camp I hear shriek come from the other side of camp. Daryl, who is closest to the source is first to react. I we reach the other side of camp the is a lady holding her son crying. Daryl has already shot two walkers square in the head. There is a deadly silence in the air. My nose fills with a rotten fleshy smell. There is an eery pause, I think people are trying to gather their thoughts.
"Is anybody bit?" T-Dog says, panting. There are a number of murmured no's. Then silence. T-Dog smile "then we okay!" The feeling of relief is contagious. Everybody seems to slump back into a casual stature .
"Now I think we owe a thank you to this pair, things might have not turned out this way if it was not for them," the old man says hold a hand out for Daryl to shake. He doesn't shake, Daryl looks at it and introduces him self with out even making eye contact with the old man. The old man replies with "Dale" then turns to me. I announce,
"It's Gretel."


There we go! I can tell you next chapter (because I have already started to write it) starts to dive into building stronger connections between Daryl and Gretel, so stay turned!