He had heard stories about things like that happening. Fathers having to shoot their own kids after they had been bit, wives killing their husbands. He thought about his family members, Daryl and his mama. He knew he wouldn't have been able to kill them even if they had been bit. As he sat watching Ari cook the fish, he found it hard to imagine her killing anyone. She seemed like such a sweet, innocent girl but Merle could tell she was strong and had been through a lot. She knew how to take care of herself and Merle admired that.
"We were all huddled inside one night about a week after the disease broke out. People were just starting to pack up and head for the city because they didn't have electricity anymore. We were fine here with the river and everything so Daddy told Jess and I that we were staying. Jess was my sister. Daddy forbade us to leave the house and he boarded everything up. We were only allowed to turn the lights on in the kitchen after we shut all doors. That night, we were sitting in the kitchen playing cards, just trying to pass the time, when we heard a knock on the door. I started to get up to see who it was but Daddy stopped me. The knocking continued and soon we heard a little voice weeping and calling for help. After Daddy figured out it was a child, he got up right away and let him in. His name was Eli and he was just eight years old. He had been separated from his family and hadn't eaten for days. We fed him and gave him a bed to sleep in for the night. Before I went to sleep, I checked our food supply and noticed we were running very low.
The next morning was Jess's birthday. I really didn't know what to get her since Daddy forbade us from leaving the house. I decided I would wake up at sunrise and go fishing so I could make Jess a fresh fish birthday dinner. I knew Daddy would be mad, but it was the least I could do for Jess. I took my fishing pole and one of Daddy's shotguns with me for protection. Daddy taught me to shoot when I was really little. He loved to take Jess and I hunting. It was really peaceful down by the lake and there weren't any walkers around. I caught three fish and went home. When I got back I saw Eli on the kitchen floor with a knife through his forehead. He had turned into a walker. Daddy was in Jess's bedroom holding a towel to her neck. That's when I knew she'd been bit. It didn't take me long to realize Daddy had been bit too, on the arm. Jess died five minutes later with Daddy and I crying over her. Daddy's bite wasn't as bad as Jess's but we knew what was coming.
Daddy told me to shoot him then and there but I couldn't do it. I wanted every last minute I could get with him. After a couple hours he got a really bad fever and I could tell he was in a lot of pain. I sat by him the whole time trying to keep him cool. He died a couple hours later. That night, I sat in the chair across from where Daddy and Jess had died, with my shotgun just staring at them. I didn't cry or anything. I was in too much shock.
Jess changed first. She sat up and started coming for me right away. I waited until her head was at the end of my barrel before I shot, same thing with Daddy. It never even crossed my mind to check if Eli had been bit and he was smart enough not to tell us. Ever since then I have been living here by myself. People come by every once in a while looking for help but they've all been bit. I don't have any other choice but to shoot them."
By the time Ari finished her story, the food was ready. She served Merle and sat down to eat. This fish was delicious. Merle scarfed it down. He didn't really know what to say to Ari. She had let him into her home after all that had happened to her and made him dinner. He wasn't very good at comforting people so he didn't really say much about her dad and Jess. He decided to change the topic.
"So do you just plan on staying here forever like this?"
"That was the plan at first, but I don't know how much longer I can stand it, not knowing what's going on out there, ya know? Plus, my mom and brother live in Columbia. I was gonna try and make my way up there. I just haven't gotten up the nerve to go alone. If Jess was here, it would be a lot easier."
"What makes you think your family is still alive?"
"I don't know but I don't really have any other hope. Plus, I know my brother. He wouldn't go down easy."
"Ya know, I don't really got anywhere to go and no one to find. I guess I could help you get to Columbia if you were afraid to go alone. It always helps to have someone watching your back and I am pretty handy."
Ari couldn't help but chuckle. It took Merle a moment to realize that handy probably wasn't the best word to use.
"I'm sorry, it's probably still a bitter subject. I didn't mean to laugh."
"Nah, you're alright. What do ya say?"
"I say let's leave in the morning."
The next morning Merle awoke to Ari shaking his shoulder at sunrise. He could tell she couldn't wait to get the heck out of dodge.