I was hoping to get this out on Sunday but I got sick. My goal is to get another one out by this weekend. Enjoy and as always any feedback is welcome! One request that I've gotten is to make the chapters longer. Most of the chapters I've been posting have already been written (I'm currently working on Chapter 19); I'm going to work on making chapters that I haven't written yet longer (:
Meredith shifted uncomfortably. After her disagreement with Daryl neither had spoken to the other. He'd been allowed to move out to his tent after the first night while she'd been stuck inside the house for nearly two days.
Her foot was propped up against the table while she sat in the living room. Hershel would only let her move around the house; she'd tried sneaking outside but hadn't gotten very far before the farmer forced her back inside.
She put the book she was failing to read down. Her mind kept wandering to Sophia. Glenn was keeping her updated and so far nothing had changed. The optimism was starting to dwindle in the group. Meredith knew it was only a matter of time before everyone gave up.
"Are you trying to buy my silence with fruit?" She turned at the sound of Glenn's voice. He didn't sound happy to be talking to whoever was in the kitchen with him.
Groaning Meredith hobbled to her feet. Her knee was healing just fine but her ankle still felt like it'd been snapped in half. Using the wall as her guide she limped to the kitchen doorway. Glenn was turned slightly away from her talking to Maggie. Neither of them had noticed her yet.
"Will you please tell me why your dad has a secret barn full of walkers?"
"What?!" The two turned startled at her outburst. She limped into the kitchen giving Maggie a hard look. "Your father has what in th' barn?"
"Meredith you can't tell anyone."
Shaking her head she stepped forward. Her ankle twisted wrong and she stumbled against the wall. Glenn rushed over to steady her; he kept his arm around her. Grimacing she kept her foot raised slightly.
"Ah'm trying to wrap mah head around what Ah just heard. Glenn, how long have you known?"
"I found out last night." Meredith looked up at Maggie's pleading eyes. There had to be a reason Hershel was hiding a barn full of walkers. Rick and the others needed to know; they needed to decide if they were going to stay there.
"Ah'm needin' some air."
After grabbing the basket of fruit from Maggie Glenn helped guide her outside. They sat on the edge of the stairs staring out onto the farm. Meredith had yet to say anything; she was still trying to process what was going on. Why on earth would Hershel have a barn full of walkers?
"Glenn what's going on?"
"They think the walkers are just sick. What am I going to do?" Meredith was just as confused as he was. It was obvious they needed to tell someone but it was Hershel's farm. The others wouldn't act as calmly as they had. She could already imagine Shane's face turning red from anger. Andrea would want to put her input in as well.
"Ah don't know Glenn."
He dropped his head into his hands and groaned. "Why does everyone put their secrets on me? First Lori and now Maggie."
"What did Lori tell you?" She watched his face change quickly to shock. It was clear that he hadn't meant to say anything. Turning to face her he gave her a pleading look.
"Pretend you didn't hear that. I can't say anything, I promised."
Meredith laughed softly at the look on Glenn's face. The poor guy had the whole world pretty much thrust on him in a matter of one day. "Ah'll make a deal with you. Don't tell Hershel where Ah went and Ah'll pretend not t' know anything."
"Where are you going?"
"Just for a walk. Ah'll be back."
Her ankle was still tender but there was no way she was going to go back in the house. It had been days since she got to be outside; a little stroll through the field wouldn't hurt anyone. As long as she didn't put too much weight on her foot she'd be able to handle walking on it.
The cool wind brushed against her face softly. It was starting to get cooler; the seasons would be changing soon. Meredith wondered how cold it could get in Georgia. Her first winter had been mild but would it be the same this time?
She had to take slow deliberate steps when walking. Her foot only let her go so far. It took her nearly twenty minutes to make it toward the tree line. She didn't have any intentions of entering the forest but it was peaceful out that way.
"Ya shouldn't be walking on that." Turning her head Meredith looked behind her. Daryl was walking up to her with his cross bow slung across his back. Shrugging she continued to limp forward; there was no use trying to walk away from him, her ankle wouldn't allow it.
"Why do ya care anyhow?" Her imitation of his accent came out poorly due to her own. Daryl rolled his eyes; the annoyance was clear on his face. She'd been right when she made the assumption that he wasn't big on being teased.
"What ya gonna do if a walker comes at ya?"
Meredith shrugged again. Reaching down she patted her hip where the knife he gave her was still sitting. "Ah can take it down."
"Not with that foot ya ain't."
"Ah did afore." He was really starting to annoy her. He made it clear the other day he didn't want to have any friends. As far as she was concerned that included being concerned about someone's wellbeing. She tried walking faster to get away from him but her ankle gave a painful jolt.
Flinching she stumbled forward. Daryl's hand shot out closing around her arm. He pulled her up abruptly stopping her from falling. Turning to look up at him she found he was giving her a narrowed glare.
"Told ya yer not supposed to walk on it." His hand tightened around her arm. It was starting to become painful; she wouldn't be surprised if a bruise was there by morning. "Yer being reckless. Only gonna hurt yerself more."
Meredith tilted her head in confusion. The way he flopped between being nice and being rude was making her head spin. Two days ago he was telling her he didn't want any friends. Now he was acting concerned like he cared what happened to her.
"If Ah didn't know any better Ah'd say you were acting lik' a friend."
Daryl dropped his hand from hers quickly. Wiping any emotions from his face he stared back at her. Meredith shifted uncomfortably under his gaze; it was almost like every time she opened her mouth she would say something to piss him off. She wasn't going to censor herself just because he got a little defensive.
When he didn't say anything she started walking away from him. She'd barely taken one step when suddenly she was lifted into the air. Daryl hoisted her over his shoulder and headed back up toward the house. Meredith tried kicking her legs to force him to put her down but he only tightened his grip.
"Yer gonna hurt yer ankle if ya don't knock that off."
"Daryl put me down!"
She started banging her fists on his back when he ignored her demand. It didn't seem to affect him at all. No matter how hard she hit him. Daryl hissed loudly when her hand came in contact with his stitches. She froze when she realized what she'd done. Part of her worried that he was going to throw her on the ground or worse drop her on her ankle. Instead Daryl continued to carry her toward the house. He stomped loudly up the porch stairs.
Hershel had been talking to Maggie when they approached. He turned to give them a curious look as Daryl passed. The farmer followed him in as he tossed Meredith on to the couch in the living room. She was looking up at him afraid he was going to yell at her for hitting his stitches. Not bothering to acknowledge her he turned to look at Hershel.
"Ya need to keep a better eye on her. She's gonna git herself hurt if she ain't careful."
"Ah'm right 'ere. You can talk directly t' me." Daryl glanced at her with an agitated glare before walking back out of the house.
Meredith huffed annoyed that she'd been dragged back into the house like a child. Kneeling in front of her Hershel started to examine her ankle. "He's right. You can't strain your foot too hard. You won't be any help if you do that."
Sighing in defeat she tilted her head to look at the ceiling. Hershel and Daryl had teamed up against her; she wouldn't be getting out of the house again anytime soon. After he'd finished tightening her bandage Hershel left Meredith alone with Maggie. It was then she remembered the little secret that had been revealed this morning in the kitchen.
"Are you going t' tell me why your father has walkers in the barn?"
Maggie fidgeted with her hands nervously. "My step-mother and step-brother are in there. We're waiting for a cure."
"There is no cure. We were at th' CDC; walkers aren't who they used t' be Maggie. They're not the people we loved."
"But my dad…"
Leaning closer to her Meredith put her hand on Maggie's arm. She understood where the young girl was coming from but they had to think about the safety of the group. It wasn't safe to keep the walkers in the barn; if Carl went in there not knowing what was inside, Meredith couldn't stand to think of what would happen.
"Ah understand what you're saying. Ah really do but you have t' think about the group. The walkers are dead; they're no' coming back."
Maggie was silent for a long time. She sat with her hands folded in her lap staring into the fireplace. There was a troubled look on her face. It looked like she was conflicted on what to believe. After a few minutes she turned to look at Meredith.
"I get what you're saying. I really do but my dad is so sure of this. I have to go; I'm going on a run with Glenn."
"It's not right to expect 'im to keep this secret." Maggie didn't respond to her statement. She just nodded before walking out the front door.
Meredith had a bad feeling about the barn and what was inside. She knew it was only a matter of time before the others found out. If Glenn wasn't going to tell then she was going to have to. Regardless of what Hershel and his family believed, she had to think about the safety of the group. The people inside the barn weren't people anymore. It was going to get someone killed one day.
