Chapter 28
Daryl and Rick carried some squirrels and a few rabbits back the house. Daryl laid them on a wooden table just behind the house and walked inside to where Carol was sitting in the living room. She leaned with her back against a wall and Caleb was curled up beside him as she softly read the book to him.
"Suckered ya into readin' that thing to him again? Boy you can read….why do ya keep doing that?" Daryl asked as he gently kicked the bottom of Caleb's foot.
"I just like it…." Caleb remarked as he smirked at Daryl.
"Got us some squirrel….and some rabbit….wanna help me skin 'em up for dinner?" Daryl asked.
Caleb made a face and shook his head. Carol looked up at Daryl apologetically and could see the exasperation on his face. "I think Daryl would like to show you how…..might be good for you to learn." Carol turned her attention to Caleb.
Caleb just shook his head no and Daryl walked away without saying another word. Carl followed after him.
"Hey Daryl….you can teach me…." Carl stated.
Daryl looked back down the hallway towards the living room then looked back at Carl. "Alright….come on then…."
.
"I think it hurt Daryl's feelings a little that you didn't want to help him." Carol told Caleb. "You want to tell me why?"
"I'm tired of dead things….I want things to be like they were before…." Caleb told her.
"I know baby….we all do but that may not happen and we have to be able to live in this world the way it is….find food and take care of each other." Carol told him.
"Is Daryl mad at me?" Caleb asked innocently.
Carol smiled and shook her head. She brushed his hair away from his face and cupped his cheek in her hands. "No….of course not….he just wants to teach you how to be strong….like he is."
Caleb stood up and quietly walked towards the back door. He looked back once at Carol as she nodded her head and waved him forward. She waited until he was out of sight before she got up and quietly followed behind him.
Daryl had finished showing Carl how to do the first squirrel and Carl had started on one by himself when he looked up and saw Caleb leaning against the door frame staring at him. Daryl nodded for him to come over and slowly he walked over, attaching himself to Daryl's pant leg.
"Hey Caleb….you wanna help me?" Carl asked as Caleb nodded his head.
"Well go on….can't hold on to me while ya do it….go on…." Daryl gently pushed him away towards Carl. Caleb just stared at Carl wide eyed and remained silent but listened intensely as Carl explained what he was doing.
Daryl glanced up and saw Carol standing in the doorway smiling as she gave him a small wave. Daryl looked back at the boys and couldn't help but think about Merle. Merle had shown him how to skin his first squirrel, in fact the more he thought of it, Merle had taught him most of his survival skills. Daryl took a deep breath as he reached for the knife in his boot and began working on another squirrel.
.
Almost the whole town was gathered in what Merle referred to as the "mess hall". Naomi looked around at all the faces staring back at her suddenly feeling very self conscious.
"What's this all about?" She whispered to Merle.
"Governor wanted to give ya a proper welcome…." Merle told her as he smirked then stepped away as the Governor and Milton approached.
The Governor smiled and put his arm around her as he turned to address everyone.
"PLEASE….IF I COULD HAVE YOUR ATTENTION….THIS IS NAOMI, MY SISTER IN LAW….SISTER TO MY LATE WIFE…BY SOME MIRACLE SHE'S BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO ME, TO US ….SO PLEASE…LET'S WELCOME HER IN TO OUR WOODBURY FAMILY!"
Everyone began clapping and one by one each person came up and spoke to her. Naomi tried her best to put on a smile but she would've given anything to be anywhere but there at that moment. Finally things settled down and she was able to sit down with the Governor and eat dinner. She remained quiet through most of the meal.
"So Naomi….I'd be honored if you'd do me the pleasure and accompany me to my laboratory sometime….I'm doing a great deal of research on biters that I think you will find interesting…" Milton told her.
Merle laughed a little to himself then mumbled. "I bet ya want her to do ya…."
"I'm sorry what?" Naomi innocently asked Merle.
Milton's cheeks flushed dreading what would come out of Merle's mouth next.
"Nothin'…..just got a little somethin' caught in my throat is all…" Merle said as he cleared his throat a few times then glared at Milton.
"Thank you Milton….that's very kind of you." Naomi told him as she rested her hands in her lap and sat back in the chair.
Milton puffed out his chest and smiled, pleased in her response.
"Phil…I mean Governor…." Naomi felt strange addressing him by a title but didn't want to cause any issues so she did as she was asked. "I'd like to be excused for the evening….I'm still very tired and would just like some time to myself."
"Of course….please…get some rest and I will see you in the morning." The Governor told her.
Milton started to stand at his place at the table but Merle beat him to his feet. "I'll escort her back Gov….make sure she gets settled in alright…" Merle stated as he smirked at Milton.
The Governor eyed Merle and Milton for a moment then shook his head. "Alright…..but I need your help in a bit for planning tomorrow's run…"
"…Course…" Merle stated as he gently rested his hand against the small of Naomi's back and guided her towards the exit.
Once outside, Naomi took a deep breath of the evening air as dusk approached and closed her eyes as she stood in the middle of the road for a moment. Merle stopped with her and just watched her.
"What are ya doin'?" He asked.
"Just taking it all in….this place is amazing…." Her voice started to trail off and her eyes filled with tears. She rested her hand against her cheek for a moment. "I'm sorry….I'm just feeling overwhelmed…."
"Tell me…." Merle stated as they began walking again.
Naomi looked at Merle out of the corner of her eye a moment. She didn't feel like pouring her heart out to a stranger but she didn't feel as if she could talk to the only person in Woodbury she did know. "Why are you being so nice to me? You don't strike me as the "nice" type…certainly not when I first met you…"
"Now come on…..what is it that they say? Ya shouldn't judge a book by it's cover…." Merle stated. "Ya scared of this? I see how ya look at…."
"I'm sorry….I didn't mean to stare…" Naomi told him.
Merle slipped his wrist guard down just enough to pull his arm out and showed her his mangled wrist. "It ain't pretty….suddenly this contraption, or little Merle as I like to call it…ain't so bad huh?"
Naomi tried not to but she couldn't help but laugh a little. "You named it?"
"What?...Why not?" Merle laughed.
Naomi's eyes widened as she suddenly noticed a walker stumbling out from the alley near them. It hissed and growled as it lunged towards them. Merle instinctively pushed Naomi behind him as he grabbed at the blade on his wrist guard.
"Get back ya piece of shit!" Merle barked at the walker as he kicked it hard in the stomach, knocking it backwards and Naomi started to panic as she saw it fall into another walker, followed by yet another as they began to pour out of the alley.
Merle fumbled with the wrist guard, still trying to keep distance between himself and the walkers as he locked the blade into position and instantly began stabbing each walker as they approached him, barely giving him enough time to retract the blade for the next.
"BREAK IN THE WALL!" Merle yelled as Naomi frantically looked around for someone else or some way to help him. "GET INSIDE!" He yelled at her and Naomi turned started to run towards the mess hall but saw a shovel leaning up against one of the buildings not far from Merle.
She rushed over and grabbed it as a walker charged after her. She swung the shovel as hard as she could at its head knocking it to the ground. It started to rise up again and Naomi beat it again and again until it stopped moving. She looked up at Merle out of breath as the swarm began closing in on him. Steadily he fought each of them but he was losing ground. Naomi took as deep of a breath as she could and ran towards him, shovel in hand and began swinging it at the walkers.
A few men ran up beside them and began shooting the walkers in the head, one by one until they all laid spraulled out on the ground.
Merle looked around until his eyes locked on Naomi and he rushed over to her. She was out of breath and could hardly speak.
"You…." Was all she was able to say as she rested her hand against her chest and dropped the shovel.
"Ya hurt? Are ya bit?" Merle asked as he ran his hand against her, looking for injuries. Not finding any he looked into her eyes and noticed her face quickly become pale. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she started to collapse like a ragdoll.
"Woah….come on….I got ya…." Merle said as he caught her and quickly picked her up into his arms.
The Governor and a bunch of other people ran out from the mess hall. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?" He said angrily as he approached Merle and the other men standing around the bodies. "Oh my God….please tell me…."
"She's fine…just fainted…help me get her to her room…." Merle told him as he adjusted his grip on her, careful not to cut her with the knife attached to his wrist guard.
"CLEAN THIS MESS UP AND QUICKLY….FIND OUT HOW THEY GOT IN AND FIX IT…..THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!" The Governor snapped at everyone standing around as they stared.
Merle carried her back to the rooming house with the Governor following closely next to him trying to speak to Naomi the entire way. He walked up the stairs with her and entered her room, gently laying her against the bed.
"Get Dr. Stevens! Now!" The Governor ordered.
Merle obeyed, leaving to find the doctor.
The Governor sat on the bed next to her, gently brushing her hair away from her face. "Come on Naomi...open your eyes...open your eyes..."
A few minutes passed before Dr. Stevens entered the room with her medical bag. "You sure she isn't bit?" The doctor asked.
"Yes, I'm sure...what's wrong with her?" The Governor asked looking concerned.
Merle stood in the doorway with his arms crossed, leaning against the frame, observing everything.
Abruptly Naomi sat up. "CALEB!" She looked around for a moment, confused as to where she was but the Governor gently grabbed her arms.
"You're alright, you're safe here..." He stated.
Naomi brushed her hair away from her face and soon remembered what had happened. "Oh my God...Merle!"
"Right here...if ya think a few biters are gonna get the best of me, ya got a lot to learn here!" Merle smirked as he walked to the foot of the bed.
Dr. Stevens poked and prodded at her for a few minutes then began packing up her things.
"Well?" The Governor asked.
Dr. Stevens patted Naomi on the hand. "You're fine dear...been on your own out there for weeks correct? Not much food or water?"
Naomi nodded her head.
"She's just weak...hunger and dehydration is not something you recover from just because you eat a nice meal with plenty to drink. Combine that with over exerting herself fighting against the biters...she's just exhausted...just take it easy for a few days then start easing into things...don't get involved in everything all at once." Dr. Stevens excused herself and left the room.
"Well you heard the doctor...I'm sorry...tonight was too much for you, I just wanted you to feel welcome...but from here on out, you are to rest...tomorrow you stay here in bed...I'll have someone bring you your meals...only rest for you." The Governor picked up her hand, gently kissing it. "I'll bring you a walkie talkie so you can have a direct line to me at all times. I'm going on a supply run tomorrow but I'll check on you as soon as I get back but if there's anything you need don't hesitate..."
The Governor walked to the door, gripping the doorknob. "Merle..."
Merle remained silent, only giving Naomi a head nod, then turned and walked out. The Governor smiled at her one last time before he closed the door behind him.
