Summer's End
Midway through September Merle began hearing talk among the soldiers stationed at Tiskewah that they might be leaving. The rumors had it that the army was needed to protect the farms in Virginia from marauders and mega herds that were forming. Merle shared the rumors with the other members of the Coulter Compound and began a campaign of his own. Merle's first priority was to protect his family and he figured that would the first priority of every citizen of Tiskewah. He just needed to get them organized to protect themselves from whatever would come their way.
Merle spent his work days hanging out at the clinic, the courthouse, and the streets of Tiskewah. He was liked, hated, or feared by nearly everyone. The general consensus was that he was an asshole, a scoundrel, and a warrior, but he was their asshole, scoundrel, and warrior. Merle knew everybody, insulted most on a regular basis, but there was something about him that drew people toward him. Merle standing on the street with his bayonet arm should have made the good citizens of Tiskewah scurry away, but instead they would stop and talk for a bit. Merle made them feel safe because he never seemed to be afraid.
Merle traveled with Michonne and Andrea when they went out to check on settlers. He had an endless supply of candy that he shared with settler kids and an almost endless supply of off color jokes that he shared with the men. Merle would leer at the womenfolk and somehow both women and men were flattered. Michonne confronted him after one particularly offensive display, "How in the hell do you get by with that shit?" Andrea had chipped in, "That woman should have smacked your face and her husband should have ran you off with a shotgun."
Merle just leaned back in the seat and spit out the window, "That woman was wore out. She works her ass off and he is as tired as she is. I just let her know that I think she is hot. The man knows that I have Christie and I ain't after what is his. He just likes thinking that he has a hot woman. He'll call me a son of a bitch and act jealous and that will make both of them feel better. They'll have me to thank for the good fuck they'll have tonight."
Michonne groaned at him and Andrea shook her head. It was probably true. The settlers talked to them but they hustled out of their houses to listen to Merle. He was damn entertaining but he was also tough as nails. Merle had been warning them all along that they would have to depend on themselves for protection and he passed on the rumors that the army might pull out.
Michonne saw the way they looked at Merle. The settlers trusted the big man. They had listened to him preach self-protection from day one and as they learned that the army might pull out they began to think of organizing into community militias. They wanted people that they could trust and they began to talk about that asshole Merle Dixon.
Ninety percent of the soldiers stationed in Tiskewah were moved to Virginia in the last week of September. The thirty soldiers left in the county were ordered to keep the town safe. The rest of the county was on its own, but organized into community militias within a week. Michonne was not surprised that the militia commanders made a joint request to "Captain" Merle Dixon to serve as the sole commander of the Tiskewah Militia on the last day of the month.
Merle was shocked to think that these people would be stupid enough to want him to lead them, but after a brief conversation with Christie he accepted the command. Christie had kissed him, "They see the good in you, Merle. They trust you and more importantly they need you. Now get out of my office because I have sick people waiting". She kissed him again and slapped him on his ass, "Do you get a uniform and a hat? That sorta turns me on. Sounds like wicked role play time to me".
Merle went back to the militia commanders. "I will only accept this job if I get a uniform and a hat." The commander of the Wilson Ridge Militia promised that his wife would make the uniform and they would get a hat somewhere. Merle Dixon, ex drug addict and occasional felon was handed the reins to protect Tiskewah.
Merle met with the army captain in charge of the garrison at Tiskewah to announce his appointment as head of local militias and to try to dig out more weapons and ammunition. The captain shook his head, "We don't have any to spare. We will be guarding food distribution and the town. I am sorry".
Merle pondered what needed to be done for the rest of the morning. He hung out at Fort Morgan with his unofficial daughter Morgan. She brainstormed with him and took a map of Tiskewah that was stored in her computer and color coded the different militias and labeled the homes of militia leaders. She outlined all secondary roads in the county and developed a file for each militia leader. That afternoon he and Christie visited each leader, gave them the file and asked them to update the members of their militia and where they lived. He met their families and handed out candy to their children and then he and Christie left.
There was a party waiting for them when they got back home. There was food and the latest "batch" from the sisters who seemed to be veering toward the hard stuff. Andrea had made a cake with the words "Captain Merle Dixon". They had the party in one of the new barns and neighbors kept dropping by the congratulate Merle.
Ashley had hugged Merle, "I knew you were gold when I saw you". John shook his hand, "I don't know if I should congratulate you or tell you how sorry I am. It's a tough job but you are the toughest son of a bitch that I know."
Shawn Cottrell lived on the next ridge over and he sidled over to talk to Merle, "I heard you were looking for weapons. I had a cousin who lived on a little farm close to the Ohio River. He was a gun nut, always thinking that the government was going to take his guns. He had connections with some paramilitary types and he came by right before this all happened and told me that he had stored his guns and ammo on his farm in an outbuilding. He had made the basement by himself and then ran a concrete floor over it. He made a way in at the back and then built a barn over it. This wasn't two weeks before the shit hit the fan. Never heard from him again and if he was alive he would have come back here. I have a map of Lincoln and I'll show you where his farm is". Shawn pointed to an area close to the Ohio River. "He told his paramilitary buddies that he lived in Ohio. We were kin and he trusted me. I trust you to give them to people who will need them to protect themselves." Shawn went on to give the address and directions to the farm.
Merle enjoyed the party, but part of his mind was on those guns. He looked at the map. It wasn't much over a hundred miles to the spot. He had seen the map at the army garrison. Tiskewah was on the frontier. The next hundred miles wasn't settled yet. There were survivors there but they would be wary of strangers. Marauders were coming across the Ohio River and raiding along there. It was dangerous as hell to go in that direction especially now that the soldiers were being pulled out.
Merle talked with Daryl. He showed him the map and talked about what might be there. He could ask the militia to go but he didn't know them well enough to know how they handled things. Daryl wanted to say no, but he knew the safety of the people he loved was at stake. He agreed but asked that Merle let him talk to Carol. They needed at least two other fighters.
"What about Rick?" Merle hated to admit it, but Rick was good in a fight. He was bumping uglies with Andrea on a regular basis and he was less of an asshole than he used to be. He just needed to get laid on a regular basis and Andrea was doing her part to keep him calm.
Daryl nodded, "He'll come if you ask him. He has Judith and Carl to protect. Who else you thinking of?
Merle thought it over, "Caleb would be best I think and maybe Glenn. The Chinaman can get in and out of tight spots".
Daryl didn't even bother to correct Merle calling Glenn a "Chinaman". Merle liked to say shit to get attention. Always did and always would probably. "Shit, Maggie isn't going to like that."
Merle snorted, "Like Christie ain't gonna light my ass up over me and Caleb? Like Carol ain't gonna put your tit through the wringer about leaving her? Andrea enjoys a little ride in the police car with Deputy Dumbass on occasion. Don't look so surprised; I figured that shit out all by myself. They went from 100 on the Horny Scale to barely registering. Now that is being observant".
Merle sighed, "Tonight, we should go early tomorrow. The leaves are still on the trees and there is lots of cover. The bad guys are going to know that the army is leaving and we need to get the supplies as quick as we can. Two trucks, and some tarps. Got the fuel in the shed."
Daryl looked at Carol sitting with Andrea and Michonne. She was holding a wide awake Colter and smiling at Lizzie and Mika. His family. He would kill anyone who would try to hurt them, how he deny that to the men of Tiskewah? "I'll tell Carol tonight. Have you got the route?"
Merle nodded, "Shawn had it written down. I'll see you at five in the morning. I'll talk to the others so that none of you have watch tonight. Thanks, Daryl".
Carol could tell that something was bothering Daryl. He had been very quiet this evening. He had gone upstairs with her to tell the girls goodnight and listen to their prayers. He had kissed them both goodnight. Daryl usually gave them a friendly nudge instead of a kiss. Daryl had rocked Colter to sleep and then checked all his weapons.
She went to bed and waited on him. He was going off on some dangerous scheme with Merle. Carol fantasized about being a complete bitch about it. Throwing a tantrum and guilting him that he didn't care about his family. Go full out Lori. Daryl came back in the bedroom after brushing his teeth and sat down on the chair by her side of the bed, "When?" she asked.
"Tomorrow early we are going to go close to the Ohio River and get some guns. Probably be back tomorrow evening." Daryl guessed she was observant too.
"Well, come to bed. We might as well work through our anxieties the old-fashioned way." Carol slid over so Daryl could lie down on their bed. He rubbed her shoulder and she smiled at him. "You'll be careful, please".
Daryl nodded, "The army isn't going to protect us; we have to protect ourselves. I'll be careful. Now what is the old-fashioned way to work through anxieties?"
Carol leaned toward him, "You just find something to do that takes your mind off your troubles". She kissed him and began pulling down his boxers. "You got any ideas".
Daryl moved to the foot of the bed and grabbed Carol's feet. "How about a foot massage". She moaned just a little as he began to rub and pull on her feet. They heard an unhappy sound from upstairs, "Rick going?" Carol wondered how Andrea was going to take him leaving.
"Merle, me, Caleb, Glenn, and Rick", he left it unsaid how vulnerable the farm was with the so many fighters gone. "Tomorrow is Thursday and the three of you won't be working. You, Andrea, and Michonne are equal to the five of us."
"Summer is over isn't it? Warren has said all along that this winter will be tough. Come to bed, Daryl". This suddenly past summer had shown her a life that she would do whatever it took to keep. She would deal with that tomorrow. Why worry about what might be when what will be was in front of you?
Daryl heeded Carol's call to come to bed. Tomorrow would bring its troubles but tonight he would have Carol within the reach of his arms. He pulled at her hair and nibbled on neck, "Summer ain't over in this bed. Gets pretty hot. You smell like the flowers in the meadow when we went out to check that the gates were locked. "
Carol remembered that evening. Jesse and Michonne had taken the children to the horses and she and Daryl had walked to the new meadows. She had been captivated suddenly by the colors and smells of the meadow and of summer. They were going to cut the field the next day and the hay wagon was there. Daryl had picked some flowers and put them in her hair. He smelled sweaty and of the farm and she had murmured when she kissed him, "Right here and right now".
Daryl had picked her up and carried her to the wagon and they had been together. Daryl had finished and he had leaned against the side of the hay wagon watching her catch her breath. He had held out his hand and she had moved to sit beside of him and they sat there and watched the sun set. "I am never going to forget this. Not ever." Daryl had kissed her shoulder, "but we had better get back before they come looking for us."
Carol had smiled and promised, "I am not going to forget either". S
Carol closed her eyes and remembered back to that evening and it was still summer in their bed.
AN
Merle becoming a leader is not too much of a stretch for me. His character was such a mixture of bad and good and I just let the good come out.
I would really appreciate a review. The muse had been pouting a bit lately.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
