Falling into the Undead

Chapter Five

A Path Carved

I'm back again!

This time I'm certain this is the right chapter lol.

We get to see more of Merle! And we are a chapter away from the camp and some major changes on Remington's part.

I set a course for winds of fortune

but I hear the voices say

carry on my wayard son

-Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas

Merle never got to make his clean exit the next morning. When he woke, right before the sun made its appearance, the first thing he noticed from his spot on the floor was how the couch no longer held a body on it. Daryl who was propped up in the kitchen was still fast asleep. Merle was normally a light sleeper, not much made it by him unless he was on a bender, and that hadn't been possible since he ran out a few days back. The cabin was dark, with the curtains drawn moonlight didn't creep in, and caused it harder to make out the silhouettes of all who were in the cabin.

He heard a groan as a dog shifted on the bed. Nala rolled to look at him as she laid her head on the back of Landon, who was sleeping on his stomach. With a groan of his own, Merle hauled himself to his feet, stretching his back, as the pain of a night on the floor rose to meet him.

Old Merle would have kicked those kids off that bed, but he was still ignoring the strangeness he was experiencing among them. Rubbing at his face he quietly picked his way through the dark room, toward the front door, where he suspected the woman was. The bathroom was wide open, and he figured she had gone outside since she wasn't eating on those around him.

The door opened with barely more than a creak. The moon, low in the sky, signaled that soon the sun would break over the horizon. As he squinted into the night, he caught sight of a figure sitting on the hood of the vehicle that had been parked in front of the cabin. Merle had caught sight of something in the back but hadn't tried to get a closer look. Food had been more important, but he suspected it held more supplies.

"Did I wake you?" a voice broke through the night. Merle blinked as he turned back to face her. Her voice sounded weak, raspy, and tired. The way she hunched over herself signaled how she should probably have still been in bed, and not lifting herself up onto car hoods. Not that it was any of his business.

"Naw," he said, walking the short distance to her. Merle leaned against the hood, propping himself up, as he pulled a cigarette from his front pocket, and lit it. "Would have bitched at yah if yah did." Remington scrunched her nose at the smell but didn't comment. She didn't mind it much, but it brought back memories, those that happened not too long ago that she had been pushing back and not dealing with. It was easy to ignore the trauma with everything that was going on.

"Are you two heading out soon then?" She shifted so she could look at him in the dark. His face glowed with the lit end of the cigarette. Causing a hue of red to outline the lines of his face.

"The camp will probably be expecting us." The way he said it told Remington that he didn't much care for what they expected or thought. "You're looking like yah are back on yah feet."

"I'll be fine," she said, ignoring the way her head spun when she turned to stare back ahead out into the woods. "We'll manage just fine. But something tells me you are not the type to care much about others' well-being in the first place."

"Ah," he started, his eyes narrowing as he took another drag. "That's right. Yah know ole' Merle don't yah. Strange since I don't know yah, Remington Solace." Though he couldn't make her out in the dark he still dragged his eyes up and down her in a way that clearly states his intentions of how he would have known her. "You're not someone I'd forget, I bet."

"Funny that you would then." Remington shivered, not because of the early morning chill in the air, but because of the lie, she had to weave. "We didn't meet in the way your suggesting, and we didn't actually ever meet. Acquaintances in passing would be more accurate." She hated lying but didn't know what else to do. Her story was weak, hardly put together, but in her defense, she hadn't had much time to come up with anything. It wasn't exactly a lie either, just a bunch of misleading words.

"Acquaintances. I don't think I'd be forgetting a pretty face like yah, sweet cheeks."

"I wasn't always so pretty," Remington said, the startled laugh escaping her lips before she could stop it. "I used to be bland, boring, making myself as unnoticeable as possible on purpose."

"Now why would yah do a thing like that? A crying shame to hide such a face."

Remington found herself feeling disbelief at the idea of Merle Dixon trying to smooth talk her. He was flirting, in his own way, and it was just unimaginable to think she would ever be in such a situation.

"Reasons," she said with a shrug, taking the offered cigarette when he handed her it. One drag had her lungs burning and coughs falling from her lips, but she didn't have many things that made her feel in control anymore.

"We all got our reasons." He grabbed back the cigarette before quickly finishing it. "Yah probably shouldn't try ta smoke anymore. Sound like yah kill over."

"Lungs are shit around smoke," Remington said. "Did it out of nostalgia more than anything."

"Yah smoke?"

"No. My father did, and my ex."

"Yah got an ex. Got bit?"

"No." She shook her head, allowing her reddish-brown hair to fall into her face. "Don't know what became of him."

"He the one that caused yah ta look forgettable?" She glanced out of the corner of her eye, noticing how he was staring up at the stars, far calmer than she had ever thought a conversation with Merle Dixon would be. Sure, he cursed a lot, she thought she remembered hearing him do that yesterday, but other than being nosy he wasn't exactly rude. He was far more curious, and Remington began to wonder if he had the capability to be charismatic when he wanted to.

"Supposed so," she said, moving to slide down from the hood of the car. The conversation was beginning to grow into dangerous territory. "How far away is your camp? You need supplies to get there?"

The sun was just rising over the horizon, barely peeking through the thick trees, and Remington found herself growing anxious. She wasn't much better than before, the only difference being she was awake, but she was tired. The need to beg to go with them ran deep, but Remington was still wrapping her head around the fact that she was actually in the Walking Dead. She hadn't decided on whether it would be a good idea to try to join the group or stay on her own. There were far too many variables to consider. She knew their futures. Knew the hardships they would encounter, and the dangers that would be hiding around every decision. If she chose to ask to join them, and she could if she wanted, at this point they were taking in people without being paranoid, then she would have decided to knowingly place her children in that danger.

She needed time.

"A bit of a walk," Merle said, sensing the change between the two. "Wouldn't say no ta some food."

"Yeah, didn't think you would." Moving around to the back of the car Remington opened the hatch and pulled it up before rummaging around for the items she had been thinking about. They had some beef jerky left and dried fruit. It would be a nice snack while they walked, and she could fill their bottles up with water. Turning around she shoved the little bit she was willing to hand over to him. He had after all been one of her favorites in the show, and refused to be rude, or miss the opportunity to help him. She missed the frustrated expression that passed over his face as he watched her.

"Yah not gonna ask where our camp is?"

"Nope." She wouldn't mention how she already had a good guess as to where they were set up. There was only one quarry for miles, but since that was information she shouldn't have, Remington kept quiet. "We're fine right here." At least until Remington weighed the pros and cons of joining them. She was simply in no position to do so today. A part of her was worried she would miss her chance and they would be gone. There was no telling how far along into the timeline they were. Tomorrow could be the day when Merle went on that supply run and ended up cutting off his own hand. It hadn't been very long after that the group loaded up and took off for the CDC. If she were going to avoid joining, she needed to make the decision in a timely manner and make sure it wasn't something she would come to regret.

Once they were gone it would be hell trying to find them again.

The front door opened before closing quietly. Daryl stepped out onto the tiny porch, really nothing but a staircase leading up to the door and railings on each side. He carried a pack in his hand, and his crossbow was thrown on his back. Yesterday hadn't left Remington much time to look him over as she was far too busy staring at Merle in shock and deliriousness. He was young, younger than when she last watched the show, but that crush she harbored on his character peaked through as she eyed him up and down. Merle watched with glee in his eyes as he caught her staring, but Daryl himself was oblivious as he readjusted the strap to his crossbow.

"We heading out?" Daryl asked, breaking the spell on Remington. She shook herself mentally. There was no way she could be still harboring a crush on a man that hadn't existed until the night before. It was stupid, and nothing would come of it. There was no way she could attempt anything with him. She wasn't sure if she ever wanted to see any of them again, let alone the rest of the group. Instead, Remington allowed herself to enjoy the fact that he was aesthetically pleasing but refused to look any more into it.

They were leaving. That was it.

"Well sweet cheeks," Merle said a wide smile on his face. "If there's nothing else yah wanna give ole' Merle we'll be leavin' now."

"Just the food," she said with a shake of her head. Merle reached out, tugging the pack onto his back as the two moved toward the edge of the clearing. "Thank you!" Her voice carried to the two men who paused. "For not leaving the kids alone for another night."

"Those ankle biters were fucking terrible," Merle said. "Wont' be doin' it again, sweet cheeks."

As they began to move Remington didn't stop them a second time. Instead, she moved to grab the powered eggs deciding to make breakfast for the kids before they woke up. She tried pushing the thought of the Dixon brothers out of her mind, and the potential that they had swarmed her mind with.

․° °․

For the next week, Remington found herself constantly thinking about the opportunity to leave, and whether it had been smart to not try. On one hand, her fear of being alone with just the kids herself was still running rampant. Her last tussle with the undead hadn't left her feeling any better about them, but she was the only one who could properly deal with them. She would never allow the kids to do it unless they had no other choice.

By the end of the week, she had begun to slowly regain her strength. Landon had been a saint, helping her with the work when she was no longer able to do it herself. It, unfortunately, didn't take long for her to run out of stamina and have to sit down. By the end of the week with the extra stamina, Remington had set up times every morning, and evening, when the children were taught how to defend themselves. Maisie practiced with a stick, Remington wasn't confident enough yet in her ability to hold a knife, but Landon worked with his machete. She had him take her down, careful not to nick her, as they battled it out. Maisie was shown how to do the same thing. She wanted to prepare them for an enemy that would be taller than them. Whether alive or dead, she doubted they would come across a child-size threat.

For the time being, with Maisie not holding much strength, Remington taught her how to be faster than her assailant. To use their momentum against them, and how to use her speed to her benefit. They practiced with Nala, having the dog protect, and guide Maisie when she faltered. It left Remington feeling better about them being on their own if something were to happen to her.

They had gotten lucky that all that happened was Remington being hurt, unconscious for a few days, and not actually being bitten. They were even luckier that the Dixons had come across them and decided to help.

Maisie had told her how Merle had wanted their dog, and she wasn't sure what had changed the man's mind about taking Pixel. For surely, he knew that he had the upper hand while Remington had been out for the count. Either way, she counted herself lucky again.

It had been after they had just finished a morning training session that Nala and Pixel alerted her to something moving in the woods.

The last Walker they had seen had been a few days ago. Alone, and easy to take down. Remington had been feeling a little more alive at the time when it showed up, and had handled it on her own, but she had watched how Landon eyed the fight from the porch, ready to jump in at a moment's notice. Feeling tired, and beyond the point of being able to fight off a Walker, Remington had sent Maisie running to hide in the cabin. Unfortunately, she had to ask Landon to stay, to help, just in case, but she was already doubting her decision and had begun to lead him inside where they could wait out the danger. It didn't make her feel better. She hated allowing them to wander off and become a potential danger later.

Only as they crossed the overgrown grass did she catch sight of a man who wasn't a Walker, but very much alive.

She stopped to turn fully toward him, an eyebrow raised in surprise, not expecting either one of them to visit again, even though she knew they would have continued to go out hunting.

"Your back," she called out. The hand she held on to the machete fell away not feeling threatened by the new presence.

"Tracking a deer that came through here," Daryl said. He eyed her from the corner of his vision as he bit down on his thumb. He wasn't sure how to approach the woman, hadn't planned to run into her, hoping that he wouldn't. He caught the fleeting panic that crossed over her expression before she smothered it down.

"Where's Merle at?" His head tilted to the side, surprised by her inquiry about his brother, as most tended to avoid him once meeting him. Those at camp preferred to avoid him completely if they could. "He seems the type that would have joined you if nothing more than to complain about your abilities." He barely choked down a scoff that tried to escape as he thought about how she had hit the nail on the head with that one.

"Yah interested in him or something?" he asked instead of answering her question. Annoyance flooded her cheeks in the form of redness. Her hands came up to rest on her hips.

"Naw, he's not quite my type." She smothered down the reply of how he was more her type not wanting to scare off the man. She knew he was the skittish type. Growing up with a lack of gentle and loving gestures tended to make you that way. Remington wasn't quite sure what had gotten into her, as she was never that forward, or ever wanted to be before, but blamed it on the hit to the head. "You gonna answer my question?"

With a roll of his eyes, he said, "Didn't want ta hunt today. Had something better to do in the form of one of his drugs, I'm sure."

Without realizing how wound up she felt at the thought of the beginning of the series already being here, Remington found herself untensing. She still had time. It was obvious there might have been some lingering doubt about sending them on their way, but she still hadn't been bought on the idea of going through all the shit that group had. They were good people, no doubt, and she had the insane urge to change their fates but wasn't sure if she could manage it. Regardless of her knowledge of the future, she didn't believe herself smart or calculating enough to pull it off. It didn't help that many of them, at this point in time, were annoying as all hell. Remington had a few things to say about their treatment of the Dixons, who risked their lives every day to go hunting for food, for the whole group.

"I can't help but feel nostalgic around your brother," Remington said, continuing about why she cared enough to ask about Merle. "And I never saw a deer. Must have shown up early this morning."

Daryl nodded in her direction, thankful for the piece of information, but puzzled by her response to his brother.

"Hn."

"You should take some more of that jerky I gave you last time." Remington turned toward where she kept it in the back of the car. "The deer has some ground on you. Wouldn't hurt to have some to munch on while you're tracking." She tucked an extra protein bar, and an apple they had foraged a day ago into the mix as she handed it over to him. He tried to refuse but Remington wasn't having it. She turned away as soon as the food touched his hands.

Without another word, he disappeared back into the forest and Remington went inside to rest and plan.

Two days later Remington opened her door to the sight of deer meat, and fish wrapped up and laid neatly on the front porch. She made quick work of brining the meat before using the fish for their morning breakfast. She sent a silent thanks toward the hunter who had been long gone by the time she found it.

The kids were excited over the rice and fish with fresh bird eggs fried on top. It was something new and though Maisie had initially turned her nose up at it, she even gobbled it down once it was placed in front of her.

Remington regretted the knowledge that she didn't know how to hunt. She could forage, and knew what was poisonous and what wasn't, but had no idea how to set snares to trap, track by looking at scat and prints, or use the surroundings to know in which direction something was moving. It was the one thing her father hadn't known how to do and hadn't passed down in knowledge. She did know how to fish but besides the quarry, there weren't any good spots for it near them.

She had added foraging to their morning training, doing it every other day, so they had a way to feed themselves if it came down to it. Once she found a good place to fish, she would teach Maisie how to do that since Landon had informed her, he had known how to fish since he was five. Unfortunately, he hadn't been taught how to track or hunt. That had been what this summer was going to be focused on. Remington had waved it off, telling him they would just have to figure it out on their own later when she was back at full strength. It was slow and grueling work, but she was feeling better every day.

It was another two days later when their next guest made an appearance.

He appeared on her porch early in the morning. The sun had barely risen, and Remington had only been awake long enough to get changed for the day and start thinking over what to make for breakfast. They were back to the same bland porridge. She was trying to find ways to spruce it up a bit, but they had run out of fresh fruit the day before, and Remington had been far too exhausted to take them out to find more.

She had the canned fruit still, loads of the stuff, and figured it might work for yet another morning. Hopefully, Maisie didn't decide she was tired of it. Landon never said anything against it, even when she noticed the grimaces he tried to hide.

Those problems were partially solved when the knock came at her front door. Remington had frozen in her task of getting the stove warmed back up. It had gone out during the night. Grabbing the gun from the table, only planning to use it as merely a threat and nothing more, she inched toward the door. Using the gun's head to move the curtain out of the way she peeked outside only to see a familiar face. With a sigh and wondering if they planned to make this a habit, Remington set the gun down before opening the door.

The dogs perked up as the door opened, and they ran off, almost tripping Merle in their pursuit to go outside. He cursed as he caught himself on the door frame before Remington shoved him back outside. She followed quickly behind, not bothering to pull on her boots.

"A hell of a good mornin'," he grumbled as he turned to glare at the dogs as they did their business.

"What are you doing here, Merle?"

"Was told yah were askin' about meh."

She groaned as he winked at her. Leaning against the door she shook her head.

"I don't know what that brother of yours has been telling you, but I was merely curious when you weren't with him."

"Darlena is more than capable of takin care of himself."

"I have no doubt," she scoffed before crossing her arms over her chest. "What are you doing here?" She wasn't sure if it was a good thing that they had been hanging around as often as they were. She had assumed they would forget about them. Wasn't sure why they would even care enough to do as much as they had.

"Got ta pay yah back for the jerky." His words were muffled, clearly annoyed by her questioning as he shoved a jar of jam into her hands. It was the one thing she didn't have any of, never came across it, and her mouth watered at the preserves.

"The fish and deer meat were more than enough payment."

"Fuck he actually left some of that." He eyed her from the side. "Yah even know how to preserve that shit?"

"I managed."

He grunted at her answer as he lit a cigarette. They stood there in silence for several moments as the dogs ran around chasing each other through the grass.

"What are you really here for, Merle?"

"Got ta have a reason ta visit a nice piece of ass?"

"I'd prefer if you didn't talk that way in front of the kids." She hesitated before adding, "Or about me in general. You're not getting anything more than food out of me." She wasn't sure if that was the true reason for coming around or not, but it didn't hurt to let it be known.

"Fuck, guess I'll settle for ta food then." The grin on his face told her he may not have been entirely serious about his words, but she was cautious all the same. Remington knew he could be a loose cannon, and though she would have liked to see more of his side from season three, and purpose even a better man than that, he wasn't there yet. She wondered if he had it in him to turn over a new leaf and become a better person. To her, it didn't matter, because everyone deserved that chance in her opinion.

"So, you're here for breakfast?" Pushing from the door she felt a wave of dizziness, a telling sign that she would be shit for most of the day, and that nothing would get done if Landon wasn't the one to do it. That tugged at a feeling of regret and guilt knowing that other than chopping wood and bringing in the water she would give them an easy day. She didn't like having to lean on the kid. He should be acting like a child, not babying her. "Don't you have a camp that feeds you?" She signaled for the dogs to join them inside and left the door open for Merle to follow. Both children were still fast asleep on the bed and wouldn't be awake until she roused them from their slumber.

"None of them are as pretty as yah," he spoke. "Nor as nice."

"I'm sure you've done something to piss them off." Remington still felt irked by their treatment of the brothers, regardless of how Merle liked to fuck up. They could have at least treated Daryl better in her opinion.

"It's truly like yah know me sweet cheeks." He settled down at one of the chairs that surrounded the tiny table. It was pushed into a corner, barely fitting it, and feeling cramped but he ignored the sensation. "I can almost believe yah when yah say we've met one another in ta past."

"Was it yah old man that was associated with me?" Remington ignored the line of thinking as she set about cooking. He didn't seem bothered about it as he started a new line of conversation, mostly one-sided, as Remington barely spoke up during her task.

As it was, she didn't need to wake the children. Merle's constant stream of chatter did that for her, but she wasn't upset. The little bit of energy she had this morning was depleting fast and she found it relieving to just have to place the bowls on the table before slipping into her own seat.

"Thanks, ma'am," Landon said before digging in.

Maisie eyed her bowl doubtfully but instead of complaining she simply took her first mouthful, a disappointed look in her eye as she did so. She eyed the new addition to their group over her spoon, and Remington suspected that he was the reason she hadn't started complaining.

"Thanks, Momma," she said.

"What a lively bunch," Merle said between bites of food. "Where's the smack-talking girlie that I met that one night?"

"Smack-talking?" Remington asked, her eyes wide, as she turned her attention onto Maisie. "What did you say, Miss Maisie May?"

"I didn't mean nothing by it!" she hollered in defense. "He was being a meanie."

"He deserved it," Landon said around a mouthful of food.

"Swallow before talking," Remington warned. He bowed his head but did as she said. "And though Mr. Dixon was probably being a meanie you should still practice your manners."

"I'm supposed to just let him be mean!" Maisie asked in bewilderment.

"You don't have to sink to his level. Kill with kindness darling. We'll have to practice later."

"I'm regrettin' bringing that jam," Merle scowled. "Yah may have the hots for mah brother, and can make porridge edible, but I won't bring yah back ta camp if yah gonna repay me by actin like this."

Remington ditched the action of bringing her spoon to her mouth in favor of staring in confusion, and embarrassment at Merle.

"What do you mean? I never asked you to take us there." She completely ignored the first part about his brother. That wasn't true at all. She decided to ignore it. He scratched at the top of his head before crossing his arms. He, too, decided to go along with not talking about his brother. He had time in the future to embarrass her.

"Yah can't honestly believe yah will make it out here alone. Especially with ta way yah look like yah about ta kill over any second." The confusion bled away to anger as she set the spoon back into the bowl. The metal clattered loudly against the ceramic.

"We're doing just fine."

"As yah say."

"We are."

"Don't be stupid."

Remington stood from the table, her anger burning her up inside, shoving forward energy she hadn't had moments before.

"Outside!" She turned to the children. "Wash up and get dressed but stay inside." Landon grabbed at Maisie's hand before tugging her away from the adults. Maisie began to ask him questions, confused about what had just happened, and asking where Merle planned on taking them. Would it be safe? Would there be other kids?

It pulled at the guilt inside of her, but the anger burned it away as she jerked her head toward the door. Merle followed her out, his own annoyance at her rejection building to agitation.

"Ta fuck?" he snarled as they stepped out onto the grass. "Yah acting like a crazy woman. Why ta fuck are yah acting like I just asked to get into yah pants?"

"I never asked for help Merle. That's what you and your brother gave out freely, regardless of my doubts about why you would do such a thing. I know your type. You don't do anything about expecting something in return."

"Fucking paranoid woman. Think of ta kids in there. This place won't last. With just yah out here between them and the dead, yall are well on yah way ta being dead.

"I wouldn't let that happen."

"Then come with me."

"Why do you care?"

This caused Merle to pause. He glared up at the tops of the trees. Watched as the leaves swayed in the breeze. It was hella hot already and it wasn't even midday yet.

"Not sure." He bit his lip as he thought it over. "You're right. I don't care about a damn thing other than mah blood. Anyone back at that camp can die for all I care, but that little girl in there. I can't get all yah out of mah head. I know Daryl makes his rounds around this cabin and I expect him ta come back with the news that all yall were dead." Remington began to shake her head.

"That doesn't make any sense Merle." She ignored the way butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the thought of Daryl having been checking on if they were safe.

He wasn't like she knew he should be. None of this happened in the show. By this point, he was supposed to be an ass, a loudmouth, and a racist bastard. He wasn't supposed to care about anyone other than his brother, and he had a messed-up way of showing even that. They shouldn't be enough to change him, in any way, and definitely not with the small amount of time they had interacted. Her presence couldn't have changed this much in such a short period of time, but if it had. That nagging part of her brain that told her to save them, to help them, grew louder, and more demanding.

"Yah coming or not?" He shut down, deciding not to argue with her, finding it pointless, because he didn't understand it either. She was right, and this wasn't like him at all. "The group is full of dickless motherfuckers, but they wouldn't deny a woman and her children. They'd welcome yah with open arms, especially with all the shit you have for yourself."

"You don't make any sense."

"I know."

"This isn't how it should have gone."

"Oh? Tell ole' Merle how it should have gone."

"You should have taken that dog, and anything you wanted, with only children protecting it, and then never coming back after you left."

"Probably." His fingers twitched at his side. The need for a cigarette burned in the back of his mind, but he had smoked his last one earlier in the morning. They stood there, staring at one another, silent, as Remington felt the war that had been raging in her mind since she met him start to wane.

She wasn't sure if she had won, or lost, wasn't sure which side she had hoped to win in the first place.

Either way, she knew that it had been inevitable for her to end up at the quarry.

Her own bleeding heart wouldn't have been able to take the idea of her ignoring the path carved out for them.

What do you guys think?

I love hearing from all of you. Each comment makes me happy and gives me the inspiration to write. I swear each comment has words flowing out from me. I'm getting close to finishing season one. I suspect it'll be closer to twenty chapters for this first part as I'm currently writing chapter fourteen and have found myself probably a little over the midway point.

Please review!