Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking dead or any of its characters.
A guest reading this story is leaving reviews solely focused on the clothes my OC wears. That isn't too much of a problem but the latest comment that got left has angered me. It was saying that because she wears dresses and shorts she's more likely to be raped. If you are one of those people that believes that people are attacked and abused because of what they wear then you are not welcome here.
Right now I've said my piece I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Danny's POV
So we've discovered that if I was in charge we would have gotten so lost. I have absolutely no sense of direction, not even a little bit. He tried to help me with the position of the sun but that only really works if I kind of know what time of day it is, and when it gets dark, well I have absolutely no hope.
We stayed out all night. He spent the majority of yesterday following a deer's trail, and this morning he's adamant we're close. In fact he believes we're so close he's walking with his crossbow up just to be sure he's ready. The entire time I walk behind him really hoping he doesn't trip because that would really hurt, possibly even maim.
He shoots of an arrow, I didn't see anything, and then races off in the direction it went in. We reach where he aimed for and I do a quick 360 of our surroundings. There's nothing here.
"You missed?"
"I didn't fuckin' miss". Well someone seems a little offended by the question. "I've wounded it, should only run for a bit before givin' up. We can catch up". Well okay then. "It's heading off towards camp".
"At least you won't have to carry it far".
He starts walking and I kind of have to do a slight jog to keep up. Someone's in a hurry but I supposes he doesn't want anyone else, or something else, getting to the deer first.
We walk for ages before Daryl suddenly stops in front of me, causing me to nearly bump into him. The reason for his falter becomes clearer as I walk through the brush and step into a clearing. Pretty much half the people from the other group are stood in a circle, and every single one of them has their eyes firmly planted on us.
Daryl suddenly charges forward and it takes me a moment for my eyes to catch up. There's our deer lying dead next to a headless Walker, great, what a waste of a trip.
"Son of a bitch, that's my fuckin' deer. Look at it all gnawed on by this filthy", kick, "disease bearin'", kick, "motherless poxy bastard". Well I guess the contentedness from the trip has warn off and out comes the man who hates the world.
"Calm down son..." I shake my head at Dale. Him getting involved really won't help the situation, instead I grab hold of Daryl's arm, which instantly tenses.
"Leave it, you've got the Squirrels. They will have to do". His glare remains on his face but he gives me the tiniest of nods to tell me he heard me.
With a roll of his shoulders he yanks the bolt out of the deer. When he bends to do that my eyes land on the man stood opposite. I don't know half the people that live here but I know for a fact that I've never seen him before. He's staring at me so I just stare back with my eyebrows raised until a groan catches my attention.
Well that's disgusting. I know that you have to kill the brain otherwise they don't die but I've never actually seen one decapitated and still chomping. Kind of makes my stomach uneasy.
"What the hell". The head stops moving as Daryl sends a bolt through it. "It's gotta be the brain, don't ya'll know nothin'?" Daryl turns to me and tilts his head in the direction of camp. Silently telling me to follow him. I nod because I'm more than happy to leave because this amount of people is making me slightly uncomfortable.
As we walk our way through their camp I notice that all eyes remain on us. Somethings happened and I hope they aren't going to blame us for it.
"Merle, Merle get ya arse out 'ere". Merle doesn't answer but he could be out in the trees doing what he does best.
"Hey!" I glance over my shoulder to see Shane and quite a few other camp members following behind us. "Can you two slow up a bit? I need to talk to ya". I falter in my steps because he never wants to talk to us. Daryl finally realises I've stopped so he turns to see what is going on, we're probably both just has confused as each other.
"It's 'bout Merle". Shane's words cause my breath to catch in my throat and all the worst possible outcomes start flashing through my head. He's dead or he's turned.
"He dead?". Daryl's question makes my stomach drop, I'm not sure I want to hear the answer, I don't think I'm ready.
I take a couple of steps backwards until my back touches Daryl's arm.
"We're not sure". I have never despised Shane as much as I do right now. How can you not know?
"He either is or he ain't". Daryl's mad and this time I will not tell him to calm down because I am pissed to, and I'm up for having him do whatever he wants to do.
"There is no easy way to say this, so I'll just say it". The new guy comes closer and Daryl's fingers wrap around my wrist. I can't, I already have tears stinging my eyes.
"Who the fuck are you?" I'm surprised Daryl even wants to know because I couldn't care less.
Grimes? I thought he was dead. "Your brother was a danger to us all so I handcuffed him on a roof, to a piece of metal. He's still there".
I can't breath, I lean forwards with my hands against my knees as a few tears slip down my face. How could they, how can you trap a man like that?
An angry cry causes me to straighten up quickly. But I'm two seconds too late. Daryl is charging at the new man and I know what happens next. I move the same time as Shane.
We collide, his entire weight lands on top of me and I cry out as my back arches over the bat on my back.
People start shouting and then he's being yanked away allowing me to roll onto my side. I hurt a lot but if I hadn't have done that there may have been a fight and I'm not sure Daryl would have come out on top.
Daryl's hand on my back helps me sit up, I am going to be sore. Rick comes and squats down before us.
"That was an accident that definitely shouldn't 'ave happened, but maybe now we can have a calm discussions 'bout this". There's a moment of silence where I just sit here glaring at him but Daryl finally nods. "What I did was not on a whim, okay? Ya brother does not work or play well with others". Daryl scoffs but my anger is just getting worse, I can even feel my cheeks heating up.
"It's not Ricks Fault". I crane my neck round to spot T-Dog stepping forward. "I had the key but I dropped it. I dropped it down a drain".
I scoff.
"What a fuckin' load of shit", my fingers twitch as I fight the urge to grab Daryl's arm in case he goes for T-Dog.
"It ain't man. We had to move quick, I tried to help him but I tripped. Maybe this'll make ya feel better. I chained the door so the geeks couldn't get at him". And that makes it better how?
"That's gotta count for somethin'?" I'm not sure what the sound that comes out my mouth is, but it verges on being a growl. I clamber to my feet trying to ignore the pain.
"Are you serious?" I can feel every eye on me as I yank out my bat. "How, how does that count for anything?" I point my bat straight at Rick because this is his fault. "You left him there alone, you! And he's unarmed right? You don't know him, you have no idea what you've done." My voice cracks slightly but I will not cry, "That man has saved my life more times than I can count and you've just left him to die in the most inhumane way possible". I need to leave so I start backing up slowly, "You got your family back but you've just taken ours away". And with that I turn sharply and stalk back to our tent. My hands shaking.
I can hear the footsteps following behind me but I ignore him and keep going until I reach our tent.
I yank off my bag and empty any non-essential stuff out onto the floor. I can feel his eyes on me the entire time but he remains silent, that is until I remove my gun.
"Guess there ain't no point tellin' ya to stay 'ere?"
I finally turn to face him. "No", nothing could keep me here.
He drops his crossbow to the floor and steps closer, his fingers ghost against my arm. "We'll get him back", and I choose to believe him because we have to get him back. There's not another option on the table.
"Okay", I run a hand across my face to get rid of any tears that may have fallen. "When do we leave?"
"As soon as ya ready to go".
"I'm ready". I roll my shoulders which causes pain to shoot through, I can't control the wince. It's definitely going to bruise.
Daryl scowls but he pretends to not have seen it because now is not the time.
"Let me just get changed and I'll meet you".
He hesitates. Is he expecting me to say something else. I don't have anything else to say and I especially don't want to talk about what happened.
...
I make my way over to the others who are still hanging around the RV.
It looks like I've entered during an argument.
"So you, Daryl and Danny. That's your big plan?" I guess I missed something and whatever it is Shane's pissed about it. I step up behind Daryl, who's sat in a camping chair, and put my hand on his shoulder.
"And me, I'm coming". Glenn looks directly at me as he makes the announcement, he even gives me the tiniest of smiles but I can't return it. Not yet, he was one of the ones that left my family for dead. "I know the way. I can get us all in and out". But it seems he's trying to make up for it; And if we get Merle back I know I will forgive him, he's my friend.
Shane huffs and starts pacing right in front of us. "That's just great. Ya riskin' four lives". Nobody is risking our lives, we'd be going with or without their help.
"Five", I'm very surprised at T-Dog for his offer, it's no secret to anyone about Merle's distaste for the man; And there's not a chance that Merle would want to see him when we get to that roof top.
Daryl scoffs and stabs a bolt into the ground. "My day just keeps gettin' better and better, don't it? Why you?"
"You wouldn't even begin to understand, you don't speak my language".
I've had enough, are they really going to just stand here arguing over who's going and who isn't. We don't have time for this. I walk away and over to the line of vehicles. I'm not sure which one we're taking but I know it won't be Daryl's.
"Danny, Danny wait up". I slowly turn around already knowing who it is. I take in a deep breath and let it out slowly, no matter how pissed I am at the people for abandoning Merle I also have to realise they are also offering to help; So I let Glenn gets close enough that I don't have to shout.
"Thank you", well that surprised him. "Look I know you don't want to go back, especially because it's Merle but I really appreciate you offering to help".
"It's the least we, I can do. I don't want you to think that we don't feel bad because we do. I want to make it right".
"I'll get over it once we get him back, but I'm not there yet".
He nods, "I get it. I am sorry". I finally offer him the tiniest of smiles and it seems he takes that as a win as he grins back. "We're taking the van", he then starts walking over to it with me in tow.
My arm is suddenly yanked on forcing me to turn and then arms are wrapping around me and all I can see is blonde. Before I've even registered that Amy is hugging me she's already stepping back.
"Please come back".
My heart swells a little, "I will".
...
As the van comes to a stop my heartbeat picks up. I am terrified on what we may find.
Glenn turns in his seat and addresses everyone but he locks his eyes on me."We walk from here". I take a deep breath and get to my feet, before I take a step Daryl stops me with a hand on my stomach.
"You alrigh'?" No, I'm really not. "Talk to me".
"The closer we get the more nervous I become. I'm terrified on what we might find".
His hands slides round to rest against my side and he leans down and presses his lips to my forehead. After a slight linger he pulls back although he leaves a tingling sensation on the spot his lips touched.
"We'll get him back alive".
I give him the tiniest of nods and then he's moving to the van door.
I jump down beside him and then we have to jog to catch up with the others. We finally meet up with them as they reach a wire fence. Glenn pulls the wire back and gestures for me to go first. Once we're all through Glenn starts leading the way.
"Merle first or guns?" How can Rick even ask that question, a man's life is at stake here. Actually you know what I get it. He doesn't care about the man they left behind he's only here because he thinks he's a good man but if he was truly a good man he wouldn't have left Merle in the first place. He's also out here for his own gain, he just wants his guns back.
Daryl spins angrily to face Rick. "We ain't even 'avin' this conversation". But Rick ignores him causing Daryl's hands to turn into white knuckled fists. I catch his eye and give him the tiniest of shakes. He's gotta behave as we have no idea where Merle is.
"Merle's closest. The guns would mean doubling back". My shoulders sag in relief as Glenn makes the correct call.
We move down the empty streets in single file. Glenn taking the lead followed very closely by the Sheriff. I'm a few feet behind with Daryl and then we have T-Dog bringing up the rear, however Daryl keeps checking behind him which means he doesn't really trust T being there.
Two streets later and we finally encounter our first walkers that could pose a real threat. We stand up against the corner of the building waiting as Rick assesses the road ahead.
I flex my fingers around the handle of my bat, I'm ready to use it at a moments notice.
Rick tilts his head to the side, indicating that we're on the move again. As we turn the corner we all jog along the side of the building, keeping low to let the parked cars hide us. There are a lot of walkers on the other side of those cars, one wrong move and we could be trapped.
We pass a crashed lorry when a Walker stumbles out of a doorway. My reactions are fast. I manage to bash it's skull in with one fell swoop, before it can make too much of a noise. We all freeze, slightly worried that we may have given away our position.
My ankle is pulled out from underneath me. I bite my tongue to stop the yelp from escaping as I drop down to one knee. Daryl is quick on his mark as he stabs his knife into the walkers skull. I wasn't even a little bit prepared for a walker to appear from underneath a vehicle. My cheeks are warming at the stupidity of my actions.
Daryl's hand on my elbow makes me stand back up. I look down at my leg but other than a graze it's fine. Really glad it's not bleeding as there's nothing like ringing the dinner bell. I look up at Daryl and mouth that I'm sorry but his only response is a squeeze of my elbow, I hope that's not disappointment I see on his face.
We start moving again but it doesn't escape my notice that Daryl is now jogging along side me.
It isn't too long before we reach the department store doors, and thankfully it's without another incident. We hurry inside as we need to get off the street but we all go in with weapons raised as we have no idea what could be still inside.
I try not to make a noise but the glass crunching under my feet makes it impossible. A whistle from Rick alerts us to the presence of a walker as she emerges out from between the racks. She hasn't spotted us yet but that soon changes as Daryl moves forwards for the kill.
Daryl seems willing to follow instructions in here, because he must know just as much as I do that this is an enclosed space that could still be full of walkers. We have to work as a team. He's put aside his hatred for Rick, for now.
We race up these stairs, it takes for what seems like forever, but we finally reach the top. Low and behold the lock and the door are still intact, just like T-Dog promised. I lean against the banister silently praying for good news to be on the other side of that door.
T comes through, bolt cutters in hand. As soon as I hear that lock snap Daryl is kicking open that door and is charging through it. I can hear him shouting Merle's name.
Nobody follows after him, they just stand there looking at me. They're allowing me to go first.
I catch up with Daryl as he jumps off the metal walkway. I scan the entire roof top as I follow him but I see nothing. We're did they leave him?
"No! No!" Daryl starts crying out, the sound sending fear straight through me. I step off the walkway and my entire world comes crashing down.
I can hear the sound of people talking, I can see Daryl flailing his arms around and I can see his mouth moving but I can't understand anything. My ears are ringing and my head is swimming.
My legs give out beneath me as I start sobbing, no longer able to hold it in.
This... This can't be happening.
I can feel the arms as they attempt to catch me but in the end they allow me to sag to the floor. I clamp my hand over my mouth and scream into it. He's gone, how can he be gone? How can the only thing left of him be his hand? He cut off his own hand because he thought he was alone.
Despite the tears I leap to my feet as pure rage takes over every inch of my body.
"You... This is your fault", I shout at the man who made all this happen. Daryl growls and aims his crossbow straight at T-Dogs head, and within a blink of an eye the Sheriff has his aimed at Daryl; And mines aimed straight at the back of the Sheriffs head, cocked and ready.
"Go on, do it. I will take you away from your family just as quickly". My voice is low, steady. I haven't been more serious about anything in my life. "You do not threaten my family". Rick lowers his gun slightly but we will remain in this standoff until Daryl decides what he wants to do.
I glance over Ricks shoulder and look straight at Daryl, his eyes lock onto mine and I can see the shine of un-shed tears; but then he blinks and they're gone.
He lowers his bow but I wait until the deputy has his completely down before I put my safety back on.
"Come 'ere". The sound of Daryl's voice has my tears threatening to flow again, but I blink them away. We have compose ourselves, myself. We have a man to find. Daryl pulls me closer by my wrist and spins me around. "You got a rag in 'ere". I shrug, not fully trusting my voice not to break.
When he stops going through my bag I turn back around. He's found one but I really hope he's not doing what I think he's doing. When he gets to his knees and lays the rag out on the floor I avert my eyes. I can't watch him touch the hand, not yet.
I keep staring up at the sky until Daryl blocks my view. "We'll find him". He's not just trying to assure me, no, right now he's trying to talk himself into believing those words.
"I know".
I wasn't planning on this being so short but I'm a full timer and I've struggled this week with free time.
I'll update the next chapter sooner than the usual week.