What Can You Do?
Disclaimer: I would like to thank everyone again for the reviews, followings, and favoriting. So please keep the reviews coming and I only own the OC.
If there are any A/N in this chapter, they will be marked with an * and the meaning behind them will be at the bottom.
Thank you to Darkangelfirekitsune for being my beta. Love you, sis. ^-^
The potions and spells I either makeup or found on Google.
***I am sorry for not posting last week. I was unable to write due to being sick. Hope to catch back up soon, KK.***
Chapter 10
George started to back out of the tent now understanding why he was told to let Bryan and Harry handle him. Harry, seeing this out of the corner of his eye, relaxed a little knowing that between him and Brian they could hopefully have a conversation without too much yelling. Once George was safely out of the tent, he gave John Doe his full attention.
"I said where the hell am I an' who the hell are all y'all!"
"I understand you must be confused," Bryan said while he stood up, hands in front of him causing John Doe to turn to look at him, giving him his full attention.
"One of our group members found you chained to a pipe on that roof. We were able to free you and have been taking care of you for about two days. We are currently camping on a stretch of highway outside of the city."
"I understand that but who the hell are y'all?"
"I am Bryan, the doctor that treated the wrist you tried to saw off. This is …," Bryan was saying before Harry interrupted.
"What is your name?" he said while crossing his arms over his chest. This shocked Bryan causing his eyebrows to jump up towards his hairline and his mouth to drop down a little. He had never seen Harry act this way before. John Doe hearing this turned to look at him. When his eye's landed on Harry, he started to eye him up, judging him.
"Wat's it to ya?"
"It's fair. You know one of our names, but we do not know yours. I don't trust you, and before you get offended it is not because you are a hillbilly or a redneck or whatever you call yourself, in this new world you can't trust people that easy. Especially someone who is willing to get high nowadays, I trust them even less." Once he was done talking, John Doe stared right into Harry's eyes causing a staring contest to take place. They were trying to get a feel on the other, while also watching and waiting to see who was going to back down first.
"Y'all win, ye' highness," he said a smirk forming on his face.
"Name's Merle. I was in the Marine Corps. before I was kicked out for tellin' the truth, an' I like havin' fun no matta what kind. Now ye'?" Merle said pointing at Harry, signaling that it was his turn. Harry seeing this raised an eyebrow and took in a deep breath.
"My name is Harrison. Born and raised in Great Britain, I have been traveling the world before it ended. There are three other members to this group other than us," Harry said motioning at Bryan and himself.
"I am going to warn you now that we do not put up with anyone's shit, and I promise that if you cross any of us you will regret it." Merle hearing what was said continued to stare at Harry trying to figure him out. Once he decided that he was telling the truth, he nodded his head in agreement.
"Normally, I don' take no orders fro' no prett' boy's, but I'll make an exception for ya'. So, am I free to go?" he asked throwing his legs over the side of the cot while also placing his hands beside his thighs. Seeing him place his hands on the cot, Harry and Bryan, tried to tell him to stop, but they were too late. He pushed himself up, putting pressure on his right wrist causing him to fall on the ground, kneeling, his right wrist being held by his left hand, and had them pulled in towards his chest, cussing up a storm.
"What part of 'fixing your wrist' did you not get," Bryan yelled over top of him, running to his left side, with Harry running over to the right. Once there, they each took an arm and placed it under each of his armpits, looking at each other they pulled him up at the same time and sat him back on the cot. Once there he laid back down on it, still holding his injured wrist. After a couple of seconds, he was no longer cussing, just red face and taking in deep breaths.
"Well, that hur' like a bitch."
"I bet it did. You got lucky you didn't cut any bone or muscle. You have stitches right now holding it closed. You can't use or put pressure on it until it is healed. If you do that is what is going to happen, and we don't have anything for the pain, so I would watch it," Bryan said grabbing his wrist from his hold. Finding no resistant's, he started to unwrap it to take a look, wanting to make sure that Merle had not pulled out or ripped any of the stitches. Merle gave Bryan a look when his arm was grabbed and was muttering under his breath during the process. It was when he finally saw his wrist that he went quiet. He counted seven stitches, along with it being a swollen angry looking red, and around the red, it was more black then blue.
"Wat the fuck is wrong wit me?"
"You really don't listen do you," Bryan said glancing up at him before looking back down at the wound.
"As I already said, it could have been worse. You almost cut the bone, but you stopped or passed out before you did. It is just a deep flesh wound and you're lucky that you started on the top and not the bottom, or there might have been a chance of you bleeding to death. What made you decide to try cutting your own hand off, anyway?" Bryan asked examining the wound. He was happy and thankful that Merle did not pull any of the stitches. He just had to reclean and bandage it back up.
"I was on that damn roof when officer friendly came up and chained me to that pipe after we got into a disagreement. The walkers somehow got in and everyone freaked out and that fuckin ni***r dropped the key. They then left me there," Merle said glaring at the top of the tent.
"What did you just say?" Harry said, his head snapping to glare at Merle.
"You deaf. I just said what happened."
"I heard what you said I was just hoping that I somehow just heard a word wrong. I will tell you this now so listen closely if you want to join our group you will leave all of that bullshit in the past. There are no ni***rs, no fags, or any other degrading word. There is the living and the dead. If you can't understand that then once you are healed enough to go on your own, you will be gone." Merle hearing the rage in Harry's voice looked at him. A smirk starting to make its way onto his face.
"Hit a nerve?"
"I knew you would be an asshole," Harry said in a huff getting up and turning to look at Bryan.
"Once you're done, come outside for supper. You to," Harry said over his shoulder at Merle.
"Also, as an FYI, if one of our group members hear you say that, one of the dead will be the least of your worries," he said before walking out of the tent.
"So, you have one in your group too," Merle said looking back at Bryan. Looking back up at Merle, Bryan was glaring at him.
"Leave your prejudice at the door if you don't want to make enemies." Once he was done wrapping his wrist, Bryan helped Merle up. Turning, Bryan walked out of the tent to see the rest of the group sitting around a small campfire, the pot of food sitting on top cooking. Walking to sit next to Arika he gave them all a little smile.
Merle looked around at the group sitting and started to take them in. He saw Harrison talking to a blond hair female while Bryan sat next to the black one. There, between the females was the red-haired male that was in the tent earlier.
Walking up to the fire he sat right in front of it and the tent entrance. He had Bryan on his left and Harrison on his right. Merle was looking around trying to figure out the dynamic of this group. Just from what he could see, Harrison seemed to be the leader and he could not pick out his right-hand man. He thought it might have been Bryan, but he was not sure with the way he was talking the female.
"What is the plan?" she asked Harrison while giving him a real quick glance.
"Up to him," he said.
"So, what do you plan on doing?" The black bitch asked him. Merle turned to look at her before looking back at the fire saying nothing.
"I asked you a question red-neck?" she said again causing Merle to turn and glare at her.
"I ain't having to tell the likes of ya nothin'," Merle said glaring right back.
"Have a problem with me?" she said looking as if she was getting ready to stand up.
"Ya I…" Merle started to say before he was interrupted.
"Arika, Stop," Harrison said looking at her.
"I already told you guys that he was an asshole, don't egg him on. That's what he wants," he said not even giving Merle a glance.
"Supper's ready," the red-head said causing everyone to look at him. He picked up the bowls that were sitting beside him and started to put, what looked like soup, in them. Passing the bowls around so that everyone had one they started to eat. It was nothing fancy, but it was good and filling. Conversation started to pick up a little, just talk about the next move and what to do. Merle could not figure this group out. It was nothing like how Shane ran his. Harrison seemed to ask and listened to everyone's thoughts and opinions. He stopped eating for a minute and stared into his bowl, thinking about what he wanted to do. Did he want to go back to Shane's group, were officer friendly might have joined, along with the people who left him behind or did he want to continue with this one. Then there was the matter of Darryl.
"That offer you told me if I want to go and get someone does it still count?" Merle asked out of the blue, causing everyone to stop eating to look at him.
"Who and how long would it take to get them and come back?" Harrison asked turning back to his food and continued to eat.
"My brother and no more than a day. We're also no dead weight. Him an' I can track so y'all can have some fresh meat."
"Wait, you want to join our group even with 'ME' in it?" Arika asked with a little bit of attitude in her tone.
"Arika," Harrison said as a warning.
"Ya, I ain't got nothing against ya' or anyone who's the same color as ya, it's just that I'm not a fan," Merle said shrugging his shoulders.
"It is the end of the world, does the color of someone's skin really matter to you that much?" Bryan asked looking at Merle in disbelief.
"Just sayin that people with darker skin ten' not to be truthful."
"And people who have a southern hillbilly accent are stupid," Harry said looking at Merle with a smirk on his face. Looking at Harrison Merle blinked his eyes a couple of times before hearing Arika laugh at what was said.
"What did ya just say," Merle said glaring at him, his face scrunched up in anger.
"I really did not want to play your game, but it seems like I will have to," Harrison said letting out a breath and turning to look into the flames.
"I was just showing you your logic. You want to judge people on things that they cannot physically control but when someone does the same to you, you get pissed. I told you in the tent that the only thing that should matter is if someone is dead or alive. Nothing else. Not the color of their skin, their sexual orientation, or the way they act, along with what items they had before all of this happen," he said motioning with his hand around as if to point out their surroundings.
"None of that matters anymore. We all have one goal and that is to live to see the next day. A group should be able to rely on each other to have their backs. If you want to be in this group along with your brother, then you need to learn to look at the world differently or hold your tongue before someone does it for you. I will leave you behind if I think you are a threat to this group, and if I think you could really do some damage then you will not like the outcome. Just some food for thought," Harry said not taking his eyes off of the flames. He did not look at Merle once while he was talking.
Merle just stared at him the wheels in his mind turning. He was not as dumb or stupid as he like people to believe. He was just set in his ways and he did not think that would change anytime soon, but maybe he could watch his tongue if it meant staying with them.
"I ain't going to lie and say that I will change my ways, but I will try and watch how I speak. Not much you can do if that is how you were raised," Merle said nonchalantly. Hearing this Harry turned his head to look at Merle and let out a laugh. Merle, Arika, and Bryan all looked at him trying to figure out what was funny that was just said.
"Just because you were raised a certain way does not give you an excuse to treat everyone as if they are lower than you. If you go around acting the way everyone expects you to, then you are causing everyone to think you are nothing but a stupid hillbilly. You end up proving them right. I was raised that if I did anything that was not deemed normal, I was punished. Did not matter what age and the punishment never fit the crime I supposedly did," Harry shot right back at him. Bryan and Arika were watching the two as if it was a tennis match and the ball was going between them. Hearing the last comment from Harry, they looked at him with eyes wide in shock. George and Luna were just looking at Harry with understanding in their eyes.
"So, you were raised like I was," Merle said a little shocked. Looking Merle in his eyes Harry shrugged his should in an I-don't-know motion. Merle seeing this could not help himself when a smirk started to make its way onto his face.
"I'll show ya mine if you show me yours, princess?" Merle said. This caused Harry to let out a small laugh in disbelief while shaking his head. Turning to look back at Merle his face just read 'done' on it.
"Now why would I do that?" Harry said with his left eyebrow up. Getting up off the ground Harry dusting himself off and headed towards the tents entrances.
"I'm going to bed have a nice night," he said while walking into the tent. Everyone's gazes were on him until he was out of sight.
"Didn't think that he was that much of a pussy," Merle said looking back at the group with a victory grin on his face.
"How many people have you killed?" the blond head girl asked him. This question catching him off guard.
"What?" Merle asked his face twisted up in confusion.
"How many people have you killed, and I am not asking about the inferi?" she asked again.
"The what, and what does it matter to you?"
"The dead. We call them inferi's and just trying to feel you out?" she answered a bright smile on her face. The way she was looking at him and acting was not sitting right with Merle. Even though she seemed harmless something told him that she was anything but.
"A fair few. I was in the military."
"How older were you?" the red-head then asked.
"Around 19 or 20. Why does any of that matter?" Merle said sounding more and more pissed off by the word.
"He watched his mum die right in front of him at around 1 year old. He still remembers some of it. When he was 11, he ended up killing a grown man in self-defense. At 12 he almost died saving my sister. 13 he went up against another grown man that everyone though helped the person who murdered his parents. Found out that it was his godfather and that he was wrongly imprisoned. 14 he saw one of his classmates get killed in cold blood for being at the wrong place at the wrong time," the red-head said while glaring at him. Merle was pretty sure that if this man could kill in a look, he would be dead right now.
"When he was 15, he found out that his godfather was in trouble and tried to tell someone. It ended up being a trap that killed his godfather instead. When he was 16 his parent's murder decided that he was tired of hiding and blamed Harry. So, he was on the run for his life while this mad man hunted him. At the age of 17, Harry was caught and brought before the same man. He was held as a prisoner and was torture. He somehow escaped and ended up killing him," the blonde picked up talking and was looking Merle in his eyes while she did. Turning to look at the night sky a small smile made its way onto her face.
"Add that with the hell his life was because of the people who were supposed to take care of him, but instead treated his as a slave," the redhead picked back up, his face red and his eyes burning with anger.
"Calm down George," the blonde said turning to look at George and placing her hand on his arm. Looking at her George started to take in deep breaths.
"Thanks, Luna," he said causing her to get him a big smile.
"As you can see Merle, we are just trying to figure out if Harry could go through all of that and not being a prejudice asshole, what you must have gone through to become one," Luna said turning to look back at him a small smile still on her face. Hearing everything that the two of them told her Merle's eyes were wide and his face a little pale.
"You're lying or stretching the truth," he said not believing everything that he was told. How could he? It sounded like something out of a book*. Looking at the other two people he was again shocked that the black chick was looking just like him. Her eyes were wide, and she looked about ready to faint. It was the Doc. that was looking at the ground sad that made him rethink that it might not have been. It was quiet for a few minutes when a throat was cleared.
"They are telling the truth," Bryan said finally speaking up.
"It was the bear minimal version of what I have heard but everything that they said is true," he said looking at Merle then at Arika. Arika was looking at Bryan than to Luna and George, in disbelief.
"Who in their right mind would let that happen to a child?" she asked eyes and voice full of grief. She could not picture what was told to her happening to the man sleeping on a cot inside the tent. If what they said was true and they were the same person, then why did he spear Dave's life, let alone put up with half of the shit that was thrown their way. Shaking her head, she looked back at George and Luna.
"If what you told us was the truth how is he still the way he is today?" Arika asked again just staring at them.
"He thinks he is a monster, so every day he tries to prove that he is not," Luna said giving them a sad small smile. After hearing everything that was said everyone was lost in their own thoughts and feelings.
"Let's go, Merle, we are calling it a night," Bryan said getting up while looking at Merle. Turning to look at him Merle just gave him the stink eye.
"I ain't tried yet," he grumbled out.
"You might feel fine right now but come morning you will probably feel like shit. We have been giving you what we could and now that we have run out of medicine you will be facing the full effect of your withdrawal. So might as well rest now before you can't," Bryan said giving him a look. Hearing this Merle started to pale.
"And before you say something stupid or leave just know you will not be welcome back into this group. So are drug really worth your safety or life?" Bryan continued saying while just standing there looking at him. Giving a huff Merle got up and was cussing over his breath while they walked into the tent leaving Luna, George, and Arika by themselves.
"I will take first watch," Arika said looking into the small fireplace watching what was left die out.
"Wake me up when it is my turn," George said standing up and then looking down at Luna. She just gave him a smile before motioning for him to go ahead without her. Nodding his head in understanding he wished them both a good night before heading into the tent.
"Why are you not going to bed?" Arika asked looking at Luna.
"Just wanting to sit here under the stars. It is a quiet and peaceful night," Luna said looking up at the sky again.
"Ask the question that you want to, Luna."
"Do you still trust Harry?" Luna said still looking up at the sky but now her voice was a little less friendly and more serious.
"Yes, why wouldn't I?"
"Because of what we told you."
"To tell you the truth after everything I have heard and what I know about you guys, I should probably be more piss or mad then I am, but I also have seen how you guys treat everyone. You tried to save us from Dave, and he beat you up. George has always looked out for us by being a mother hen," Arika said causing Luna to laugh.
"Harry, with everything I have heard, should have killed Dave, after what he did to you and George, but he let him walk away. I don't know if that was due to him being a pussy as Merle called him or if he just felt sad for him. All I do know is that he seems fair and he gives us all a chance. I am not going to lie and say that I don't want to know more about what happened, but I think that I best leave that for another day."
Hearing this, Luna looked back at Arika and gave her the biggest smile that Arika had ever seen. It caused her to flush a little and give one back. Luna then turned her to look back at the night sky.
"It is really beautiful tonight," she sated causing Arika to also look up at it.
"I have always loved just laying down and looking at the stars. From what I can remember my dad would randomly wake me up and take me onto the roof of our house to star gaze. He would tell me stories about each one and I would listen intently. I really hope that he is ok," Luna said a single tear silently making its way done her face.
Arika got up and sat down next to her putting her hand on her leg giving it a little squeeze. She then turned her head and looked back up at the stars.
"The only family that I had is dead," Arika said.
"It happened right before I meet you guys. We were making our way towards the outpost when one of the dead jumped out and grabbed a hold of me. I was able to kill it and when I turned around there was another eating them. I was devastated. I ended up killing it. After I was done, I just sat there waiting for them to come back. I killed each one. Afterwards, I got up and continued to make my way to the outpost, where you guys were. I don't know what made Harry come up to me and start talking but I am happy that he did." Turning to give Arika a little smile Luna also put her hand on Arika's leg. They just sat there and stargazed until it was George's turn to take watch. Going into the tent Arika woke him up and while he was getting ready to go outside Arika got ready for bed. Once her head hit the pillow and her eyes closed, she saw was two little girl running after each other. There braided hair swinging behind them. She felt an arm wrapped around her waist and the sound laughing coming from beside her. A smile made its way onto her face while she let herself be dragged into sleep.
~~~~~~~~Slytherin~~~~~~~~
A/N-Also if anyone has any questions about the story please ask.
1. Hehehe.