17
The target was there, mocking me in my third failed attempt to do a right shot. It wasn't a proper target at all, just a broken chair I found while walking in the hallway. The thing was blocking a door when I made myself sure that there wasn't walkers inside, so I put the chair on place. After I tiptoed my way out of the cellblock in the middle of the night taking my shotgun with me, I made a great escape with everyone sleeping and the archer doing patrol outside. It was my moment.
Since the Governor shot me, everyone seemed to think that I'll break like a porcelain doll at every sudden move. And that was pissing me off. It wasn't that I didn't like the attention but it was getting too far. I know, I'm living with an awful pain that hurt in me every time I tried to do something normal, and by normal I mean shooting with my gun. I felt useless trying to carry the weapon and noticing how it made me uncomfortable the weight of the shotgun. But it wasn't just about that, I needed to prove myself that I could protect this place if something happened. And the fact that Rick had a meeting with the Governor and now we were on a real war, well that wasn't making it easy for me. Knowing that the Governor wanted the prison and that he wanted all of us gone or he'll kill us just made it all more unsettling for me.
I cursed under my breath watching another bullet pass beside the chair without touching it. This was ridiculous, I felt ridiculous. And it hurt me every time I tried to raise my shotgun to pull the trigger. Sighing and tired of my uselessness, I leaned on the wall watching at the half open double-door and pull off the silencer from the barrel. I sighed again; I needed to get back to my cell before someone noticed I wasn't there. Something cracked and I raised one of my knives quickly. The sound of a chuckle and slow footsteps echoed in the dark hallway and I lowered my knife.
- Playing hide and seek, biscuit? — Merle Dixon said when he was visible, a smug smirk plastered in his face. I rolled my eyes ignoring him — What? No hugs and flowers for ol' Merle?
- What the hell do you want? — He chuckled again.
- Nothing biscuit. I was just looking for some special powder.
- You want me to congratulate you? — I faked a smile and Merle snorted.
- I got to be honest with you, the way my brother reacted when he saw you back in the woods, and then when you were shot — Merle grunted — Never seen him like that before. Pathetic.
- That's called empathy, something you obviously lack. And anyway, shouldn't you be locked in a cell or something?
- Nah, officer Friendly changed his mind — He announced waving his iron arm.
- Fantastic, now can you please fuck off and leave me alone? — I hissed — Right now I'm trying to not pull out a knife and stab you. — He burst out in laughter.
- I really don't get why my baby brother likes you; you're nothing but a pretty little girl, aren't you? — He countered with a smirk. This man was annoying as hell so I just kept ignoring his words taking my stuff and getting myself back to the cellblock.
- Piss off Merle.
- My Lil' brother s'looking for you, biscuit — My head turned and I cursed internally. I grabbed the shotgun rapidly even though it pulled at my wound.
Without thinking I pushed the chair inside the double door, I heard how the eldest Dixon chuckled but when I looked back to the hallway he was nowhere to be seen. Closing the door was a stupid idea because it was too noisy and I knew that someone might have heard it. Glancing around me and realizing that the sun was already rising I took a better look at the room. Sunlight was slipping through the windows, giving me a better sight. There was a wooden table with six chairs, and when I walked up to the middle of the room I saw the shelves. Four tall shelves full of books. My mind clicked, transporting me back to high school, back to college, back to a normal familiarity I thought it was long forgotten.
The childish emotion creep into my chest and I found myself approaching the shelf. I put the weapon down on the floor and with that done, my eyes were immediately watching at every book that crossed my sight. First the medicine section, then biology and chemistry, but finally I found it. The literature section was pretty small but it was perfect for me. There were a few novels I didn't know, so I just took the classic books. With a copy of Hamlet and The Little Prince in my hands I turned around ready to get back to the cellblock.
My distraction and sloppy pace made me stumbled with my own shotgun and I stupidly fell backwards. The books dropped to the floor and some of the ones in the shelf fell too because my back crashed against it. To my own bad luck, the doors snapped open and Daryl made his way inside the place. I lifted in my elbows smiling widely at him; the archer gave me a questioning look standing on the doorframe.
- Hey hunter. Look, I found the library — Daryl walked without a response and reached out to me so I could stand up. He grabbed my shotgun from the floor still silent and then he turned around to see me.
- I saw the bullet holes on the wall — He stated — The hell were you doing?
- Just practicing — Daryl narrowed his blue eyes and glanced at me with evident exasperation shining in his orbs.
- Come, Rick want to talk with us. — He said, walking straight to the hallway again.
I stopped picking up the books I dropped, before following him through the prison and back to the cells. I could felt the bad mood floating around Daryl and I knew that he was mad at me for leaving the cellblock to use my shotgun. Apparently he would not scold me for the moment and I felt a little relieved about it. The others were already up when we reached the common area. Carol gave me a pointing look, and I saw how little Sophia took back a giggle.
Outside the sky was clouded and a cool breeze blowed giving me goosebumps. Walking to the back of one yard Rick and Hershel were waiting for us. The sheriff gave me a half grin as a greeting and the old man just tilted an eyebrow, my mind realizing that they were well aware about my little escape. The old man glanced at Rick and I felt a brief rush of nervousness, if he wanted to talk with us it might be for something important. Rick started to talk, but I was not prepared for what he said.
- It's the only way — Rick stated.
- Handing Michonne to the Governor? We might as well kill her here, there's no difference. — Rick sighed in exasperation at my response.
- Are you willing to sacrifice your sisters' lives for her? — He questioned giving me a serious glance.
- This could be a trap, that man is a sociopath, you can't believe he won't attack us after that. — I said firmly. Hershel looked at me but he remained silent.
- Look, we do this and we avoid a fight — Rick started again.
- You got a plan? — Daryl asked. Rick nodded and explained his plan, which for me was not a good one — Just ain't us, man.
- No it isn't. But like this, no one else dies. — Rick said he'd talk to Merle for help, but I could not listen anymore. I stood up abruptly and walked to the prison entry. Before I left, I looked back at them.
- I said you had my support Rick, but I won't be part of this.
I tried to distract myself by cleaning the guns. It wasn't a task that needed to be done now, but it kept my mind out of what was going to happen. Deep down I knew that Rick had part of reason, but this wasn't the right way. And otherwise I had this bad feeling in my chest about this. And I was still nervous and unsettled. Sighing I looked out of the window. I spotted my Jeep parked in the back yard, I was about to get back to work when something catched my peripheral vision and the next I saw almost made me jump out of my skin. Standing up I grabbed the first rifle I had in the way. The only thing I had in my mind was to run out of the building and stop Merle Dixon from doing a stupid thing that probably will get him killed. I had to think fast, so I just took one of the bags with ammo and made my way out of the armory.
Just like I sneak out of the cellblock earlier that day, I managed to got into my car unnoticed. Putting the engine back to life I drove out of the prison taking one of the side roads. I traced my fingers through my loose hair nervously. This was one of those moments where I just wanted that time stopped around me so I could find them before anything bad happened. I knew this would happen, I knew something like this was going to happen. But I was too astonished by Rick decision to tell him that it was a lousy idea telling the plan to the eldest Dixon. And not to mention the big trouble that awaited back at the prison when they realized that Merle and Michonne weren't there. Big trouble when Daryl realized that I wasn't there either. So I needed to be quick and get back home sooner.
The marks of wheels were spotted by my sight and I drove slow the car. I chuckled to myself; five years in the law school left something at least to survive in this new world. If it wasn't for all the criminology books I had to read in college I didn't have known that Merle was going straight to his grave. The Governor wasn't just a bad guy, he was insane. And we just saw glimpses of his madness, so if Merle wanted to caught him and kill him, he needed to think like a sociopath and he surely wasn't one.
The fear is only in your mind. But with an enemy like the Governor, I didn't even have time to be afraid.
I slammed the brakes of the car watching at Michonne walking the long distance of the road. She seemed startled at first but when I called her she ran approaching me.
- Where's Merle?
- He let me go — Michonne said almost in a whisper.
- Come — I motioned with my head to the passenger door — I'm gonna need your help.
Michonne hop on the car and I drove back again to the road. She explained to me where the first meeting took place, even though she hasn't went with them, she knew how to get to that place. After a moment we reached the storage silos, but instead of driving right there I parked the Jeep on the side of the road so the woods wouldn't allow another people to spot the car.
- Wait here — I informed to Michonne whose saw me nearly horrified. — It's fine, I'll be right back.
The grass cracked with every step I took. Checking quickly on my knives, feeling the small weight of the ammunition bag I had on my good shoulder and with the rifle loaded I stepped in the field. The first thing I noticed was the loud music resonating from somewhere outside the storage and obviously the amount of walkers roaming and limping to the sound like mosquitoes following a shining light. It was a good distraction but a dangerous one, Merle had a good idea but it wasn't enough.
Some idiots got trapped by the walkers and instantly the gunshots echoed in the air. With the silencer on place I looked forward trying to see any sign of Merle. Instead I spotted two men, one of them was tall and almost good-looking if it wasn't for the unsettling gaze his uncovered eye had. Suddenly the other guy dropped to the ground, dead. But the man with the creepy gaze remained quiet almost undisturbed by the mess happening around him. My pulse increased with realization.
I've found the Governor.
He walked right to a shed and I Knew this was it. Merle was there, and I needed to be quick and precise if I wanted to get us both out of this hell. Two men followed the governor but before they could get inside I shot them down. They dropped to the ground and I rapidly walked shooting at the walkers that were getting in my way. I heard a yell and the sound of something crashing when I got close to the shed's doorway. And I saw them fighting, Merle had punched the Governor in the face and the other man was struggling in grabbing his gun. In the rush of my thoughts and the sudden craziness of the moment I aimed the rifle and shot to the sociopath hands. He yelled in pain as the bullet wound in his hand left a trail of blood in the wooden floor. The eldest Dixon didn't hesitate at using the distraction and he was on his feet again grabbing the handgun and aiming at the bleeding man.
We needed to leave, I saw more monsters coming and feasting in the corpses, and in the middle of the desperation I heard the roaring of car coming closer.
- Merle! — His eyes glanced at me with the same horrified look I received from Michonne moments before. He walked to me grabbing me by the arm and dragging me out of the shed.
- What the fuck you doing here?! – Merle yelled at me but this wasn't time for clumsy discussions. He then noticed the two dead men near the doorway, both with headshots and he looked back to me with disbelief taking his rough features.
Time was ticking though I didn't have a clock, so instead I pulled him forward and I turned around to the shed once again.
- Run!
I heard Merle yelling something behind me and with my free hand I pulled what I needed out of the bag. The small explosive felt cold against my palm, like the ice that once burned in my lungs back in winter. Counting the seconds I raised my hands taking off the safety pin ring. It clicked even thought all around me was filled with the inhumane sound of the walkers and with the sound of the branches moving in the distance.
My breath stopped in my throat.
Three, two, one…
I threw the grenade inside the shed and I ran away. The expansive wave made me stumble a little and the thick air was filled with the noisy detonation buzzing in my ears.
Merle was waiting for me behind one of the silos. He looked at me expressionless, his bruised face didn't have his usual smirk, I leaded the way and we silently walked back to the car. Michonne was out the white jeep and she seemed relieved when she saw me. Without a word I shoved the rifle and bag in the back seat while Merle hop on there and I jumped on the driver seat and drove back to the prison.
We were almost near the fences when Merle broke the silence with a chuckle. I glanced at him briefly for the rearview mirror; his blue eyes were just the same color as his brother. And I felt a little silly that I hadn't notice that sooner.
- Now I get it, biscuit — Merle stated, the smug smirk coming back to his face. Beside me, I saw Michonne lightly snorting in annoyance at the Dixon brother.
- What? – I asked looking at the way with one hand on the steering wheel while we reached the prison's gate.
- He likes you but not 'cause of the pretty face — Merle chuckled again and brushed at his face with his good hand — Is 'cause you're a fucking wild and unpredictable box full of surprises, aren't you?
I could not help but grin softly.
Hey :D New chapter here.
Yes, Mary saved Merle. Season 3 is almost over.
Don't forget to leave a review :D