The blood coursing through m'ears is noisy. I hold him down, snarling, ready t'punch if he tries anythin'. I don't know exactly what happened, why this man is on the ground in front of me. The sense of a threat, of danger, is strong. I felt better this mornin', less out of it, and m'arm hurt less. But now the nausea is back, and m'arm is throbbing again. I sway, almost lose m'grip on the guy.
Then his arms are around me, he grounds me, holds tight, holds me up. His breath is warm on my neck, I can feel him so completely, like time's stopped, like it's jus' us. Like the guy I'm holdin' down and who is struggling to breathe in my grip isn' even there.
"Let's not do this now. Daryl… C'mon…"
And I listen t'him. Let him pull me away, stand m'back on m'feet. Let him put himself between these people an' me. My pulse slows down, I catch m'breath. I can hear again, and see t'others, and it all comes back. Why I tackled this guy whose name I don' remember. He went out w' Glenn an' Noah, an' that other guy from Alexandria. They had a fight, Glenn knocked one of 'em down, I took t'other on.
I pace. Still out of breath a little, still ready t'attack if I have t'. These aren' good people. They are weak, lazy, stupid, hidin' here behind them walls.
Rick's in front of me. He fixes me wi' his stare, arms outstretched til I slow down properly. His eyes tell me no, not now. Not like this.
Then the woman, Deanna, speaks. She sends her two guys 'way, makes a big speech bout how we all belong there now, behin' her walls. As if…
Then she looks at Rick.
"I told you, I have a job for you. I want you to be our constable. That's what you were. That's what you are."
She looks at Michonne next, who must have arrived when I wasn' payin' attention.
"And you, too… Will you accept?"
Michonne nods. "Yeah, I'm in."
Deanna glances back at Rick. I can' believe this. Surely he won' jus' say yes. The thought that he'll jus' do whatever these people ask makes me feel sick again.
"Ok."
I look at him, can' believe it. Suddenly I notice how much my arm hurts. I look down, there's blood on t'bandages again. I can taste bile at the back of my throat, and wonder how long I have til it's so bad I can' keep from puking.
've had enough. I snatch up m'crossbow, give Rick a glance that I hope shows him how disgusted 'm bein', and walk away.
Let Rick handle this on his own, if he's s'keen.
