I didn't sleep at all that night.
Not like it was different than any other night, but compared to holing yourself into a random house with the risk of never waking up again, this was much safer. Guns and protection all on top of a forest cliff.
The only problem with this is that we'd be the first ones to go if Walkers infiltrated the camp, since there were no extra tents to accommodate us. Sleeping bags with one extra blanket to be shared between me and the Dixons, warmheartedly donated to us from Carol, would have to do.
I leaned against the makeshift pillow I made out of Daryl's forearm and tried my hardest to ignore the tremors made from Merle's snoring as I looked up into the cloudless, summer sky, peering up at Sagittarius and thinking about me and Shane's earlier conversation.
Was the fact that Daryl saved my life not once, but twice, making me think that I was in love with him? What did love really feel like? Now that I think about it, I never loved something more than I loved running. I don't think I've ever loved a single human being in my entire life.
"You don't have any right," I angrily spat, aiming my gun in between the eyebrows of the man that almost killed me twenty seconds ago. In return, he had his crossbow pointed directly on my chest, aimed above my heart.
"Oh, but darling," he sneered, "I do."
His brother kept watch in back of me for the sake of Walkers as much as if I tried to escape. I thought of looking back to see if I had any advantages, but I couldn't risk a crossbow bolt through my heart. Things were getting sticky.
"This is my area," I claimed, tilting my head backwards as if to prove dominance. I was far from it.
"It's the end of the world and yet you still think there is territory. You are a silly little girl," he mocked, his thick redneck twang not helping his shitty attitude. There was nothing I hated more than being called a little girl, especially by a man that didn't look much older than myself. My cheeks flared red as I huffed the hot Georgia air.
"Then why don't you take your own advice and get you and your hick brother outta here?"
His fists clenched on the crossbow. He now wanted to shoot me badly; his knuckles became white as he traced the trigger. I hit a soft spot, possibly calling him a hick got to him as bad as me being called little girl. I had to risk that it did.
"Hey Merle," he called, moving his head towards his brother but not taking his eyes off me. It sounded more flattering than it really was.
"Yo, Daryl."
Mental note: Merle and Daryl.
"How long till sunrise, would you say?"
I glanced to the broken window to my left. The sun was setting quickly. It was already displaying stripes of deep orange and purple across the dark blue sky. The trees glowed yellow as I watched the celestial ball of fire go below the tree line. I estimated about 30 minutes left of valuable sunlight.
"Two hours, at least."
I scoffed and looked back at Merle, who looked at his brother and chuckled.
"Well what do you say, Ms. Expert-at-Shit?"
"Thirty minutes, at the most," I said matter of factly, ignoring the distain glares coming from Merle. My guard was down temporarily, which Daryl caught. Before I could raise my gun up again, he knocked my Beretta out of my hand, spraining my wrist. He hit me with the butt of his crossbow before I could retaliate. I fell to the ground, spitting blood out of my mouth from my newly split lip. Some type of remorse flashed on his features before the creases hardened again.
"Well, let's go to the roof then, shall we?" he sarcastically said, motioning to Merle to follow. He picked me up by the collar of my hoodie and came dangerously close to my face.
"You're not so tough without your gun, huh?" he whispered. The heat of his breath made me angrier, but something flashed through my stomach like lightning. Something that made me feel almost content.
"What, are you holding me captive now?"
"Something like that," Merle laughed and aimed his sniper rife at my head. I eyed the tip of it precariously.
"That's your weapon of choice," I rhetorically asked Merle and in return got the tip of it jammed on my head.
"Yeah, you gotta problem with that?"
"Why are you using that tone with me?" I asked honestly, attempting to swivel around as his brother dragged me up concrete stairs. Instead, he pulled at my collar harder.
"First you gotta problem with my gun," he started, going in front of his brother to open the rooftop door, "and now, you have a problem with me. Well, we're gonna have fun."
They both laughed and stepped out onto the roof, of course with me dragging behind them. Literally.
"Fuck off," I said as Merle's brother let go of my hoodie and slammed me down on the rooftop's ledge. It was only a couple of inches wide, which put me on edge. (Pun definitely intended). But seriously. I was on the edge of a six story building. It was a little unnerving.
"Do you ever shut up?" Merle yelled and spun around, pointing his inappropriately wielded snipe rifle in my face. I stood up unafraid that he had authority to blow my brains out of my ears. He snickered and turned to his brother, who looked like he was either going to puke or stop Merle from feeding the endlessly restless Walkers my head below. And I could tell you this, his face started turning a little green.
"Fuck. You."
He laughed and hit me again with his gun, this time putting me off balance. He slung his rifle over his shoulder, carefully placing the strap near his neck. It swung around his waist and hit me once again.
"WAHHAH!" I screamed bloody murder as Merle's gun hit my arm once again, making me trip over my own feet. The tip of my converse got caught on the ledge, sending me into a tumble over the side of the building.
"No!" I heard before taking the dive, feeling a hand tightly wrap around my ankle. I yelled again when he didn't pull me up right away and let my body smash against the brick exterior of the office building.
"Do. Not. Fucking. Let. Go," I muttered through clenched teeth, watching below as excited Walkers gathered around as fresh blood dripped down from my forehead.
"Having fun yet, sweet cheeks?" Merle called from above, laughing as he looked down at the feasting Walkers. Some blood got on another Walker and I watched in disgust as the others fed on it.
"A little help here, guys?" I asked and attempted to lift myself up before he pulled me back.
"A thank you would be nice," he hinted, reaching in to wipe the blood off my face. I pushed him away and sighed at his hurt expression.
"I do believe you just saved my life, Mr. Dixon," I muttered and rubbed my head. And my arm. And my ankle.
After a few moments of awkward silence, Merle sighed impatiently at the both of us.
"Well, I don't know about you two but I'm bouncing this joint. You coming with us, sweet cheeks?"
"Well, would you look at the time," I commented before answering his question, looking down at my wrist and tapping a pretend watch, "It's sunset, and exactly at my estimated time."
"Shit, guess we'll have to hunker down here."
"Yeah but don't expect us to be here in the morning," Daryl sorrowfully added. I patted his shoulder and laid down right where I stood.
"That's definitely not a problem."
I woke in the morning to the sound of a jeep leaving the parking lot. An unexpected pang of loneliness hit my gut as I watched them peel away from the building, shooting every Walker that reached their path. Instead of crying like a wuss which I predicted would happen, I swallowed a hard, tear jerking lump that invaded my throat and went on with my day. Like any other day.