Chapter 2: Tilt
It wasn't a scream of fear or pain. It was the scream of defeat: a scream of utter despair, loneliness, and hopelessness. That scream sounding again is what drew Aubrey towards the building: an abandoned sheriff's station…how convenient. At this point during the apocalypse, she was running low on ammo, and sure enough there was plenty of ammo for her CS725, and her .375 Smith and Wesson. Clips. With a smile, she made a holster for her hatchet using left behind leather gun holsters that she tied in a knap-like sack over her back. She'd be decent for a while alone. While she scavenged what was left of the downstairs, the shriek sounded again. Gritting her teeth, making up her mind, she headed towards the roof.
"Girl." Daryl hissed. I snapped back to reality. We were passed the tall grass now and Merle was in full sight. He saw us and smiled at me. I could see the liquor dancing in his eyes. The girl-woman sat looking helpless next to his feet. "The name's Aubrey." I growled towards Daryl, instantly biting my tongue as a group of walkers hobbled from all sides. My gun and hatchet were back at the camp, leaving the only option: run. The younger Daryl didn't seem scared; he merely grabbed my arm and yanked me towards him, towards Merle. "Found somethin' of yers." Daryl's grip tightened as I tried to yank away. Merle grinned at his younger brother and I saw little resemblance. "Ah, see you've finally met." He jeered waving the bottle of Jack Daniels at me. "There'd better be some left." I snarled at him, glaring from him to the woman on the ground that reeked of fear, whether from me or the approaching walkers. She clambered to her feet towards Daryl. This broke his attention from his brother as I kicked at her to cause her to shrivel back towards the ground. "Cut it out girl." Came a no-nonsense tone from both Dixons. Now my eyes were in slits. If I wasn't pissed before, now there were no boundaries towards it. "Take her back to the prison." Came Daryl's voice, his nails now digging into my skin. I blinked, but before I could retaliate or react Merle raised the bottle back to his lips. "Hurry missy or there won't be none left for ya." The woman (who stayed knelt) looked from me to Daryl. "Daryl-" "Glen's worried sick, best not to keep you out here longer than you need to be. This my brother. Fair exchange." Before he could finish his sentence fully a walker approached behind me. I smelled him before the whine of death and decay came from his mouth. I twisted away from Daryl without hesitation and twisted his head hard, breaking his neck. "Let's go princess." I extended my bloodied hand towards the woman, who rose without taking it. "Mah name is Maggie." She replied a little coldly. I could care less. I had to romp back through the tall grass weaponless before I could booze out with my only living friend. Daryl and Merle had most of the walkers' attentions now. I winked at her. "Well Mags, I'm Aubrey. I beat your boyfriend in the face without thinkin twice about it so listen and listen well. When we get to the tall grass, you run. I dunno how your prison works but once we at the gate, you on your own." She merely nodded. I smiled. "Lets go."
Merle heard the scream. It wasn't one of pain or fear but of hopelessness. The scream sounded again as he pillaged what was left of the small town's bar. It was a girl's scream. Grumbling, he dropped his stash and headed towards the sound. That girl should have been far away by now according to what she said after she busted the handcuffs, freeing him from being trapped on the rooftop. The scream sounded again, and he hastened his step. It came from behind the local grocery store. Checking his Olympia he gritted his teeth to find he only had 4 buck-shots left. Crouching behind several broke down vehicles in the abandoned parking lot, he surveyed the situation. The girl, Aubrey she said her name was, she was tied to a post. There were 3 guys bigger than she, jeering at her. They taunted, one of them was cutting away slowly at her tank-top with her hatchet. She tried snapping her teeth at him, this earned her a slap. "She got fight." One of them laughed, reaching forward grabbing a breast. This earned another strangled cry. Merle felt the hairs on his neck rise. She'd screamed twice before that…what had they touched? Grabbed? Without further thoughts, he raised the shot gun and took aim.
"So…she save you, you save her. Are ya'll like…" Daryl couldn't bring himself to say the words. Merle took another swig before sloshing the remaining half of the liquor around and capping the bottle. "That fox ain't to be captured by someone like me… never crossed my mind to attempt either." Daryl looked away from his brother and took in his surroundings. The house wasn't too far from the prison, but secluded in a clearing. There were trenches half dug to keep the walkers out, and they were sitting next to a manmade fire-pit surrounded by makeshift log seats. As Merle placed the bottle into the seat beside him, Daryl felt a sting of jealousy. "I been wantin that tooth since I was 12-" "What have you done to deserve it kid?" Merle barked with laughter. "Frankly little brother, the bitch's got more balls than I ever seen on you." Daryl glared through the fire at his older brother who continued to laugh. Now, he was irritated and he rose to go. "Nice seein you again Merle." Click. The laughter suddenly stopped as the hammer cocked back on the pistol Merle pointed towards Daryl's chest. Daryl's jaw clenched as Merle waved the gun back towards the ground. "Until she returns little brother. Get comfortable. You're stayin'."