The French Girl
I really am sorry about the short chapter last week; hopefully this will make up for it.
-O-
Vatos
The blood trail was getting lighter, less and less blood by the minute. It worried everyone it seemed but Daryl, who Antoinette knew could track anybody he wanted. She was listening carefully for the walkers, thankful greatly for Daryl teaching her about a lot of stuff. She looked up when she heard Daryl shout, "Merle!"
"We are not alone here," Rick hissed, "Remember?"
She rolled her eyes as she stayed close to the Asian, Glenn. "Screw that," Antoinette and Daryl said at the same time, causing them to glare at the other.
T-Dog moved from where he was, looking around. Glenn stayed close as well, as Antoinette moved behind the group to protect them. "He could be bleedin' out, ya said so ya self." Daryl pointed out, from where he was, looking out before moving forward. With all the walkers, you really had to be careful. T-Dog made a noise that sounded like, 'shh!'.
They came into a kitchen which was actually covered in dirty rusty colored stuff. Antoinette wasn't sure what it was at first, but once she looked closer… she had an idea. "What's that burned stuff?" Glenn asked from where he was, looking over the rusty burned stuff.
"Skin." Was all Rick said.
Antoinette shivered. She never wanted to think on what Merle had to be doing to try and stay alive, she felt really bad for Daryl. "He…he cauterized the stump." She said quietly, making a lot of the group shift (other than Daryl of course).
"Told you he was tough," Daryl said, looking over at Rick who looked horrified, and he looked so…innocent. Antoinette looked between the guys. "Nobody can kill Merle but Merle."
Rick was about to say something more but Antoinette stepped in. "Hey, don't say anything to take away the guy's hope. Let's just keep looking." She began to walk away from the rusty dead skin and soon found a window, which was broken. She stared at the bloody towel. "It looks like he broke outta here, he's gone…"
Daryl frowned. The guys got into a fight about them leaving Merle behind and how it was better to take the chance out there than rotting. Antoinette hated how they fought. Then Daryl looked pretty pissed off at the group's men since Antoinette had been Daryl the whole time, not with Merle when they tied him up. "Ain't so worried about some dumb dead bastard." said Daryl.
"What about 1000 dumb dead bastards?" Rick asked, looking pretty smug at the moment well Daryl got into his face. "Is that a different story?"
Daryl glared. "What? You keepin tally?"
"Boys!" Antoinette moved over to stop them from fighting. Rick and Daryl keep glaring at the other. "We came here to find Merle and those damn guns. Let's get going, oui?"
Daryl shook his head. "I'm gonna go find him!"
Rick stopped him, "Daryl, wait!" but he ended up pushing the redneck.
"Keep your hands off me!" Daryl had a flash of a memory but he would not let this cop control him. "You can't stop me!"
"I don't blame you," Rick tried to explain. "His family, I get that! I went through hell to find mine!"
Daryl hated this cop. Antoinette was shocked as her mouth fell open. Glenn looked around waiting for the walkers to show up and nobody wanted that. T-Dog actually looked scared. Rick went on saying that they would try to help, check a few places if they kept a level head. Annie shook her head. "Rick, this is stupid! W-we have to get a move on, or else—"
"Shut up French bitch!" Daryl yelled at her but he had calmed down a little. He turned to Rick. "I could do that."
T-Dog shook his head, "Only if we get those guns first." Glenn agreed.
-O-
They had made a plan. Glenn was showing Rick the reasons why he should go alone. Antoinette wasn't looking too keen on the idea but Glenn wanted her and Daryl together; T-Dog and Rick together and waiting. "But if you're alone, who's gonna help you?" Antoinette pointed out.
Glenn looked up. "If I'm alone, I move faster— I'm quieter, quicker. I'm better off going alone and we'll get the guns."
Rick looked over the map.
"So why me?" Daryl asked, wondering why he should have to wait.
"Your crossbow is quieter than his gun." Glenn pointed out.
Antoinette shifted. "So then why am I helping you two out?"
"I don't want Daryl to be alone. It's better to have two eyes together." Rick said before Glenn could. "If he's watching one way and something happens, he has extra hands to help him out."
"I don't need any help from a bi— a woman!" Daryl said looking angrily over at Annie.
Rick glared but Daryl calmed down, only reason was because he was trying to get Merle back. Annie rubbed her forehead. "So where are Rick and T-Dog standing if they aren't with us?" She asked.
"You and T-Dog will be here," Glenn said putting an eraser down for them, and Rick looked confused.
"Two blocks away? Why?" He asked.
Glenn looked at the leader. "I may not be able to come back the same way! Walkers may cut me off." He explained, "If that happens; I won't back to Daryl and Antoinette, I'll go forward instead. All the way around to that ally where you guys are!" he said looking at each of the guys (T-Dog and Rick), "Whichever way I go, I got you in both places to cover me."
"Sounds pretty smart," Annie said hooting for the tiny man. Rick agreed.
Glenn grinned. "After that, we'll all meet up back here." He added.
Daryl nodded. "Hey kid, whatcha do 'fore all this?" Daryl asked.
Glenn looked down before looking back up, blushing a little because Annie was a woman and right there. "I delivered pizzas, why?"
The guys looked pretty surprised but nodded, taking it in anyway. And the plan took off.
-O-
It was deadly quiet save for a few drags of feet you'd hear once in awhile. Antoinette and Daryl took their places in the ally, out of sight but ready for anything. Glenn climbed down last, looking around quickly in case. Glenn led the way, Daryl after him and Antoinette after him. They didn't say anything all too scared that something would happen.
They heard groans and moans, growls sometimes too. Daryl and Glenn hid behind a dumpster. Annie right beside them looking out when she heard the walkers. She shivered.
"You got some real balls, for a chinaman." Daryl said.
"I'm Korean." Glenn said back as Daryl got his crossbow ready.
"Whatever."
Annie rolled her eyes. "I think it matters." Glenn flashed her a tiny smile and she returned it. "Get those guns Glenn; we'll watch your back."
Glenn nodded and took off his sweater before moving to get those guns. Annie got her ax ready and Daryl looked badass getting his crossbow ready too. Annie prayed that Glenn would be alright as she shifted on her feet, watching as she knelt down beside Daryl. "Do you think he'll be alright?" She whispered.
Daryl nodded. "That I do, lil lady. Now quiet!"
She fell quiet.
The few minutes Glenn was actually gone felt like forever. Annie was nervous as hell but heard feet, making her look around the dumpster the other way, wondering if it was a walker. It was a boy!
She got up and knocked him down before Daryl even noticed he was there. She didn't even try to think about him making noise, she couldn't. She slashed his throat. Before using her ax and making his head go off his shoulders. Daryl looked at her with surprise before she moved back to his side.
"It was either we take the chance and he makes noise, draws walkers or we get the guns, Merle and return home." She said quietly and Daryl nodded. "Don't tell Rick though, he'd have my head."
Daryl nodded. "I won't."
"Thanks."
Glenn showed up minutes later holding the guns and looking spooked. "We gotta go." He noticed the body but didn't say anything. He just looked at them with worry on his face.
Annie nodded as she got up and so did Daryl, together they took off down the alley with the guns and went back up the latter. They knew that Rick and T-Dog would be okay.
-O-
Once inside, Glenn set the bag down. Rick and T-Dog weren't up yet. "So who killed that kid?"
Annie raised her hand. "It was either him or us. I don't trust kids like that," She explained before moving over to clean her ax. "We got the guns, didn't we? Now onto Merle." She shrugged.
Glenn opened his mouth but Daryl shook his head. "That kid was trouble. He looked like a squealer anyway."
Rick and T-Dog showed up together minutes later. "You got the guns?" Rick asked.
Glenn nodded, "Yup. Even got the hat." He gave his friend the hat and Rick put it on.
"Thank you." Rick smiled at Glenn.
-O-
With the guns in hand, the group of 5 made their way back to the truck. Glenn looked in high spirits. Daryl was a little pissed that he couldn't find Merle but he had taken to Annie, and he knew that she'd keep him floating. T-Dog was oddly quiet.
"Admit it, you only came back here for the hat," Glenn said jokingly.
"Don't tell anybody." Rick joked back.
Annie raised an eyebrow at them before shaking her head and moving quickly. "Come on boys, I'm starving. Let's get back to campsite and let's have a nice sleep, no?"
They walked together and found that the track wasn't there anymore. Annie opened her mouth but stared. Daryl mumbled, "Merle."
They only could think of Merle going back to camp and hurting the loved ones there. Daryl had taken to the tiny group of men, seeing as how they were there to protect him. AND Annie was a lot like him, willing to do anything to protect the ones she loved.
However, they started to walk knowing they had to.
"Keep on your toes; we don't know what's out there, alright?" Rick said.
"I have a pretty good idea," Annie mumbled.
-O-
It was nightfall when they actually made it to the area they knew they were close to the camp. Annie's feet were killing her but she didn't say anything. "Damn, how much further?" Glenn asked.
Nobody said anything, not really sure themselves. Daryl walked beside Annie since the other three had taken to each other. "I'm sorry about Merle." She whispered to Daryl.
He looked at her. "Why?"
She ran her fingers through her blond locks. "I may have had my problems with him, but he was still a good man. He brought home some food sometimes, protected us— heck, Merle went on runs just so we could have food or water. The others may have thought he was a problem but I can see that he was a good man. And I'm sorry that you lost him." She said quietly.
Daryl looked at her, the others moving a little up ahead. "Ya don't mean that."
Antoinette looked at him carefully. "Maybe I don't, maybe I do— how are you ever going to know, petit?"
"Did you just call me small?" Daryl asked and Annie laughed. Maybe, Daryl Dixon wasn't so bad after all.
-O-
They heard screams. Annie didn't know she was running till she was bolting, needing to get to the camp.
PIERRE! She thought with a rush of fear.
Daryl may not have any family there, but he booted anyway. He couldn't let somebody like Annie Molle lose her brother too. They rushed together, hurrying and moving. When they got to the camp, it was overrun by walkers.
"PIERRE!" Antoinette yelled for her brother.
"ANNIE!" She looked around for him and found him staring at her with hope in his eyes. Pierre moved forward towards her, looking to her as she killed a few walkers as she rushed to him. "ANNIE!"
"PIERRE!"
The walkers were drawn to them but also to the guns. Blood was everywhere.
"You're alive!" Pierre said looking in awe at her. He hugged her before letting go.
"We gotta." Annie whispered before killing another walker with her ax. Pierre nodded and together they worked. Sadly, they didn't notice the walker going towards Annie till Pierre turned and he was shocked because he pushed Annie out of the way. "Pierre!"
The walker bit into Pierre. It got him right in the shoulder….
"PIERRE!" Antoinette shouted with tears forming in her eyes. She quickly shot the bastard (the walker) in the head before falling to her knees in front of her brother. The walkers had all been killed by now, and Annie stared into her brother's eyes as he looked up at her with pain shining back in his eyes. "Pierre…."
"A-A-Annie…" Pierre whispered but he was losing his voice.
She sobbed. She buried her face into his chest as she sobbed. "P-Pierre….please d-don't l-leave me…."
Daryl moved towards her, frowning as he stared. Pierre was dying in her arms….he had saved her.
-O-
So yes, Pierre is dead! I know he wasn't much in this but he was still cool right? A lot of the group is dead as well.
RIP Amy, Pierre, Jim…
I also think I left this chapter at a pretty good spot, if I say so myself. You're all wondering, what? Huh? NO! I'm sure! And yes Annie killed that random kid which meant that Glenn wasn't taken and Daryl wasn't beaten. But anyway, a longer chapter than last week but a pretty good one! YAY!
And tell me your thoughts about Pierre, and how Antoinette may react to her brother's death. Right as they got to be together again…he saved her and died. Poor Pierre…
Next week: Wildfire.Annie must face the truth. Her brother is dead and Daryl's is missing. The two become close over something so simple…yet so painful.
I thought I should start giving you guys little spoilers. :) Just so you're into it.