"Imma kill him." The anger was coming out now in his voice, as we trudged back toward the prison. I could hear the hurt swirled along with it as well.
"His time's comin'." I agreed. "Hope you do get to kill him."
"Merle's dead." Daryl said flatly, and I looked up at the trees.
"Yea... He is." I mumbled sadly, glancing over at him. "He was just tryin' to do the right thing."
"For once." Daryl snorted, and I touched his shoulder as we walked.
"I'm really sorry." I gave him a squeeze, and he nodded. Letting my hand slide away from his arm, I looked ahead. The woods were thick again, and the brush was dense. Daryl helped me over a fallen mossy log, one hand holding mine, the other on my lower back.
"Shit!" Daryl growled suddenly, shoving me aside. My back hit a tree, and I saw the walker coming fast. Daryl stepped between us, moving quickly. Grabbing his knife from his side, he stabbed the walker through the head hard. I relaxed for a moment, but a noise behind me made me tense back up. Grabbing my hunting knife from my belt, I turned to see another walker coming.
"Daryl!" I yelped, jumping forward and stabbing the knife through its head. The tip of the blade made a sick slicing sound as it rammed through the flesh, hitting the skull with a thunk. It's flesh was rotten and the smell of death was strong. Shoving the walker away, I prepared myself for the next one, when Daryl grabbed my arm.
"Let's go!" He barked, pulling me along side him. We ran through the trees, and Daryl slung his crossbow around. He shot a walker that was in our path, and snatched the arrow up as we ran by the dropped body. "Get your gun, get ready!" I could see the clearing to the prison.
"So much for sneakin' back up!" I growled, and he snorted.
"Damn things crawlin' all in the woods." Daryl replied quietly. "Minor set back."
"Jesus.." I muttered, as we stopped by the fences. Walkers were all around us, some coming from behind that had followed us from the woods. Others started noticing us, and I knew we had to move fast. Daryl's hand went around my waist, pulling me in front of him.
"Don't pull your gun 'til I say...Get ready to haul ass!" He gave me a little push, and I took off for the outer fence. The gate was still knocked down, and we ran through, Daryl shooting on coming walkers with his bow. "SHOOT!"
I pulled my gun and began shooting walkers. We were running up the hill, close to the fence. Aiming to kill, I dropped three walkers, before we reached the fence. Glenn and Rick were opening it, and Daryl shoved me through. I had his hand, pulling him past the gate, as Rick and Glenn were shutting it back. Letting him go, gun still in hand, I put my hands on my knees. Leaning forward, I tried to catch my breath.
"That was...too close." I breathed, and Maggie rushed over to me.
"Are you okay?" She yelped, and I nodded.
"Where's Merle?" Carl asked, and I looked up at Daryl. His eyes were still a world of hurt, but he lifted his head and looked at Glenn and Maggie.
"He's dead." Daryl answered, walking up toward the prison.
"What?" Glenn started to follow him. "Daryl-"
"Glenn, just... Let him go." I said, shaking my head.
"What happened?" Rick asked, his voice hard and worried.
"I dunno. All I know's what Daryl told me. Said that he found Merle as.. A walker. He'd went after Philip. Killed a few of his men. But in the end, well... You know, I think..I think Daryl had to put him down. So just give him some time, okay? He needs it." I walked up to the prison and climbed the stairs wearily. Reaching the cell that we shared, I stepped inside, but didn't see Daryl. Letting out a breath, I reached for my belt buckle.
Taking off my belt, I laid it on the top bunk. I grabbed the sheet that was hanging between the cell bars and slung it over the door. I just wanted as much darkness as I could get. The day was no longer mine and I didn't want it. Life could have it. Try me tomorrow! I thought, as I crawled onto the bottom bunk and pulled the covers over myself. The cell was cold, and I snuggled into the blanket harder.
I didn't want to think about Merle. I didn't want to think about Rick almost giving up Michonne. I didn't want to think about Andrea and what might be happening to her. I didn't want to think about Philip. About war. About walkers, or sadness, or pain, or anything. All I truly wanted was to fall asleep. Because the day was no longer mine. I'd lost it when everything had went to shit.
My brain was alive and well with thoughts, and I just knew I'd never fall asleep with "what if's" playing through my head. But eventually, I started to drift. The state of being not fully awake, but not quite asleep had hit me, and I welcomed it with open arms. But then, footsteps snapped me out of it, and I opened my eyes in a daze, trying to wake myself up as a figure appeared in my doorway.
He didn't say anything, just climbed onto the prison bunk with me. Every part of me relaxed, and I felt his arm slide around my waist slowly. The cold drifted away with my thoughts, and I felt his mouth rest on the side of my neck as he cuddled closer to me. His breath on my neck, his heart beating against me... It was soothing and lovely. Unable to keep my eyes open, I frowned slightly when I felt something wet on the back of my neck.
Just... Let him get it out... Sleep.. I knew he just needed me to be there. Stillness. He just needed something still, and I'd be that for him. Darkness came with dreamless sleep, and I let it. Sleep..
"Pack up everything. It needs to look as if we're gone for good." Rick instructed. I yawned, and looked over at Daryl. He had let me sleep in longer than he should have, but I was grateful.
"We don't need them takin' what we have. So everything's goin' with us that are leavin." Hershel agreed. Rick had asked us to gather around that night, and Daryl had woke me up to join the group discussion. It had been decided that we would play a game with Philip. He seemed to enjoy playing games with others, so it was time to give him a taste of his own medicine.
We were to clear out the prison, make it seem as if we'd left. But some of us would be there. Watching, waiting. And then it would be go time. I was ready, ready to defend our home against this bastard and his people. I just hoped Andrea wouldn't be one of them. We hadn't heard from her since the day Rick met with Philip. I had no idea what she was going to do or who's side she was on.
But none of that mattered at this moment. It was time to pack, and I bounded up the stairs, my nerves starting to take hold. It was scary knowing what was coming. But we would handle it. It was always us against the world. We had to come out on top. That was the only way to survive, whether against walkers or other people. You just had to fight that much harder.
Once in our cell, I grabbed my bag and began throwing all of my stuff inside. I felt a presence looming over me as Daryl came into the cell to grab his things. He was quiet, and I didn't blame him. There was a lot to think about and not much to say. Things were about to get as real as they ever would. I wasn't sure if it would even work, Rick's big plan. But it had to. What other option was there?
We couldn't run. Running was a horrible idea. Fuel would be a priority, we'd already been running in circles before we found the farm. Hershel couldn't actually run, considering he was on crutches. Leaving the prison was the worst thing we could do. Staying and fighting for our home that we had made... That was the best option. The only option, the way I saw it.
"Really wish you wouldn't stay." Daryl said, his voice a low grumble.
"Ain't talkin' me outta this." I argued, not even bothering to look up at him. The look on Daryl's face had been hilarious when Rick asked Maggie and I if we wanted to stay. Daryl and Glenn hadn't argued, but they had both looked incredibly pissed. But I knew Maggie and she knew me. We would handle our own. We were big girls.
"I know." He said, before snatching up his bag, and leaving the cell. Scratching my head, I rolled my eyes, before packing the rest of my things into my bag. I heard footsteps again and thought he was coming back for protest, but when I snapped my head up, it was only Sam.
"All packed?" Sam asked, reaching his hand out.
"All packed." I nodded, grabbing it. He pulled me from the floor to my feet, and I slung my bag over my shoulder.
"Guess we oughta go downstairs, huh? Help the others." My brother looked like he had something to say.
"Yea, we should." I agreed, and we left the cell. "Well, you gonna spit it out or what?"
"Huh?" Sam glanced at me, and I stopped at the top of the stairs.
"Sam, I know when you've got somethin' in there that you ain't sayin'. So just say it." I glared, and he shook his head.
"You ain't gonna like it." He mumbled, and I shrugged. "I just... Wish you'd go. Not stay."
"Oh, God. Not you, too!" I rolled my eyes again, sighing in frustration as I headed down the steps.
"I just worry! Daryl..worries." Sam said, following me down the stairs.
"I worry about y'all. All the time. Still don't mean shit. We gotta do what we gotta do. I'll be careful, yea?" I bumped him with my shoulder. "And you'll be careful, too."
"We'll be okay." Sam nodded. "We got this."
"That's more like it. I'm ready to rumble!" I grinned as we walked outside and over to the vehicles. Carl was helping Beth shove a bag in the trunk, before he walked away, his face still angry. Rick had told him that he was going, and of course, he wanted to stay. He wanted to fight. But Rick had said no way, and told him he was going. It was final.
I saw Carol helping Daryl up, and she held onto his hand for a moment before walking away. No one really knew how to deal with Merle's death or how to approach Daryl about it. Looking back down at the ground, I walked with Sam over to where Beth stood. She helped us shove our bags in without a word, and I could tell she was concerned. We all were, even though we wanted to be confident.
"I-I want to stay." A voice made me cringe inwardly, and I glanced up to see Katherine walking toward us.
"You just need to go." I snapped, and she stopped walking.
"You think I don't know what's goin' to happen when we leave? I want to stay." She demanded, and I looked at Sam.
"You'll just get yourself killed." Sam argued, and she laughed.
"Think I deserve a little more credit than that." She fussed back.
"Why?" I asked suddenly, even though I hadn't wanted to say anything else to her.
"Why not?" She sneered, and I shrugged.
"You know how to use a gun." I looked at Sam, mocking her. "Why not?" I walked away, not waiting around to have an all out brawl with her. I caught Rick and Michonne coming from the prison, and I stopped, hands on my hips. "It's go time!"
"You seem excited." Rick said, watching me with a raised eyebrow.
"No, anxious. Scared. Yea, that's about it, right there in a nutshell." I looked at Michonne. "He's really comin', ain't he?"
"He'll be here soon, I'm sure." She replied, and I sighed.
"Then we'd better get goin', huh?" I asked, glancing at Rick.
"You're right. Let's get goin'." The sheriff started forward. "Hershel, Beth.. Carl, go ahead and get to your place. Watch out for any stragglers. Walkers or human. Expect both. The rest of you.. Get to your areas. Be sure to cover yourself as much as possible. The riot gear is over there on the picnic table. Let's get this over with."
I made my way over to the table. Glenn and Maggie were already suiting up, and Glenn handed me a vest. Shrugging into it, pulling it down over my chest, I felt hands. Daryl was behind me, tightening the straps. He checked my belt, my knife, making sure it was secure. I let him, because it made him feel better about the whole situation. He grabbed the helmet from the table, and placed it on my head, flipping up the safety visor.
"Be fuckin' careful." He whispered, his thumb brushing my bottom lip.
"You, too." I whispered back, and he turned to walk away. I gave Maggie a thumbs us, and before I could turn away, Daryl had stopped.
"Spencer?" He turned back toward me.
"Yea?" I called back to him.
"Love you." He said from where he stood.
"I love you." I said, before turning away. Walking down to the area Rick had told me I'd be positioned, I sat down behind a plank, and waited.
The sun was bright, but even with the riot gear on, it was a cold day. Sitting, guarded by fence and pallets, I felt a chill go down my spine. Where you at, Philip? I wondered, as I sat. We had known he'd be coming soon, but we didn't know how soon. I thought of Carl, Beth, and Hershel. I hoped they'd be careful. Carl would keep them safe. He would.
I could see Maggie from where I sat, she was only a few yards away from me. We couldn't speak or move, we had to be nonexistent to the world. We had to be gone from the prison. We weren't here, though we really were. She was sitting down behind a pallet, gun in hand, ready. Come on, Philip... It's go time.. I held onto my gun a little tighter, and it felt heavy in my hands.
Huddled down behind the plank, I waited. Time was standing still, it seemed, and there was nothing to do but wait. Everything was quiet, except the sound of bugs and walkers around us. My nerves were bad and I was anxious. Everything would come down to this. We had to be precise and quick. Aim to kill with our shots. There would definitely be more of them than us, and the only way to win this would be to kill.
I had no problem doing that. I had done it before, I could do it again. Now, it was all a waiting game that was on Philip. Trying to clear my head and prepare myself for what was coming, I thought of something I hadn't in a long time. The beach, the sun, and all the warmth it brought. The sand between my toes as the waves washed up onto the shore. Yes, how I missed the ocean...
Suddenly, I heard the faint sound of an engine. Cocking my head slightly, I listened hard. The noise was definitely a vehicle, and it got louder as it came closer. I glanced over at Maggie, and she tapped her helmet silently where her ear would be. I nodded, letting her know I heard it. She flashed me a thumbs up, and I knew it was time. Throwing up one back to her, I got off my ass and on my feet.
Crouching close to the pallet, I listened as the roar of the engine grew closer. Hope you're ready for this, Philip.. You asked for it.
Okay guys, I apologize so very deeply for the long update wait ! I have been killing myself at work. But here it is now, and if you're following me on twitter (kailabrittFF is my handle) I have some exciting news for this story ! I will let you in on that around 7 or 8 tonight (my time) so get ready !
Thanks again for the patience and support on this story, as well as my other one 'Torn'. You guys are absolutely amazing. Every READ/REVIEW/FOLLOW/FAVORITE ! Jeez, you all rock ! Thanks again for even just clicking on my story or my name. I mean that so much ! Thank you, lovelies !
~Kaila