Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters.
I have to warn you that there is mention of rape and assault in this chapter so if you have any problem with either then please don't read.
Enjoy
Danny's POV
I still feel sick, still can't move too much but the pain is moving into a dull ache. Merle had a bunch of pills in his secret stash. Was a little hesitant to take them as I really didn't want something that wasn't genuine. Daryl assured me they were prescription meds, wouldn't tell me what they were for though although Merle had no shame in divulging that info. Clap. Well atleast I know they're strong although he really didn't have to raise his eyebrows at me suggestively as he told me, disgusting, this man has issues.
We drove around the outskirts of Atlanta for an hour or two before they found a little grassy area that seems perfect to set up camp for the night. The key word being Camp.
Camping as a whole doesn't bother me as I used to go camping plenty as a child, my problems with it now though are that it's cold at night this time of year and a tent isn't exactly safe, what with all the walkers roaming around. I trust them though and if they think it will be fine then I'll do it, I just haven't slept without four strong walls closely surrounding me since this all started, it's a little nerve wracking.
Currently we're sat around the smallest fire I've ever seen and it really isn't doing much in keeping me warm. I've got my knees tucked up under my dress but I've still got shivers going through my body, I can't believe I forgot to grab a jacket. Merle thinks I'm being a baby although I haven't actually said one thing about it yet.
Merle flicks a twig at me. "Ya know ya can always share my heat. In fact it'll work better if we're both naked, preserves our heat". I flick the twig straight back at him, well attempt to, it does't quite have the same force behind it as his did.
"You're a pervert".
"No I'm just lookin' out for you". I rolls my eyes. I didn't see Daryl stand up but suddenly he's stood behind Merle, smacking him on the side of his head as he walks past.
"Fuck?"
I scoff at his surprise, "you kind of deserved it".
"Fuck you". I stick my tongue out in response.
Daryl reappears two second later and dangles something in front of my face. It's a shirt.
"Thank you". He doesn't acknowledge my thanks just sits back down across the fire from me. I slip my hands through just as Daryl clears his throat.
"I gotta ask ya somein'", that alone makes me tense. "Ya hidin' somethin', every time ya mention something from before we met you tense up. What 'appened?"
The tears are already pricking at my eyes. I shake my head and lower my gaze to my fingers. "Nothing".
"Ya stayin' with us, there can't be secrets. That ain't how it works."
I wanted to bury the truth, I didn't want anyone finding out what happened. I don't even want to remember it but he's right, no secrets.
"Like I said I was down here for college and my..." A tear slides down my cheek at the memory of them, "My parents came down to visit". I start stabbing my knife into the grass to give me something to focus on. "We were evacuated from the college and sent into the city but it went south very quickly. There was thousands of people all crowded together, it was a feeding ground". My voice cracks but neither of them say anything. "The walkers, they just came out of nowhere, the army, they weren't prepared. As soon as the walkers got in the army just started shooting at anything and everything that moved.
A man got pushed to the ground and I stopped. I should have just left him, he had quite clearly been bitten, but I couldn't and I don't know why. A walker came at me and my dad..." The words catch in my throat as I let out a sob. Merle forces a rag into my hands. "He got in the way, that walker ripped straight into his shoulder and they dragged him down, there was nothing I could do". I can still hear him screaming. "My mum, she didn't even stop to focus on the fact that she'd just lost her husband. She yanked on my arm, forcing me to run, but I couldn't. She was practically dragging me away. I should have ran, I'm a good runner and I'm fast. I could have got us out of there but I didn't and now she's dead because I was too weak minded and wasn't thinking of her."
I keep my gaze away from either one of them and just stare down into the flames. I never thought I'd have to recount this story, I thought I could just push it away but now I've started I can't stop. I want it all out of me.
"She was threatening to leave me but I knew she was bluffing. The Walker jumped her, a soldier shot the Walker but he didn't hang around. It was every man for themselves out there." A fresh set of tears start falling. "I'm the reason they are dead, I killed my parents".
It silent. No one says anything but I can't blame them because there's nothing they can say. There's nothing that will make me feel better or take away any blame I have for any of this.
I wipe away the tears with the rag and show a watery smile that may or may not be fake.
"So what about you two, what did you do before all this?"
Merle does a low chuckle and goes along with my change of conversation, "Spent most of my time in and out of jail I'm afraid". Not gonna say that surprises me really.
"What about you?" I direct my attention onto Daryl.
"Nothin', when he weren't in jail we moved around. On occasions where he had long stints in prison I got odd jobs as a mechanic where ever I could".
They don't seem to offer much up without probing, and I thought I was difficult.
"So there's one thing I noticed and it confused me right from the start, why do you have a motorbike on the back of your truck?"
Merle laughs, "Don't diss the bike sweet cheeks. It's mine, weren't leavin' it around for anyone to put their fuckin' hands on".
"But it isn't exactly quiet or even safe to use right now."
"Its fuel efficient believe it or not, can use it for runs if we don't go together". Merle then clears his throat and climbs to his feet. "Right if we're done sharin' our history then I gotta go take a shit". I have got to get used to how blunt he can be. He then walks off.
"We're gonna look for somewhere to set up base for more than a day, we wanna get our bearin's and stock up properly", I nod my head, agreeing with Daryl, it would be good to not have to keep moving like the last three days. It's tiring and will catch up with us at some point. "So I was thinkin' that when we do find somewhere we could start trainin'. An hour a day for gun trainin' and knife trainin'. Show ya how to take someone down". I notice the fact that he didn't specify just walkers.
"Thank you". He just grunts in response.
TWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWD
I let out a groan as I open my eyes. My head is pounding and is extremely painful. Plus I am so unbearably hot and it's not hard to realise why. Daryl is pressed up against my side. He's sprawled out on his front with one arm being used as a pillow. I cannot get over how peaceful he looks when sleeping. He looks like a whole different person.
Carefully, without waking him, I pull on my boots and step out of the tent squinting at the already high in the sky sun.
Merle is sat in a camping chair with his rifle resting across his lap. His eyes are closed but I doubt he's a sleep, and he proves that by smirking.
"How ya feelin' this mornin'?"
I think about lying but what good would that do really. "Not great to be honest. I feel like my heads being thrust through a wood chipper and then someone's holding a hot poker against my forehead."
I'll give him his dues, he instantly looks sympathetic. He nods towards the food box.
"Eat somin' and then take two of these". He pulls the pills out of a satchel beside him.
I do as I'm told and grab a tin from the bag and just as I take a seat on the ground as Daryl emerges from the tent. He grabs up his own can of food and drops down into the other camping chair.
We eat in silence until I'm done and fall back until I'm lying down with my arm over my head. I really don't feel well and this heat is not helping.
Fingers wrap around my wrist and pull it away from my face. Daryl's face appears above mine.
"How much does it hurt?"
"It'll be okay".
Merle scoffs, "that's not what ya said a second ago".
"Well wood chippers do have an off switch".
"You and ya fuckin' analogies squirt."
Daryl ignores the two of us and squats down and pulls me up. He grabs my face and pulls one side of the gauze up.
Daryl sticks the pad back down and lets my face go. "It don't look too bad. I don't think it's infected so just take two of these and hopefully it'll dull the pain for a couple of hours."
He holds out his hand so I can take the pills he's holding, he then hands me a bottle of water once I've popped the pills into my mouth.
I go to hand the bottle back but the sound of approaching cars fills the air and the two of them are on their feet with weapons raised within' seconds. I scramble to my feet but Daryl pushes me behind him as the convoy of four cars comes to a quick stop.
Daryl and Merle, as one, move towards the vehicles as the doors open but they instantly halt in their approach when they see how outnumbered we are. Seven men climb out of those cars, each armed with machetes, bats and other battering items. The only good thing about this situation is there isn't a gun in sight.
I look behind me towards our tent opening, the end of my bat is sticking out the door meaning my knife is sat there to. I can't believe I didn't automatically pick one of them up as I left.
A man front and centre steps closer, away from his men, with his hands raised in surrender. He must be the man in charge.
Merle doesn't take his advance well and takes a step closer to him and aims his rifle straight at the mans chest.
"Don't take another fuckin' step", Merle's voice is low and it sends a shiver down my spine. It does make the man halt in his advance.
"Alright, sorry. Ma names David. We saw ya camp from the road, thought we'd stop and see if ya needed help. We don't mean no harm". His words do nothing to reassure me of their presence. He may look like he means it but there's something about the way he says it that is just wrong.
"Yeah well ya concern ain't needed, 'cause we're fuckin' peachy. In fact we were just about to pack up our things. We need to get back on the road, it ain't safe round 'ere but ya'll know that."
David nods his head more to show he's listening rather than agreeing with Merle. David tilts his head slightly and looks between the Dixon's, straight at me. I hate the way he's staring, it makes my blood run cold. I wrap my arms around myself and shift my gaze to look anywhere but his face as Daryl steps closer to Merle, attempting to block his view of me.
"Well I hate to be the one to say this but it doesn't look like ya'll are doing fine from where we're standin'", he gestures at me from over Daryl's shoulder. "She's injured and it looks pretty serious". For some reason I have to fight the urge to cover my forehead.
"Accidents 'appen. She'll be fine. Now as much as I'm enjoyin' our little chat, we really should be leavin'. So if ya'll don't mind..." Merle nudges Daryl with his arm, silently telling him to move. They slowly start moving backwards but just as quickly David takes a step forwards.
"Look it's just the three of ya right? How 'bout we join together, we could do with more muscle". He pauses to run his thumb across his bottom lip and nods at me, "and I'm positive we can find somethin' for the girl to do". That pig, an angry flush runs through me and I can even feel my face heat up. I take half a step forward but catch myself, we are outnumbered and I cannot make this worse.
The heavy feeling of fear in the pit of my stomach is getting bigger and starts to overtake my anger.
"Ya can keep ya stupid fuckin' ideas. I think it's time ya'll left. Get in ya fuckin' trucks and leave, and if I ever see ya again I won't hesitate to shoot ya". David seems to heed Merle's warning and starts walking backwards.
"Well I can see we're not gettin' anywhere". David keeps moving backwards but another man steps forward, they've moved closer while David has been keeping our attention. The man swings back his arm and hits Merle straight on the side of his head with a bat before any of us have time to blink. I cry out in horror as Merle drops to his knees. Three of David's men are on him in a second, holding him in place. Daryl manages to get a couple of swings in but he's outnumbered quickly and forced to his knees as someone else takes a swing at him with a bat. I can't help but stare wide eyed as blood starts to pour down the side of his face.
My feet stay rooted to the ground as David crouches in front of Daryl and Merle.
"Ya'll 'ave the supplies we need. I didn't wanna 'ave to take them like this. I was tryin' to be nice, I even offered ya'll a place in the group but ya'll refused. This is all on you". He stands up straight and walks around the brothers, "The supply's we expected but this", he gestures at me, "we didn't but fuck are we glad that you're here".
I don't know what to do, there is now no difficulty understanding what he wants from me. My heart is beating so loud and hard that for moment it's all I hear as David walks, no he's stalking, towards me. The smirk he has on lips is the scariest thing I've ever seen.
"I can kill them, you move and they die. But if you do what I want then I'll let them live. They'll be free to go". I should be running, I have my chance, I can outrun him. But I can't leave them to die like this, it's my fault they're in this situation and I'm the only way they'll be able to walk away from this.
So I remain still as he stops in front of me and uses his hand to push away some of my hair from my face, he then runs his thumb over my cheek. When it touches my lips I take an unconscious step back, which he definitely doesn't approve of. He grabs me around the waist and hoists me kicking and screaming over his shoulder. I'm not even sure what I'm saying it's just noise.
I keep kicking as he starts walking but he just pins my legs against him, he's too strong. I bring up my elbow, and with all the strength I can muster in this position, I elbow him on the side of the head. It works, he drops me. I manage to land on my feet but before I can take a step his fist connects with my cheek. I go sprawling to the floor, my mouth filling with blood.
His weight is suddenly on me as he straddles my hips. Sheer panic starts to overcome me as what I know he wants becomes a reality. We're lying in front of the tent door. I drop my head to the side to allow the blood to run from my mouth.
He's squeezing my legs beneath his leaving me unable to even attempt to buck him off. He pins my arms above my head with one hand and with the other he pulls his knife from his belt.
Its blade is cold as he presses it against my stinging cheek. A sob erupts from my lips has he leans down until his lips are right above mine.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way but either way it's happenin'". I take in a shaky breath to try and stop the sobs that are wracking through my body and nod once. My hands are inside the tent door and I know my knife is right there. I just need him to loosen his grip, he has to think I will no longer struggle.
He stares at me and then slowly let's go of my hands. "That a girl". He grips the front of my dress and tears it open in one. My breath catches in my throat and I close my eyes. I can't take the way he's leering down at me. I can feel his fingers as he grazes them down my stomach. A few more tears slip from my eyes as he starts to undo his belt.
This is my chance, as he attempts to undo his trousers I arch my back which pushes my arms a little more into the tent. My fingers wrap around the knife. He pauses probably unsure with what I'm doing, his mistake. I shoot upright and jam the knife in the first place it reaches, his neck.
He screams and gurgles as blood starts oozing from his mouth. I shuffle backwards, my hand over my mouth as I try not to scream or gag. He grips the knife and yanks it out causing blood to spurt out. I scramble to my knees just as I empty the contents of my stomach onto the floor.
There's shouting and a scuffle behind me and then one of David's men falls to the floor. Hands grip my waist and I'm being forced to my feet. Daryl stands before me his hands on my waist being the only thing that's stopping me from crumbling to the floor.
It takes all of two seconds for the flood gates to open. I just killed someone. A sob works its way out of my throat and then I'm being roughly pulled into Daryl's chest.
Off to the side I can see Merle waving a gun around at four of David's guys. They are dragging an unconscious man towards the truck and then they're piling in and tearing off in one of the trucks.
Once my tears run dry, I pull back and wipe my face, wincing as my fingers touch my tender cheek. Daryl brushes his thumb against my split lip and then steps back, his eyes roam over my frame. I instantly remember that I'm only wearing a torn open dress and underwear.
He disappears inside the tent, leaving me standing here holding my dress together completely unsure on what to do next. He reappears two seconds later holding a pair of my shorts and the shirt he gave me last night. Trying to stamp down any embarrassment I take off my ruined dress and get redressed in the items he hands me.
As soon as I'm redressed I take in a deep shaky breath and let it out again, and with a quick shake of the head I focus on Daryl and his injuries.
I want to forget about what just happened. There is no doubt in my mind that that man didn't deserve to die but without many other options I did what I had to do. I will live with this guilt for the rest of my life but knowing he won't get the chance to do this to anyone else makes that thought bearable.
"You need to let me take a look at your head".
"It's nothing, but ya should sit and let me take a look at you".
I scoff "Daryl, I have a bruise and a split lip. I think I'll be fine". I can tell he's still not going to let me. "Please, I need to do something otherwise I may cry again and neither one of us wants that".
He sighs but goes and sits in one of the chairs. I take a deep breath and grab the bag with the first aid kit in.
I take my time cleaning the cut on his hairline and it's done in silence. There probably isn't much to say. We have two dead men at our feet. Something we see a lot of nowadays, but this has been done with our own hands. What can you say to two people you hardly know. They might be okay with all this, for all I know they've done it before or maybe they're just as freaked out as I am but just much better at hiding it.
I step back when I'm done and start putting the kit away. "Yeah you're fine, turns out you have a pretty solid head".
He latches onto my wrist as I go to walk away. "You Alright?"
"Yeah, they'll heal".
"Not what I was askin'". Tears well up in my eyes but I blink them away.
"I don't know. Have you guys ever killed someone before, cause if you have then you gotta let me know how to deal with it"
"Nah we ain't but these bastards deserved it", I go to shake my head but he doesn't let me object. "They ain't able to do it to anyone else, that's what ya gotta think about". I nod, he's right. They were monsters, worse than Walkers. That's what I will keep repeating over and over in my head until every last bad feeling is gone.
"We gotta go through their trucks, gotta be somethin' in there we can use". Merle's voice appears from right behind me and causes my heart to pick up its pace as I flinch. I try to hide the reaction but Merle's sombre look tells me I didn't succeed.
Daryl follows after him and after deciding I don't wanna be left with the bodies on my own, I follow after them. Making sure my knife is gripped in one hand and my bat in the other. This is the last time I let them leave my person again. Daryl's training can't come soon enough.
TWDTWDTWDTWDTWDTWD
The men's truck where brimming with supplies. Makes you wonder if they searched for this themselves or took it from struggling people because they could.
We move the supplies into Merle's truck and pack up our belongings and then before long we're ready to move on.
Merle's arm hooks around my neck. "Ya ready to get outta here Angel?" I haven't wanted to leave a place as much as I want to right now. I nod my head and instantly regret the movement. I place my hand to my forehead, I have way too many head injuries. "Can't give ya anymore painkillers doll but I can let ya sleep in the truck. I'll hop in the bed."
"No don't do that I'll be fine." No way is there any room left back there.
"Ain't gonna argue with ya. My truck, my rules".
"Ain't ya truck", Merle swings his arm back and whacks Daryl to make him shut up but to be honest it does sound nice so I let it go and hop in the cab.
Daryl only sets off once he's sure Merle is comfy back there, I know I should feel bad about this but now I'm in here and lying curled up on the bench seat with a pillow, I can't bring myself to care.
Trying to stifle a yawn I look over at Daryl. He's slouched back in his seat, one hand on the wheel the other hanging out the window.
"Wake me in an hour".
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