My Hope

Chapter 74

Daryl's POV

We were running for a while until it seemed we didn't have to. We were about halfway to the car when I made Maggie and Rick stop to wait for them. Merle and Sarah were on our tails and I wasn't going to leave them behind. It was already light out and the wait was killing me. I was pacing and felt my heart racing in my chest.

"They'll get out." Maggie rested her hand on my shoulder.

The rustling of leaves caught my attention so I raised my bow in that direction. Maggie and Rick raised their guns until we saw Merle step out of the trees.

"Hell, brother. Ain't this a warm welcome." Merle chuckled. I felt a sense of reassurance at seeing my brother, but something still wasn't right. Where was she? Was she still behind him?

"Where is she?" Maggie asked. I felt my chest tighten because of what my head was telling. My heart was telling me that she was somewhere behind him, but my head was telling me the opposite.

"Who? That bitch back there? She's gone. Governor killed her. She said somethin' along the lines of 'Tell him I'm sorry' or something stupid like that." Merle chuckled.

I felt my heart crack and break into pieces.

"You mean you left her there to die?" Rick stepped up to Merle with his gun in hand.

"Slow down Officer Friendly. She stepped out like supergirl but she was stupid, cost her her life." Merle laughed. A sob came from Maggie and Rick pinched the bridge of his nose.

Numb. I am numb. She's gone. This has to be some stupid joke by Merle. Or God. How could this be real. I just saw her. I just saw her.

"Somethin' gotten into you, boy?" Merle laughed at me.

"Nah, we got to get back to the car."

"Daryl," Maggie stepped forward.

"No, we need to get back." I snapped and started for the car.

I wanted to crumble to the ground and curl into a ball. It felt like my gut was being twisted into knots. My chest felt like my heart was being squeezed and ripped out of my chest, being crushed in front of me. My legs were like jello, about to give way under me. The urge to throw up grew stronger but I pushed it away. I pushed it all away. I can't deal with this shit now, especially with my brother back.

I just shook my head and focused my attention on getting back to the car. I ignored the calls from Rick and Maggie. There is no way I can think about what happened right now. I can't think about her dying because of me. I had to forget the pain. I had to forget her. No matter how badly I didn't want to.

Sarah's POV

My ears rang from the gunshot that had just missed my head only minutes ago. The Governor had fired his gun only inches from my head to make Merle believe that I really was dead. Then I'd been dragged into this room in the back of some building. There was nothing in the room except me in a chair and the metal walls. My arms and legs had been tied and duck tap over my mouth.

By now my arm was burning and the blood was still dripping down my arm and side. I could tell that the bullet went all the way through my shoulder because there was blood going down my back. I was now sitting in this room alone, hearing voices outside the door that I'd faced. Suddenly the door opened and the Governor walked in. He brought a chair and sat down in front of me.

"Tell me your name."

I stayed silent wondering if I should answer his question for not.

"Sarah."

"Well, Sarah. You killed one of my men, injured another."

"You were trying to kill some of my group. I did what I needed to do to protect them."

"Yes, your group. Tell me, are they at the prison?"

The fact that he knew about the prison threw me off. I shut my mouth, refusing to answer anymore to this lunatic. I wasn't going to let this man intimidate me just because he had only one good eye and was called 'The Governor'.

"I bet there already home by now. I mean, they haven't come back for you now have they." he smiled.

"That's because you made Merle believe that I was dead." I snarled.

"Even if I hadn't done that, you still think Merle would come back for you? Do you think any of your group would come racing to save you?"

I tried to not show my uneasiness but it must have been apparent on my face. I wanted so badly to punch this guy in the face. The Governor stood up and walked closer to me.

"Now, tell me exactly where this prison is and I'll get you go." the Governor smiled.

"Go to hell." I replied, looking down at the ground trying not to make eye contact. The Governor reached down and put his hand on my shoulder, pushing down on the wound. He dug his fingers into my shoulder making me bit the inside of my cheek. The burning pain in my shoulder made my eyes water and I let out a gasp.

"I'll ask you one last time, where exactly is your prison."

"Go. To. Hell."

A sharp pain shot across my cheek as the Governor brought his hand hard against it. I looked back at the Governor and I felt my lip curl into a smile. I knew exactly how this was going to turn out for me. The Governor was going to do anything and everything to try and get information out of me. But I would die before I gave my group up. Rick, Carl, Maggie, Glenn, Hershel and everyone else, even Daryl. I wouldn't give them up for the world.

He started to roll up his sleeves and gave out a slight chuckle. I felt the fear deep down in the pit of my stomach but i wouldn't give him the satisfaction. I just prayed that if he killed me, it would be quick although I knew it wasn't going to be.