Undead - The Walking Dead Fanfiction

Chapter 15 - The Confession

Chapter 15 - The Confession

I climbed onto the back of Daryl's motorcycle. Carefully, I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around him to hold on. He tensed underneath my grip, and it made me wonder about him.

Daryl had been sort of an outsider, I could tell. He was definitely depended on, though he wasn't exactly friendly toward most of the people. Something had caused him to be so reserved, and I respected that. I wasn't about to pry, as I knew how aggravating that was. 

I loosened my grip as we rode along the highway. There weren't many of the Undead wandering about, which was nice. I had to admit, at first I had been hesitant about riding on a motorcycle while the apocalypse was occurring.

"Yahoo!" I called, realizing that the bike was already loud enough for my call not to matter. Finally, there was a sense of freedom, and it was paradise. Daryl looked back at me as I continued to yell, shook his head, and chuckled. I could feel his laugh through his back, and I smiled.

This was honestly the greatest moment since my mother had died. My Dad was nowhere around to ruin it, to yell at me. There was a friend for me, and I was starting to accept that it was time for this to happen. I needed to let someone in, because it was too hard to always look after myself.

It ended too quickly, the freedom. We were entering the gates when Rick came storming down the hill looking like he had a mission. He looked very angry, his face red and filled with rage. Of course, this was almost the only expression I had seen him with, and there was no doubt that I was the cause of it.

"Eden! What the hell were you thinking?" he demanded, getting up in my face. A piece of his saliva flew out of his mouth and landed on my face. I made a very good point of dramatically wiping it off and flicking it to the ground, just to rub it in his face.

"I have human rights to leave when I like. So calm down, Grandpa."

His people were beginning to gather, and Carol's jaw dropped. I studied their faces, carefully looking over Carl. I didn't want him to hate me because I disrespected his father, but there was no recognizable expression on his face, only curiosity.

"Listen here, Kid, this isn't a democracy! These are my people, Daryl is part of our group, and you jeopardized him!"

He was right, I had. Even though I didn't do it on purpose, Daryl had risked his life in order to keep me safe. I would've died surely, had he not have come.

"I'm sorry. Please, let me stay. I'll do whatever you need. Out of food? - I'll go for a run. Baby food? - I'm there." I mumbled, my eyes dropping. There wasn't anything left to argue, what I had done was irresponsible. 

"I went on my own terms." Daryl said, before storming to the prison. Nobody uttered another word, not knowing what to say.

*****

Rick was angry, and he had me go out with Merle in order to do my part. He was seriously considering making me leave, but Hershel asked him to reconsider. I think it was my age that made him want me to stay, but I was greatful nontheless.

""Got yourself in a pickle out there, hey Princess?" Merle said, leaning againt the safety gate at the top of the guard tower. He had his arms folded, and looked like a true hillbilly as he chewed on a piece of dry grass.

"I didn't mean to cause trouble." I said back. I felt on the edge with him, he had a twisted look to him and I didn't want to make him angry.

"Course you didn't. How could you have known my little brother was going to chase after you?"

I looked up at him. Finally, someone who wasn't accussing me of trying to get Daryl killed. That definitely wasn't my aim, because I think I care about him, and I would've felt awful had something happened to him.

Merle leaned in close, until his mouth was almost touching my ear. I resisted the urge to shove him away, feeling violated having someone so close under his own commands. Memories of what my father had done to me flashed through my head.

"Don't you leave him, Princess. He needs you as much as you need him."

With that, Merle walked away. I let out a large breathe one that I hadn't realized I had been holding. Daryl doesn't need anybody, what the hell was that man talking about? He had to know something though, because it was his little brother.

I tried to distract myself from thoughts when something caught my eye - a large truck barrelling down the road to our gate at a very high speed. I knew enough to know that this was not a good sign, and something bad was about to happen.

Looking through binoculars, I caught sight of Uncle Phillip, him looking powerful and scary as ever. There was something about the look in his eyes that sent a shiver through my bones. I wasn't sure whether or not to call for someone, so I decided to make my way down to the gate without anyone else. No sense in getting more than one of us killed if it wasn't necessary. Plus, this was my battle, and I wasn't going to risk more of Rick's people for something so stupid.

I held my arms up, my gun hanging around my waist. I was trying to show surrender, that I wasn't going to shoot. I had questions, and I wanted answers. Martinez was with Phillip, and he looked almost merciful toward me. He wasn't a bad man, I knew that much. He was just with the wrong group at the wrong time. 

"I have something to say." I started. Phillip's people lowered their guns a bit, but his gun remained aiming straight at my head. Inside, I told myself not to be scared. This was just part of what was about to come, the future.

I continued speaking, "Why do you want to kill these people so much? They are good, not murderers. Why can't you just give them a chance?"

He didn't even blink. I knew if he was going to shoot this time, I was to die. He wouldn't let me walk away alive again, that would be against who he was. It was like I never even spoke, as he tightened his hand around the trigger. Yet, the bullet never left the gun. It was so close to being out, so ready. One movement of a muscle and I would be gone forever.

"They have something of mine. Something I want back."

I was confused. They had stolen something from my uncle? He wanted deeath over something so stupid? This was the apocalypse! Nobody officially owned anything anymore!

"What was it? Maybe we could settle this." I replied, trying to keep my voice from wavering. The gun was starting to make me nervous. He had to know I was now just talking from instinct.

"What he took from us, was a valuable asset. We want it back, and we aren't going to stop at anything to get it back." he lowered the gun and tucked it into his gun sling. "We want Merle Dixon."