Spider Monkey

Chapter Fifteen - Broken Promise

Somewhere, in the middle of the woods...

"Look, the Governor is probably on the way to the prison right now." Rick said.

"Merle knows how he thinks and we could use the muscle." Daryl said, sticking by his brother.

"I'm not having him at the prison. Do you really want him sleeping in the same cell block as Carol or Beth?"

"He ain't a rapist."

"Well, his buddy is." Glenn said angrily, spitting out blood as he did.

"They ain't buddies no more. Not after last night."

"There's no way Merle's gonna live there without putting everyone at each other's throats." Rick said.

"So, you're gonna cut Merle loose and bring the last samurai home with us?"

"She's not coming back."

"She's not in a state to be on her own." Maggie argued. "She did bring you guys to us."

"And then ditched us." Daryl spat.

"At least let my dad stitch her up."

Rick shook his head, "She's too unpredictable."

"That's right." Daryl said, "We don't know who she is. But Merle, Merle's blood."

"No, Merle is your blood." Glenn said, almost tearful, "My blood, my family is standing right here and waiting for us back at the prison. And you're part of that family. But he's not. He's not."

"Man, y'all don't know. Fine. We'll fend for ourselves."

"That's not what I was saying." Rick spoke, watching Daryl shoulder his crossbow.

"No him, no me."

"Daryl, you don't have to do that."

He shrugged, "It was always Merle and I before this."

"What do you want us to tell Carol?"

"She'll understand."

"What about Hedley?" Maggie said and Daryl paused, freezing on the spot.

"Daryl," Rick stepped forward, "He needs you. You've taken care of him since the moment you two met. You can't just abandon him."

"Hedley?" Merle laughed, "Darylina, ya got a boyfriend I don't know about?"

"Shut up, bro!"

Rick spoke low, "He's waiting for you. He's a child and he sees you as his protector. Do you really want to leave him?"

After a moment, Daryl shook his head, "I-I can't just leave my brother."

"What about your son?" Maggie crossed her arms.

"He ain't mine."

"Not biologically." Rick said, "But you and I both know that he is."

Daryl shook his head, "Nah. You look after 'im. You know what ya doing." He took his bag, "Take care of yourself. Take care of lil ass-kicker. Carl. He's one tough kid. And Spider Monkey. He's- He's gonna need ya."

He began to walk away.

"Daryl!"

"Come on, bro." Merle said, wrapping his arm around Daryl's shoulders. And the two Dixon brothers disappeared into the woods.

"Who's gonna tell Hedley?" Glenn spoke into the open air.

No one answered.

****

When they made it back to the prison, they were greeted by Carl, Carol and Hedley at the gate. The woman- Michonne - was limping. Glenn was bruised to hell and Maggie had tear-stained cheeks.

"Where's Hershel?" Rick asked Carol.

"He's in the cell block." She then frowned when Daryl didn't exit the car, "Where's Daryl?"

The injured went inside to get Hershel's help.

"It's all right. He's alive." Rick glanced at Hedley before saying, "We ran into his brother. They went off."

"He left?"

"Daryl left?" Carl echoed, disbelieved. "He's gone?"

Rick nodded.

"Is he coming back?"

Hedley heard the words but refused to believe it. He lifted up one of his cards. 'Daryl'.

"He left with his brother, Hedley."

'Daryl'. He waved it around, lower lip wobbling.

"I'm sorry."

'Daryl'. 'Daryl'. 'Daryl'.  He hit the card against Rick's chest before screaming. Shrieking and banging his feet. Rick tried to hold him, but the boy wiggled out of his grip, stumbling backwards, hands flying over his ears. He shrieked and whined and began to hit his face with his knuckles.

He couldn't hear the voices of those around him, calling his name.

He just felt overwhelming sadness, anger and... abandonment.

The boy then clawed at his face and arms, red welts rising on his skin. Tears falling and noises of high cries escaping his lips. His crossbow was forgotten on the floor, his bare feet dragging against the concrete below as he shuffled towards the wall.

Rick went to hold onto him, but Carl stopped his dad. "Touching him will only make it worse."

"What do we do?" Carol questioned no one in particular.

"Let him ride it out." Rick offered.

Hedley screamed and cried, sobbing until exhausted. He laid himself onto the floor, curling into himself, hands over his ears, eyes firmly closed. He panted.... then was silent. As if muted by a button accidently pressed. He stayed like that until Carl went over to him, kneeling down. He carefully took his headphones out from his backpack and slid them on his friend. His shoulders deflated and when Hedley opened his eyes to see Carl, he reached for the other boy. Carl hugged him tightly, rocking him gently.

When he was asleep, Carl passed him to his dad and Rick lifted him up and took him to his cell, tucked him in and left him to rest.