The End of a New Beginning // Daryl Dixon

Part 23

Meredith

The pillowcase is snatched from my head and I look up to see Merle standing over me. He shows me a smile, dropping the pillowcase to the ground. I look around me, finding myself in a large room with sheet metal and wooden walls. There's tape over my mouth, my arms, hands and legs tied together as I sat in a chair.

"Well, well, well, Shirley." He begins. "Glad to see you alive." He says. He leans over and pulls the tape from my mouth. "You wanna tell me where my brother is?" He asks. I swallow hard and kept my mouth shut, keeping my eyes on the other wall.

"Not gonna talk?" Merle asks. "Funny, you were always the quiet one back in Atlanta." He nods. "Yeah, I remember you. You were the reason my baby brother wanted to stay back at camp. He stayed with you, instead of goin on that run with me."

"I don't have anything to do with that." I shook my head.

"Uh huh." He nods. "Every tail my brother chases, they always had something good. And I don't mean a good heart." He says, his eyes dropping down my chest.

"Screw you." I growl. Merle chuckles.

"Tell me- where is my brother at." He demands. I turn my eyes and look him in the eyes.

"On your mind." I say. Merle pulls back, staring down at me.

"I got a friend here." He say. "He likes little smart mouthed girls like you. Those are his favorite. I can bring him in here if you wanna mouth off." He nods.

"Bring him in. See how far he gets on where Daryl is." I nodded. Without another word, Merle turns away and exits out of the room, slamming the door behind him. I lean over and try pulling at the rope to set myself free. I look around, trying to find a way out other than using the door Merle came from. There isn't a single window in here. All there is is a table, this chair, a light hanging from the ceiling, wood pallets and...a large metal cow tub...filled with water.

"Take a breath. You're fine, Meredith." I huff out. I lean forward again. I pull at my wrist, feeling the rope slipping off. I almost fall out of the chair once my hands come free. Now, all I have to do is find a way to get myself out of here.

I pull myself back in the chair at the sound of Merle's muffled voice, along with another male's voice. The door opens up from behind and it shuts. The footsteps come around and steps infront of me. I look up and see a built man, smiling down at me.

"Hi. You're Meredith, right? I'm Austin."

Daryl

I step out of the cell and make my way to the dining area. I open the door and see Rick, Beth, Hershel and Carl standing around a woman lying on the ground.

"Rick." I call. "Who the hell is this?" I ask. Rick pulls himself up to his feet and looks at me.

"Everything alright?" He asks.

"Ya'll come on. You're gonna wanna see this." I say.

"Go ahead. Carl, get the bag." Rick says. Everyone follows me inside and I guide them to the cell Carol laid in. She pulls herself from the bunkbed and leans over, smiling over at Rick and the others. Rick turns his head and looks at me with disbelief.

"How?" He asks as he embraces Carol in a tight hug.

"Solitary." Carol jokes.

"Poor thing fought her way into a cell." I say. "Must've passed out. Dehydrated." Carol smiles as Beth appears with the baby in her arms. Carol grabs onto the baby's head, her eyes delighted with the little joy in Beth's arms. Carol turns her head and looks at Rick with excitement. But the look of sadness and grief washes over him and Carol got the hint that Lori didn't make it through childbirth. She didn't ask questions, she didn't ask for details. Carol knew. And that was all there was to it.