Barely Surviving // TWD // Daryl Dixon #Wattys2016

Chapter XL -- Soldier Down

"The sorrow we feel when we lose a loved one is the price we pay to have had them in our lives."

― Rob Liano

The following day was full of sorrow, fear, despair and anguish but also hope, determination and a thirst of victory and revenge.

Not long after everyone was up, Rick called Hershel and Daryl outside to talk privately, which only made me a bit suspicious. I wasn't sure what was going to happen later and Rick wasn't being that specific.

As they talked outside, I saw Merle had started to tear apart some of the mattresses, there was no one else around so I walked into the same cell and grabbed the second mattress there and with my knife I also tore it apart.

"What are you doing?" Merle asked me with his eyebrows raised at me.

"Same thing you are doing," I told him, knowing exactly what he was looking for. "If I find anything, it's mine."

"You are not even going to share a tiny part with your old pal Merle?" he asked with fake hurt. "I would share with you, besides, how do you even know about this?"

"I was in jail for a while," I said casually, trying to act cool about the information I let slip out of my mouth, I knew Merle wouldn't tell anyone and wouldn't judge me. "My cell mates showed me all the treasures you can hide in these," I said, pointing at the mattress in front of me.

"You are full of surprises, ain't ya, Blondie?" Merle asked with a chuckle. "What did you do?"

"I'll never tell," I said, not looking at him. "All you need to know is that I ended up there and I know some tricks, just like you."

"I like you more now, Blondie." he said with a smirk, looking directly at my face.

Merle and I moved from cell to cell, he usually grabbed the mattress that was up in the bunker bed and I grabbed the one on the bottom, making sure we checked every corner of those things.

We were alone for quite a while, Rick kept talking with Hershel and Daryl outside, Glenn, Sean and Axel were checking the vehicles, Beth was taking care of Judith and the rest were checking the weapons and ammunition, making sure everything was in order.

"Found something," I exclaimed happily, holding a very small plastic bag. There was barely something to feel a slight sensation. "I'm going to give you some just because we've always been on good terms."

Merle held his opened palm in front of me as I allowed almost half of the white powder to fall on it, he smiled and wasted no time to use it.

I had used drugs on occasional times, before, after and mostly during my time in prison. I never used them often, mostly because I didn't have the money and I didn't want to get addicted to them but I had to admit they made things a lot better for a while.

I emptied the rest of the content of the bag on my palm and used it, Teresa was the one who showed me how to use the heavy stuff, she didn't get high often, though.

"Maybe we can find some more," Merle commented as he stood up and by his face it was quite obvious the drug had already kicked in. "Seriously Blondie, why did we never hook up?"

"I already told you," I said to Merle as we walked into the next cell. "Back at Woodbury."

"Back then I had no idea how awesome you actually are, we would make a hell of a team," Merle said with a wink. "Getting high during the day, making love, sweet love during the nights. Zero attachments, you know?"