BLACK

Episode 3: Absolute Truth

Well here's the third part! I hope you guys enjoy it, I know it might be moving kinda slow but I really need to create a strong base. Next update will be next Wednesday!

Just lemme know what you think! Leave me some comments!

_________________________

Merle's blood was splattered around the pipe and the floor. You took a deep breath and pulled your bag back on. It's not like you'd need the first aid kit. There wasn't much you could do with a severed hand.
Everyone stepped closer to the area where Daryl was up and pacing again. Anger seemed to seep off him in waves. He swung around with his crossbow up and aimed it at T-Dog with a growl. Before you could let out a cry of surprise, Rick raised his gun so it was only inches away from Daryl's ear. He cocked it back ready to shoot. It was painfully silent as you and Glenn watched this unfold. T-Dog stood there stoically as Daryl's finger shook above the trigger.
"I won't hesitate." Rick drawled with a look of dead seriousness drawn across his features, "I don't care if every walker in the city hears it."
You watched as Daryl's face crumpled. His lower lip shook before he lowered the crossbow and dropped his gaze. Rick hesitated a moment before un-cocking his weapon and tucking it back into its holster. You released a breath that you didn't even know you had been holding. Glenn saw this and gave your shoulder a comforting squeeze.
Daryl stared at T-Dog a moment as he collected himself. He spoke and his words were steady, "You got a do-rag or something?"
T-Dog swallowed the lump in his throat before pulling a blue bandana out of his pants pocket. He handed it over without hesitation. You watched as Daryl snatched it away and then shook it free. He set down his crossbow, and with a sigh, laid it open beside his brother's hand. You and Glenn stepped closer toward the three of them.
"I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs", Daryl reached over to grab Merle's severed hand by the pinky, "Ain't that a bitch."
The others glanced away as Daryl set the hand down on the bandana and began to wrap it up, but you watched his careful, steady movements. He obviously cared very much for his brother considering the respect he showed the hand. Daryl stood and glanced around with the carefully folded bandana in his hand. He motioned for Glenn to come closer as he made wide strides toward him. You side stepped away to give him room.
Daryl spun him around and began to shove the hand into Glenn's book bag. You held back a small chuckle at the pained and disgusted look on Glenn's face. It shouldn't have been funny, but you turned away to keep in the laugh.
"He must have used a tourniquet- maybe his belt." Daryl noted. You nodded and studied the area again.
"Daryl's right, there'd be a lot more blood if he didn't." You agreed. Daryl glanced at you but this time his gaze wasn't a glare. It was softer, he was still in pain.
You began to follow the drops of blood across the roof curiously. Daryl followed close behind, as did Rick and Glenn while T-Dog gathered up the tools that were on the other side of the pipe where Merle was handcuffed.
The blood led around to a room where the door was already open. Daryl grabbed the back of your shirt and yanked you back. You stumbled slightly and watched as he raised his crossbow and took cautious steps into the room. You pulled the knife out of your boot and followed behind him.
"Merle? You in here?" Daryl yelled as the four of you reached a set of stairs that led down. There was a silent pause before all of you headed down the stairs. T-Dog caught up with you halfway down.
At the bottom was a hallway that led into a dining area of sorts. Daryl used his crossbow to check left as you glanced right. You jumped in shock at the walker that turned at the sound of you. Something bloody hung out of its mouth. It took you a moment to realize it was part of the walker's body. You flipped the knife over and let it fly. Just like before it was all muscle memory. If someone asked you to explain how you did it, you'd look like a first grader explaining calculus. Just like before though, the knife hit its mark. The blade dug into its forehead and sent it onto the ground. The group had noticed the walker seconds after you, but you had reacted before they could. Rick, Glenn, and T-Dog looked at you in surprise. While Daryl just passed it off.
"Told you I could throw knives. Can't remember where I was born, but I can do that." You joked while pulling the knife out of its skull. You nearly gagged at the dark, chunky blood pooling out from its deflated head.
The group kept moving down the hallway quietly toward where a reception desk sat. Daryl was still in lead. In the room ahead, with the reception desk, two dead walkers laid sprawled across the floor.
"Had enough in him to take out these two sum bitches." He nodded toward the corpse, "One handed. Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother. Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails."
Daryl began to load an arrow onto the crossbow by pulling the drawstring back. You glanced around the room still amazed at the fact he did that while bleeding and one handed.
"Still, as impressive as this is, anybody can pass out from blood loss. No matter how tough they are." You spoke. It was only yesterday afternoon that you had done that exactly. Even now you felt the effects of exhaustion running through you. Your feet screamed at you as well, but you wouldn't admit that out loud.
There was another trail of blood to follow that led to a few rooms back. The floors were tiled and half of it looked like it was still in construction with plastic sheets hanging from the ceiling.
"Merle!" Daryl yelled.
Rick quickly hushed him, "We're not alone here. Remember?"
"Screw that. He could be bleeding out, Doc said so herself." Daryl glanced around the room.
Walking further into the room it became a kitchen. Shelves with pots and pans lined a wall. Against the opposite wall was a stove. The burner was on and flames danced on the stove top beside an old brown belt and a puddle of blood.
Rick stepped forward and grabbed a metal iron with something burned onto the flat part. Glenn leaned over your shoulder to look, "What's that burned stuff?"
"Skin." Rick replied in a rough voice. "He cauterized the stump."
Glenn looked disgusted as he glanced away. You didn't blame him. You shook your head in disbelief, "He cauterized himself? That would be so...painful."
Daryl glanced at you before looking around, "I told you he's tough. Nobody can kill Merle but Merle."
Rick set down the iron, "Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood."
"Yeah?" Daryl began to walk ahead into another part of the room, "Didn't stop him from bustin' out of this death trap."
The four of you followed him toward a window where the bottom half was busted out. Glenn's eyes widened in surprise, "He left the building? Why the hell would he do that?"
"Why wouldn't he? He's out there alone as far as he knows, doing what he's gotta do." Daryl took a step back as Rick looked out the window. "Surviving."
Daryl brushed past you into the last part of the room. T-Dog straightened himself and looked at him skeptically, "You call that surviving? Just wandering out in the streets, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there?"
"No worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks." Daryl snapped. He had been fairly good at hiding his pain and anger under a mask, but you saw the glint of rage in his eye. Glenn and T-Dog broke eye contact at that statement while Rick stared ahead in thought. You shifted your weight around uncomfortably. Maybe you should've stayed and rested. You aren't much help here with Merle still missing, and now that Rick talked you out of leaving you didn't need a car. Daryl stopped in front of Rick with an accusatory stare, but his anger was held back again, "You couldn't kill him. I ain't worried about some dumb, dead bastard."
Rick didn't flinch, "What about a thousand dumb, dead bastards? Different story?"
"Why don't you take a tally? Do what you want." Daryl replied, "I'm gonna go get him."
Daryl went to pass him but Rick set a hand on his chest and pushed him back, "Daryl, wait."
"Get your hands off me!" He barked. You shifted toward Glenn and T-Dog hoping to stay out of the fight. Glenn opened his mouth to scold them on their volume, but held himself back. "You can't stop me!"
"I don't blame you. He's family, I get that. I went through hell to find mine." Rick said firmly. You didn't let your mind wander towards thoughts of a family. You focused on each word that came out of Rick's mouth, "I know exactly how you feel. He can't get far with that injury. We could help you check a few blocks around, but only if we keep a level head."
Daryl seemed to calm at his words and nodded, "I can do that."
Rick glanced over at the three of you. T-Dog clenched his jaw before shaking his head and glancing up, "Only if we get those guns first. I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, ok?"
"Extra guns sounds really comforting actually." You nodded and tucked the knife into your boot again.
Rick nodded as the group moved down a few more levels to where the door out was. All that was needed now was a plan. T-Dog sat down on the ground and leaned against a desk while you sat on top of it. Getting off your feet felt heavenly. Rick kept standing while Daryl leaned against a few boxes. You watched as Glenn drew the street on the floor with a marker he found. He suggested running out to grab the bag by himself.
"I'm not so sure this plan is bulletproof." You said skeptically.
"You're not doing this alone." Rick shook his head.
Daryl scoffed, "Even I think it's a bad idea and I don't even like you much."
Glenn sighed and lifted his head from his sketch, "It's a good idea, ok, if you just hear me out."
Rick knelt down beside the picture and motioned for Glenn to explain.
"If we go out there in a group, we're slow, drawing attention. If I'm alone, I can move fast. Look." He set a few objects down on his map and began to explain them all. You leaned closer to see, "That's the tank, five blocks from where we are now. That's the bag of guns right beside it. Here's the alley I dragged you into close by, Rick, when we first met. That's where Daryl, Aj, and I will go."
"Why me?" Daryl and you spoke at the same time. He glanced up to give you a glare, but there was no anger or annoyance behind it.
"Daryl's crossbow is quieter than Rick's gun, and I like the idea of having a doctor waiting for me just in case." Glenn explained. You chuckled. "Now while Aj and Daryl wait here in the alley, I run up the street and grab the bag of guns."
"You got us elsewhere?" Rick asked.
"You and T-Dog, right." Glenn nodded, "You'll be in this alley here."
Rick's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "Two blocks away, why?"
"I may not be able to come back the same way. Walkers might cut me off. If that happens I won't go back to Aj and Daryl, I'll go forward instead. All the way around to that alley where you guys are." Glenn said, "Whichever direction I go, I got you in both places to cover me. Afterwards, we'll all meet back here."
The room was silent as everyone took in the plan. It was solid and Rick looked thoroughly impressed. You were sure your face had the same expression.
"Hey kid", Daryl spoke up, "What'd you do before all this?"
"Delivered pizzas. Why?" Glenn answered with a confused expression. You let out a light chuckle as Daryl and Rick gave each other looks of amusement.
"Well let's get this ball rolling." You slid off the desk.
Glenn nodded and pushed his book bag aside. As everyone got their things back together Rick pulled you aside.
"Hey I want you to be careful alright? You're still injured."
"I will. You be careful too. Take care of yourself and T-Dog." You lightly bumped your hand against his stomach.
Glenn, Daryl, and you headed out a different way than T-Dog and Rick. Your way, involved going up a few flights of stairs, across a lower roof, and down a fire escape ladder. Glenn was the first one to reach the alley, then Daryl, and then yourself.
You stumbled on the last rung but Daryl roughly held you up so you didn't land too roughly on the ground.
"Hey, keep quiet." He scolded you in a hushed whisper.
You gave him a sheepish smile and ignored your aching feet, "Sorry."
The three of you hurried down the alleyway and his behind a dumpster. You pulled out your knife as Daryl loaded his crossbow. Glenn took off his plaid button up shirt leaving him in a plain navy blue t-shirt as he mentally prepared himself to run out.
"You got some balls for a china man." Daryl commented.
"I'm Korean."
"Whatever."
You rolled your eyes, "Be careful, alright Glenn?"
He nodded then took off into the road. He left your line of vision leaving you worried. Daryl noticed this and scoffed.
"He'll be fine."
"I'm glad you're so confident."
"He made runs for the camp all the time. Never got eaten before." Daryl shrugged.
You shook your head, "Thank you for your words of comfort. They really put me at ease."
You heard faint footsteps coming from behind you. Daryl did too and pushed you behind him before standing up and spinning around with his weapon raised. You stood to see a teen boy in a dirty wife beater and jeans. His head was shaved and Daryl startled him.
"Whoa, don't shoot me!" He yelled loudly, "What do you want?"
"I'm looking for my brother, he's hurt real bad. You seen him?" Daryl asked with an arrow still pointing at the kid's head. You glanced back to see the walkers moving.
"Daryl."
"Ayudame!" The boy screamed.
"Shut up!" Daryl snapped. You tugged on the back of Daryl's shirt. You were too scared to speak up and attract more attention. "You're gonna bring the geeks down on us. Answer me!"
"Ayudame!" He screamed loudly again. You glanced back at the walkers nervously. They were beginning to get rowdy. Your eyes snapped back in time to see Daryl swing the crossbow into the boy's face knocking him over.
"Daryl!" You cried. Daryl ignored you and covered the boy's mouth with his hand.
"Just shut up! Shut up!"
The boy continued to scream, but it was muffled. Footsteps approached behind you. You turned hoping to see Glenn, but were greeted by two new, angry faces. Both were Hispanic and racing toward you. The first pushed you aside. You fell back toward the opening of the alley and let out a yell of pain when you landed on your shoulder. The knife fell out of your hand toward the dumpster. You rolled up quickly to see the two men kicking and beating Daryl with a metal bat.
"Stop it!" You screamed. Glenn ran in and stopped right behind you. The two men turned to see the bag in Glenn's hand.
"That's it! That's the bag, vato!" The second man yelled. They charged at the two of you. Glenn grabbed your arm to try and lead you out of the alleyway into safety.
The guy tackled Glenn and knocked both of you to the ground. The second man began to kick Glenn. You got up and pushed him away only for him to shove you back onto Glenn. The sound of an arrow firing filled the air followed by a scream.
Daryl was on his knees and had fired an arrow into the first man's butt. He rose and loaded another arrow, but the second man grabbed you as a human shield.
"Let go!" You screamed as he pulled you back by the throat using the metal bat. The first man did the same to Glenn leaving the bag of guns on the alley floor. Glenn and you struggled, but Daryl couldn't fire a shot without hitting either of you. A car pulled up behind you on the street. They began to pull the two of you back.
"Daryl!" You screamed but the man pulled tighter on the bat making it hard to breathe. They pulled you into the car and slammed the doors shut. The last thing you saw was Daryl yelling at the car before your head hit something hard.