COLLAPSED ᵀᵂᴰ¹ ✔

17. games we play

Her suspicion didn't go unnoticed by Merle but instead of letting it bother him, he barked a laugh, as he seemed to do about everything. 'Governor wanted to know how ya were doing. If ya needed any more of them medicine.'

'I'm fine,' she replied curtly before making her way around him. To her frustration, however, the man followed her.

'You know, I was just wonderin' why someone this damn sick ain't takin' their medicine.'

She took a deep breath to calm herself, not feeling like continuing the conversation with him, she didn't owe him any kind of explanation. But for some reason Merle was set on getting an answer. Probably because the man wasn't used to not getting what he wanted.

'What's a man gotta do to make conversation around here, ya'll?'

She turned so abruptly that Merle almost walked into her. She hated the smirk that had appeared on his face, wishing she could just hit him to get rid of it.

'I'm fine, that's why,' she spoke, speaking each word clearly and hoping that was enough for him to realise she truly meant it and if she didn't, she had no interest in discussing it with him. Turning back around she started walking away, only to stop in her tracks when he started talking again.

'You know, I saw the look on yer face when the doc wanted to put ya on that drip. You ain't afraid of needles.'

Slowly she turned back to him. 'No, I'm not. You said that. I never confirmed it.'

He took a step closer to her, making her clench her fist in case he would do something she wouldn't like. 'We've got enough of the stuff, and ya know, if you and yer hot buddies would choose to stay in our humble home, you're welcome to share.'

'What stuff?' Quinn whispered, her heart beating wildly in her chest. She knew exactly what he was talking about though and it scared her to her very core that he knew she was a user by simply looking at her. That part of her past was behind her and she wasn't willing to ever revisit it again.

'Ya know,' Merle simply stated, holding his belt with his one hand.

Quinn slightly tilted her head. 'And you'll only give it to me if I decide to stay?'

Merle didn't reply, his expression didn't change, but that was all the confirmation she needed. Taking a step closer to him, she narrowed up at him. He was at least two heads taller than her, but she tried to put as much confidence in her voice as she could anyway.

'It ain't happening.'

And without waiting for a reply she turned on her heels and finally managed to get away from him. There didn't seem to be enough distance to shake her anger though. With clenched fists she marched down the street in search of some distraction from his disgusting attempt at doing...something with her.

Luckily she was quick to spot Andrea and Michonne. The two of them were seated around a table on a small terras that was set up in front of a makeshift restaurant. A waste of space and resources if you asked her.

'Morning,' Andrea smiled as Quinn took a seat beside her. 'How are you feeling?'

'Better,' she admitted, returning her smile.

'Good,' Michonne said, her urgent tone taking Quinn's full attention. 'Because we're leaving soon.'

Quinn crossed her arms over her chest and nodded. She couldn't agree more. 'Do you have a route in mind?' She asked, nodding at the map spread out on the table.

'We should try the coast again. The ocean on one side, maybe we find a boat, look for an island.'

She gave an approving nod. That had after all been the plan from the beginning and it was still the plan she thought would work best.