The Creator and the Redneck (TWD Story)

Chapter 61: Merle...?

No One's Point of View

Acting on instinct Alita quickly turned around, her crossbow raised as she scanned the empty area in front of her, her eyes landing on a walker bent over feeding on a body.

She has spotted the walker earlier, but she didn't think much of it. The walker was too busy eating to notice her, so she didn't bother shooting it.

But now as she stared at it, there was something familiar about it that she just couldn't seem to place.

It wasn't until the walker moved its right arm, exposing the long metal knife attached to it that she realized who it was... Merle?

"No..." Alita mumbled, her voice coming out shaky as she took a few steps forward.

'No. No. No. This isn't happening, it can't be... It can't... I could've...' Alita thought shaking a bit.

"Merle?" Alita whispered dropping her crossbow, tears blurring her vision as her legs buckled causing her knees to hit the dirt ground as she stared as Merle in disbelief.

She felt like her body was about to shut down...

"Alita? You okay?" Daryl's voice suddenly questioned from behind, but she couldn't look at him as her head dropped.

'How am I going to tell him that his brother was dead? That his brother had turned? How was I going to tell Daryl that the only blood related family member that he ever cared about was gone?'

'I failed... I failed to keep another person safe... I failed... I failed Merle... I failed Daryl... It should've been me...' Alita thought not knowing what to do anymore

"Alita?" Daryl called worriedly and suddenly his hand was on her shoulder, his other under her chin as he lifted her head forcing her to look at him.

He was crouched down beside her, his eyes scanning her body for any kind of injury before he looked back up at her face as he took in her teary red eyes.

"I'm sorry..." Alita mumbled, her voice coming out as a mere whisper as she looked over at Merle who was still busy eating the dead body to notice the two by the shed.

Alita glanced back at Daryl who was following her line of sight and she could tell at the exact moment that he realized who the walker was.

He quickly stood up shaking his head in disbelief before he started walking towards what used to be his brother.

"D-Daryl don't." Alita tried to say watching as he started walking towards his brother but there was nothing she could do, but watch as Merle finally lifted his head looking straight as Daryl and that was it.

She couldn't hold back her tears anymore as she covered her mouth with her hand, trying to muffle her sobs as she watched Daryl drop his crossbow.

He had his back to her, but she could tell that he was crying as Merle began staggering towards him.

"No!" Daryl cried, pushing Merle's body away, but it didn't do much as Merle continued walking towards him.

Daryl pushed him away again and again until he pulled his knife out, slamming it into Merle's shoulder as he pushed his brother to the ground.

She could hear Daryl crying as he stared at the lifeless body below him before he pulled the knife out and began stabbing Merle's face repetitively.

Alita quickly forced herself to her feet, throwing her crossbow over her shoulder as she walked over to Daryl.

She had never seen him like this and she wasn't sure what he was going to do as he suddenly dropped backwards away from his brother, half sitting and half laying on the ground as he cried.

Without hesitation Alita jogged over to him, dropping to her knees besides him as she pulled him int a hug.

For a second she thought she did something wrong as Daryl's body tensed, but before she could pull away and give him space he melted into her body, his arms wrapping tightly around her midsection as he buried his face into the crook of her neck while he cried.

Alita forced her tears back, biting her trembling lip as she held Daryl tightly. She had to be strong for him, he needed her to be strong.

She couldn't fall apart now, Daryl just lost his brother. Sure, Merle was like an older brother to her too, but he was Daryl's blood and nothing could ever beat that.

She had to be the strong one, it's what Merle would have wanted. He wouldn't want Daryl having to look after himself after what just happened.

He would want her to step up and take care of him which is exactly what she was gonna do.

Alita wasn't sure how long they stayed like that on the ground, but the sun was getting lower in the sky and she knew there were only a couple of hours of daylight left.

Daryl stopped crying a while ago, but his body was still trembling against her as she held him tighter, one arm resting on his back, the other cradling the back of his head as her fingers ran through his hair slowly.

He comforted her when she told him about what she had to do to her first group, now she was doing the same to him with his brother...

She didn't want to move, but she knew it was dangerous to be outside the prison after dark, especially now that the Governor would be pissed about not getting Michonne.

But right now she didn't care about the Governor.

Daryl was all that mattered and she knew he wasn't ready to go back to the prison just yet, but as the familiar sound of walkers groaning filled the air she was starting to think he might not have a choice.

Alita glanced up, spotting a group of walkers in the distance heading towards them. There were roughly seventeen walkers give or take a couple.

If both her and Daryl were in good condition then they might have a chance against them, but right now she knew that wasn't possible.

"Daryl... We have to go." Alita said softly, her voice coming out like it was sore as she slowly pulled away from his shoulder towards the walkers before he nodded.

Slowly the two stood up, but he never let go if Alita's shoulder and she wasn't sure if it was because he was unsteady on his feet and needed the support or because he didn't want to break the physical contact with her.

But she didn't ask as she picked up his crossbow off the ground, slinging it over her other shoulder.

"Give me the keys." Alita said gently, holding her hand out as she looked at Daryl taking his red brimmed eyes as he took the keys out of his pocket and handed them to her without arguing.

There was no way she were gonna let him ride home, not after what just happened.

But, she half expected him to argue with her about to, although at that point he probably didn't have the energy to argue about something like that which was both good and bad at the same time.

"Come on." Alita said gently giving him a sad smile as she grabbed his hand before the two began walking back to the road where he had parked the motorcycle a few hours earlier.

Then she quickly secured both of their crossbows to the back of the motorcycle where Daryl usually kept his before she climbed onto the bike putting the key in ignition as Daryl took a seat behind her.

She waited until Daryl wrapped his arms around her waist, making sure he as holding on before she pulled the clutch in and tapped the bike into gear as she took off down the road in the direction of the prison.