༻ 1661 words༺
{Mania pov}
I was sat in the van farthest from anyone. Glenn was in the front seat with T-dog behind him, Rick sat in the passenger seat with Daryl behind him.
"Better be okay. That's my only word on the matter." "I told you the geeks can't get at him. Only thing that's gonna get through that door is us." Naturally, there would be a small banter brought on by Daryl. I didn't pay no mind seeing as Glenn stopped the van telling us we were on foot from here. I hopped out of the van making sure no arrows were dropped and walked towards the fence.
"You any good with that thing?" I turned to see Daryl walking up next to me. "Only thing you need to be concerned about is, one if your brother is alive or dead, and two if he's still even on the roof." "Just askin a question seeing as there could be another hunter so it ain't all on me, but go ahead be a bitch." "Thank you for the permission." I'm not going to indulge in Daryl in any case. Just want to find his brother so tensions are lower nothing more.
"Medusa is great with the bow, even better with her knives. She grew up in the forest, I'd say she's just as good as you if not better." "Now how the hell do you know that?" I asked giving Glenn a death glare I haven't told anyone about my past so how would he know? But then Daryl looked at me as did T-dog as if they realized I was a long-lost hero or some shit.
"Your brother and sister wouldn't shut they damn mouths about you. Always tellin' stories bout you three in the woods, and how you would always do some crazy shit." T-dog said.
"Yeah, well that's in the past I'm good with any weapon that's put in my hands including my hands, I can hunt for days at a time, and track even in the dark with a flashlight. Props of 24/7 being in the woods, now can we find this asshole and these guns and pray for no bumps in the road?" I asked just wishing I hadn't volunteered but I knew this was better than being at the camp.
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We decided to go ahead and get Merle first seeing as he was closer and getting the guns was a bit more taxing. We were in the department store not fully standing up, so we didn't alert any nearby walkers. Then there was groaning and shuffling, that's when I saw it. A walker shuffling about that hadn't noticed us yet I reached for my knife as Daryl held up his crossbow.
"Damn, you are one ugly skank." Daryl said commenting on the walkers looks. Then I threw the knife at her head, not allowing Daryl the kill. He looked at me as I passed in front of him, noting that the path I chose would involve us being quite close to each other. I looked at him and shrugged my shoulders taking the knife out of her head and wiping it on a shirt. We headed up to the roof Daryl seemed to be very antsy, understandably so. T-dog cut the chain and took it off the door as Daryl kicked the door screaming for his brother. Then he along with the rest of us stopped in our tracks, Daryl breaking down screaming 'No' Lying on the group was a hand along with a hand saw. Merle was gone and we didn't know if we should expect him to be a walker or somewhere causing some more havoc.
Then Daryl decided to aim his locked and loaded crossbow an inch from T-dog's face. Whom looked Daryl straight in the eyes no fear present, as Daryl aimed at T-dog. Rick and I aimed at him, letting him know we weren't scared to let the whole damn city hear the shots. Emotions are high but that don't condone shooting someone because your brother cut his hand off and decided to try his luck. Daryl lowered his crossbow asking if T had a durag or something, T handed him a blue bandanna, which Daryl laid flat out on the ground placing the hand on it.
"I uh, I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuff. Ain't that a bitch." The reason why Daryl would want to keep his probably dead brother's hand is beyond me. He motioned for Glenn to I guess turn his back more towards Daryl. I was confused as to why up until Daryl put the hand in the bag.
"Fuck me, I'm never touching that bag. I feel for you Daryl I do but nah that's disgusting the hell you need a hand for?" I said with the back of my hand covering my mouth a look of disgust evident on my features. Daryl gave me a look of hatred and ignored me noting the trail of blood on the ground.
"He must've used a tourniquet, maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn't." Daryl stated following the trail me following behind him. We entered a new building with lockers and more stairs.
"Merle! You in here!?" Daryl screamed as we made our way down the stairs, me and Daryl never lowering our weapons. In case anything decided to pop out and say hello, and invite us to dinner. We turned the corner and saw a walker with god knows actually I don't even think god knows what hanging out of this walkers mouth. Daryl this time shot it before I could, as he looked back at me basically saying we were tied. I guess me and him have a silent bet or game going on. He grabbed the arrow and we walked to the hallway joining the others.
"Had enough in him to take down these two sumabitches, one-handed," Daryl said looking at the two walkers and a wrench laid between the two.
"Toughest asshole I ever met my brother. Feed him a hammer he'd crap out nails." "Any man can pass out from blood loss. No matter how tough he is." Rick noted taking the lead
"Merle!" Daryl announced loudly as we came upon a doorway. I didn't hear anything so I walked in seeing an open flame, a burger smasher, and a belt. I also noted the burnt skin not by seeing it no that came later, I smelt it that smell once you smell it you'll never forget it. Daryl was right his brother was definitely a tough asshole.
"We're not alone here. Remember?" "Screw that. Could be bleeding out, said so yourself." Rick said looking at Daryl. As Daryl replied he also walked in taking a further look around as Rick walked in holding up the burger smasher. This'll be one for all of their books and not a pleasant one.
"What's that burnt stuff?" Glenn asked
"Skin," Rick said looking up and around just as Daryl was doing.
"Fucker cauterized the damn stump," I said looking at Glenn who just looked at the ground swallowing a dry lump in his throat.
"Told you he's tough. Ain't nobody can kill Merle but Merle." Daryl said still trying to hold onto some hope that his brother was alive.
"Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood." Rick stated as me and Daryl both looked over noting the broken glass with a bloodied rag on the sil and blood on the glass.
"Yeah? Didn't stop him from busting out of this death trap." Daryl of course still trying to keep his hopes up, instead of facing the possible reality.
"He left the building. Why the hell would he do that?" Glenn asked
"Why wouldn't he? He's out there alone as far as he knows. Doin what he's gotta. Survivin'. " Daryl said as he and Rick took a look outside. As Daryl walked off somewhere.
"You call that survivin'?" T-dog questioned like it was obscene to do what you gotta with a wound surrounded by things that aren't stopped by a wound such as a lost hand.
"Just wanderin' off into the streets maybe passin' out. What are his odds out there?" T-dog stated the quite obvious as Daryl got noticeably upset again.
"No worse than be handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks." "Don't include me in that I fought Rick on that, I woulda knocked him out and handcuffed him and dragged his bastard ass with us," I stated pissed that he was including me in what they did, a stupid reckless inhumane decision. Daryl just glared at me, and to be quite honest I was getting sick of it.
"You couldn't kill him. Ain't so worried about some dumb dead bastard."Daryl said getting in Rick's face
"What about a thousand dumb dead bastards? Different story?" "Why don't you take a tally? Do what you want. I'm gone get him." Daryl said trying to walk away before Rick placed his hand on Daryl's chest stopping him
"Daryl. Wait!" "Get your hands off me. You can't stop me." "I don't blame you. He's family I get that, me and Medusa went through hell to find ours. We 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." "We could do that." For some reason watching Daryl and Rick is like housewives or another reality TV show, I don't have to miss tv can just watch them squabble over something new seemingly every second. T-dog shook his head, I knew he was going to bring up the guns
"Only if we get those guns first. I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?"