BLOOD IS THICKER THAN WATER-021
Yelling and explosion was all Matilda after the boy in the vent left. She tried to pull out her hand from the cuff, grunting in pain when the metal dug into her wrist.
Letting out a gasp as she popped her thumb out of it's socket and pulled out her hand. The cuff clanged against the bed, while Tilly put her thumb back into it's socket.
Matilda got to her feet, limping over to the abandoned knife on the floor. It was stained with her blood. She limped over to the door, grabbing the handle and pulled.
Nothing.
A clanging of the vent caused Matilda to turn around, holding out her knife. The boy in the vent was back and he was sighing something with his hands.
"It's not going to open." The boy signed.
"What do you mean?" She sighed back, knowing sign language.
"It's locked from the outside."
Matilda lower her knife, furrowing her brows. "How do I get out there? I need to leave."
The boy nodded into the vent before sighing. "This way. I can show you."
The dark haired girl didn't waste anytime following the boy into the vent. Thank god she wasn't claustrophobic because she wound have definitely freaked out.
Following after the boy through the ventilation system, they came to a stop. The boy moved the vent cover, crawling out and into an alleyway.
The boy pointed towards the woods across the street. The pair sprinted across the street, Matilda ignoring the shooting pain in her legs.
A man's voice yelled out for them making the pair ran even faster towards the fence. The boy hastily pulled back a piece of the fence, letting Matilda through first before slipping out himself.
Running into the woods, Matilda and the boy heard loud footsteps chasing after them. She looked back to see three large men a few feet behind them, hands loaded with guns.
Matilda weaved through the trees, dodging incoming walkers and leaping over tree roots.
Suddenly the boy fell making her grab his arms, pulling him up. She lifted the boy into her arms, his arms wrapped around her waist as she took off again.
The dark haired girl came to a sudden stop, her head whipped side to side, looking for a place to hide. Matilda saw a little creek to her left making her ran towards, sliding down the slop and pushed herself against it trying to blend into earth.
She held the little boy closer as his body shook violently. Her hand pressed against his head, his face pressed into her shoulder.
They both stiffen upon hearing running footsteps above them. The pair held their breath, waiting for the footsteps to disappear.
Once the footsteps disappeared, Matilda's body slacked against the earth behind her.
For now they were safe.
***
"Glenn! Maggie!" Rick called. "Kelly!"
"Rick. Rick." Glenn called, walking into the woods. Maggie, Kelly, and Michonne followed behind him.
"Where's Tilly?" Kelly said, rushing towards her leader. She looked around her best friend.
"We couldn't find her." Rick said, looking solemn.
"You can't just leave her!" Kelly shouted, not seeing a concern older redneck.
"I'm not, but we got a problem here. I need you to back up." Rick said, holding out his hand.
Glenn pointed his gun at Merle. "What the hell is he doing here?"
"Hey, hey, hey!" Rick said, holding back Michonne while Kelly held before Glenn.
"Hey, put it down!" Daryl shouted, walking towards Glenn. "Put it down!"
"He tried to kill me!" Michonne said, pointing her katana at Merle.
"If it wasn't for him—" Glenn started.
"He helped us get out of there." Daryl said, pointing at Glenn. Merle was behind his brother with his hands raised.
"Yeah, right after he beat the shit out of you," Rick said, pointing his gun at Michonne.
"Hey, we both took our licks, man," Merle said, putting in his two cents.
"Jackass," Daryl said, glancing at his brother.
"Hey, shut up," Merle said to Daryl.
Rick turned to Merle but keeping his gun on Michonne. "Enough!"
Michonne took the advantage and moved closer to Merle.
Rick turned towards her. "Put that thing down."
"Get that thing out of my face!" Daryl shouted angrily at Glenn.
He stocked closer, but Kelly stepped between him and Glenn. She placed a hand on each of their chests.
"Man, look like you've gone native, brother," Merle laughed.
Kelly didn't find him funny as Daryl turned to his brother. "No more than you hanging out with that psycho back there."
"Oh, yeah, man. He is a charmer, I got to tell you that." Merle said leaning against a tree. He looked at Michonne "Been putting the wood to your girlfriend Andrea. Big time, baby."
"What? Andrea's in Woodbury?" Glenn asked, in disbelief.
"Right next to the Governor," Merle replied. "And his sister."
Michonne had enough, she stepped forwards raising her katana.
"I told you to drop it!" Rick said, pointing his gun at her. "You know Andrea?"
Michonne stared at Merle, not responding to the man.
"Hey, do you know Andrea?" He asked again.
"Yep, she does," Merle said, smirking at Rick's back. "Her and blondie spent all winter cuddling up in the forest. Mh-mmm-mmm. Yeah. My Nubian queen here had two pet walkers. No arms, cut off the jews."
Rick turned towards Merle, then to Daryl, then back at Michonne again.
"Kept them in chains. Kind of ironic now that I think about it."
"Shut up, bro," Daryl told Merle as he finished.
"Hey, man, we snagged them out of the woods. Andrea was close to dying." Merle said as they all looked at Michonne.
"Is that why she's with him?" Maggie asked, looking at the dark skinned woman.
"Yeah," Merle replied. "Snug as two little bugs. So what are you gonna do now, sheriff, huh? Surrounded by a bunch of liars, thugs, and cowards."
"Shut up!" Rick said, looking back at Merle.
"Oh, man, look at this. Pathetic.All these guns and no bullets in." Merle chuckled.
"Merle, shut up!" Daryl shouted at his brother
"Shut up yourself! Bunch of pussies you roll--" Merle started, but was cut off by Kelly hit him over the head.
"What, he was getting on my nerves." She shrugged. "Asshole."
"It won't work," Rick said to the four of them.
"It's gotta," Daryl said.
"It will stir things up," Kelly replied, looking at Daryl.
"Look, the Governor is probably on the way to the prison right now. Merle knows how he thinks and we could use the muscle." Daryl replied.
"If Matilda was here, she won't let him come in. Not with Judith, Carl, Lee, and Violet in there." Kelly explained, knowing her best friend wouldn't left Merle in.
"Do you really want him sleeping in the same cell block as Carol, Beth, or Judith?" Glenn tried reasoning with redneck. "Or Tilly?"
"He ain't a rapist," Daryl argued.
"Well, his buddy is," Glenn said, referring to his girlfriend.
"They ain't buddies no more. Not after last night." Daryl shook his head.
"There's no way, Merle's gonna live there." Rick agreed with his daughter. "Without putting everyone at each other's throats
"So you're gonna cut Merle loose and being the last samurai home with us?" He asked, glancing at Michonne.
"She's not coming back," Rick said, as he also glanced at Michonne.
"She's not in a state to be on her own," Kelly said, looking between her leader and Daryl.
"She did bring you guys to us," Glenn added, looking at Rick.
"And then ditched us," Rick said, turning to Glenn.
"At least, let Hershel stitch her up," Kelly suggested.
"She's too unpredictable," Rick replied, glancing back towards Michonne.
"That's right. We don't know who she is." Daryl added as they looked at Michonne. "But Merle, Merle's blood."
"No, Merle is your blood," Glenn said at Daryl, stepping slightly towards him causing Kelly to hold out her hand. "My blood, my family is standing right here and waiting for us back at the prison."
"And you're part of that family. But he's not. He's not." Rick said to the redneck.
"Man, y'all don't know," Daryl said backing up a small bit. "Fine. We'll fend for ourselves."
"That's not what we were saying." Glenn tried to reason with the redneck.
"No him, no me," Daryl said, shaking his head.
"Daryl, you don't have to do that," Maggie added, looking at her redneck.
"It was always Merle and I before this," Daryl responded.
"Don't," Kelly said.
"You serious?" Glenn questions. "You're just gonna leave like that?"
"You'd do the same thing," Daryl said.
"What do you want us to tell Matilda, who we still need to find." Glenn asked.
"She'll understand." Daryl said, though there was a slight hesitation in his voice. "Say good-bye to Judith for me."
"Daryl, are you serious? Daryl!" Glenn shouted as the redneck walked away.