Living Like You're Dead

Merle looked at the face of the girl he had just saved. She was stone cold, and if she didn’t get help fast she would surely die. Her cut was deep, she must not have the best of luck, but who did these days? He pulled out a shirt he had yet to wear and pressed it to her jaw, the bleeding would need to be stopped. She was very pale and if she kept bleeding she would die.

Merle hoisted the limp girl into his arms and while the sun beat down on his back he headed for the motorcycle. He left his belongings behind, they didn’t matter, Merle wanted to show his brother that he was really sorry. Rarely was Merle ever sorry for anything.

Reaching the storm drain where she had stashed the bike he set her down only for a moment to uncover the bike and prepare for their ride back. He sat her on the bike so that she was in front of him and facing him. Her small figure fit under his well, she was concealed and safe. Merle took one last precaution and used his belt to fasten her to his chest, because he would need both his hand and arm to drive.

Walkers were still on the road – still looking for her, and Merle planned to make this bike go as fast as it possibly could. The only shot he had was to race back as fast as he could and give them the slip.

So he did. Addie didn’t budge while he weaved in and out of cars and away from walkers, he could see them start to follow them, but if he made it past the bend, and it was walker free he’d be able to make it to the house without bringing “friends.”

And with luck he had put some distance between him and the walkers. They wouldn’t see him slip into the forest. He hopped off the bike, and to make it easier he fastened Addie to the bike with his belt, and began to push it up the hill. He disappeared before any of the walkers had seen where he’d went.

Merle’s brow was covered in sweat, the sun had gone down, but pushing a bike uphill was getting difficult, and he couldn’t be more than a few miles from the house, at least it was almost over, he was worried with the amount of blood that was trailing down the bike. She’d need some care, Merle had the idea in his head that she would need blood, would they have the equipment to do that… would they have the blood? If they couldn’t stop the bleeding soon she’d need a transfusion, or she would in fact die.

Then Merle came face to face with his brother. Merle was sure he looked terrible, covered in sweat and blood. He almost dropped the bike when he saw that Daryl had aimed his crossbow at him. Addie moved and Merle reached out to stop her from sliding off. He undid the belt and picked her up. She was so cold, and so pale. Daryl noticed the man he did have his bike, but he had something else, no someone. Daryl thought about the only person who knew where to find the house… the person who would’ve thought to bring his bike back quietly. It had to be Merle. When Merle finally walked up to Daryl he could see clearly his brother, and in his arms Addie. She was dead.

“WHAT DID YOU DO MERLE?! HOW? WHY WERE YOU? WHAT DID YOU DO?”

“Daryl, she needs help.”

“MERLE SHE’S DEAD! YOU KILLED HER!”

“No Daryl. Come on.” Merle began to walk back to the house, Daryl would have to follow eventually.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t shoot you right now?”

“Daryl – because then she will die.”

“What are you talking about? She’s gone, she’s so pale.”

“Yet, she’d not dead yet, and you better get moving so we can keep that from happening.” Daryl in shock agreed. He wanted to believe she wasn’t dead. With everything he had he wanted to believe his brother, he grabbed the bike and caught up to Merle, he looked at the girl he loved so dearly, all that covered her neck was a shirt soaked in blood. It was smeared on her face and all over her clothes, Merle was right she would be dead soon. Now that Merle had no bike to carry he broke into a run, the house became closer and closer until he finally saw windows lit by candlelight.

The front door was kicked open, granted it wasn’t latched, but the adrenaline was pumping and he placed Addie gently on the floor while he headed for the cellar.

Daryl dropped to his knees. Now the light showed him how bad she truly looked.

“Addie…” was what he said. There was no reply, no movement, no nothing.