Sequel: Pretending to be Dead ›
Living Like You're Dead
Color
The slight display of affection confused many people, including Daryl. But Addie’s vision was something they weren’t experiencing, she knew it was Merle she was clutching, but she had no choice but to cling to him in order to keep from falling.
“You’re... You are all very loud.” She seemed to muster from her lips.
“We’re sorry Addie everything just got really heated really quick.”
“I understand. But there is no need for it. Merle didn’t do anything wrong, he saved my life, and even despite the past…” she trailed off. The amount of pain that radiated from her head gave her slight nausea. Addie controlled the violent urge to vomit. The sting of acid burned her throat and she wished for a sense of peace. She felt like she had been standing on a boat and the random thrusts of waves was moving her equilibrium and causing her to sway, causing her mind to feel heavy while her head felt light.
“Addie, your bandage.” He said, she felt a bit of soaked blood. She clutched the wall as she tried to make her way to the bathroom; Merle had his hand on the small of her back and kept her from falling. She immediately wanted to faint, but she kept herself upright by clutching the wall and clinging to the person next to her, Daryl appeared with a fresh bandage as she peeled off the one that was currently adhered to her face. The black thread stood out against her pale skin and she cringed at how the thread felt inside her skin, how it felt when her neck moved, when she smiled. It was horrible.
Daryl appeared with new gauze and again he covered her stitches after wiping away the fresh blood, it was only slight, not a lot but due to a poor medical staff it was the best he could do.
She felt weak and sick and her face was pale again. She began to make her way back into the hallway before Daryl stopped her.
"No, no, let me carry you."
Daryl lifted her into his arms and carried her down the hall. Merle caught a glimpse of her pale face and decided that he could manage to somehow give her more blood. He should've drank water instead of beer, but his strength was up and he felt like he could give her something more, even if it was only a little. He found another hypodermic needle and met Daryl in front of him room. Rick and his brother had been discussing none other than him. They’re abrupt cease in conversation made him realize. He ignored them both and stepped into the room dragging the chair to the edge of the bed, and starting to prep Addie’s unpunctured arm. The drip was easy to start, Merle hung it off the back of the bed post and watched as his blood slowly dripped into the canister and trailed down the tube into Addie’s arm. This time she was awake, and had watched him prep the whole process. She was stunned by how well he found a vein, how he even knew what he was doing to being with.
Merle seemed to be quite smart, but he was an ass, as well as a drunk. Apparently it took some traumatizing moment in his life to get him to sober up. Addie tried not to think of the past while Merle sat next to her. She realized it was one of the most traumatic moments of her life, as well as the next few days that followed. The baby only entered her mind once, and she immediately kicked herself for letting it enter her thoughts because it made her feel ill.
Merle was the cause of her misfortune. She pushed the thought from her mind and didn’t let herself bring it up again, she focused on the kind man that was helping her now, not the man she had met before.
_________________________________________________
Merle was only able to fill the bag maybe once more before his illness returned. He had water with him, and had been drinking it but he let the blood run from his arm until stars filled his vision.
His vision was so obscured that he had to motion for Daryl to come take out the needle. The jolt of pain from the coagulated blood around the needle was all he felt before he blacked out.
________________________________________________
“You honestly trust Merle with her? After what happened?” Rick said.
“What happened was shitty. I know. But she got hurt and Merle brought her back to me. So yeah – I guess you can say I trust him.”
“But what he did!”
“-Was not okay. I know that he is not going to do that again. He won’t.”
“Fine. What about the baby though, do you think it survived all this?”
Daryl’s arms tensed as well as his fists. After their conversation Rick was only going to prove himself right if Daryl answered his question. So he lied a little bit.
“No, I think the fall was too great.”
“Damn, Daryl I’m sorry. And here I am gushing about Lori expecting,-“
“Rick, really just drop it.”
Daryl noticed Merle, his head was drooping, and his eyelids were shut. He walked away from Rick and once his footsteps were heard Merle’s head lifted. He motioned for Daryl to help him. Daryl took the needle out and wrapped his arm in gauze and support tape. He noticed Merle seemed asleep. He shook his brother and he didn’t move, he was breathing – and Daryl wasn’t worried. He was thankful, because although his brothers face was pale, Addie’s was regaining color.
“You’re... You are all very loud.” She seemed to muster from her lips.
“We’re sorry Addie everything just got really heated really quick.”
“I understand. But there is no need for it. Merle didn’t do anything wrong, he saved my life, and even despite the past…” she trailed off. The amount of pain that radiated from her head gave her slight nausea. Addie controlled the violent urge to vomit. The sting of acid burned her throat and she wished for a sense of peace. She felt like she had been standing on a boat and the random thrusts of waves was moving her equilibrium and causing her to sway, causing her mind to feel heavy while her head felt light.
“Addie, your bandage.” He said, she felt a bit of soaked blood. She clutched the wall as she tried to make her way to the bathroom; Merle had his hand on the small of her back and kept her from falling. She immediately wanted to faint, but she kept herself upright by clutching the wall and clinging to the person next to her, Daryl appeared with a fresh bandage as she peeled off the one that was currently adhered to her face. The black thread stood out against her pale skin and she cringed at how the thread felt inside her skin, how it felt when her neck moved, when she smiled. It was horrible.
Daryl appeared with new gauze and again he covered her stitches after wiping away the fresh blood, it was only slight, not a lot but due to a poor medical staff it was the best he could do.
She felt weak and sick and her face was pale again. She began to make her way back into the hallway before Daryl stopped her.
"No, no, let me carry you."
Daryl lifted her into his arms and carried her down the hall. Merle caught a glimpse of her pale face and decided that he could manage to somehow give her more blood. He should've drank water instead of beer, but his strength was up and he felt like he could give her something more, even if it was only a little. He found another hypodermic needle and met Daryl in front of him room. Rick and his brother had been discussing none other than him. They’re abrupt cease in conversation made him realize. He ignored them both and stepped into the room dragging the chair to the edge of the bed, and starting to prep Addie’s unpunctured arm. The drip was easy to start, Merle hung it off the back of the bed post and watched as his blood slowly dripped into the canister and trailed down the tube into Addie’s arm. This time she was awake, and had watched him prep the whole process. She was stunned by how well he found a vein, how he even knew what he was doing to being with.
Merle seemed to be quite smart, but he was an ass, as well as a drunk. Apparently it took some traumatizing moment in his life to get him to sober up. Addie tried not to think of the past while Merle sat next to her. She realized it was one of the most traumatic moments of her life, as well as the next few days that followed. The baby only entered her mind once, and she immediately kicked herself for letting it enter her thoughts because it made her feel ill.
Merle was the cause of her misfortune. She pushed the thought from her mind and didn’t let herself bring it up again, she focused on the kind man that was helping her now, not the man she had met before.
_________________________________________________
Merle was only able to fill the bag maybe once more before his illness returned. He had water with him, and had been drinking it but he let the blood run from his arm until stars filled his vision.
His vision was so obscured that he had to motion for Daryl to come take out the needle. The jolt of pain from the coagulated blood around the needle was all he felt before he blacked out.
________________________________________________
“You honestly trust Merle with her? After what happened?” Rick said.
“What happened was shitty. I know. But she got hurt and Merle brought her back to me. So yeah – I guess you can say I trust him.”
“But what he did!”
“-Was not okay. I know that he is not going to do that again. He won’t.”
“Fine. What about the baby though, do you think it survived all this?”
Daryl’s arms tensed as well as his fists. After their conversation Rick was only going to prove himself right if Daryl answered his question. So he lied a little bit.
“No, I think the fall was too great.”
“Damn, Daryl I’m sorry. And here I am gushing about Lori expecting,-“
“Rick, really just drop it.”
Daryl noticed Merle, his head was drooping, and his eyelids were shut. He walked away from Rick and once his footsteps were heard Merle’s head lifted. He motioned for Daryl to help him. Daryl took the needle out and wrapped his arm in gauze and support tape. He noticed Merle seemed asleep. He shook his brother and he didn’t move, he was breathing – and Daryl wasn’t worried. He was thankful, because although his brothers face was pale, Addie’s was regaining color.