Living Like You're Dead

Merle was conscious enough to tell him that he was a bit warm. Daryl first became worried thinking Merle had finally caught the fever, but Addie assured him if he did have a fever Merle would be feeling cold. Addie was able to watch as Daryl worried over his older brother. Countless memories and future events were at risk here, she could see that. Although he acted no differently than when she lay dying just a few days ago. Although instead of fighting with tables and faceless walls, he chose to fight with Rick.

Rick had left for a brief moment to ensure Lori and Carl that they were alright and announce that we had been found – he left out the part about Merle and Addie being infected, and assured her that Merle was not running a fever, but was wounded.

Everyone from the old group had found themselves a home within the building, there were two luxury condos on each floor – and every room had different furnishings so everyone played mix n’ match when designing their new dream home. Carol and Lori actually found it incredibly fun, while Andrea pretended to.

Carl was getting stronger by helping his pregnant mother move furniture, and even though she was against it – they gave Carl his own room. Rick had created a place for the baby – and Carol had been trying to read up on midwifery to prepare for the baby’s arrival in a few months time.

Dale had invited Andrea to share a condo with him, seeing as how that was the same way they’d met. He’s picked her and Amy up alongside the road in his old RV. And even though they were an unlikely couple, they seemed to take comfort within each other.

Glenn and T-Dog had become so close that they decided on being roommates. They had no one else – but they trusted each other and felt like no one should be living alone.

Carol and Sophia were happier than ever. They had never had such a large place to themselves. Carol’s husband had never earned a lot of money, which meant they never had a nice house, or nice things. So together they created their perfect home. Since everyone had taken up different floors, they all met for dinner at a different house each night, giving them the opportunity to show of Sophia’s wall paintings or Lori’s new baby crib.

Addie was happy that everyone had made it here okay, she was glad that they were finally free from any descendant of the Redfern family, not to mention infection free. But if they were lucky, maybe, just maybe they’d have a full proof way to beat this thing.
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Addie was carefully reading over her favorite CDC files when Merle let out a pained groan. Daryl had ran upstairs to find some canned food to eat while they sat down here, but Merle was conscious again, asking for Daryl, who was no where to be seen.

Addie adjusted herself next to him on the leather couch. It was lightly stained in his blood. But at this point she had been expecting the couch to be soaked with it. She hoped the slower bleeding meant possible healing.

“Hey… shh. Shh. I’m here.” She said lightly resting her hand on his right arm. He flinched when he saw Addie. He wasn’t used to her touching him in anyway, in fact neither of them were. But his eyes became filled with the look of gratitude when he gave a slight smirk.

His blood loss was obvious, and after the injection, he must’ve blacked out. He didn’t say anything more once he realized Daryl wasn’t around. She peaked at his wound. Since she had last wiped up the area around the bite she could tell that it hadn’t bled for a while now.

For a while she had been contemplating on how much blood he might need. Not only would he need more anti-bodies, but also a transfusion would be helpful. She remembered how he had given her blood that night she’d lost so much. And she knew from the paperwork with her name on it happened to be the same type as Merle’s. Yet, the question was if he would survive a transfusion with mutated blood.

Addie waited next to Merle until he drifted back into sleep or unconsciousness, she wasn’t quite sure – but she watched him closely, just as Daryl watched her from the doorway.

“So.” He said pausing. “We’ve come all this way, and the only person to ever try to help my brother, was the one person that I jus’ happened to hit with my damn car.”

Addie smiled at the recollection. “I ran in front of it.” She added.

“Well, yeah… you did.” He said letting her take the blame, but giving her an unusual wink. “Thank you, you know for everything. I wouldn’t know what… If I had lost you… that day I wouldn’t be… I wouldn’t be okay Addie.” He finally choked out. Daryl never was great with words, but he expressed his love for her in more ways than words. He rarely said he loved her, and it’s because they both didn’t have to say it – they both could just tell.

“Daryl, I love you. Don’t worry… I think, I think it’ll be okay.”

“Even if it’s not, at least someone tried.” He said. ”You’re the last one that should’ be helpin’ him.”
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Over the next few hours Addie explained to Daryl her fears of transfusion, and her fears that her injection had only prolonged the infection. They’d need anti-biotics, aspirin, medicines to help with what Addie wanted to do. Daryl asked why should couldn’t just gave him more of her blood, and then they were back to the topic of surviving a transfusion. Daryl wasn’t stupid, but he wasn’t the brightest either.

With time running out – Daryl volunteered to find a pharmacy. Addie tried to convince him that no pharmacies had been left untouched – he should stay and look after Merle. It was very, very late at night, and an excursion this late at night meant Walkers, lots of Walkers.

Addie instinctively told him no, several times. But Daryl had an immense fear that his brother could very well die tonight. And he wasn’t about to let that happen.

He snuck down several flights of stairs until he reached the ground level, he wavered for a moment on whether or not risking his life was worth saving his brothers – and he realized that not just Merle needed these supplies, but Lori would, the children would, everyone would need medicine at some point. He was doing everyone a favor, like when he would hunt and share the food with everyone. He was more than happy to pull his own weight and even do a little more if he could. And if he hurried he could be back in time to save his brothers life.

He pulled the Harley out from the back of the truck; he left the dust cover hanging off the side. He pushed it outside the range of the fence and down a block before he hopped on the back of his butch Harley. If he were quick on his feet the noise wouldn’t matter. He revved the engine and heard scuffling in the alley next to him but he was halfway down the street before he saw anything. He noticed a slight ding in the metal from when Merle must’ve brought it back. That memory clicked into his mind, his brother had saved the life of the girl he loved, and now he’d return some of the favor.

****

He found an abandoned drug store on the corner of an intersection towards the outskirts of town. Windows weren’t broken, doors weren’t boarded, and this was a good option. He could see that several walkers near by had been attracted to the sound. He quietly waited under cover of a shadow while they all headed towards the loud bike in the center of the road. Daryl let eight arrows out of his crossbow over the next two minutes leaving a pile of dead walkers around his bike; he shut off the engine and pulled the bike closer to the store. He noticed one of the arrows had left a dent in hood of his bike, he left the word: “fuck” roll off his tongue while he looked for a way inside.

He climbed up the fire escape to the roof of the building and found that the AC system would be large enough to fit through. He jumped down into the dark vents and eventually found several different directions to take. He took his first left and his second right, and with pure luck he found a grate above a rack of sweatshirts. He used his steel knife to torque the blots from the frame and let himself into the room.

He dropped down unto the rack of sweatshirts, his body weight made the rack topple over, sending him rolling to the ground. He rubbed his now sore shoulder, as he stood up, he assed that minimal damage had been done. He picked himself up and found the pharmacy; the gate was still locked in front of the front desk window. Used his knife again to dig into the lock holding it shut.

Daryl was eventually able to lift the heavy gate high enough so that he could slid underneath it. He let it fall back down, making a loud crash sound. He regretted his actions almost immediately he heard the soft groaning of a walker. He turned and saw the over weight man. Or at least he was over weight. His extra skin was hanging off him like his body had been eating itself. The man had been trapped in here, with nothing to eat, except maybe his wife and kids. Daryl had never seen a hungrier walker. He lifted the gate bake up and threw his legs underneath. The hurried action left him clumsy. His arm didn’t make it through until the hate crashed down, the pain was worse than the fear for a moment, until Daryl felt the cold hands of the walker against his own.

He closed his eyes tightly, and pulled his arm from the walker with all the strength he had. He clutched the bruising arm to his chest and stared at the walker who had blood on his face. He looked down at his wrist to see the bloodied bite mark.

He tore off the sleeve of a white lab coat next to him and wrapped his wrist and thumb. He then loaded his crossbow and pointed it through the gate and into the walker’s eye. The arrow caused the walker to stumble a few feet before he fell to the floor dead. That was one arrow Daryl didn’t plan on reclaiming.
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At this point Merle was in some sort of stasis, Addie didn’t know how long it would last, but she knew eventually the disease fighting inside him could win.

She was able to check his pulse, and for someone who had been lying down for hours – it wouldn’t be this fast.

His body is at least working, it is still strong. she thought.

Her gentle hands seemed to do what they knew best. As a pilot she was trained in several emergency medical maneuvers. She knew how to slow his breathing; she knew what to give him for the pain. And she was able to tell that Merle would eventually fail in this ongoing battle. She could even see the disease start to win… with blood oozing out of him, his temperature was beginning to rise… it was only a matter of time.

Daryl was nowhere to be seen, and Addie needed to think fast. She didn’t want to act impulsively but what else could she do?

She drew her own blood once more and readied the injection at his neck. She slowly pressed the plunger down while she could tell that he blood felt different in his body. Merle let out soft pained moans.

Addie hurried to the door, she stuck her head into the hallway looking for Daryl, and he wasn’t there. She didn’t know if he was standing up stairs talking to Rick, or doing something stupid.

Carol came downstairs, the lights were dim in the hallway, but she could tell it was Carol by her shaved head and gleaming smile. Addie motioned for her to join her. Carol’s smile had gone when she got a look at Addie’s worried face.

“I can’t find Daryl.” Addie, her hands were shaking.

Carol gripped her wrists and pulled her into a hug, “It’s okay he’s here somewhere.” Can I help?” She asked, noticing Merle’s figure on the couch.

“I’m losing him Carol. He’s dying.”