Crossbow Hearts

~Daryl~
We needed a way out of here and fast, but with this guy’s goons outside and in and us without weapons it made things difficult. Glenn was pissing himself, Rick was trying to smooth things over it seemed only Michonne realised the danger we were in and that we needed to fight back.
“We better wrap this up quick, the fights starting, where was I? Ah yes those people in the helicopter you came looking for were of no use to me so they got fed to the biters. You on the other hand ….I think I can use you. You walked here that means that wherever you came from is reasonably close to here.” Michonne glared at him as he continued. I, like her wanted to take this fucker down right now. “That’s right sister, I didn’t believe a word of your story. Obviously you were right not to trust me, but I saw through your story immediately.” Glenn moved away from the corner he was pissing himself in.
“Looks to me like your living situation is fine, what would you even want from us?” I shook my head it was pretty obvious that they only care about the people in here and that anyone else were only to provide supplies for them and biter food.
“Everything…Your guns, your food, bullets, vehicles, weapons, those suits all kinds of things.” The Governor smiled. Rick seemed to flip.
“You should just kill us now. We don’t have anything for you. We found these suits on some dead bodies. That’s how we’ve been surviving out there. There is no camp, there are no other people, no other supplies. We’re not going to tell you a fucking thing because there’s nothing to tell!” the Governor just shook his head and then tension in the room racked up a few notches. The Governor moved grabbing Rick’s wrist. “HEY!” Michonne and I made to move and help Rick.
“Hold them! I don’t think this mother fucker realises just how serious this situation is. Bruce hold this one down for me.” Bruce moved pinning Rick to the table. “Gabe, Mitch you keep an eye on the other three.” We suddenly found ourselves again at gun point. The guy Bruce had Rick pinned down and there was no way Rick was getting up. “Bruce is really strong so resisting is just a waste of time. Now…let’s get things straight. You’re going to tell me what I want to know. I’ve four of you. I can do all kinds of nasty things to you in front of each other. One of you will talk. That’s just how it works.” I was glad that Rick had made Jamie stay, I think now the only way I would talk were if her lie was in danger as Merle would never forgive me if I gave it up for him. I watched as The Governor brought out a machete from his holder at his back. I had a feeling I knew what he was going to do. I wouldn’t be able to fight without getting one or more of us hurt or killed. The least I could do was watch. “I will get what I want. There is nothing you can do to prevent that. Do I make myself clear?” He raised the machete and brought it down on his wrist cutting his hand clean off. “How about now?!” Rick screamed wordlessly in agony as Michonne called his name and punched Gabe in the face lunging at the Governor. I made my move only to be punched hard in the gut and pistol whipped taking me to my knees.
“Michonne!” Glenn shouted as she fought with The Governor trying to get to Rick.
“GET HER OFF ME! BRUCE NOW!” I couldn’t tell what was happening as he screamed until Bruce pulled her off and she spat out his ear.
“I’m going to break this little bitch’s neck! Just say the word boss.” Bruce said his arm wrapped tightly around Michonne’s throat. I was back on my feet and I’d be damned if they hurt a woman. I went for them but both Gabe and Mitch made for me. I punched Gabe in the face spraying blood everywhere. Mitch took a shot at me and grazed my shoulder with the bullet. Then hit me in the face. Before pinning me to the floor. I was really going to deck the china man once we were outta here.
“No! Don’t do a fucking thing to her!! She’ll suffer for what’s she done….she’ll wish she was dead. The things I’m going to do to her, the pain I’m going to cause her. This is going to be fun.” Glenn was crying quietly, but I had never been so happy, all I could think of was Jamie wasn’t here. Jamie was safe at the prison. “Fights over. When the crowd thins out…when they’re gone take them two and lock’em up. Put our piece of brown sugar in the room. And send someone up here to help our one handed friend to the doc before he bleeds to death.”
I’d been locked up for what I reckoned was a day. Not a peep except for Glenn. I could hear him in the room next door just repeating himself over and over. I wanna go home. That’s all he said. I’d paced a little, laid down, done a few sit ups and thought about Jamie. Any longer and she and Merle would come looking. We needed out before it came to that. The door opened and there stood Bruce.
“Get up, you’re moving to a new room.” I didn’t question just followed. If I was complacent I might find a way out of here. They walked me into a room further down and walked me in The Governor already there.
“Look why don’t you make this easy on you and your friends. Just tell me where you came from, how many there are of you and what supplies you have. Then we can all just get along.” I just shook my head. I wouldn’t speak a word to this fuck head. “Hmm the strong silent type. Let’s see how strong you last when you hear what happens next door.” With that he slammed the door shut leaving me in complete darkness. I heard the door next door open and close. Then his voice again.
“C’mon, don’t be shy. This will be just like last time.” Michonne grunted in pain at whatever he did. “That’s a good girl.” Then a loud crack followed by Michonne’s scream. “Don’t pass out now, sister. We’re just getting warmed up.” Another crack and scream, this bastard was dead when I got hold of him. “See…now it’s getting good.” Another bang. I had a feeling Glenn was on the other side and they were trying to crack him, but all they would do was break him and he’d never talk. “Think you can take this? You took it last time! Think it’s too much for you?” Again Michonne’s screamed filled the room, but it didn’t sound like Michonne’s screams anymore, it sounded like Jamie’s. “See not too much at all, just enough.” He was sick and twisted and needed to die. “There that’ll give you something to keep your mind occupied.” Muffled noise’s part of me wanted to be able to see if it was as bad as it sounded, but the other part wanted to block it all out and forget it all. There was sounds of struggle. “YEAH! Now we’re talking! Keep fighting it…I like it when you fight it. Cause then I get to fight back.” A loud thud reverberated through the room followed by Michonne’s screams of agony. “That’s right, it’s good isn’t it?” It went on and on then suddenly all was quiet. I was moved later back to my original room.
“In here.” I heard a voice outside the door opened and there was that Martinez, but behind him were Glenn and Rick.
“Daryl! You’re ok?”
“Yeah, but I doubt Michonne is.” I walked out surprised when Martinez handed over my crossbow.
“Thought you might like this back.” I nodded at him, but I wasn’t sure I trusted him.
“I heard everything they did to Michonne. They did it just to fuck with us.” I growled.
“That sounds about right. Phillip…the Governor, whatever, he’s been slowly going over the edge for a while, I’ve been hearing about the shit he’s been doing, whispers, rumours…didn’t want to believe it was true. You kinda choose to ignore that stuff…keeps you from having to do anything. After seeing you…I suspected the accident that took your hand was related to him.” Martinez was saying, but I don’t know something was saying this was all a ruse, but then I noticed the look on Rick’s face.
“My goddamn clothes. We were wearing riot gear and when the doctor was working on me someone had to see my prison jumpsuit. Christ.” I slowly took in what Rick said hoping he wasn’t right.
“What do you mean?” Glenn asked.
“That’s how he knew it was a prison, how could I be so stupid?” At those words I pinned Rick against the wall.
“What the fuck did you tell them?! My brother and Jamie are back there! If anything happens to them because of something you said you’re dead!” Martinez pulled me back.
“Come on we’ve got to get out of here.” He said.
“Wait! Please stop!” A raven haired woman shouted running towards us.
“What is it Alice? What do you want?” Rick clearly knew this girl.
“I was thinking about it…and if you’re going I want you to take us with you. Doctor Stevens and I. Wherever you’re living has got to be better than this…and with your wife pregnant, I’m sure you could use us.” So she was a nurse or something.
“I’m not arguing with that. We’d love to have you.” Rick smiled.
“Ok let’s move!” I snapped. We took off at a run Martinez stopped us at a corner and walked round talking to Gabe before knocking him out and calling the all clear.
“Help me get this door open, it’s all dented not opening!” I moved forward lifting the door with Martinez, Rick pushing through into the room.
“Oh god…are you ok?” Rick asked pulling the gag from her mouth. She was beaten and looked broken, but the fire in her eyes as she spat at Rick showed she wasn’t. “Whoa, Michonne, hold it. It’s me. It’s Rick.”
“Rick?” She got out confused.
“Guys help me get here untied!” I moved up untying one hand as Rick did the other. Glenn stood back looking at her in horror.
“Are you okay?” I wanted to hit him upside the head.
“No. Not even close.” As we pulled her bindings free she fell forward, both Rick and I going to help her. “No I got it. Let’s get the fuck out of here.” We started to walk when someone came round the corner Martinez and I pulling our weapons up.
“Martinez? What are you doing here?”
“Uh, Doc…we were on our way to get you. We’re leaving here…this town. We want you to come with us.” Martinez supplied.
“What? Who’s we?” He asked. So we walked round so he could see us.
“Hey doc. What do you say? You with us, or not?” Rick asked. The Doc was quiet for a moment.
“I just need to gather some supplies from the infirmary and then we can go. Won’t take a minute.” We quickly picked up his things and found ourselves running through the streets of Woodbury.
“What’s the fastest way outta here?” I shouted.
“This way. Just keep following. I’ll get us out of here.” Martinez replied. After navigating the streets and bypassing a guard we reached the wall.
“I’m not leaving yet.”
“What?” Glenn asked shocked.
“Michonne we need to leave now.” Rick added.
“I’m going to visit the Governor, I’ll catch up with you or I won’t. I just can’t leave without doing this. Where does he live?” The others were all shocked into silence, but I understood it. Alice was the one who answered her.
“Two buildings up from this alley. Second floor, first apartment on the left.” With that she took off.
“I can’t believe she just left us like that. I mean…should we help her I didn’t like that guy either.” Glenn said as we lowered Alice down to Martinez.
“No this is something she’s got to do on her own. And if they’ve realised where the prison is we need to get back there now.” I said as I jumped down.
“I just can’t believe we made it out of there so easily. I mean…the walls aren’t exactly meant to keep people in…but… I’m just so relieved.” The Doc said, but suddenly screamed. We turned to see a walker biting him.
“Doctor Stevens!” Alice screamed.
“What….what is it? Is it one of them? The biters?” No one moved except Alice.
“Give me that!” She wrenched the rifle from Martinez and shooting the biter. Tears streamed down her face, but the doctor was calm.
“It’s okay…it’s okay Alice…I’m not dying…think of it…scientifically I’m just evolving into a different…worse life form. I’ll still exist…in some way. Take the supplies…you’ll need them to take care of these people. Use what I taught you. Go.” I didn’t want to sound harsh, but that gun shot was going to attract people.
“We gotta get moving, people will have heard those shots. And any walkers nearby will have heard to.” Martinez moved to Alice putting a hand on her shoulder.
“He was a good friend…I’ll miss him, too.” We took off at a brisk pace, deciding to head into the woods more places to hid and if need be we could rest in the helicopter if needs be.
Darkness descended quickly. And Rick didn’t feel we could make it to the car so we walked to the helicopter and set up inside. I decided to take watch and climbed up into a tree. Michonne came back at first light and I dropped down just as Rick opened the door on the helicopter.
“Michonne!”
“Rick?” She came back towards the helicopter.
“We didn’t think could make it to the car last night or the prison…so we slept here for shelter or at least tried to, you how did you get here so fast? Have you been walking again all night?” Rick asked.
“Yeah, I kinda had to leave in a hurry. Where’s that doctor?”
“He didn’t make it…did you kill him? The Governor?” I asked.
“….let’s just…let’s go home. C’mon.” I understood she didn’t want to talk about it and that was fine.
“Michonne wait!” She stopped and looked at Rick. “You left us at the gate. You went to get him, is he dead?”
“I don’t know…he might be. I’m just not sure. Now come on I don’t want to spend another night out in the open we need to hurry.”
“I’m with her…we need to get home.” We set a pace the others struggling to keep up with me and Michonne. We made it to the car with only small brush with a group of walkers. We burst through the tree line and Glenn got in the car as we pushed it free and climbed in.
“Get us out of here!” Rick shouted as we piled in.
“I’m on it!” Glenn cried flooring it. I was in the back with Rick and Martinez, Michonne and Alice sharing the front passenger seat.
“STOP THE CAR!” Rick screamed, Glenn breaking hard it was then that I saw it. The prison over run completely with walkers. “Oh Jesus …it can’t…oh no.” Rick cried. No, no, no this couldn’t happen! How the hell did this happen, they had to be inside safe.
“Maggie! Oh God Maggie!” Glenn jumped back in the car and before we could stop him he drove off into the prison through the open gate. We broke out into a run after him seeing him collide with the wall made us run faster passing a prison bus that wasn’t there when we left.
“I’ll clear a path, somebody get him out of there!” Martinez shouted as Rick and I dragged him from the car. He was alive just out of it. I turned it to a group of walkers. But they dropped. I looked to see Jamie with who could only be my brother in one guard tower then, the prison buses back doors opened and out came Andrea and Dale.
“Get in here now!” I slung Glenn over my shoulder and made it into the prison bus.
“Daryl!” Jamie’s voice crackled over the radio. “Oh god is he ok?” Rick snatched it up before I could.
“Jamie, everyone’s alright. Don’t worry. But what happened?”