Crossbow Hearts

It had been three days since Daryl had been stabbed by Andrew. Everyone had moved into the cell block and we’d cleared a few other rooms out. Like the library and the barbers. I came to Daryl several times a day to bring him food and drink and yesterday to “help” him bathe, much to his protest. I was sat on the end of his bed listening intently to what had happened to him when he fell and had stabbed himself with one of his own arrows while searching for Carol’s daughter Sofia.
“I was hallucinating, as there stood my brother Merle. Told me to stop being a faggot and get the hell up. I remember finding it funny that he still had both his hands. Then for some reason he told me to kill Rick, well he told me to kill him as Rick had left him to die. I thought about it when they first left Merle, I mean he’s my brother and they just fucking left him. But I couldn’t do it.” He sighed like it made him sound weak.
“Yeah well that’s cos as much as you try to act like a bad ass you’re a good man. Though I think I’d have killed him, but’s just the way I am.” Daryl shook his head.
“Rick’s a good man, he got us all this far and kept most of us alive.” I nodded in agreement as Hershel walked in.
“So Daryl how do you feel today?” He asked as he lifted Daryl’s shirt.
“It’s itching and sore, but nothing out of the ordinary.” Daryl replied. But I knew it was more than sore I saw him wince in pain and grit his teeth if he tried to move. Hershel hmm’d some which I didn’t like rewrapped the wound, smiled and left. I looked at Daryl as he shifted slightly.
“I’ll be back soon I promised Caleb I’d help with the tutoring Lori’s doing.” I hoped he believed the lie that so easily slipped from my mouth.
“Yeah whatever.” I squeezed his leg gently and got up going after Hershel.
“Hershel, you want to tell me what’s up?” He looked at me as if confused. “Hershel don’t even try to bullshit me.” He sighed heavily.
“It’s infected, I feared it would and we don’t have any antibiotics left. We can’t get to the infirmary in here yet and we don’t know what they’ll have.” I felt like a little part of me was being crushed. Part me hated how Daryl was making me feel, but the other part just hoped he felt the same.
“So he’s…going to die?”
“No I’m hoping his body is strong enough to fight it off.”
“And if it isn’t?” I dreaded to think what would happen, but needed to know.
“Then he really would need some antibiotics.” I took off to the library, blowing past Rick, Tyreese and Glenn in my hurry. I had seen a map section in the library and that was what I needed. I pulled out a couple looking for Georgia and this prison. I quickly located the prison and then the closest town, Macon 31 miles away.
“It’s got to have a pharmacy.” I muttered to myself.
“Jamie why do you need a pharmacy?” I looked up at Glenn a little startled, seeing Rick and Tyreese with him.
“I um,” There was no point in lying to them.” “Daryl’s wound is infected, we have no antibiotics left. I need to get to Macon should take me a day. Dale will watch Caleb.”
“Oh no Jamie…” I glared at Rick.
“You going to stop me? Daryl needs antibiotics so I am getting them.” I told him defiantly.
“I can go with her Rick.” I looked at Glenn in surprise, Maggie wouldn’t like it that we were going off to scavenge for medicine, but I was appreciative for his offer.
“Fine, but we’ll check what other supplies we need so you can go for more than just antibiotics.” I nodded it was a good idea.
“That’s fine, but we leave soon an hour max.” Then I grabbed my map and walked away. Checking with people as I went for if there was anything they needed. I crept into the cell block and my room hoping to get some ammo clips without Daryl hearing. But he did.
“Jamie?” I walked into his cell sliding the clips into the pocket of my back pack. “Where the fuck do you think you are going?” I stared at him bemusedly.
“Scavenging with Glenn we’ve ran out of a few things.”
“No you’re not, I know why you’re going, but I’ll be fine.” I crossed my arms raising my brow.
“No you won’t and like I said we’ve ran out of things I have a list of things me and Glenn need to get. I’ll be back tonight or early in the morning. Later Daryl.” I walked away his protests echoing after me. If I wasn’t reading too much into it Daryl was concerned for my safety and it put a smile on my face.
“Hey Jamie!” Lori shouted as she waddled towards me.
“Hey Lori what’s up?” She fidgeted uneasily as she stood in front of me.
“I was wondering if you could get me these things it’s for the baby.” Her hand fluttered over her stomach. I smiled taking the list looking at it. There were things like a breast pump, teething rings and diapers.
“Sure thing Lori anything else?
“Well if you wouldn’t mind maybe getting some games for Carl…and Caleb that would be great.”
“Oh I never thought of that, do you think the twins would want something’s?” I pondered more to myself than anything.
“They might I think they were hiding in the barbers, I know Carl and Caleb were playing with them earlier, but they’re outside now.” I thanked Lori and made my way to the barbers. I strolled in finding the twins Rachel and Susie huddled in the corner as Thomas sat watching them from one of the barber chairs. I knew there was something off about this guy, but he hadn’t done anything …yet.
“Girls, I wanted to know if you wanted any toys or games?” Thomas jumped a little turning his cold beady eyes on me. “Plus your ma and pa want you.” I held my hands out and the girls quickly got up keeping as far away as possible from Thomas and grasped my hands tightly in theirs. A flash of pure rage passed through his eyes so fast that I wasn’t sure if I was seeing things. The longer this man was lurking around the more I distrusted him. I turned from the room taking the girls with me, when we were far enough away I slowed down.
“Thanks Jamie.” Susie the more confident of the young twins said.
“It’s ok, he didn’t …do anything did he?” I asked not wanting to plant ideas or make them worry.
“No he came and sat just watching us. It was kinda scary. He wouldn’t leave and we think he was muttering curses under his breath.”
“He was too Jamie. Really fowl stuff mommy would wash his mouth if she heard.” I nodded I liked this guy less and less.
“Ok well you’re with me now. Let’s get you to your mom and dad.” I smiled, they seemed to come out of their shells as they started to reel off toys they would like. I told them I would do my best. As we walked out into the exorcise yard they ran straight to their parents Donna and Alan as I made my way to Glenn, Rick, Tyreese and Maggie.
“I thought you said an hour max, military girl. I make you five minutes over that time.” Tyreese joked. I smiled, but turned to Rick.
“Rick you need to keep an eye on Thomas.” Everyone looked at me confused.
“And why’s that?” Maggie asked I knew to most of the women he had come across as nothing but a gentleman, but I knew dangerous people when I saw them and he was high on the current list of dangerous people.
“I just found him in the barbers, with the twins, they were petrified of him. They say he was muttering curse under his breath as he just watched them.” Rick and Tyreese seemed a little troubled by this and I wondered if they had the same thoughts on Thomas as I did.
“We will don’t you worry about that, you just worry about getting back here safe. You got everything you need?” Rick asked.
“Yeah list of things we need, weapons and a few provisions.” I said as shifted my pack on my shoulders. Rick and Tyreese moved off to the fence as Glenn made for the SUV we’d be using.
“Jamie you better bring him back alive.” Maggie scowled.
“Maggie I will do my utmost to make sure he comes back. The only way he won’t is over my cold dead walking around body.” I mused which in turn got a smile from Maggie.
“Ok and you come back too, we need you here.” She hugged me which caught me off guard, I hugged her back briefly and then climbed into the car with Glenn. I pulled out the map as Maggie leaned into kiss Glenn. Rick signalled us to go and spoke through the radio.
“Good luck you two and make contact when you’re a couple of miles out from here so we can be ready to open the gate.”
“Copy that.” Then I turned off the radio. “Ok Glenn we need to head to Macon. So take a left.”
“Ok but isn’t this Woodbury place closer?” I nodded.
“It is, but one we don’t want a whole bunch of walkers following us back here and two if there’s a group of survivors there, I’d rather they didn’t know where we came from and they might be dangerous.”
“You really have a problem with groups?” I smiled.
“Yes lets just say bad shit happened in the other group. I stayed with you guys down to convenience, but realised I was better off with you and that I can trust you at least everyone from Hershel’s farm, Tyreese’s group maybe and same goes for Axel, Andrew and Dexter keep to themselves too much so the jury’s out, but Thomas I’d rather out a bullet between his eyes.”
“I think that’s the biggest speech you’ve ever made.” I laughed at him then joined he in.
We rolled into Macon seeing cars abandoned left and right. I saw The Wal-Mart supercentre complete with its own pharmacy.
“Glenn shut off the car. Take the keys out.” I told him.
“Ok, but why?”
“Because then if someone tries to steal the car they have to hotwire it which takes time. Then we can shut the doors to prevent anything getting in.” He nodded.
“Ok I didn’t think of that.” I smiled and stuck my tongue out.
“That’s why I’m here.” I grabbed my crowbar and stuck it in my waist band then grabbed my bat and another bag Glenn grabbing another bag to. We slowly made our way down the main street, it looked like somebody had been taking care of the walkers here. Several bodies were strewn about the place, heads took off or bullets in them. My eyes were constantly scanning looking for living or un-living people. So far nothing though I had an itch between my shoulder blades that was telling me I was being watched, that someone else was here. I tried my best to shrug it off as we entered Wal-Mart. “Glenn you stick up here, scour the shelves for canned goods and the items that are up here. I’ll check out the pharmacy and grab the stuff from the back. Keep an eye out you see anything whistle.”
“Got ya, take care.” I nodded and slowly made my way to the back. The antibiotics were my first priority. I got to the pharmacy, the door looked intact and the shutters over the counter were down. I took out my crow bar and with a lot of force I got the door open. It was still full. Nobody had looted it. I grabbed every single drug Hershel had wrote on the list, different strength antibiotics, aspirin, cough mixtures then I grabbed one of everything else just in case. I shoved them all in my back pack. Hershel would know what they were for. I stocked up on band aids and bandages. Then made my way out and to the new-born’s section. I found everything that Lori wanted and filled the bag to the brim as well as half of my pack with everything that was needed. I started to make my way back to Glenn picking up some educational books for the kids as I went.
“Glenn you done?”
“Yeah, erm do you think Maggie would like this?” He asked as I reached him and he held up a necklace a silver chain with a blue gem on the end.
“Aw Glenn she’ll love it, that’s really sweet of you.” He blushed and put it back in a pouch and then into his pocket. “Come I’ve got everything, you?”
“Yeah let’s get out of here.” He smiled.
We made our way back to the SUV nothing was different. We put the goods in the back and that’s when I saw the gun and hunting store. I hadn’t seen it before as I was solely here for the antibiotics. But this had gone so smoothly, what harm could a quick trip in there do?
“Hey Glenn stay here I’m going in there see what they got.”
“You want me to come with?”
“No I’ll be fine, just stay out here and you see anything whistle.” He nodded and I made my way to the store. I pushed open the door. Ammo lined the line walls, guns in cases and to my amusement they had bows and crossbows on display different bolts underneath. I grabbed the bolts first, I didn’t think Daryl would want a new crossbow. Then I made my way to the ammo I grabbed ammo for the guns we had. I was about to pick out some guns when I heard a noise. I turned not seeing anyone. I pulled up my bat my ears straining for the slightest bit of sound.
“You’re a dick.” Someone said and three big guys stood up on shoving the other. I was sorely outnumbered. I didn’t wait. I kept hold of my bat in one hand and secured the bag with my other then I bolted out the door.
“Hey lady where you going!” One of them shouted.
“GLENN GET IN THE CAR!!!” I roared sprinting towards the SUV. He didn’t ask twice just got in and started the engine. I was about to get in when someone grabbed me by my back pack. “DRIVE GLENN DRIVE!” I screamed as I kicked the door shut using my assailants weight to kick with both feet. The guy toppled over and I went down with him. Glenn hesitated, but thankfully drove off. Then I realised that the antibiotics were in my backpack. I smashed my head back it the guys face then scrambled up. I didn’t get far before someone else grabbed me. I struggled with them, but more people joined him. Some woman came up and punched me in the gut, I couldn’t breathe. The woman had dark hair but the ends still had the remnants of dark purple. She struck out punching me in the face as I noticed a man behind her. He looked so familiar, but I felt someone rag the pack off my back. A new serge of anger came through my body as I wrenched my arm free fighting for all I was worth. I needed to get those antibiotics to Daryl. The woman lunged at me taking me down. I fought with her on the floor. Her whole group gathering round us. She grabbed my bat and pushed it against my throat choking me out. The man I saw a moment ago leaning over. Then I realised I knew him. As spots started across my vision I forced out his name.
“Merle…”