Mercy on Me

Okay, who's excited that this chapter is finally up? I know I am. I've been writing this chapter for about the last week which is unusual for me, since I normally like to bang them out all at once in a few hours.

I've also been busy with big news! In June, I'll be going to the New York Wizard Con where I get to meet Norman Reedus.(: I bought the VIP Experience which is all about him! I'm probably going to die and go to Reedus Heaven.

On another happy note, I was invited to go to Costa Rica in February! Only fifteen students in my school get to go, so I'm very excited! I'll be touring volcanoes, zip-lining through the jungle, and making native Costa Rican meals with actual natives! How sick is that?

I also haven't updated lately because I was writing for one of my other stories.. I can't write two at once, it just confuses me.

Okay, okay. I'm sorry for talking so much (who knows how many people actually read this, anyway?).

Get reading!

Oops, almost forgot! I've got a big surprise that will be ready for you in my 'Author's Note' once you finish the chapter, so read read read!
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TheGoodLlama; I'm glad you enjoyed Chapter 12! Hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter just as much!(:

HotRanger69; I definitely wouldn't want to be on that hell of a crazy train! I had no idea who that other guy was.. So I'm going to name him Phil. Poor Phil and Martinez, man. Sucks to be them. And of course I understand! Shane is drop dead gorgeous..Bernthal=Gorgeous. Well at least you finally got rain! It was super hot for a while, and now the weather has dropped, again.. Seriously, it's supposed to be Spring by me, NOT Winter!! ):< You are SO lucky.. I love LORD so hard.
I love hearing that people laugh because of my story. I can't make the whole story depressing! I thought it was adorable when it popped into my head, I couldn't help but write it down.. Shane, oh Shane.. Why you go crazy?! Wishing he was still on Team Prison, not going Wolverine in Rick's head</3. Glad you loved it! But let's get serious now.. Can you believe I update this by 6:20 PM and not 4 in the morning?! Heck yes!

RoadieEm; Thank you so much! Did I get another bloody brilliant? I think so. Loving your reviews, keep them up!<3

Boing; Yes, I've got another hooked reader! I hate short chapters, they just make me so mad! And I get another point for having you read this, risking a bad grade! My readers and fans are just absolutely FANTASTIC.

Just.Breathe.; I'm your first Walking Dead story? That's awesome! You have no idea how stoked that makes me. When it comes to my writing style, I want my writing to sound typical as well as intelligent, so I'm glad it's working for you. Again, thank you so much!(:

AlblueRose; Update I did! hope you like it!(:

*Thank you for all of the amazing reviews each and every time I post a new chapter. You all mean the world to me, so keep them coming!*
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“Please God, let there be soda, let there be soda,” I prayed as Shane and T-Dog broke the chains off of the doors of a Walmart.

“Should be prayin’ for no walkers,” I heard Daryl mutter from where he was standing a few feet away, scanning the area.

Letting out a deep sigh, I clapped my hands together and closed my eyes, ready to fix my previous prayer.

“Please God, let there be no walkers.. Instead, can there be soda? I really miss it. Amen!” I smiled happily and nodded my head once when I heard the chains finally giving way.

“Shit’ll rot yer teeth, Barbie,” Daryl said, rolling his eyes.

My arms crossed and my hip jutted out to the side in a defensive stance.

“And smoking won’t?” I replied cheekily, which made Daryl grunt in response before heading over to where T-Dog and Shane were waiting for us.

Upon his return, Shane had mentioned seeing a locked-up Walmart and thought it would be worth checking out. Rick was concerned since he couldn’t go, but we all knew where he had to be, and that was with his son.

Shane, Daryl, T-Dog, and I would just have to do. When Daryl and I reached the duo, Daryl jutted his chin out towards T-Dog before speaking.

“Ladies first,” his Southern drawl called out, making T-Dog redden with embarrassment.

“Shut up, man,” T-Dog growled as he whipped his gun out of his pocket.

Leading the way, T-Dog made his way through the Walmart’s giant doors.

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“Holy fuck, I think I’ve died and gone to Walmart Heaven..” I practically cried when I saw the entire Walmart stocked to the brim with food, and well, pretty much everything.

“Watch your mouth, will ya?” Shane growled from beside me, shoving me lightly.

“Shane, come on! When was the last time we saw this much stuff? I feel like a kid in a non-walker-filled Walmart store!” I giggled, ready to start jumping up and down.

Walking past the Subway restaurant that was on my right, I made my way through the racks of clothes for every age. Allowing my fingers to sift through the fabrics that littered the racks, I made my way to the women’s section, eager for a new wardrobe.

“Clothes shopping at Walmart? Didn’t tag you for one of those types,” T-Dog chuckled from behind me.

“T, we’re living with zombies now, I’ll take what I can get,” I scoffed before grabbing a plain black hoodie off of a rack.

Searching the tag, I saw that it was a small.

“Don’t help us search for damn walkers, or anything, it’s fine Harper...” Shane yawned from inside of the Subway.

Following T-Dog with my eyes, I watched him make his way up and down the checkout lines.

“Shane, if we can clear this out, we could live in here. We have enough food to keep us going for months!” I rambled on, not even sure if he was listening.

“S’possible,” he grunted before motioning over towards T-Dog for help.

I couldn’t help but notice how cold the air of the Walmart was compared to outside.

“Think this place has air conditioning?” I asked myself despite the fact that all three men could hear me.

“Probably won’t work or’ll need fixing.. Damn girl, stop with the stupid questions,” Daryl muttered from the section of the shop that he was checking for walkers.

I was preparing a comeback when Shane whistled, signaling everyone over. He pointed his finger into the bathroom, poked his head into the stall, his nose scrunching up at the stench, then pointed two fingers at us; two walkers.

Shane fixed the grip he had on his gun before throwing the bathroom door open with Daryl hot on his tail. T-Dog and I rushed in after them to see an arrow bolt piercing one walker between the eyes, while Shane took the butt of his gun to his walker’s head, crushing it. My body couldn’t handle the locked up stench; I needed to get out of there or I would throw up, hands down. Clutching my stomach, I bolted from the bathroom. I ignored the footsteps coming up from behind me as I took deep breaths to calm my stomach.

“Watch where you’re blowing chunks in here; don’t want to ruin anything worth takin’ back,” Daryl ordered from behind me, kicking my heels lightly.

“Seriously? You’re a dick,” I growled at him as I stood straight to face him.

Daryl shrugged before heading over to check out the food isles.

“Got one, might as well act like one,”.

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We brought back as much as we could carry. Deciding against taking Daryl’s truck, we took Shane’s smaller car, two in front and two in back. T-Dog and Shane were sitting comfortably up front while Daryl and I were squished in the back.

Packs of water and cans of food were thrown haphazardly across my lap as well as Daryl’s, since we had filled the trunk; no point in risking leaving it there for someone else to find.

I couldn’t help but sigh in relief when Shane pulled up the drive to the Greene Farm; I couldn’t wait to get out of this car. When Shane parked and pulled the keys out of the ignition. Not wanting to spill anything, I waited for Shane to open my door and allowed him to pull the piles of food off of my lap.

“Fin’lly,” Daryl grunted, throwing his body out of the car.

“Thanks for the help!” I called out to him sarcastically, but he only stuck up his middle finger. Despite the rude reaction, I couldn’t help but smile.

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“You’re telling me you only saw two walkers in a huge, closed-up Walmart?” Rick asked Shane and me incredulously, as if he didn’t believe it.

As he spoke, Rick ran a hand over his chin where a small beard was beginning to grow.

“We swear! Rick, the place was filled with tons of stuff we could use. Plus, the place sells pillows, blankets.. We would be warm for the Winter!” I spoke, a giant smile plastered on to my face.

“It really would be a great place to shack up for the Winter, since I doubt this family is plannin’ on letting us stay,” Shane grumbled, his eyes looking at something through the screen door of the Greene house.

Rick’s hands planted themselves firmly against his hips, his strong fingers grazing over the weapons sticking out of his holster.

“I was hoping.. They seem to not really know what’s going on, Shane. We could help them,”.

Shane’s eyebrows shot up in surprised, his stance matching Rick’s with authority.

“You think this tight-knit family is gonna let us stay? Rick, would you let just anyone join our group? I sure as hell wouldn’t!” Shane argued through gritted teeth, his body weight swaying back and forth between his hips.

I watched their power struggle silently, not really sure that they wanted me to interrupt. Both were clearly dealing with who had the most power in the group without actually saying it.

“I can talk to Hershel, Shane, it’s possible. We can help them so much, with all our gun power—,” Rick continued as he began to speak with his hands.

“Ain’t going to happen, Rick. We wouldn’t take them in, why would they take us in? Besides, they’re just five more mouths to feed!”.

Shane’s cheeks were growing flustered as he fought with Rick, something that didn’t happen often.

“Guys, not to break up this little testosterone thing you’ve got going on, but you do realize you’re talking about these people when we’re standing in their living room...” I mumbled almost in a whisper, throwing my fingers to my mouth to muffle my voice even more.

Shane’s arms crossed as he looked at me, letting out a huff of breath. Rick’s hand shot up to his chin once again, rubbing slightly against the prickly unshaven skin.

“I’m going to go check on Carl,” Rick finally said after a few awkward beats.

“How is he doing?” I asked politely with a smile on my face. Rick’s smile met mine, but his wasn’t real; it was forced.

“He’s doing better now that he’s gotten the surgery done.. He’s obviously still in pain, but he’s alive,”.

I couldn’t help but feel relieved when Maggie had come and found me and Glenn to tell us about Carl getting through the surgery. I wasn’t surprised when the tears had started flowing; I had seen the poor boy get shot, after all. Wrapping my arms around Rick’s shoulders, I gave him a quick hug.

“I’m so relieved. I saw him grow up and then have to see that happen to him..”.

I had to stop or else I would cry, and besides, Rick and Lori were going through a lot more emotional trauma than I was. Don’t even get me started on Carl! Rick hugged me back tightly, placed a friendly kiss against my temple.

When he let go of me, he turned to face Shane who was still staring out the front of door of the house. Despite the fact that Shane had already moved on from the fight, Rick nodded respectively at him before turning and heading to go check on his boy.

I, on the other hand was curious as to what Shane was staring at. His gaze flew past T-Dog and Glenn who were messing around with the cars we had brought to the farm. Past Andrea and Dale who were keeping watch on top of the trusty RV.

Without speaking, I peeked over his broad shoulders to see that he was staring directly at Lori, who was folding laundry with Carol. My gaze narrowed towards my brother, who looked as if he didn’t even realize that I was still there.

“Hey,” I said heavily, breaking the creepy silence that had been filling the room.

Shane’s head snapped to face mine as his shoulders jumped; like he hadn’t known that I was there.

“Scared the shit out of me, Harper!” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his bald head.

I didn’t laugh along with him; I couldn’t. Something about Lori, something about Rick..

It was changing him.

My hand flew up to his arm and squeezed tightly on his bicep.

“Shane.. She isn’t yours anymore. You have to move on,” I told him, almost worried about what his reaction would be.

Shane stared me down, his tongue running over his bottom lip in his usual way.

“What are you trying to tell me, Harper?”.

For a moment, I wanted to apologize and leave; the tone in his voice wasn’t normal; it was dangerous.

“Shane, they’re married. Lori is Rick’s wife. Rick’s back now, you need to move on,” I continued.

His relationship with Lori wasn’t healthy for anyone, and if Lori wasn’t willing to put an end to it, Shane needed to.

“This some kind of joke?” Shane muttered, clucking his tongue.

“Shane, you know what you two have isn’t healthy.. She can’t keep leading you on when we all know that she’s going to go back to Rick,” I replied, squeezing his arm once again. Shane’s facial features hardened at that, his ‘cool’ fading quickly.

“And how do you know that, Harper? You aren’t in a relationship with her, I am!” he growled before pulling his arm out of my grasp.

I caught myself from shaking my head at his idiocy. Lori and Rick are married; maybe not one hundred percent happily married, but they’re married. They have a young boy who almost died.

How could he think she would stay with him and risk all of that?

“Shane.. I know you don’t want to hear this, but.. Have you ever thought that you two were never in an actual relationship?” I asked him almost hesitantly, but by the looks Shane was giving me, he clearly hadn’t thought of it in that way. “Okay, guess not... Shane, just hear me out. You don’t have to agree with me, you don’t even have to speak if you don’t want to, but please, hear me out. I love you, but I really feel that..”.

I tried to finish but after thinking about it, I don’t think telling Shane would be a very smart idea.

“You feel what, Harper?” Shane asked almost cautiously.

My lips pursed when I took his hands in mine.

“She doesn’t love you, Shane.. She never did,”.

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It was as if just hearing that pulled all of the tension in the room towards Shane, ready to explode. His lips pursed to match mine, but for a different reason; an angrier reason.

“Who are you to tell me that? She loves me.. She loves me, Harper, me!” Shane roared throwing his hands to his head.

You could tell he wanted to run his hands through his hair, but he had shaved it all off.

“Maybe it’s just me! Maybe she does love you! I just feel that in the beginning, you were a rebound for losing Rick,” I rambled, no longer wanting to be in the room with him. I knew he wouldn’t give up on this argument, though; it was Lori we were talking about.

“Oh, I was a rebound? I was the rebound? Why don’t we talk about your rebounds, Harper! That fucking redneck? Christ, Harper, what happened to your standards?” Shane spat, throwing his hands out to the sides.

My heart hurt just hearing how he thought Daryl was below me.

“Where is all of this anger coming from, Shane? I understand that she means a lot to you, but you need to move on!”.

“Oh, I need to move on? If I’m the rebound, there ain’t much to move on from!” he growled, barely knowing what to do with himself.

By now, Shane was pacing back and forth between the old couch and a coffee table.

“What would Wesley do, huh? What would Wes do?” Shane spat, turning to face me.

Besides his question, I couldn’t believe the cold look on his face.

Where was my brother?

My actual brother?

“Shane, what are you—,”.

“Wesley saw who you were using for a rebound, what would he say?” Shane spat, clearly throwing my question in my face.

“Stop. This has nothing to do with him,” I told him, not wanting to bring the past up.

“Why should I stop? You two had it all planned out, right? Your dress is probably still sitting in your closet back at home, just waiting to be worn. Where were you two gonna get married, again? I can’t remember,” Shane chuckled fakely, almost smiling when he saw tears pooling in my eyes.

“If you two are going to scream and bicker all day, please continue outside. Carl is trying to rest,”.

We both spun around to see Hershel standing by the door leading to the kitchen with his arms crossed.

“Sorry, sir. We’re done here,” I apologized and practically ran from the house, not wanting to face the man who had replaced my brother.

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“You should’ve came and gotten Merle or me,” Daryl shook his head.

We were both sitting in two lawn chairs we found had in the giant Walmart while Daryl taught me how to make new arrows for his crossbow.

“He’s my brother Daryl, I can handle him,” I reassured him as I tried to mimic his nimble movements.

“Girl, if Hershel hadn’t told you two to break it up, you’d be sportin’ two black eyes right now ‘stead o’ one,” Daryl scoffed, squinting his eyes over at me.

“Two black eyes? What happened?” a voice asked from behind us.

“Barbie and her brother got into an argument,” Daryl explained to Merle as he took a seat next to Daryl.

“Well I don’t see no twins except for the knockers you’re sporting just below the neckline, so I guess tha’s a good thing,” Merle smirked, shooting me a wink.

Already annoyed with him, I looked the other way, ignoring him.

“Oh come on, princess! Ya know you’d be safer with the two o’ us on yer side! Don’t be stupid,” Merle continued while rubbing his bad arm.

“You both know I can take care of myself, you’ve both said it!” I pointed a finger at them but Daryl just rolled his eyes.

“Fine, then. C’mon Merle, let’s go,” Daryl grunted as he pushed himself out of his lawn chair.

Merle looked at Daryl, then looked at me. Eventually, Merle shrugged and jumped into action, following his younger brother.

“I never said you guys couldn’t sit by me!” I yelled after them.

“We’re goin’ huntin’, you should be fine on yer own, right Barbie?” Daryl called backed without looking at me, but I could tell by the teasing tone of his voice that he was kidding.

“Oh yeah, me and them zombies will start making some dinner for you guys when you get back!”.

Merle finally looked back at me with a genuine smile on his face.

“We’re jus’ kidding, let’s go princess,”.

I couldn’t fight the smile that I shot Merle; at least he was trying. Jogging over to catch up with them, I threw my arms around both of the brother’s shoulders and followed them into the woods.

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“I’m worried about him.. I’ve never seen him like that,” I told Rick as we checked the perimeter of the farm together.

“He really brought up Wesley?” Rick asked, surprise still coating his voice. I nodded my head in silence at Rick bringing Wesley up.

“That’s not the point. I’ve never seen him get like that. Ever. It’s like he just snapped!”.

Groaning into my hands as they fluttered up to my face, Rick ran a supportive hand up and down my back.

“What were you talking to him about that made him freak out?” Rick asked me, my body tensing up.

How could I tell him that Shane freaked when I brought up Lori? Glancing over at Rick, his face was twisted into a supportive smile, as if he was trying to encourage me into telling him.

No, I couldn’t. Shane and Lori needed to be the ones to tell him.

“I really don’t know. He just got so angry and eventually just burst!”.

Rick let out a heavy sigh, one that I could tell he had been holding in for a while.

“Want me to talk to him, Harper? It’s not a problem,” Rick offered, but I quickly shot him down.

Making Shane think I sent Rick to talk to him would be a bad idea.

“No, no, you don’t have to do that,” I insisted, patting him on he shoulder.

“If you say so, Harper.. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask,”.

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“That could have just been a one-time thing; someone needs to go check the place out again, just in case,” Rick ordered.

The group was huddled around the RV before dinner to discuss the Walmart we had found earlier.

“If we do plan on staying there this Winter, we need to start prepping now,” Dale chimed in from the above the RV, binoculars against his face.

“Which is exactly why we need to get a group down there tomorrow,” Rick replied, balling his hands into fists.

“I’ll go.. I’ve already been there, I know how to get there,” I offered, raising my hand.

“Harper goes if we’ve got manpower behind her. Who else is volunteering? If I’m staying behind to keep an eye on Carl, we need some men going,” Rick continued.

“We’ll go, my brother and I,” Daryl offered as well while readjusting his crossbow that was draped over his shoulder.

“We will?” Merle shot back, his voice full of aggravation. Daryl rolled his eyes and nodded before looking back to Rick.

“Do ya really need more than th’ three o’ us goin’? Gonna need some strength back here,” he huffed.

Rick looked down at the ground, thinking the decision over before looking back to the three of us and nodding.

“Not sure if I like the idea, but you three go hunting together all the time; I think you’ll be okay. Rest up tonight and be ready to go by noon tomorrow,”.

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“Yer fucking kiddin’ me,”.

“No way in Hell,”.

“Oh, come on! It’s a good idea!” I pouted, resisting the urge to stomp my feet.

In my hands were three matching black sweatshirts that I had grabbed from Walmart during our last.

“I ain’t wearing the same clothes as a girl!” Daryl growled as he counted his arrows.

“Agreed, I ain’t no damn pussy,” Merle added as he re-wrapped his bad arm with gauze.

“I got both of your sweatshirts from the men’s section, they just look alike! It’s perfect, we’ll always be able to find each other if we get separated!”.

None of us had expected the weather to be chilly today, so when it was about time to leave and the weather still gave us goose bumps, we needed a change in clothing.

“Besides, the Walmart is cold anyway,” I persisted.

It was a good idea! Plus, it would be cute for all three of us to have matching outfits; the three amigos!

“If we wear ‘em will ya stop bitchin’ about it?” Merle asked, rolling his eyes.

I shot him a smile which brought a cheeky grin to the surface of Merle’s face and he grabbed the sweatshirt out of my hands.

“Better fit,” he mumbled, pulling an arm through a sleeve.

Daryl looked back and forth between in shock, as if he couldn’t believe how fast his brother had bailed on him.

“Come on, your turn,” I tapped him in the knee with the toe of my boot before handing the top to him.

“Ain’t no way, girl,” Daryl replied.

“You’re lucky, it fits!” Merle hooted from beside me as he checked himself out. “I’d say I look pretty fuckable right now,” he sighed happily, and I couldn’t help the laugh that escaped my lips.

I looked in the corner of my eyes to look at Daryl, who looked even more annoyed at Merle's comment.

"Hear that? This sweatshirt apparently makes you look 'fuckable'," I winked. Daryl snorted at me while shaking his head.

“Fine,” Daryl muttered between clenched teeth before ripping the top of my hands.

When he pulled the matching top over his torso, I couldn’t help but admire the way the tight sleeves wrapped around his bulging muscles.

“Cut it out with th’ starin’,” Daryl teased, but I did as he said.

“Alright boys, let’s get going!” I smiled cheerfully as I slipped on my own black sweatshirt.

The three Amigos were off.

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“Shit, it’s cold in here..” Merle shivered as soon as he walked through the doors of the Walmart.

“Told you,” I replied cheekily puffing my chest out.

“Cut that shit out,” Daryl whispered from beside me, eyeing my body language.

I shot him a smile and shoved him lightly, leaving my hand to rest against his arm. He pulled back against my touch, but eventually calmed down.

“We should stick together; had four of us last time, not three,” Daryl told us, raising his head to look over the aisles.

“You don’t want alone time wit your girl? Fine, I’ll take her off your hands then,” Merle shrugged before taking hold of my hand and sprinting off, away from Daryl.

“Merle, what are you doing!” I shouted, struggling against him.

“I’m having fun, princess, what does it look like I’m doin’?” he laughed.

Looking back, I saw Daryl chasing after us, but when he knew that Merle had gotten a head start on him, he took another way; had he given up?

"C’mon, we gotta hide from him!” Merle chuckled as he pulled me close to him.

We eventually slowed down to a walk so Daryl couldn’t hear out footsteps. As we tiptoed through the Walmart, I couldn’t help but feel at ease with the world; safe.

Glancing around as we walked, I couldn't help but take note of the quiet world around us--cameras were still in their respective cases. Half-price DVD's were still thrown carelessly into large bins, promoting the sale.

It was as if our civilization had just got up and left; in more ways than one, we had.

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“We’re gonna hide over there,” Merle whispered in my ear while pointing at the Gaming Section. “See if any of th’ game cases are open, can hide in ‘em,” .

Merle could tell by now that I was enjoying myself, loving the idea of hide-and-seek between three adults. As soon as Merle pulled me toward the clear, glass cases, a warm hand clamped down onto my right arm and pulled me away from Merle.

“The fuck?” I heard Merle call out, my body was soon emerged in clothing racks.

“Be quiet,” a voice whispered from above me; Daryl.

I could hear Merle trying to follow us, but we were just too quiet. When we made it to the back of the store, I was pulled into a small inventory closet. Locking the door behind me, Daryl flipped the light switch.

“Oh well,” he muttered when no light came on.

I couldn’t see him in the darkness, but I could feel him when I was thrown up against the wall, his lips pressing against mine. My mouth opened for him, allowing his cool tongue to slide in.

“Is this why you wanted to come back? To get me alone?” I asked when we broke apart, smiling against his lips. Daryl kissed me once more before speaking.

“Maybe,”.

I felt his hands slide up my side, hugging my body’s natural curves until they reached my face. Leaning in to kiss me again as his hand cupped my chin, a loud banging sound erupted against the door.

“I get it, you two want your seven minutes in heaven and shit, but we’ve got problems!” Merle’s voice shouted from the other side of the door.

Daryl muttered a string of curses before reluctantly pulling away from me, his hands roaming slowly over my hips before completely pulling apart.

“Whatever it is, he can handle it,” Daryl growled as he flung the door open.

“No, I don’t think I can,” merle replied crossly when we both stepped out to see a large horde of walkers making their way towards the inventory closet.

“Where’d they all come from?” I asked Merle in a panic.

“Back door wasn’t chained, it was wide fuckin’ open,” he spat as he yanked his knife out.

“The front was locked but the back wasn’t? What kind of dumbasses tried staying here?” Daryl grunted as he threw his crossbow up, ready to start taking out walkers.

“Guys, there’s no point in fighting with them, there’s way too many. We need to leave!” I told them when Daryl shot a walker in the head.

“We can take the bastards,” Merle shouted as he kicked a walker’s chest, bringing it to the ground. I turned my head when Merle began stabbing the zombie mercilessly through the brain.

“Merle,” I spoke in a harsh tone, grabbing hold of his shoulder.

He looked up at me and blinked numerous times, as if shaking him out of a certain state.

“We need to go,” Merle repeated me before standing up beside me.

“Now let’s go!” I shouted as I headed for the exit, both men covering me from behind.
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When we finally arrived back the farm, people were running around, frantic.

“What’s going on?” I asked Daryl, who was driving the truck.

“Hell if I know,” he shrugged.

Merle was behind us on the motorcycle and it was obvious that he had noticed the strange air on the farm too. When we parked, I hopped out of the car and made my way over to where Shane was pacing.

“The Walmart really is overrun.. Maybe a few more people and we could clear it out, but not with just the three of us. What’s going on here?” I explained everything in a race, ignoring the fact that Shane and I had been arguing only a day before.

I looked at my brother expectantly as he stared off into the distance, but when I followed his line of sight, there was nothing.

“Shane, what’s going on?” I asked, this time more forcefully.

When Shane finally snapped to attention, he grabbed my arm and pulled me off the side, away from the hurried footsteps of everyone on the farm. Off in the distance, I spotted Rick rushing into the Greene house.

What was going on?

“Harper, I know we’ve had our differences the last few days and I know that we both said things we regret... Everything I said, I’m sorry, and I hope you know that. I’ll make it up to you somehow, but right now, I really need you to stick by me,” Shane explained and apologized, but his voice sounded strained; scared.

I nodded in worry, not quite ready to forgive him, but something was obviously wrong. No matter what, Shane was my brother—we have to stand by each other.

“Shane, tell me. What’s going on?”.

When I looked down, my hands were in his, but his were shaking, almost uncontrollably.

“Don’t freak out when you hear this, I have no idea how this is possible.. It shouldn’t be possible!” Shane continued to ramble, as if he was trying to reassure himself that he wasn’t crazy over whatever was going on.

“Shane, you can trust me! You’re my brother. I’m your sister. I’ll stick by you no matter what. Tell me,” I insisted, placing my hands over his shoulders.

Shane looked over his shoulder checking for eaves droppers, and when he was satisfied that nobody was listening, he leaned forward towards me and began to speak against my ear.

“It’s Otis. Otis, he... He made it,”.

My body flew back out of his grasp in shock.

“You said you killed him,” I whispered, my voice catching. My finger was pointed at his chest in an accusing way, so he took my hand in his.

“I don’t understand it either. After you guys left, he just.. He hobbled into camp with his foot wrapped! He has no scratches, no bites—I don’t get it either, Harper, but Otis is alive,”.
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