Of Monsters and Men
four.
Daryl woke up to the feeling of his mattress moving. He rubbed his wearily to see his wife sitting on the edge of the bed, her arm creating a curtain around her face. The hunter noticed sunshine peaking through the lace curtains and wondered just how long he as asleep for. There was a plate of, now cold, chicken and peas.
“Emma... babe?” Daryl reached out and ran a hand down her back, “What’re you looking at?” He sat up in bed and pulled her into his lap.
Emma allowed her husband to so easily move her body. She instantly melted into his chest, a sense of security washing over her. Her eyes never left the photo in her hands. It had been daunting her ever since that eventful evening. However, it wasn’t until her eyes landed on that very image that those horrible memories flooded her mind. Once the world went to shit, there were more pressing things at hand to think about. But now, in the safety of the well equip cabin, Emma had all the time in the world to think about the past.
“I”m so sorry.” Emma whimpered, her body trembling, “I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough.”
Daryl shifted uncomfortably for a moment. Dealing with emotions and talking about how he felt was still such a foreign concept for him. “Aint nothing to be sorry about. Doc even said there was nothing we couldn’ve done to prevent it.”
The brunette leaned into her husband a little more, “When this clears up, you think you’d be willing to try again?”
“Might as well get to practicing now. We’ve all the time in the world.” Daryl smirked lightening the mood.
Emma giggled as Daryl swiftly pinned her to the mattress. She reached up and traced the outline of his demon tattoo, “I love you so much.”
Daryl grunted with a nod and dropped to his elbows. Their lips met in such haste that they nearly missed. Merle walked out of the guest room just down the hall and kicked their door shut, “Have some fucking decency. Don’t needa be seeing my baby brother’s pale ass... though,” he mused, “I wouldn’t mind if you flashed me a tit or two.”
The eldest Dixon couldn’t help but envy his younger brother. Not only did Daryl have a beautiful wife, but people actually started liking him. The group was finally coming around to embracing Daryl. Meanwhile, nasty rotten Merle migh as well be bitten. Good riddance they would cheer. Merle sat on the porch and lit one of his last cigarettes. A relaxing calm washed over the irate southerner.
As the cherry red butt got stomped out, the sound of leaves crunching met old Merle’s ears. He instinctively lifted up his rifle and held his breath. Merle’s dirt covered finger twitched over the trigger. Shoot first, ask later. Just as he went to pull the trigger, a familiar looking vehicle pulled up to the cabin. It was the goddamn RV.
“Hold fire, Dixon.” Officer Grimes announced approaching the armed red neck with caution. He stepped out of his Volvo and held out his hands, weapon free.
Merle smirked, “CDC aint what you thought it was, eh?” He lowered his weapon but held his place.
Rick shook his head, “Not exactly. The only man left was a mad man. He blew the place up, barely made it out alive.”
“Shame..” Merle muttered to himself, “Who you got left?”
“Everyone but Jaqui. She decided to stay behind with the scientist, didn’t want to keep living.” Rick explained taking slow steps forward.
Merle remained tight lipped momentarily, “If I count right, that’s ten people. That’s a helluva lot of mouths to feed.”
Shane jumped off the final step of the RV, “Glad you can count. You letting us come in or not?”
“Hold on just one second there, cop. Got to check with the Mister and Misses. Just give me a minute here.” Merle snarled in a condescending tone.
He took his sweet time making his way through the cabin back upstairs to the bedrooms. Slowly and cautiously knocking on Daryl and Emma’s bedroom door, Merle waited. A muffled, “What?” came through the door. Merle rolled his eyes and kicked the door nearly off its hinges, “Quit fucking, we’ve got company.”
Merle laughed as he heard Emma squeak in embarrassment. The window just beside their bed which over looked the front of the cabin was wide open. Daryl muttered something about giving them all a free show before the sound of a slap echoed through the building.
“Jesus woman, I was only kidding. Don’t needa go round to slapping me.” Daryl groaned as he met his brother at the door, “Who’s there, everyone?” Merle nodded with a scowl, “Lost the nigger’s lady is all. Ten fucking people. This place aint big enough, Daryl.”
Emma pulled her hair into a low braid to cover the marks on her neck as she brushed passed the Dixon brothers. Under her breath as she passed each room, she counted how many people it would hold. Daryl looked at his brother with a sympathetic smile, “Aint your call anymore, big brother.” He pat Merle on the back and walked off leaving Merle with one final thought, “At least try being nice. Aint enough people left in the world to go off making enemies.”
Merle couldn’t help but roll his eyes. His sister-in-law sure was nice to look at and came in handy when it came to saving his sorry ass from doing real hard time behind bars, but he sure as hell hated the way she changed his brother. The girl made him soft and kind. Those were two things Dixon’s weren’t meant to be. Heck that was part of the reason their momma left them.
As much as Merle hated to admit it, it was their piece of shit father that kept them alive so long in a world where the dead came back to life. Being soft and kind was a sure way to get killed. Cutting loses, leaving behind dead weight without a second thought, those where the tactics to live by. None of that, helping and compassion bullshit Emma was always preaching about. Letting those ten people live in the cabin was just signing their death wish.
“Emma... babe?” Daryl reached out and ran a hand down her back, “What’re you looking at?” He sat up in bed and pulled her into his lap.
Emma allowed her husband to so easily move her body. She instantly melted into his chest, a sense of security washing over her. Her eyes never left the photo in her hands. It had been daunting her ever since that eventful evening. However, it wasn’t until her eyes landed on that very image that those horrible memories flooded her mind. Once the world went to shit, there were more pressing things at hand to think about. But now, in the safety of the well equip cabin, Emma had all the time in the world to think about the past.
“I”m so sorry.” Emma whimpered, her body trembling, “I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough.”
Daryl shifted uncomfortably for a moment. Dealing with emotions and talking about how he felt was still such a foreign concept for him. “Aint nothing to be sorry about. Doc even said there was nothing we couldn’ve done to prevent it.”
The brunette leaned into her husband a little more, “When this clears up, you think you’d be willing to try again?”
“Might as well get to practicing now. We’ve all the time in the world.” Daryl smirked lightening the mood.
Emma giggled as Daryl swiftly pinned her to the mattress. She reached up and traced the outline of his demon tattoo, “I love you so much.”
Daryl grunted with a nod and dropped to his elbows. Their lips met in such haste that they nearly missed. Merle walked out of the guest room just down the hall and kicked their door shut, “Have some fucking decency. Don’t needa be seeing my baby brother’s pale ass... though,” he mused, “I wouldn’t mind if you flashed me a tit or two.”
The eldest Dixon couldn’t help but envy his younger brother. Not only did Daryl have a beautiful wife, but people actually started liking him. The group was finally coming around to embracing Daryl. Meanwhile, nasty rotten Merle migh as well be bitten. Good riddance they would cheer. Merle sat on the porch and lit one of his last cigarettes. A relaxing calm washed over the irate southerner.
As the cherry red butt got stomped out, the sound of leaves crunching met old Merle’s ears. He instinctively lifted up his rifle and held his breath. Merle’s dirt covered finger twitched over the trigger. Shoot first, ask later. Just as he went to pull the trigger, a familiar looking vehicle pulled up to the cabin. It was the goddamn RV.
“Hold fire, Dixon.” Officer Grimes announced approaching the armed red neck with caution. He stepped out of his Volvo and held out his hands, weapon free.
Merle smirked, “CDC aint what you thought it was, eh?” He lowered his weapon but held his place.
Rick shook his head, “Not exactly. The only man left was a mad man. He blew the place up, barely made it out alive.”
“Shame..” Merle muttered to himself, “Who you got left?”
“Everyone but Jaqui. She decided to stay behind with the scientist, didn’t want to keep living.” Rick explained taking slow steps forward.
Merle remained tight lipped momentarily, “If I count right, that’s ten people. That’s a helluva lot of mouths to feed.”
Shane jumped off the final step of the RV, “Glad you can count. You letting us come in or not?”
“Hold on just one second there, cop. Got to check with the Mister and Misses. Just give me a minute here.” Merle snarled in a condescending tone.
He took his sweet time making his way through the cabin back upstairs to the bedrooms. Slowly and cautiously knocking on Daryl and Emma’s bedroom door, Merle waited. A muffled, “What?” came through the door. Merle rolled his eyes and kicked the door nearly off its hinges, “Quit fucking, we’ve got company.”
Merle laughed as he heard Emma squeak in embarrassment. The window just beside their bed which over looked the front of the cabin was wide open. Daryl muttered something about giving them all a free show before the sound of a slap echoed through the building.
“Jesus woman, I was only kidding. Don’t needa go round to slapping me.” Daryl groaned as he met his brother at the door, “Who’s there, everyone?” Merle nodded with a scowl, “Lost the nigger’s lady is all. Ten fucking people. This place aint big enough, Daryl.”
Emma pulled her hair into a low braid to cover the marks on her neck as she brushed passed the Dixon brothers. Under her breath as she passed each room, she counted how many people it would hold. Daryl looked at his brother with a sympathetic smile, “Aint your call anymore, big brother.” He pat Merle on the back and walked off leaving Merle with one final thought, “At least try being nice. Aint enough people left in the world to go off making enemies.”
Merle couldn’t help but roll his eyes. His sister-in-law sure was nice to look at and came in handy when it came to saving his sorry ass from doing real hard time behind bars, but he sure as hell hated the way she changed his brother. The girl made him soft and kind. Those were two things Dixon’s weren’t meant to be. Heck that was part of the reason their momma left them.
As much as Merle hated to admit it, it was their piece of shit father that kept them alive so long in a world where the dead came back to life. Being soft and kind was a sure way to get killed. Cutting loses, leaving behind dead weight without a second thought, those where the tactics to live by. None of that, helping and compassion bullshit Emma was always preaching about. Letting those ten people live in the cabin was just signing their death wish.