Black Roses

“Man, ain’t nothin’ out here but mosquitos and ants,” Daryl scowled, seeing his brother ahead of him scavenging for food. His crossbow was raised up high ready for an hunt with any animal that might cross his path. He was tired, hungry and second-guessing his decision. Rose’s face kept flashing back up in his head. It was a mental image burned to the back of his eyes. She was hurt. Daryl hurt her. Merle was behind him, urinating.

Merle shrugged, “Patience little brother. Sooner or later squirrel’s bound to scurry’ cross ya path.”

“Even so, that ain’t much food.” Daryl complained, fidgeting with his crossbow strings. His hair stuck to the side of his face due to sweat. He wasn’t used to the silence that the forest provided. Back with the group, there was always chatter. All day long. All night long.

“More than nothing.” Merle retorted, still urinating by the tree.

Daryl scowled as his stomach quietly growled. He needed to eat soon. It has been almost 29 hours since the last time he ate. If they were going to travel some more, he need provisions. “I have better luck going through one of them houses we passed back on the turnoff.”

“Is that what your new friends taught you,” Merle scoffed, zipping up his pants. “How to loot for booty?”

“We’ve been at it for hours. Why don’t we find a stream, try to look for some fish,” Daryl sighed. He was tired of fighting with Merle. Hell… Daryl forget how quarrelsome Merle was. Merle was always like that. Fought with their father. Fought with their mother. Fought with anybody and everybody. Daryl, on the other hand, learned how to shut up.

“I think you’re just trying to lead me back to the road,” Merle accused Daryl, finally finished with urinating and approached his younger brother. “Get me over to that prison.”

Daryl rolled his eyes, grateful that his back was to Merle. He was right. Daryl did want to go back to the prison. He missed Carol. Lil’ Ass Kicker too. Especially Rose. His mind was frenzied with so much questions. Rose was hurt by the fact that he was willing to leave but… what did that mean? Did she love him? Daryl shrugged, “They got shelter. Food. A pot to piss in. Might not be a bad idea.”

Merle got on his knees, and grabbed a handful of earth in his hand. He whined, “For you. Ain’t gonna be no damn party for me.”

“Everyone will get used to each other,” Daryl quickly responded.

“That lovely piece of ass back there… Who was she?” Merle asked, wondering if he could get a piece of action with her if he would go back to the prison.

Daryl felt his body tensing when he realized who Merle was referring to. He snarled, “I’d keep my mouth shut if I was you.”

“Hey hey hey! Chillax man,” Merle threw his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t know you got your eyes on her.”

“I don’t…. I don’t got eyes on her. Rose is just… kinda person you ain’t wanna piss off.” Daryl stammered and then preoccupied himself by looking through his crossbow radar.

Merle scoffed, “They’re all dead. Makes no difference.”

“How can you be so sure?” Daryl quietly asked.

“Right about now he’s probably hosting a housewarming party where’s he gonna bury what’s left of your pals,” Merle spitted, wrapping some sort of string around his artificial arm limb. “Let’s hook some fish. Come on.”

Merle walked past Daryl who was silent and deep in his thoughts. What if something really did happen to them? His heart throbbed at the thought that Rose could be… dead. But it was impossible. It was Rose. She’d probably be the last person standing. Hell. She’ll seek revenge.

Back at the prison, the group gathered around Axel who was grieving Oscar’s death. It was always hard when they lost one of their own. Carol patted Axel’s shoulders gently as Rick approached him, “He went out fighting.”

Rose with Judith in her arms, bottle-feeding her, was sitting on the staircase next to Beth. Beth abruptly stood up from the stairs, “So what now? Do you think the Governor will retaliate?”

“Yes,” Maggie sounded 100% sure. She stood next to her father and held on him for moral support. Judith fussed a little, opening her eyes to look up at Rose with wonderment. Rose smiled, kissing Judith on the forehead.

“Let him try.” Glenn scoffed darkly. He’s been moody since they’ve arrived. Refusing to talk to Maggie. Refusing to talk to anybody. He was angry. Glenn blamed himself for what happened to Maggie and the rest of the group. It was HIS fault that Oscar died for them. It was HIS fault that Daryl was gone.

Carol reminded the group that the Governor wasn’t alone, “Sounds like he got the whole town.”

“We could use some reinforcements.” Rick sighed. Rose and Rick looked at each other across the room, knowing they’ll have to talk to the newcomers in the other cell block. They can’t just keep avoiding them. Rose sighed, gingerly placing the infant in her crib “box” that was labeled Lil’ Ass Kicker before heading out to the other cell block.

There was four of them. Rose thought that they were an odd mix but who she was to judge. Her own group were diverse as well. The burly African American male stood up, showing a clear leadership of the group and introduced himself as Tyreese.

Hershel introduced the rest of the group. Sasha. Allen. Ben. Rick and Rose stood next to each other, showing a unified front as leaders while the rest of the group hung back behind them. Rose narrowed her eyes on Tyreese, seeing that he was uncomfortable under her gaze. Tyreese had never seen somebody like her in his entire life. So many strange facial features that almost seem mismatched but all came together seamlessly. He didn’t noticed her eyes before when she first arrived back at the prison. One eye was a shade of dark ivy and another eye was a shade of the sky. Rose’s voice snapped Tyreese out of staring. “How’d you get in?”

“Fire damage to the administrative part of the prison.” Tyreese answered, remembering when they were surrounded by walkers and had to enter the building.

“That side is completely overrun with walkers.” Rose raised her eyebrows. She knew this prison like the back of her hand due to many hours slaying zombies. Of course that all stopped after she got attacked by a zombie, not far from where Tyreese and his group entered. Rose’s hand instinctively flew to the healing wound on her side, “How’d you get this far?”

Tyreese shook his head sadly, “We didn’t. We lost our friend Donna.”

“They were lost in the gym.” Carl spoke up to explain how they got here. Rose glanced back over her shoulder at the young boy with an expressionless face.

Rick hissed at his son, “You brought them here?”

Carl shrunk down, unsure if he did something wrong. Hershel immediately defended the boy, “He had no choice.”

“I’m sorry about your friend. We know what that’s like.” Rick glared at Hershel for a few moments and then sighed. He needed to cool down.

“Hershel said you could use extra hands. We’re no strangers to hard work. We’ll go out and get our own food, stay out of your hair. You got a problem with another group, we’ll help with that too.”
Tyrese began to make a case for his group to stay and join the rest of the group. They seems like good people and it was good shelter too.

Rose glanced over to the tired sheriff, giving him a nod. They agreed earlier that they needed reinforcements and now it seems like the newcomers wanted to stay. For a split second, Rose saw that savage look flickering in his eyes, “No.”

Sasha, the only female of the group begged, “Please. It’s like 10 little Indians out there. It’s just us now.”

“No.” Rick once again denied their requests. Rose tried to not let her face show her confusion. They AGREED and yet he was going against their words. Everything that they had talked about before rescuing Maggie and Glenn was flushed down the toilet. Rose only agreed to stay if they presented a unified front. They make decisions together. They consult with each together. That was their agreement. Rose maintained her steely face, refusing to show weakness in front of strangers. She wouldn’t publicly disagree with Rick in front of everybody.

Hershel protested, “We got to talk about this. We can’t just keep—“

“We’ve been through this with Tomas, Andrew. Look what happened.” Rick shot back at the elderly farmer. Hershel seemed so troubled and stole a glance at Rose, hoping that she’d intervene.

But instead of Rose, Carol was the one spoke up. “Axel and Oscar weren’t like them.”

“And where’s Oscar now? I can’t be responsible.” Rick retorted. Rose narrowed her eyes at Rick, feeling quite bristled by his actions. He was losing it again. Goddamn. Rick assured her that he was fine and that whole stint was over. But Rose saw it. That crazed look in his eyes.

“You turn us out. You are responsible.” Tyrese pointed out, standing tall to this Rick.

Hershel pulled Rick aside, attempting to reason with him. “Rick you’ve done so much for us. I appreciate that. We all do. We owe you our lives. We’ve done everything you asked. Without question. And I’m telling you… You’re wrong on this. You’ve got to start giving people a chance.”

Rick looked around the room and his eyes fell on Rose who was currently staring him down with eyes full of hate. Rose knew that he was mentally unstable. Her instincts was confirmed when Rick looked up to the balcony and all hell broke loose. All the blood rushed out of Rick’s face as if he’d seen a ghost. His eyes became wider and then he started shaking his head. He muttered no over and over again under his breath. Suddenly he pulled out his gun, pointing to the balcony.

“Why are you here? What do you want from me? Why are you… no.” Rose immediately pulled Carl behind her, grateful that Judith was in the other cell block with Beth out of harm’s way. Rick began to rant, walking back and forth with his eyes upwards. Tyreese threw his hands up to try defuse the situation. Rose approached the mentally unstable man gingerly, prepared to snatch the gun out of his hands if needed. “Why are you here. What do you want from me. Why are you… no. I can’t help you. Get out. Get out! You don’t belong here. Get out. What are you doing here?”

Rose took over the situation immediately. She snarled at Tyreese and his group to get out. Rick needed to calm down before he harms anybody or himself. Tyreese, Sasha, Allen and Ben rushed out as the rest of the group uneasily eyed Rick and Rose. It seems like they were having a facedown. But Rick couldn’t even see Rose or anybody in front of him, just that lady in the white up at the balcony. She seems so familiar.

Rose gestured for the rest of the group to quietly leave the cell block. She cannot afford to put them in harm’s way. Rick continued to rave at the unknown thing, waving his gun around. As soon everybody was behind the cell block, they peer out through the barred door. Rose shook her head, silently telling them to get away from the door. Bullets could go through the door and injure somebody. She just wanted to make sure that nobody would be in the path of the door.

Once the group scattered from the door, Rose’s training kick in. She approached Rick from the behind and said a silent apology. Rose pulled Rick’s elbows down and pulled the gun out of his hand before he hit the trigger. The gun was kicked across the floor as Rick trampled around in Rose’s powerful embrace.

A sharp pain on Rick’s head and then it all went black. Rose knocked him out.