In the Shallows

The minute we reached the rooftop, everyone fell dead silent. All you could hear was Daryl trying to keep it together, we all started to walk towards the place where Rick supposedly chained Merle up at. The second I saw that hand, I shrieked out, stumbling backwards into Rick, my eyes tearing away from the hand and towards Daryl. He yelled in frustration as he aimed his crossbow towards T-Dog, another shriek came from my lips. "Daryl!"

As instantly as his crossbow was aimed at T-Dog, Rick had his gun pressed against Daryl's temple. The sound of the gun being cocked hit my ear wrong, this was going all wrong. Merle was supposed to be here, he was supposed to be here so we could bring him back to camp. Where the hell did that fucker go. My eyes were wide with fear as Rick spoke up, "I won't hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears it."

My heart was pounding in my chest, I wasn't entirely sure if Daryl was actually going to go there or be the better person and not put an arrow through T-Dog's head. My breathing was shallow, I quickly stepped forward, placing a shaking hand on his shoulder, I could feel him tense up. "Daryl, please." I whispered, trying my hardest not to sound absolutely terrified. Although, that slight falter in my voice probably saved him. He dropped the crossbow heavily from T-Dog's head, giving me another look before giving T-Dog a stare down.

The tension was still there in his voice but his expression read calm and collected, "Ya got a do-rag or somethin'?" He asked. T-Dog nodded, digging in his pocket he handed Daryl a hankerchief without saying a word. I watched intently as Daryl walked over towards Merle's lifeless hand, it made me want to gag as he picked it up. "Guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs." He observed, he held onto it by the pinky, inspecting it, "Ain't that a bitch."

I turned my head away from him, swallowing hard, trying to keep the little of what I had in my stomach down, "Oh god." I looked upward, trying to keep everything together. The only thought that was running through my brain aside from that hand being burned in my skull forever but where the hell was Merle? What would posses him to cut off his own hand? I mean granted, he probably thought he was good as dead, but he cut of his own hand? I broke out of my thoughts when I saw Daryl move away from Glenn, it was then that I realized he had placed the hand in Glenn's backpack. What the hell was he going to do with that?

Daryl spoke up, looking back over the bloody mess on the ground, "He must 'ave used a tourniquet--maybe his belt. Be much more blood, if he din't." Daryl started walking towards the trail of blood that led back down in the building. I glanced over towards the others, Rick motioning for us to follow. I was halfway hoping that we were going to find him dead, if I knew Daryl-which I did completely. He wouldn't stop searching for him and that would be a whole different argument and fight. We came to a door, he glanced towards me. "Stay behind me." I nodded, following him in. We came to a set of stairs, "Merle? You in here?"

I gave him a dirty look, his voice echoed like crazy in this stairwell. I glanced towards Rick who wore my same expression, but we all knew better not to say anything. Daryl and I followed the trail into what appeared to be an office while the other went off in a different direction. I jumped a little as Daryl shot an arrow through a geek that was aimlessly wandering around. He gave me an annoyed expression, which I returned with a scowl. Daryl couldn't possibly expect me to not be phased by these monsters like he was, I still couldn't wrap my head around this shit. He walked past it and out into a hallway where he met up with the others, sighing, I pulled the arrow out from her head and slid it in my boot. We walked into another office like room that had a few walkers dead on the floor. I squinted my eyes as Daryl spoke my exact thoughts.

"Had enough in him to take out these two sumbitches. One handed." He looked over towards me, holding out his hand for the arrow I had in my boot. Handing it to him, he spoke up again while loading it up, "Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother." It was true, Merle was one tough son of bitch. Anyone could tell just by looking at him, though. Merle Dixon. The epitome of tough. "Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails."

Rick swallowed, walking past Daryl, "Any man can pass out from blood loss, no matter how tough he is." So much for optimism, Rick.

I snorted, "You obviously don't know Merle Dixon." I raised an eyebrow towards his expression, Daryl nodded in agreement with my statement. We followed the blood trail for another few minutes before reaching a kitchen. I gave Daryl another dirty look as he shouted out for Merle again. Rick beat me to it and mentioned that we were indeed not alone here. I rolled my eyes as I heard Daryl say screw that, of course he would. Nothing phased this asshole and that was more than half the reason I hardly said a word. I knew that if I did, it might turn into something ugly. Never underestimate a woman and her temper.

"He could be bleedin' out. Ya said so yourself." We made our way cautiously into the kitchen, my eyes falling on the stove that was lit. I nudged Daryl, his eyes falling on the same scene that mine did. Merle's belt was strung over the stove and blood was everywhere.

Rick picked up a metal utensil that was used to keep pressure on meats, Glenn piped up, his voice barely a whisper, "What's the burned stuff?"

Rick's voice was low, "Skin. He cauterized the stump." We all stood in silence for a few seconds, completely stunned and shocked at the balls Merle had. But, then again, it was Merle.

"Told you he's tough." Daryl said, giving Rick a look.

I nodded, looking away, "No one kill Merle but Merle."

"Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood."

"Yeah?" He spat, he started to walk away, "Din't stop him from bustin' out of this death trap." We all followed, a sigh escaping my lips at the broken window.

Glenn pushed past us, "He left the building?" His face reading complete and utter shock. "Why the hell would he do that?"

Daryl inspected the window, looking out of it, "He's out there alone, as far as he knows. Doin' what he's gotta do. Survivin'." I instantly started to roll my eyes the second T-Dog started to speak, he should have just learned by this point that Daryl was not too keen on whatever was going to come out of his mouth. I pursed my lips as I watched Daryl's reaction, "No worse than bein' handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks." He gave them all dirty looks and then walked straight up to Rick's face, "You couldn' kill him. Ain't so worried 'bout some dumb dead bastard."

Rick was quick to retaliate, "What about a thousand dumb dead bastards? Different story?"

"Why don' you take a tally. Do what ya want. I'm gon' go get him." I sucked in air the second Rick put his hands on him, "Get ya hands off me! Ya can't stop me." His voice was getting louder and I glanced towards Glenn who looked like he was about to pee himself.

Rick gritted his teeth, getting into Daryl's face, "I don't blame you. He's family, I get that. I went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel. He can't get far with that injury. We could help you check a few blocks around, but only if we keep a level head."

Daryl's jaw clenched, "I could do that."