It's the End of the World

Not long later we were finally on the road. I was sat in the back with Daryl and Glenn while Rick and T-Dog were sat in the front. I sighed at the silence as I inspected one of my arrows carefully, I pulled the scarf I kept on my belt loop away and started scratching at the metal to try and wipe off the dry blood.
 
"I'm glad you're coming with us." I heard Glenn pipe up from the side of me and I smiled at him softly before going back to my task at hand.
 
"No problem. It's nice to help people out, I haven't seen a human bein' in so long I was startin' to think I was the only one left." I said with a chuckle and Glenn sighed as he leaned back against the truck wall.
 
"I was surprised too, when I saw you out on that road. It's not very often we find survivors." He stated and I nodded along. Daryl huffed loudly.
 
"Why don't ya jus' screw already." He stated and I narrowed my eyes in his direction. It was pretty dark in the back, you could only really make out silhouettes.
 
"Why don't you shut yer god damn mouth, fuckin' redneck bastard!" I seethed and I heard Daryl's voice boom close to my ear.
 
"The fuck you say?!" He exclaimed and Rick cut in quickly.
 
"Shut up back there, this van ain't soundproof." He stated and I sighed. Okay, maybe I went a little too far. But the man knows how to get on my damn nerves. All of a sudden the car came to a stop and Rick climbed out before opening the door at the back.
 
"He'd better be okay." Daryl stated. Probably more to Rick and T-Dog than anyone else.
 
"I told you, the geeks can't get at him. The only thing that's gonna get through that door is us." T-Dog explained and Daryl only glared at him before turning round.
 
"We walk from here." Glenn stated and we all nodded as we followed him into the once crowded city. It was around an hour later we found the department store Merle was being held at.
 
"Damn, you're one ugly skank." Daryl stated as he shot a lone walker in the head. He walked over and pulled out the arrow, instantly wiping the thick blood on his jeans. Everyone just stared at him as though he was crazy for a while before finally moving on to the task at hand. Finally we reached the roof and I kept watch as the men cut through the padlock. Once it was open we all rushed through the doorway and looked around for Daryl's brother. I catch sight of something in the corner of my eye and gasped loudly, making everyone turn to where I was looking. Daryl caught on and suddenly angry sobs could be heard.
 
"No! No!" Daryl exclaimed as he saw the scene in front of him. His face contorted into a scowl as he quickly turned to T-Dog and pointed his crossbow at his head. Rick picked up his Python and pointed it at Daryl as I unsheathed my sword and stood middle ground, ready to attempt to break things up if it got ugly. I wouldn't actually know what to do besides kill them, but it was worth looking menacing.
 
"I won't hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears it." Rick stated and Daryl sighed as he dropped his weapon, making everyone else do the same.
 
"You got a do-rag or somethin'?" Daryl asked nobody in particular and I shrugged as I handed him the scarf I had hooked on my belt. Daryl bent down and picked up the decomposing hand, wrapping it tightly in the scarf before turning Glenn around and dumping it in his backpack.
 
"Well, I don't think I'll ever be wanting that back." I mumbled to myself as Daryl tugged up the zip on Glenn's bag.
 
"I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs. Ain't that a bitch." Daryl stated and I sighed as I looked at the very small amount of dried blood.
 
"He must have used a tourniquet.. Maybe his belt? Be much more blood if he didn't." I stated and Daryl nodded his head softly. I noticed the dried drops of blood on the floor and instantly started to follow it, everyone following behind me. Eventually we came across a kitchen and I grimaced at the strong smell of burning flesh.
 
"Merle!" Daryl exclaimed and I just sighed and rolled my eyes. I'd let him be eaten. I didn't care anymore. I looked on one of the counters and saw a belt sitting on top, blood lacing the leather so I left it where it was.
 
"He cauterised the stump. That's why it smells like Sunday roast in here." I stated and Daryl let out a small manic chuckle.
 
"Told you he was tough. Nobody can kill Merle but Merle." He said as he started looking around once again.
 
"Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood." Rick stated and Daryl just rolled his eyes and grumbled something under his breath. Daryl stopped when he noticed the smashed window and everyone crowded round it.
 
"He left the building? Why the hell would he do that?" Glenn asked.
 
"He's out there all alone as far as he's concerned. He's doing what any of us would have done, he's survivin'." I said and everyone sighed softly.
 
"You guys do what the hell you want. but I'm gonna go get him." Daryl stated and now it was my turn to roll my eyes. Did the guy not understand that he could get killed?
 
"Daryl, wait." Rick said and the hunter turned around to face him.
 
"You can't stop me." Daryl stated knowingly and Rick sighed.
 
"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." Rick stated and Daryl shrugged softly before nodding.
 
"I could do that" He said and everyone visibly relaxed.
 
"Only if we get those guns first. I ain't strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?" T-Dog said and we all nodded in agreement.

"I'll go. I've done it before." Glenn stated and my eyes widened as I looked at him.
 
"You ain't doin' this alone." I stated angrily as I looked into his eyes.
 
"Even I think it's a bad idea, and I don't even like ya much." Daryl stated and I groaned as I ran a hand through my bangs, the only part of my hair that wasn't dreaded and was soft.
 
"It's a good idea, okay, if you just hear me out. If we go there in a group, we're slow, drawing attention. If I'm alone, I can move fast." He said, he seemed so sure of himself and that made me annoyed, he could get killed! God, I've had to say that too many times lately. Glenn bend down abruptly and started drawing something in the dust. "Look. That's the tank, five blocks from where we are now. That's the bag of guns. Here's the alley I dragged you into when we first met." He said as he looked at Rick and he nodded. " That's were Alice and I will go." He said.
 
"Why her?" Daryl asked and I rose my eyebrow at him. He just shrugged off my gaze.
 
"She has a bow, it's much quieter than a gun. While Alice waits in the Alley, I run up the street and grab the bag." He said and everyone nodded apart from Daryl. He seemed dead set on this plan not happening.
 
"You got us elsewhere?" Rick asked and Glenn nodded and pointed down the street.

"You, T-Dog and Daryl will be in this alley here." He said and everyone else looked at him like he was crazy.

"Two blocks away? Why?" Rick asked and Glenn sighed before explaining.

"I may not be able to come back the same way. Walkers might cut me off. If that happens, I won't go back to Alice. I'll go forward instead, all the way round to that alley where you guys are. Whichever direction I go, I got you in both places to cover me. Afterwards, we'll all meet back here." He said and I smiled softly as I placed my small hand on his shoulder.

"What you do before all this?" I asked with a laugh and he looked at me quizzically.

"Delivered pizzas, why?" He asked and everyone burst out laughing.

Me and Glenn quickly climbed down the ladder that would drop us in the alley near the bags. Once my feet were safely planted on the floor I pulled out an arrow from my quiver, the bow already in my hand. I aimed the bow at the floor as I rested the arrow on it and placed the nock where it should be I aimed the bow up high and looked through sight as I followed Glenn closer to the entry of the alley.

"You've got some balls, man." I stated and Glenn just laughed as he took off into the street. A couple of walkers noticed him, but they didn't really pay him any mind. I was following Glenn's every move, I was startled when I heard rubble crunching and turned my aim to a Mexican man who was walking towards me.

"Woah, don't shoot me! What do you want?" He asked and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. Shouldn't I be the one asking that?

"We're looking for a group members brother. He's hurt real bad, you seen him?" I asked and all of a sudden he started shouting. "Shut up! You're gonna bring the walkers down on us. Answer me!" I exclaimed quietly and them man just started shouting more. Two more men came down the alley towards their shouting friend and my eyes widen as I lower my bow, I couldn't take on these guys! One charged towards me, knocking me flat on my back. I wheezed as the air was knocked out of me and groaned as the large man hit my head back against the floor. Glenn came back then and his eyes widened as he looked down the alley towards me.

"Run Glenn!" I exclaimed and the man on top of me growled as he climbed up.

"That's it. That's the bag, Vato. Take it! Take it!" One of the men exclaimed and I groaned as I stood up from the ground, I quickly placed my arrow back on my bow and aimed it at the man who was running towards another man who was holding Glenn hostage. I let go carefully of the arrow and it flew from the bow, impaling the running man in the thigh. A car pulled up then and Glenn started screaming as they threw him in the back, leaving the boy who was shouting for them, behind.

"Get back here!" I exclaimed in outrage as I closed the gate in front of me, successfully trapping us from the walkers that were coming to get us. Rick, T-Dog and Daryl walked around the corner then, obviously hearing the commotion. I grabbed the boy by the back of the T-shirt and threw him against the chain link fence.

"Where the fuck is he?!" I exclaimed as the boy sobbed. I growled venomously before turning to the three group members. "They took Glenn. The little bastard and his lil bastard homies." I exclaimed and Rick held up his hands, trying to calm me down.

"Guys! We're cut off!" T-Dog exclaimed and Rick grimaced as he looked around us.

"Get to the lab, go!" Rick exclaimed and we all took off running.

"Those men you were with, we need to know where they went." Rick stated and the guy scowled, he was now sat in a chair and wasn't going anywhere with all of us around. I wasn't in the mood for any of his shit so I moved away. I placed a hand to the back of my head and grimaced when I pulled it away to see it covered in blood. Everyone stood talking to the guy for a few more seconds. I saw Daryl bring out Merle's hand and watched as he shoved it in the young boys face before dropping it in his lap. The boy screamed and Daryl grabbed him, shoving him onto the floor until Rick intervened, quickly shoving him back. A second later he stormed towards me, obviously having had enough of the guy too. Hopefully the others would be able to get something out of him now.

"How's yer head?" Daryl asked randomly and I had to shake myself from the shock of him actually talking to me.

"It's fine. Probably have a slight concussion but I'll be okay." I stated and he simply nodded as he pulled himself up onto the counter beside me.

"He'll be okay. Glenn, I mean." He said and I chuckled softly as I went for my scarf, only to realise it wasn't there. I sighed sadly.

"I know he will, he's a tough guy. I said I'd be there for him, but as soon as the two hulks came towards me I just froze. I froze for about two seconds and then one of them tackled me. I didn't really stand a chance." I said with a shrug as I placed my hand against my head to try and slow the bleeding. Daryl simply grunted as he looked around on the counter tops. He reached for the bottom of his already unravelling t-shirt and ripped off a piece of the fabric, he handed it to me. I took it from him and raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"Din't think you'd want yours back." He shrugged and I nodded softly as I pressed the cloth to the back of my head.

"Thanks." I said and he grunted before jumping off the side and walking over to everyone else.