Someone Has To Do It

Is That Blood?

                                                                     Daryl's POV

     After stumbling out of the diner I quickly made my way to the woods behind the diner hoping to make the quick trek back to the house and forget about the young blonde sitting in the booth. I never needed anybody before and I sure as hell wasn't gonna start now. I'm distracted with my thoughts until  the back of the house comes into view. Merles on the back porch beer in hand and his head stooped towards his mud covered boots. He lifts his head at the sound of my approach looking bewildered.

    "Daryl?" he questions.

    " Who the hell else would it be?" I snap back getting annoyed with his games.

     " I need your help I fucked up bad this time man." His voice cracks. He shuffles his feet and motions for me to follow him into the house tossing the beer off the porch as he goes. " He came out from the bathroom and tried to attack me I didn't mean to I swear." He motions down to Ken who is laying face down in a puddle of blood in the floor of the Livingroom.

    " You killed him!" I shout not caring who heard because  there is currently a dead man in my Livingroom and my brother seems calm as a damn cucumber.

     "Shh..shh. Are you trying to get my ass thrown in jail shut the fuck up." Merle grabs my arm as I try to turn the body over. "Don't touch it with your bare hands Lil' Brother don't let them be able to track this shit back to us." I glance around looking for someone he seemed to have forgotten. "Where's Tommy?" Merle shoots up from his crouched position.

      "Damn; I don't know man." He starts to pace, but suddenly stops remembering something . "He said he was going to lay down in one of the back rooms to sober up, but that was hours ago; you don't think he would have heard anything do you?" His eyes drift towards the hall.

" You said he attacked you right?" I question starting my way down the hall towards the back room. "We tell the truth, it was self defense." Merle scoffs behind my shoulder.

"Tommy won't give two shits." He storms towards the corner of the room where a small worn bat lays. " I don't know about you, but I'm not about to get my ass laid out twice in one day." He stumbles towards me still slightly inebriated.

"Come on; man you ain't gonna need that." I grab the bat from his hand and toss it aside. Reaching forward towards the door handled thrusting it open in one motion. Tommy is there in the corner facing away from the door way. His face is slightly illuminated by the sun peaking through the binds. His face is covered in some unknown substance , much darker than any I've ever seen.

"Shit! is that blood." That's it. As soon as the words leave Merle's mouth I know they're true. Tommy has streaks of blood running from the corners of his mouth and his once bright green eyes have a greyish look to them; it's as if the light has been snuffed out of him and a shell has been left in his place. He turns in one quick motion stumbling towards the doorway closing in on us.