Out of the Woods (The Walking Dead) PART 2

Chapter 6

Out of the Woods (The Walking Dead)

An Important Mission:

Death was a rather peaceful feeling. It was the easiest thing she thinks she's ever done. There was nothing but darkness surrounding her. The pain she felt had been lifted. Now what was there to do? She didn't feel dread yet she didn't feel like she was healed. It was like she didn't feel anything at all anymore.

"I told ya to find a car and go back to that prison," Suzy turned around at the sound of his voice.

"Merle!" She threw her arms around him and squeezed him as tight as she could. She wished she could feel his warmth again. It was comforting. It took him a bit to hug her back.

"That was a stupid thing you did," He said, "Why'd you do that, girl?"

"Do what?" Suzy asked. She didn't recall at first. When she thought about it, she realized what he was talking about. She didn't want to see the disappointed look she knew was on his face right now. She held him tighter and hid her face in his chest.

"I don't know," She whimpered, "I didn't even know it was real until it was done. I lost it."

"What did I always tell you, honey?" Merle pushed her back at arm's length so he could look her in the eye, "I don't want ya to die. You've let everything eat you up from the inside out. You need'ta get it together."

"I can't-" Suzy cried, "I've been out here too long. I don't get to come back. We dont get to come back from this!"

"Bull fuckin' shit," Merle said sternly, "You're better than that, I know you are, girly. I didn't give my life so you could give up yours right after. I did it so you could live a good life."

"That's not fair," said Suzy, "You didn't have to do that. You gave up because you were selfish and afraid! You think you can see right through me and know everything there is to know about me. You can't! You don't know who I was before all this."

"I do know you, girl."

"You don't," She sighed and ducked her head in shame, "This wasn't the first time."

"What?" Merle snapped, "What the hell are you talkin' about?"

"When my dad died-" Suzy wiped the tears from her face, "I turned into this; A sad, bitter, shell of myself. My mom stopped me. I'm weak. I always was. I was never meant to survive."

"Nah," Merle made her look up at him, "You, honey, are a shit ton of things. Weak ain't one of 'em. You get to come back. And you will. You ain't dyin'. Not here. Not now."

"Why not?" Suzy asked, "Why can't I?"

"You got too much left to do," He smiled that familiar smile she adored so much, "Now come on. Get your ass up and do somethin'. Officer Friendly is out there waitin' for ya."

Suzy felt a thump, forcing her brain back to reality. She wasn't dead after all. She was alive, but where was she? She heard tires rolling and the slight shakes from being in the back of some truck. She fluttered her eyes open to see the blue sky above her. There was another thump, this one coming from a small pothole in the road. She looked around, seeing she was in some kind of military truck in the open pickup trunk. That's right. Some of the raiders survived the attack at the camp by the Mississippi River. Were these Frederick's people or that guy Hector? It had to be Hector's. All of Frederick's men were dead. She was sure of that. How many were there? The truck was going too fast for her to consider jumping out. She looked down at her left arm where she remembered carving herself open. Her wrists were tied together with zip ties, big surprise there. They had also stitched and bandaged her wound. It didn't look perfect, per se, but enough to save her life nonetheless.