𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒔 | ᵀᵂᴰ

5: Vatos Locos

Daryl slowly stopped pacing back and forth but kept his eyes on Merle's severed hand. So did I. How could somebody do such a thing? Especially with just a hand saw.

Daryl loaded his crossbow and held it to T-Dog's head. Rick then put a gun to Daryl's, and I put my arrow to his. T-Dog didn't seem bothered by it.

"I won't hesitate." Rick said. "I don't care if every walker in the city hears it." Daryl lowered his crossbow, and Rick lowered his gun. I lowered my bow and looked over at Daryl.

"You got a do-rag or something?" Daryl questioned T-Dog. He pulled a bandana out of his pocket and handed it to Daryl. He opened it and laid it in the ground. He picked up Merle's hand by Pinky. "I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs." He said to examine it. "Ain't that a bitch." He said before putting it in the bandana. He put it in Glenn's backpack which made Glenn disgusting and uncomfortable judging by his facial expressions. "He must've used a tourniquet. Maybe 'is belt. Be much more blood if 'e didn't." We followed the blood trail into the building.

"Merle? Ya in here?" Daryl called out as we went down the stairs.

"Merle?" I called out looking around every corner we walked past. We split up and searched the building. We came across a room with two dead walkers. "Had enough in 'em to take out these two sumbitches." Daryl said. "One handed too." I said. Daryl reloaded his crossbow. "Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother."

There was a small bowl of Jolly Rancher hard candy and strawberry candy on the desk next to me. I grabbed the bowl and dumped the candy into my inside jacket pocket. I sat the bowl back on the table and turned back to face the group.

"Feed 'em a hammer, 'e'd crap out nails." Daryl said. "Any man can pass put from blood loss, no matter how tough he is." Rick said, now leading the way.

➳

"Merle!" Daryl called out. "We're not alone here." Rick told Daryl. "Remember?" "Screw that. He could be bleeding out. Ya said so yerself." We turned the corner, and a gas stove was on. Rick picked up the iron that was on it.

"What's that burned stuff?" Glenn asked. "Skin." Rick said. "He cauterized the stump." Rick sat the iron back down. "Told ya 'e was tough. Nobody can kill Merle, but Merle." "Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood." "Yeah? Didn't stop 'em from busting out of this death trap." We walked over to a broken window. "He left the building?" Glenn asked in disbelief. "Why the hell would he do that?"

"Why not?" I replied. "He's all alone out there for all he knows." I said. "Doing what 'e's gotta do. Surviving." Daryl said.

"You call that surviving?" T-Dog asked. "Just wandering out in the streets, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there?" T-Dog asked. "No worse than bein' handcuffed and left to rot by ya sorry pricks." Daryl turned to Rick. "You couldn't kill 'em. Ain't so worried 'bout some dumb dead bastard." "What about a thousand dumb dead bastards?" Rick asked. "Different story?" "Why don't ya take a tally? Do what ya want. Isa an' I are gonna go get 'em."

"Daryl, wait!" Rick pushed Daryl away. "Get yer hands off me!" Daryl yelled back. "Ya can't stop me!" "I don't blame you. He's family, I get that. I went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel." Daryl didn't say anything and just stared at Rick. "He can't get fat with that injury. We could help you check a few blocks around, but only if we keep a level head." Daryl thought for a moment. "I could do that." He said. Rick looked at T-Dog and Glenn.

"Only if we get those guns first." T-Dog said. "I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?"

➳