Skeletons - 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 29 - 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑨𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒔

They were about halfway back to the prison when they were stopped by an obstacle in the road. A single red pickup truck was parked sideways across the highway, blood on the left headlight and a dead walker nearby. A fallen tree had collapsed over top of it, cutting off any chance of going around. They all got out, Glenn going for the driver's side door to get the truck breaks.

They all lurched as a walker snarled, reaching for Glenn, but he threw its mangled body to the ground, stomping its head in with a swift kick of his boot. Maggie, Rick and Iris stood nearby, guns drawn and ready, but they allowed Glenn to take his anger out on the walker. His boot and the cuff of his pant leg were soaked through with viscera by the time he was done. He walked off to the side, breathing heavily, Rick following slowly.

Iris ran a hand down her face, taking over in the truck while Rick spoke to him softly. Maggie moved some of the branches of the tree out of the way as Iris got the breaks, shifting the truck into neutral. Together, they pushed the truck out of the way, Rick and Glenn turning to see the obstacle free and clear of their path.

"You didn't kill him." Glenn muttered.

"That's not why we went back." Rick replied.

"No, that's right, you went back for Daryl and Iris. And now Daryl is gone again and the Governor is still alive!" He spat. Iris inhaled sharply.

"Daryl and Iris were our priority."

"I should have been there with you."

"You were in no condition." Rick protested.

"But my girlfriend was?" Glenn snapped.

"Glenn, this isn't about us." Maggie said firmly, her tone full of warning.

"I should have been there." Glenn repeated.

"Hey, you didn't come back with us because you could barely walk." Rick defended, their tones rising in volume. Iris glanced at the tree line, a few moving shapes drawing nearer.

"What about her?" Glenn asked, gesturing to Maggie.

"What about me?" Maggie hissed.

"Do you know what he did to her?! Do you know?!" Glenn screamed.

"Leave it alone!" Maggie screamed back. "Let's go." Rick glanced over, meeting Iris' warning gaze. She jerked her chin at the coming walkers and he nodded. He put a patient hand on his gun, shifting his weight as Glenn shoved his tongue into the side of his cheek.

"After all that effort, all the risk we took, Daryl just takes off with Merle?" Glenn asked softly.

"Daryl doesn't owe us anything." Iris said quietly.

"Like hell he doesn't! At the very least, he owes us loyalty. He owes us the respect not to leave us high and dry."

"He had his reasons." Rick murmured.

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, Rick. Doesn't change the fact that we're up to our necks in shit."

"You want me to turn the car around, beg him to come back?" Rick asked. "Throw down a welcome mat for Merle? This is the hand we've been dealt!"

"Let's just get out of here and head back." Maggie interjected. "Get some rest, we can talk it out there." Iris ran a hand through her hair, looking back at the road behind them.

"No, you guys do all the talking you want. I'm done." Glenn hissed, storming back to the car. Maggie followed him in attempt to get him to cool down. Or maybe to chew him out for speaking on her behalf. Rick blew out a breath through his nose, sucking on a tooth.