𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒔 | ᵀᵂᴰ

30: Grow up.

We were clearing the yard from walkers. Maggie and Carl banged on pots and pans to get their attention. I was driving the truck that held the barbed wire Daryl and Glenn laid down. Michonne took out some walkers.

Daryl padded the truck bed, signaling for me to drive back to the gate. I wish we just had one relaxing, peaceful morning.

"They try to drive up to the gate again, maybe some blown tires will stop them." Glenn said.

"That's a good idea." Rick replied.

"It was Michonne's" Daryl told him.

"We don't have to win." Michonne said. "We just have to make their getting at us more trouble than it's worth." The gate creaked as Carl and Maggie came over.

"Hey." Maggie said to Glenn. Rick stared at Daryl for a moment before speaking. "Let's go." Rick walked away, and we followed.

➳

Daryl and I walked up to Glenn, who was closing a broken entrance.

"Hey, ya seen Merle around?" I asked. Glenn didn't say a word as he went back to closing the gate. Daryl took off his crossbow and handed it to me. He walked over and helped Glenn.

"He say he was sorry yet?" Daryl asked. Glenn remained silent as he chained the door closed. "Cause he is." Daryl said.

Glenn grabbed the box of bottles and walked to the table that was pushed to the right. "He's gonna make it right." Daryl continued. "I'm gonna make 'im. There's gotta be a way. Just needs to be a little forgiveness, is all."

Glenn walked over to Daryl. "He tied me to a chair, beat me, and threw a walker in the room. Maybe I could call it even. But he- he took Maggie and Bela to a man who terrorized them. He humiliated Maggie. He beat Isabela. I care more about them than I care about me." Glenn said before walking away back to the bottles.

When your best friend tells your dad that he cares more about you and your safety than himself and his own safety. It's kind of hard not to call him your best friend.

Daryl took his crossbow from me, and we walked back inside the prison. "Merle." He called out. "Ya down here?" Sounds of metal came from the boiler room.

Daryl raised his crossbow. I grabbed an arrow and put it in between my fingers, pulling back on the bowstring. "Merle." I called out.

Merle was rested up against the counter. Daryl lowered his crossbow, and I lowered my bow.

"Hey, little brother, Izzy." Merle said. "What the hell?" Daryl questioned. "I was just about to holler back at ya." "What ya doin' down here?" Daryl asked. "Just looking for a little uh crystal meth."

I scrunched my eyebrows, and Daryl let out a sigh. "Yeah, yeah, I know. Shit will mess my life up when everything's goin' so sweet, right, Iz?" Merle let out a small laugh.

"Ya talk to Rick yet?" Daryl asked. "Yeah. Oh, yeah. I'm in. But, uh, he ain't got the stomach for it. He's gonna buckle. You know that, right?" Merle said.

Daryl nodded lightly. "Yeah. If he does, he does." "Ya want 'im to?" "Whatever he says goes." Merle scoffed. "Man. Do you even possess a pair of balls, little brother? Are they even attached? I mean, if they are, do they belong to you?"

Daryl turned around and thought about heading for the door but turned back around when Merle continued speaking. "You used to call people like that sheep. What happened to you?" "What happened with you and Glenn, Maggie, and Isa?" Merle let out a quiet huff of air. "I've done worse."

Merle looked behind Daryl and at me. "You need to grow up. Things are different now. Ya can't be a quiet, scared little kid anymore. Ya gonna make your own decisions." I looked down at my shoes, knowing he was right.

"You people look at me like I'm the devil... grabbing up those lovebirds like that, huh? Now y'all wanna do the same damn thing I did- snatch someone up and deliver them to the Governor, just like me." Merle said.

"Yeah. People do what they gotta do or they die." "Can't do things without people anymore, man." Merle scoffed. "Maybe these people need somebody like me around, huh? Do their dirty work. The bad guy. Yeah, maybe that's how it is now, huh?" He said. "How does that hit ya?" He asked Daryl.

Daryl moved closer to Merle. "I just want my brother back." Daryl said. "Get out of here, man." I could hear the emotion in his voice as I looked up.

Daryl turned around and headed out the threshold. Merle and I looked at each other for a moment. There was so much I wanted to say, but I didn't know how to say it. I lowered my head and left the boiler room.

➳

I was walking outside, trying to clear my head. Merle was right about me needing to grow up.

I've been relying on Daryl my whole life to make my decisions. If it came down to life or death, I'd look to him for my answer.

I heard the door creak open, and I looked over to see Daryl. "Where you going?" I asked.

"To find Merle. He took Michonne." Daryl replied. "Why?" Daryl didn't say anything as he started his bike.

"I'm coming with you." "No, ya ain't." "Yes, I am. Merle told me to grow up and make my own decisions, and that's what I'm doing. I'm deciding I want to go with you." It felt good to speak for myself, but I was also a bit nervous.

"Yer not goin'." He said. "You're not my dad, you can't tell me what to do." I didn't realize what I said out of frustration. "I know I ain't yer daddy but I'm still gonna tell ya what to do."

I didn't cave as I continued to stand there. Daryl thought for a moment. "Alright." He said.

I got onto the back of the bike, and we drove to the gate. Rick opened it, and we left to go find Merle and Michonne.

➳

We found Michonne. "Hey. Where's my brother?" Daryl asked her. She didn't answer. "Ya kill 'im?" He asked.

She shook her head. "He let me go." "Don't let anyone come after me." Daryl said. We ran past her and down the road.

We followed it until we found a bunch of dead walkers. Merle must have come through here.

Daryl shot a walker that was feeding off of a dead body. There was another walker a few feet away.

It slowly lifted its head. I felt a wave of sadness wash over me. It was Merle. His eyes were dark. His face was beaten. He wasn't the Merle I knew anymore.

Daryl dropped his crossbow. He came towards us. Daryl pushed him away. I wanted to fall to my knees as they became weak.

He came back, and Daryl pushed him away again. He came towards us a third time, then a forth.

Daryl grabbed his knife and stabbed him in the shoulder to push him to the ground.

Daryl stabbed him in the head, repeatedly making him even more unrecognizable.

Daryl fell back onto his elbows. That's when I let myself drop to my knees. I moved over to Daryl and held him in my arms as he cried. He was always the one bringing me comfort. Now it's time I return the favor.