Faded Scars (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 24

The group was in the cell block, we had made discussing different ideas and plans, when a unexpected voice broke through. "Everyone okay?" Rick asked. "Yea, we are." Maggie answered. "Are you?" Hershel asked. "Just cleared out the boiler room." He looked over at Carl, then at me. "How many were there?" Daryl asked. "I don't know, a dozen, two dozen, I got to get back, just wanted to check on Carl." Rick answered and started to leave. "You don't have to move the bodies, we'll do that." Glenn said and moved closer to Rick. "No, I'll do it." He walked from the room while Hershel called after him. I continued to work on my bow when Maggie came over and threw her arm over my shoulder. "You wanna come with Glenn and me to gather supplies?" I shrugged, but she still waited for a response. "Sure." She smiled and walked over to Glenn. I rolled my eyes and got back to work.

We pulled up to a small shop with some cars out front. I carefully made my way inside and listened for walkers. "It's clear." I said and Maggie came inside, and helped me pack some food and bandages. Glenn came in and grabbed a stuffed duck that Maggie begged him to grab for Lil' ass-kicker. They went to put the stuff in the car, while I gathered more supplies. "And where is it y'all care calling home?" A new voice said and peaked through the doorway. A man with a bloody nose and a blade as a hand had walked up and Maggie and Glenn had their guns pointed at him. I crouched down to be hidden in the shadows. The man had a gun pointed at both of them, but they seemed unfazed. "Merle?" Glenn said and a huge smile spread across the man's face. "Wow." Merle said and placed his gun on the ground, then raised his hand and blade up in surrender, but he stepped forward some. "Hey! Back the hell up!" Maggie shouted, her gun still pointed at Merle. "Okay. Okay. Honey. Jesus." Merle said at Maggie's tone. I saw Merle's eyes flick to me and I stood up, and slowly walked out. "Well hello there, Gorgeous. Didn't see ya hiding back there." I ignored Merle and looked at Glenn and Maggie, who were having their own conversation.

"Can you tell me, is my brother still alive, huh?" Merle asked and Glenn watched him carefully. "Yeah." He answered simply. "Hey, you take me to him and I'll call it even on everything that happened in Atlanta. No hard feelings, huh?" Glenn gaze flickered from Merle's face to his blade hand. "You like that? Merle laughed. "Yeah, well I found me a medical warehouse. Fixed it up myself. Pretty cool, huh?" I slowly pulled out my gun and eyed Merle, watching every one of his moves. "He's not coming with us." I stated and glanced at Glenn. He nodded and turned back to Merle. "We'll tell Daryl you're here and he'll come out to meet you." Glenn told Merle and I looked at Merle. "Your brother is Daryl?" Merle gave me a slight nod, then turned back to Glenn. "Hold on. Hold up. The fact that we found each other is a miracle. Come on, now." Merle protested and stepped forward some, but backed up when Maggie glared at him. "You look capable of taking care of yourself, you wait here." I said and focused my gun. "Oh come on, Gorgeous, you can trust me." I scoffed at Merle's comment. I stepped back when I saw Merle step forward. Suddenly, he lunged at Glenn and pulled out a new gun firing at a car near Maggie. I ducked behind a car and Glenn joined me. "Where's Maggie?" I asked and quickly jumped up, Glenn following me. As a turned a corner I saw Maggie, Merle had his blade to her neck and the gun to her head. "Now hand them over, come on." He said and tightened his grip on Maggie. "Alright, okay." Glenn said and placed his gun on the ground along with his knifes, sliding them to Merle. "Come on, Gorgeous." I scowled at him and placed my gun and knifes to the ground, sliding them over. "Now we're gonna go for a little trip." He laughed.

I struggled against the chains that were locked around my wrists, the chains rattling with my every move. The cell was stuffy and dark, but some light shined through the small window on the tin door. I could hear faint cries of pain coming through the walls. The door slowly creaked open and I faced a older man and Merle. "Such a pretty thing." The man cooed and I pulled on the chains. "Oh that won't work darling, but I can get you out of those, if you do me a favor." He crouched down near my face and placed his fingers under my chin, lifting up my head. "Tell me where your group is." He said and I just stared back, then glanced at Merle and then back at the man. "Go to hell." I said calmly and he laughed, then pointed to Merle. He ran his finger down over his left eye as Merle walked over to me. Merle pulled my hair back harshly and placed his blade above my left eye. "I'll ask you again, sweetheart, where's your group." The man hissed. I chuckled and looked at Merle. "I won't tell you, shit!" I spat and his blade ran over my eye and to my cheek. I cried out as I felt blood run down my face and my view became slightly fuzzy. My blood ran over my lips and off my chin, dripping to the floor. Merle walked back next to the man, a smirk on his face. "So you're his bitch?" I smirked and watched Merle's face switch. "Watch your mouth, Gorgeous." Merle hissed. The man walked over to me and ran his thumb across my cheek, then I looked at my arm to see a knife held to it. The metal point pressed lightly to my skin. "The group, where are they?" He whispered and I leaned in, our faces close. "Like I would tell you." I whisper and felt the knife dig into my arm, but I didn't flinch. I had felt the pain before, it wasn't new to have a knife digging into my flesh. I felt him carve letters into my flesh, but I didn't look.

The man backed away, a huge smile on his face. "She'll talk soon or the others will." I pulled on the chains, while he left with Merle behind him. I slowly got to my feet, the chains rattling and pressed my back to the wall. My vision was fuzzy and was messing with me. My head snapped towards the wall when I heard loud cries of pain. Maggie. I pulled on the chains and looked down at my arm. "Governor" was carved into it and I couldn't peel my eyes away from it. I heard the cries die down and I snapped my head to the door as it opened again.