Surviving The Walking Dead (BOOK ONE IN THE SURVIVING THE WALKING DEAD SERIES)

Hunting Trip

ONE MONTH LATER

"Merle! Wake up!" I yelled through the bedroom door.

"Go away!" Merle groaned. I opened the bedroom door and jumped onto Merle's bed, jumping with excitement.

"C'mon, Merle, wake up!"

"Goddamn it, can't ya just let me sleep?"

"But today's the day we get to go huntin'!"

"The rabbits can wait a few more hours." Merle grumbled as he covered his head with his pillow.

"Rabbits? You're thinkin' small, old man. I'm goin' big, bringin' back a bear."

"Don't get cocky."

"Ain't cocky, just confident."  I let out an exasperated sigh and decided to play Merle's game. "Fine, I'll let ya sleep for a few more hours."

"Thank you."

"I guess I better get some sleep too. Just knock before ya enter my room, I've embraced this whole 'au naturel' thing." I jumped down from his bed and walked out into the hallway, shutting the door behind me. A few seconds later, I could hear the sound of Merle's bed creaking and hurried footsteps coming towards the door. The door swung open, and Merle looked over at me and sighed.

"Now that's just mean, gettin' my ass hard and shit thinkin' about ya only to find out it's a joke."

"Yeah, but I got ya up, didn't I?" I smiled.

"In more ways than one."

"I made breakfast." Merle looked down the hall to see the kitchen table was completely set.

"Well if ya would've just said that, I would've been up a lot sooner."

"I'll make a mental note of that. Now get dressed and come and eat." I turned to walk towards the kitchen.

"Ain't ya gonna help me out with this?" I looked over at Merle who motioned towards his erection.

"Nah, I think ya got this."

"Girl, I swear." Merle chuckled. "Ya sure know how to give a man a case of the blue balls."

"Hey, if I gotta suffer, you do to."

"We don't have to suffer." Merle winked.

"Oh, yes we do. Sufferin' builds character. Now get dressed." I walked towards the kitchen and gathered my things on the couch, going through the checklist I made up in my head. "Knife, rope..."

"Oh, God!"

"...bow, arrows..."

     "C'mon, baby, c'mon!"

"...first aid kit, coat, gloves..."

     "Oh, fuck!"

"Hat, boots, and face mask. Yep, I'm good to go." Just as I sat down at the table, Merle walks out with a huge smile on his face.

"Food smells great."

"Ya ain't gettin' any until ya wash your hand."

"Ya heard me?"

"Ya weren't exactly tryin' to keep quiet, Merle. All of China heard ya. Now wash your hand or Imma eat all this right in front of ya."

     "Yes ma'am." Merle groaned and walked over to the sink. Once he finished washing his hand, he took his seat at the table across from me and we began to eat in silence. "How's the hand?"