Death do us part

The river

  I started to get dragged along and I tried to go up for air, but the current held me down. The river got deeper and I couldn't find the bottom. I swam up and gasped for air, looking around.

  A tree branch was coming up, so I reached for it, grabbing it and holding on.

  "Hang on! We're coming!" I heard a shout and looked up, seeing someone running on the other side of the stream. I felt something get caught on my leg and I started to lose my grip. I kicked my leg, whatever it was, was heavy. I didn't feel hands, so I knew it wasn't a walker. I was pulled from the branch and the current carried me along more.

  I took a deep breath as I got sucked under. The stream picked up and I swam up, trying to see what I was heading towards. I heard water rushing and I saw calm water, then a drop. I started to swim the other direction, while also looking around for something to grab onto.

  There was a rock a few feet from the drop and I grabbed it, climbing on top.

  I coughed and saw Daryl running my way.

  "You need to get out of there!" He yelled.

  "You think?!" I shouted sarcastically. "If I move, I'll fall!" The rock wasn't big, and water kept washing up on me.

  I sighed and moved my leg, standing up. I saw a walker being carried down the river towards me. It looked dead, so I didn't worry about it.

  I looked around for a way out. Daryl made it to where I was and stood at the edge of the river. He was about 6 feet away.

  I reached my hand out and he reached as well. I was almost to him, but if I reached any further I would fall.

  "I'm going to jump. I only have one chance at this." I said, readying my feet.

  "You're gonna fall." Merle said.

  "Thanks for the optimism." I said, shaking my hands dry. 

  The body was coming up, so I waited for it to go in front of me to step on it. It floated to where I was and it was going quickly. I took in a breath and jumped, stepping on the body and reaching for Daryl. It seemed to be in slow motion. My fingers touched his and I tried to grab on. I got ahold of his hand then pushed myself forward, reaching further. He pulled me closer and I latched my arms around his neck. My legs felt numb as he pulled me away from the water. I was clinging onto him as if I were still being dragged away. He had his arm hooked around me like I would fall and I was shaking.

"Are you two leaches going to get off of each other so we can move on?" Merle said rudely. I let go of Daryl and we followed Merle back into the woods, seeing Daryl stay very close behind me as we walked.

***

  We had been walking for a while and Daryl was silent, Merle was behind us.

  "What happened to you brother?" Merle asked. "Since when did you just start helping people, out of the goodness of your heart? Is that something your sheriff buddy teach ya?" I stepped away a bit, avoiding getting sucked into the inevitable argument.

  "There was a baby!" Daryl said.

  "Oh, otherwise, you would have just left them for the biters then." Merle said sarcastically.

  "Man, I went back for you, you weren't there. I didn't cut off your hand neither, you did that. Way before they locked you up on that roof. You asked for it." Daryl said. Merle laughed angrily.

  "You know what's funny to me? You and sheriff Rick are like this now," Merle held up crossed fingers. "I bet you a penny and a fiddle of gold that you never told them that we were planning on robbing that camp blind."  A look of guilt flashed across Daryl's face and he looked at me. My eyes grew wide and I looked at him with a face that said 'you owe me an explanation'.

  He looked back to Merle. "It didn't happen." He spat.

  "Yeah, it didn't, because I wasn't there to help you." Merle said. I held in my anger and stepped back a bit more.

  "What like when we were kids? Who left who then?" Daryl raised his voice.

  "What?!" Merle shouted. "Huh? Is that why I lost my hand?!" He yelled.

  "You lost your hand because you're a simpleminded piece of-"

  "Hey!" I cut Daryl off.

  They didn't seem to notice me and Merle lunged at Daryl. He grabbed his shirt, causing it to rip and Daryl fell.

"Stop it!" I tried to say, but I was left speechless.

All up and down Daryl's back were scars. I gasped and Merle's face softened. Daryl shrugged Merle off of him and Merle backed away.

"I-I didn't know he-" Merle began to say. Daryl put his shirt back on, slung his bag over his shoulder, and got up.

"Yeah, he did." Daryl said, not looking back. "He did the same to you, that's why you left first." Daryl started walking away.

"I had to man. I would have killed him otherwise. Where you going?" Merle shouted after him.

"Back where I belong." Daryl stopped and looked at me, motioning for me to come with him. I moved from the spot I was frozen in and stood next to him.

"I can't go with you." Merle said.

"I tried to kill them. I near killed the Chinese kid." He looked like he was almost about to cry.

"He's Korean." Daryl said. I smiled a bit even though I knew I shouldn't.

"Whatever." Merle said. It brought back memories of Atlanta. "It doesn't matter man. I just know I can't go with you."

"You know, I may be the one walking away, but you're the one that's leaving. Again." Daryl's voice cracked and he looked down. We started walking and after a few minutes, Merle came up behind us. He didn't say anything, he just followed.

We were about a mile from the prison when we heard the gunshots.

***
A stupid place to end but oh well

-Kenzie