Fighter

Chapter 13: Freedom

We run along the tree line outside of town. Nothing but the moonlight giving us some light before we stop, coming out of the trees and find ourselves just outside the front gates of the town. I quickly do a scan of the group, noticing we're short one redneck.

"Here, here. Get down." Rick says as Glenn and I collapse on the ground panting. My lungs and side on fire as my head pounds. "Come on, Daryl." Right as the words leave Ricks mouth there's a rustling in the woods from behind us. I swear to God if it's a Walker?! But my fear turns to confusing as the body of a woman crawls out front under the train, the same woman who slipped out of the shop right after we were rescued. She's in a pretty rough shape, blood; some hers and some not, pouring down her face. Some brushing and a visible limp. Rick's quick to his feet and his gun as he holds it right to her head, backing her up against the train car.

"Where the hell were you?" He questions through gritted teeth. She clings onto the train to support her as Maggie stands from behind, pointing her gun at her back. What the hell Rick? "Put your hands up. Turn around. Turn around." With a scowl she turns, bloody hands raise above her head as he takes her katana from her back. "Get what you came for?" He asks sarcastically.

"Where are the rest of your people?" She asks emotionless, looking around the smaller group.

"They got Oscar." Glenn says angrily as he shakes his gun at her.

"Daryl is missing." I pant out, looking back for him here and there.

"You didn't see him?" Maggie asks.

"If anything happens to him-" Rick begins to threaten.

"I brought you here to save them." Michonne interrupts gesturing to Glenn, Maggie and I.

"Thanks for the help." Ouch put some ice on that one.

"You'll need help to get them back to the prison, or to go back in there for Daryl. Either way, you need me."

***

I was willing to go with the others to go and find Daryl but Derek, Glenn, Maggie and Rick wouldn't let me. Said, 'you've gotten the crap beaten out of you. You can barely stand let alone fight, your ass is going back to the car and waiting there for the others to return.' I huffed and puffed all the way back to the car; Derek, Michonne, and Glenn accompanying me as we sit and wait on the side of the road in a Walker infested forest. Derek, forgetting his med-kit, ripped off the sleeves of his long sleeve and used them as gauze around my waist until we got back to the camp and he can patch me up with the help of Hershel, the father of Maggie as well as their medic. Glenn sits on the ground across the car as Michonne leans up against it. Derek and I in the back snuggled up to each other as I fight to stay wake and not pass out from loss of blood and attempt to keep warm. The sun begins to rise and I notice that I have been up for over 24 hours.

"Holy shit." I whisper to myself.

"What?" Derek asks looking down at me.

"I haven't slept since the first night at Granddad's." I tell him, watching the sun ever so slowly creep up from the horizon to the sky.

"You and me both sister." Derek says making me laugh, it hurts to laugh but I don't care. We're finally out of harm's way, despite the Walkers, so if I want to laugh I will laugh no matter the amount of pain. As our laughter dies down I look out the window towards the forest and I see figures moving towards us. I nudge Derek to look out the window and that's when we hear Glenn's name being called.

"Glenn!" A familiar voice calls.

"Rick." Glenn answers. Derek and I scramble out of the car and join the others walking into the forest. "Rick. Rick. Oh, thank God." As we walk closer to the others I notice an extra person behind them. I try and focus on who it is before my eyes land on the stump, Merle.