Poisoned Hearts (A Merle Dixon Story) (On Hold)

Chapter 2

I woke up, my eyes fluttering open. Direct sunlight blinded me and I groaned. The back of my head ached, and it was pounding as well. My mouth felt severely dry. I shot up and looked around. I was sitting on a bed in a furnished room and I felt someone prodding the back of my head.

 “Hey, what are you doing?” I demanded, turning my body around and swatted at the bewildered looking woman.

 “Easy. I’m just testing your injury. You seemed to have hit it pretty hard.” She told me. Yeah, why was that? Oh, right. It was because some bald asshole had struck me with the back of his gun.

 “Yeah, Just blame that bald douchebag that pistol whipped me.” I replied, anger smoking around my words.

 “That was just protocol, sugar.” A terribly familiar voice said from the doorway. I whipped my head around to see Merle standing in the doorway, smirking. I gritted my teeth and went to lunge at him.

 He stepped back as the woman grabbed my arm and pulled me back onto the bed. “Hey, let me go NOW!” I snarled, trying to attack her.

 She dodged my attacks and calmly prodded my head again. “Does this hurt?” She asked.

 “What do you think?” I shot back, moodily. My head hurt like a bitch and I was thirsty; which made my concentration bad.

 “Ooh, yer a feisty one.” Merle commented. I gritted my teeth again. Did he ever shut up? His voice was doing my head in. That stupid hick accent.

 “Yeah? Well this feisty one could kick your ass in a second!” I spat, glaring at him. I looked him over, suddenly noticing the knife that was connected to his arm instead of his left hand. Weird.

 He snickered. “Not right now yer couldn’t.” He jeered. “Look at yer. Like a little wild animal. Attacking everyone tryin’ to pet you. We brought yer in. A little thank you wouldn’t go amiss.”

 I blinked. “Are you serious? You knock me out, do God knows what to me and you expect gratitude? Someone needs a brain check.” I retorted.

 “We didn’t do anythin’ to yer. Ain’t that kind of people, gal. You’d better remember that.” He told me.

 I scoffed. “Yeah, like I believe that for a minute. Oh and for the record, I’m not a girl. I’m a 32 year old woman who can take care of herself.” I clarified, in a snarky tone.

 “Ohh, holy shit. I should be worried. Hmmm? Tell the Governor we got a real fire starter on our hands here.” He said, his voice dripping with obvious sarcasm.

 I rolled my eyes. “Whatever. And as I remember your Governor offered me safety here. A place. Not somewhere to be jeered at by your pathetic whit.” I told him.

 The insult deflected off him. “He was right. You can. As long as you contribute. What yer good at?” He asked.

 “Anything that entitles keeping this place safe. Hunting. Fighting walkers.” I said, strongly.

 “Hmmm. That’s it? No cooking or laundry yer can do.” He replied. I gaped at him as his stereotypical attitude.

 “Really? You take a woman into your group and expect her to be a little housewife?” I asked, glaring at him.

 “Well, what else can yer do? We got men on the walls. Don’t need hunters when we already have food.” He said, trying to keep calm. He was obviously frustrated by my stubbornness.

 “Anything other than being a damn domestic. I didn’t come here to clean.” I retorted, sharply. “Oh wait, my bad. I didn’t come here. I was brought here.”

 The woman had exited the room and now the tension in the air was paramount. I wasn’t afraid of this idiotic redneck. If he wanted to be low and hit me, then the joke was on him.

 “So what was your job before all this happened?” He asked. “No damn homemaker, obviously.

 I bit my lip. I really didn’t like talking about my past. I was ashamed of it and I knew other people, who wouldn’t understand, would judge me. And I hated that.

 But Merle was looking earnest and I knew I had to be truthful. If I rattled off a job I knew nothing about, I was willing to bet that he would tell the Governor and get me to do that same damn job. Then they’d smell the bullshit.

 “I was a stripper.” I admitted, without hesitation. He raised his eyebrows and I knew at once I was in for some merciless joke.

 “Ohh yeah. Knew yer were the slutty type, sweetcheeks.” He commented, smirking.

 I gritted my teeth and instantly flipped him the bird. “Fuck you. Dixon!” I snarled. “I never did it out of choice.”

 He snorted. “Whatever. I don’t care. Is anythin’ anyone’s choice now?” He asked.

 I bit my lip. For once he was talking sense. Nothing we did now was ever out of choice. If you wanted to survive, then you had to kill. Be it a human or a flesh eater or an innocent animal to feed yourself.

 “Yeah I guess.” I said, determined not to let him think he was right. I knew I’d never hear the end of it otherwise.

 I suddenly remembered my knife and dived inside my jeans pocket. But it was empty. My eyes flashed to meet Merle’s. “Where the hell’s my knife?” I demanded, glaring at him.

 “The Governor’s got it. You’ll have it back soon. Just got ta make sure yer not a threat or nothin’.” Merle replied. My temper flared and I snatched the sharpest item next to me. Which happened to be an injection needle that was lying on the table. I held it out in front of me threating and stared him down.

 He just sniggered. “Oh please bitch. You couldn’t be threatinin’ if you tried. Now put the damn needle down before yer hurt yerself.” He jeered.

 I glared at him, full of hate and anger. I needed to get out of here before I did something I would regret – or probably wouldn’t. I dropped the needle and stomped to the door.

 Just as I was about to pull it open, it opened in front of me and The Goveror walked in. I stayed calm.

 “Hi, Erin. I hope Merle here’s been nice to you.” He said.

“I want my knife back please.” I said, politely. I couldn’t screw up. I didn’t trust these people. ‘Specially Merle.

 The Governor looked at me. “You don’t need it. You’re perfectly fine here.” He told me and I heard Merle chuckle.

 I ignored him and focused on the Governor. “I know. But I’d be able to rest more easy if I knew where it was or if I had it close by.” I said, hoping I’d persuade him.

 The Governor looked at me and thought for a few minutes. “Alright, you can have it. But if you use it on anyone in this town, anyone at all. You’ll pay.” He stated, his tone slightly threatening.

 I gulped and nodded. “Okay.” I replied, looking him in the eyes.

 “Good. Merle, let her get her knife and show her the apartment where she’ll be staying. She can put her knife in there and then you can show her the town, alright?” He said

 “Yes, Governor.” Merle said. “Come on, sweet cheeks.”

 I nodded and followed him out. My mind spinning with every step I took. Spinning with a burning question: Did I choose right or wrong?

SO MERLE AND ERIN HAVEN'T GOT OFF TO A GOOD START. WILL THAT CHANGE IN TIME? WILL ERIN MAKE WOODBURY HER NEW HOME? FIND OUT SOON!