Impregnable {A Walking Dead Fanfiction}

Thirty-Nine

    We gathered and ate dinner together, doing our best to keep the conversation lighthearted. We had time to vent and make plans later, tonight things were peaceful. Patricia had added venison to the soup, it was rich and filling. "Careful, Love," I said, wiping up soup that Mable had spilled from her small bowl. "I hope you like it, I made enough that we're going to have leftovers for a long time," Patricia said as Jimmy returned for seconds. "Oh, that won't be a problem," He said, pouring another ladle into his bowl. We helped them clean up after we finished eating and thanked them again before making our way outside towards our beds.

    "Three O'clock," Rick said, stopping and drawing his revolver. One of them was stumbling through the field towards us. "I'll take care of it," Shane said, handing Mable to me and drawing his knife before walking into the tall grass. "Is that...?" I asked, squinting at the man in the distance as Shane approached him. "Daryl!" Shane yelled, sprinting towards him. He collapsed into the grass just before Shane reached him. "HELP!" Shane yelled back at the group as we approached. I kept my distance, careful to not let Mable see too much. "What happened, are you bit?" Shane asked as he keeled down. "F****n' rattlesnake. It got Merle and bit me through the boot." He breathed, clenching his jaw. "Come on, let's get him to Hershel," Rick said as he and Shane dragged Daryl towards the house.

    He was barely conscious and bleeding from cuts all over his body. I ran towards the house, calling for help as the group did their best to carry Daryl behind me. They laid him on the ground at the bottom of the steps, Andrea bent down and put pressure on a large wound on his leg. "Looks like it just nicked him, not much I can do without antivenom," Hershel said, examining the small wound on Daryl's ankle. "Where did the rest of these injuries come from?" Hershel asked.  "Well, for starters, we found this," Daryl said, wincing as he pulled a dirty cloth doll that I immediately recognized as Sophia's. "Oh my God!" Carol said, rushing and taking the doll from him, hugging it tight to her chest. "We found it at the base of a trail by the river that led up a mountain...thought she might've gone up to get a better look at her surroundings. Then the f****n' trail gave out beneath us," Daryl explained, pausing frequently to catch his breath. "We went down with the rubble, Merle f****d up his ankle and we still had to trek down the mountain. We only heard the rattle for a second before it got him. The f****r got me while I was trying to stomp its head in." "I'm so sorry." Rick said, kneeling down to his side. Daryl shook his head, "I've survived worse." 

    Hershel examined Daryl's wounds and determined that the largest one needed to be sutured. Daryl refused, but begrudgingly let him clean his wounds after we insisted. Shane and Rick helped him to his tent after we thanked Hershel for his help. I handed Mable to Shane after they'd helped him lay down. "Hey," I said, kneeling down in front of the tent. He grunted, looking at me before closing his eyes again. "Do you want some company?" I asked. "What do you think?" He asked sarcastically. "I think you look like you got attacked by a bear, and I wanna make sure you're okay. I'm so sorry about Merle." "I don't believe you," He breathed. "What?" I asked, he opened his eyes again. "About Merle, he told me what he did to you," He said matter-of-factually. I froze for a moment before furrowing my brow. Why would he bring that up now? "What? N-Nothing happened..." "Hollie, he told me. It didn't happen because you stopped it. That's the type of person he was. Slimy, conniving...but he was all I had," He said. I looked at him, expecting him to break. "My family never gave two shits about me. Merle was the only one who even pretended to care, he was a long shot from a normal brother though. The things he did to people...all of the stories of his nights out on the town he'd brag about, it was disgusting. I'm sorry you had to see that side of him," He said, his voice still calm and flat. "You don't have to believe me, but I am sorry. Maybe he wasn't a good person, maybe he was a monster...but he still did good things. He was out there looking for Sophia and he never looked at me again after I scared him off. He was your brother, Daryl, and I know losing him has to hurt. I just want you to know that we care about you," I said. He chuckled, "I feel the love, would you mind letting me get some sleep now?" I smiled at him before rising to my feet and zipping the tent door closed.

   I turned, startling when I saw Shane standing a few feet away from me. "Oh, God...I thought you went to bed." I said, putting my hand over my heart as it raced. "What did Merle do to you?" He asked, his eyes dark. I felt the shock begin to flow through my body again. "I'll tell you after we put her to bed." I said, looking at Mable while she slept peacefully in Shane's arms.