I Love You Big Brother

The Plan

My eyes were blurry from tears and my body was numb. I could hear Daryl yelling but I couldn't make out his words.
I tried to slow my breathing and stop crying. I had to be strong. I had to be strong so we could find Merle. I got up slowly and looked around to see Daryl had his crossbow pointed at T-dog and that Rick had his gun pointed at Daryl. My blood ran cold, I would not lose another brother.
"I won't hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears it." Rick said sternly which made me believe it.

"Yeah well neither will I." I said immediately after I had picked up my bow and aimed it at Rick, while trying to keep my voice as steady as possible. I didn't want to hurt him but if he pulled that trigger, I would not hesitate. I would not lose another brother.

After a few moments Daryl reluctantly lowered his bow, then Rick his gun and then finally I lowered mine. Then after a few more moments of the four of us staring angrily at each other Daryl broke the silence.
"You got a rag or something? He asked T-dog, who then pulled a blue cloth out his pocket. I could tell Daryl was upset but he was holding it together which was what I needed to do. we needed to focus on finding our brother and put our emotions to the side. He then walked over to Merles hand and wrapped it in the cloth. Next he walked over to Glenn and put it in his bag which Glenn didn't look to pleased with but he didn't dare complain otherwise Daryl might've knocked him out.

"He must've used a tourniquet," I said crouching down near the puddle of blood by the saw, "there'd be much more blood if he didn't." I could still feel the tears pricking my eyes but I had to be strong and concentrate on the task. Finding Merle. My eyes then focussed on the blood trail leading towards a staircase on the other side of the roof. "This way." I said signalling for everyone to follow me.
We were going to find him.

*****************

We made our way further into the building following the blood trail. Daryl was in front since, even though I hated to admit it, he was a better tracker than me. We walked into a large room with two dead walkers on the ground.
"Had enough in him to take out these two assholes. One handed." Daryl said sounding impressed.
"Toughest guy I ever met, my brother. Give him a hammer he's crap out nails." Daryl continued. I scoffed and nodded in agreement, Merle was the toughest person I'd ever met as well.

"Any man can pass out from blood loss. No matter how tough he is." Rick said raising his gun as we continued into the next room.

We followed the blood into what looked like a kitchen.
"Merle!" I yelled hoping to hear a reply.
"Hey, we're not alone here remember." Rick said sternly obviously referring to the walkers. "Screw that," Daryl said in my defence "he could be bleeding out you said so yourself."

We carried on into the kitchen and the smell of burnt flesh hit me instantly. We walked towards the stove which was completely covered in blood. I felt sick to my stomach when I figured out what had happened, when I figured out what Merle had had to do.

"What's all that burnt stuff?" Asked Glenn pointing at the stove. "Skin." I answered, "He cauterised the stump." Glenn looked as if he might throw up and honestly I felt the same way.

"Told you He was tough. Ain't nobody can kill Merle but Merle." Daryl said to Rick who also looked quite sick too.
"Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood." Rick replied.
"Yeah? Didn't stop him from busting out of this death trap." Daryl said while walking over to the window which had been shattered.
"He left the building?! Why the hell would he do that?!" Glenn asked seeming very frustrated.

"Why wouldn't he, he thinks he's on his own. He's just doing what he's gotta to survive." I said looking out the window to see a staircase leading out into the street.
"You call that surviving? Just wondering out in the streets, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there?" T-dog said which pissed me of since he was the one that left Merle up there in the first place.
"No better than being handcuffed and left to rot by you asshole!" I yelled getting in his face.
"He fought his way of that roof so I'm pretty sure he can fight his way out there!" I continued. "Now if you lot wanna stand around here asking questions go ahead but we're going to get our brother!" I shouted before me and Daryl headed towards the window.

"Soph wait!" Rick said while grabbing my arm trying to stop me.
"Get your hands of her!" Daryl yelled pulling Ricks arm away. "You can't stop us!"

Rick then stood in front of the window blocking our way and said "Listen I don't blame you. He's your family I get that. I went through hell to find mine so I know exactly how you feel. He can't get far with that injury, we can help you two check a few blocks around but only if we keep a level head." What he was saying made sense and it was probably a better idea than me and Daryl running around the streets looking by ourselves.

"I guess we could do that," Daryl said after seeing me nod with approval. Rick then looked over to T-dog who reluctantly agreed but then said "Only If we get those guns first. I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions." Me and Daryl both scoffed at the last part. How could he say he had good intentions after leaving Merle behind? However he did have a point. I had almost forgotten about the guns and it would give us more of a chance at finding Merle if we had more weapons.

                         *****************

"Even I think this is a bad idea and I don't even like you much." Daryl said to Glenn who had just laid out a plan for getting the guns.

"It's a good idea, OK. Just hear me out." Glenn said before going through the plan again.
"If we go out there in a group we're slow, drawing attention. If I'm alone, I can move fast." He carried on and finally we all agreed on a plan. Me and Daryl would go with Glenn to the alley opposite the guns and cover him while he runs to get them. Meanwhile Rick and T-dog would be in another alley ready to cover Glenn if he gets stuck and can't get back to me and Daryl. I had to admit it was a good plan and Daryl knew it too, he tried to cover up the fact he was impressed when he asked, "Hey kid, what'd you do before all this?"

"Delivered pizzas. Why?" Glenn replied looking confused. I laughed and said "because it's a very smart plan Glenn and you probably should of been doing something a bit more advanced than pizza delivery."

He blushed and smiled at me which just made me laugh even more. I had no idea someone's face could even get that red.

                        *****************

We climbed down the ladder into the alley and made our way to the front of the street. We made sure to be quiet and hid behind a dumpster so the walkers couldn't see us. Me and Daryl both loaded our bows while Glenn got ready to run.

"You've got balls for a Chinaman." Daryl said to Glenn. I smiled I knew Daryl secretly liked Glenn but he would never admit it.
"I'm Korean." Glenn replied before running out into the street.

Me and Daryl both sat waiting behind the dumpster when we heard footsteps coming from the other side of the alley. Daryl gave me a signal that we used when out hunting and we both got out and aimed at the guy coming towards us.

"Whoa don't shoot me!" He said scared. "What do you want?!"
"Looking for our brother. He's hurt real bad, You seen him?" Daryl said but still keeping his bow trained on the guy. The guy then stared yelling loudly in Spanish in the direction of the street.

"Shut up. You're gonna bring the geeks down on us. Answer him." I said sternly while walking slightly closer to him to make sure he knew we were serious.

He continued to yell, even louder this time but before I could tell him to shut up Daryl had hit him in the face and pushed him to ground. He then covered his mouth to get him to be quiet.

I then heard heavy footsteps coming from behind us but before I could turn to see who it was I was grabbed and picked up. I struggled and yelled but their grip was strong. Another guy came from behind and jumped on Daryl and started beating him. I shouted at them to stop but the person holding me put their hands over my mouth to shut me up.

I bit down as hard as I could on the guys hand but he still didn't loosen his grip. I then heard yelling coming from behind me.

"Hey! Leave her alone!"

It was Glenn. I could hear him running toward me but then heard him cower in pain. Someone had grabbed him too.

"Look there's the bag lets go!" The guy who was beating Daryl yelled and then all three of them ran out the alley towards a car taking me and Glenn with them.

I could hear someone running after us yelling.

"Soph!"

"Let go of her you son of a bitch!"

"Sophie!"

It was Daryl but before I could yell back everything went black.