The life of Nora dixon

I dont want you to go!

The camp was quiet when I woke up in the morning, and only the birds and a tent unzipping or zipping could be heard. I turned my head to the side and saw that my older brother Daryl was still sleeping, his brow was creased in that worry expression that he always has. It dawned on me than that I had no idea where Merle was. Merle was my other brother, my oldest one. He was rough around the edges, or pretty much in general but he had his moments where his dark blue eyes would show compassion and love. But than he would always blow it off with a smack to the head or some crude joke of his.

I got up and stretched, my auburn hair was still in the braid that Miss Carol had put it in last night. I moved carefully around the tent so that Daryl didn't wake up and yell at me or soomething. As the zipper moved slowly under my fingers I still couldn't help but wince at the slightest sound that it produced.

"Nora?" Daryl's sleep filled voice called. Darn it!

''Yea."

"What are you doing up?"

"Oh ya know," I started. "Was thinking 'bout looking for Merle."

He studied me for a second, looked up at the ceiling of the blue tent and sighed. "No. We been over this I thought, you don't leave this tent unless me or Merle are with ya and I ain't 'bout to get my ass up so we can go find Dipstick."

Since the outbreak had happened and the dead start coming back I had become very protected of my brothers. And visa-versa. They were all I had left and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them.

"Daryl." I protested. All I wanted to do was find Merle and maybe, just maybe, go see if any of the other kids are up. Since we had came to this camp I had wanted to become friends with the other kids, even if they were older than me, but the boys rarely left me out of their sight if they didn't have too.

"I hope you ain't whining cause you know i won't listen to that for long." He sighed. "Jesus Nor, you're nine years old, you don't need to be out on your own now lay your ass down and go back to sleep."

He was being so unfair! I was almost ten for crying out loud, I think I know how to take of myself. I stayed next to the tent flap and just stared at him. Daryl's blue eyes glaring into my green ones.

"We gonna have a problem?" Once his tone dropped low I knew that if I didn't quit soon we would have a problem and I didn't exactly want that.

"No." I murmured.

"Good than lie back down and leave me the hell alone!" He snapped. Merle and him talk to each other and to me like that all the time but it still stings a little. So I go and lay down on my red and black sleeping bag and curl up away from my brother. A small tear escapes and I sniffle once.

"Nora." Daryl whispers. "Stop that crying. C'mere."

He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me a little bit closer to his sleeping bag. I stay still and just enjoy the comfort and warmth that comes from him. Secretly, he's my favorite brother. Daryl ,unlike Merle, makes me feel better after he makes me upset and he doesn't mind showing affection every now and than.

After awhile I feel his light breath on the back of my head and his rough hands goes a little more loose on my stomach. My eyes start to close just about the time his soft snoring starts up. I smile slightly as he makes a funny noise in the back of his throat and finally drift into dream land. Or nightmare land.

When I woke up again later, Daryl was no longer beside me. Even though I knew were in a camp I still couldn't help but feel alone without my brothers' presence. The sunlight warmed the back of my shirt as I stepped out, looking for any sign of the boys. None. Feeling out of place and not sure what to do I shuffled my feet a little and started to draw little patterns in the dirt with my boot clad foot. The boots were pink camoflauge, a present I had gotten from Merle for my last birthday and back when the world was normal. I heard a low whistle and turned to the side to see Merle walking towards me.

"Hey Darlin'," he drawled out. "Looks like I got me a run today."

I felt uneasy about having him leaving me and even the big grin on his face couldn't help. Even though he was annoying and mean sometimes, he was still my brother and I never want anything to happen to him. The feeling in my belly didn't let up as he went into the tent to collect his pack.

"Merle." I whispered. He either didn't hear me or was ignoring me so I became a little louder.

"Merle."

"Hmm?" Was the only response I got as he was busy rifling through his belongings.

I knew that he may get mad at me and that I might get in trouble for I was going to say, so I hesitated.

"You got something so say Nora or ya just gonna stand next to me and breath down my neck?" He was getting impatient so in a rush I blurted out.

"I don't want you to go!"

He gave me a long sideways glance and blew out of his mouth through his dirty tobacco and coffee staind teeth.

"Well we need stuff and Daryl went huntin' and I ain't askin' for permission little missy."

I knew there was nothing I could do to change his mind so I just stared at my pink boots again and thought that pretty soon they may be the only thing of Merle I'll have left. The very thought brought tears to my eyes and I looked away to the forest.

"Hey!" Merle snapped. "Ya best knock that off right now little girl. I can give ya somethin' to cry about if ya want. That what you want. Hmm?"

I brought my tear glistened eyes up to meet his glare and gave one right back. 'Why do I care if he even comes back? He can just disapear for all I care.' I thought.

"No."

He went to ruffle my hair but I ducked and smack at his hand with a scowl on my face, which earned me a deep, raspy laugh from him.

I followed him as he finished collecting his stuff and than to the truck but I wasn't really paying attention to what he was doing or saying to people, I was still silently fuming over him leaving. Suddenly two fingers snapped in my face. I looked up to see that we had reached the SUV they were taking for the run and that Merle was leaning over me with an unhappy look on his face

"Ya hear anythin' that I just said." I shook my head and he sighed for the upteenth time today. "I said ya best stay near Carol and don't do anythin' stupid."

I don't know what came over me but I couldn't help but say back, "Yea you too."

I was surprised when he gave me a chuckle instead of the head cuff that I was expecting.

"Ya givin' me lip little missy! Huh?" He teased as he poked a finger into my ribs. In spite of being mad I gave a little giggle. Just a little one and shook my head. He gently cupped the back of my head and ran his hand down my hair. When he reached my split ends he patted my back. Than before I knew it my nice moment was over and he was loading up into the car while flirting and being crude with the blonde up front. Merle. He gave me one last look and smiled and than that uneasy feeling crept back into my tummy. I felt that something was going to go wrong and more than ever wanted Daryl.