Same Love

18: Hallucinating

Rick and the others returned, Carol and Carl opening the gate for them as they informed Rick of the new people who appeared. Sasha, Tyreese, Ben and Allen. Glenn helped Rick and Carol carry the yelling Sam to Hershel. He was screaming for Nate, for Daryl and thrashing around. As they passed by the new members Sam's yells became louder and he thrashed more causing those carrying him to drop him. The lashes on his back oozed blood and his bloodshot eyes darted around as he shuffled petrified into a corner. The figures were back. His mother, his father and Nate all laughed at him as though he were the funniest thing in the world and he tried to make them stop, their taunting grew worse as Daryl appeared and he threw himself at the apparition only end up on the floor. People tried picking him up again but he screamed a bloodcurdling scream that prompted everyone to rush to where he was. Carl helped them take him into the cell block as Beth took the crying Judith outside and Hershel found some Morphine in the supplies, injecting a big dose into Sam's writhing body. His movements ceased as the dose put him to sleep and his shouts quieted to cries then whimpers then silence. Hershel took a cloth and began to clean his wounds, him being the top priority at the moment. Rick went to meet with Tyreese and his group and stood across from them, arms crossed and analysing them all. Tyreese insisted that they would do anything to contribute when Rick went off the wire again, seeing Lori and Glenn ordered them outside so Rick didn't hurt them.

Daryl and Merle happened upon a group of survivors being attacked. They were helpless so Merle and Daryl quickly dispatched the walkers but Merle decided to be a dick and hold a gun to the father's head, rooting through the car they owned. Both the mother and child were in hysterics and Daryl raised his crossbow to Merle and the family piled into the car, rushing off a Daryl stalked into the woods, his brother following with held in laughter.

"Why'd you help strangers who ain't done nothin' for ya" Merle asked and Daryl threw a punch at him, they grappled for a few minutes, all of Daryl's anger, his knowledge that Merle did all those awful things to Sam, drove him to fight more. His shirt ripped and Merle paused, staring a the scars that littered his skin in horror.

"I didn't know" Merle apologized as Daryl recovered from their little scuffle. Merle explained how he was abused and wanted to kill their father but Daryl merely grunted.

"I'm goin' back, to where I belong" It sounded so cliché but it was true and Merle complained that he couldn't go back without him but he was ignored.

"I may be the one walkin' away but you're the one that's leavin'" 

At the prison, it was pure chaos. The Governor had opened fire on the prison and Daryl and Merle had arrived just in time to see him driving off, walkers overrunning the fences and flooding into the breached prison yard. They cleared the walkers outside the fence but retreated into the second layer of the fence, staring as walkers milled around the full yard. They all regrouped, Merle locked in one of the cells and all momentarily preoccupied with the situation. They wondered what to do about the governor. Hershel became more vocal as Rick retired to the catwalk with Carl in tow and Merle shuddered upon hearing loud screams coming from the cell across from him and watched the body inside of it twitch and thrash violently around. It was horrifying and he'd never seen his brother look so terrified. Daryl was wide eyed as Hershel stood with much effort and Beth rushed to help.

"He needs another dose of morphine, I'll get you some fresh disinfectant" Bath rushed away and Hershel made his way to the screams as Daryl's stomach turned. What was happening to him? Was that Sam? He followed after Hershel and Merle watched him approach the writhing body. The man shouted but Merle could only make out the name Daryl amidst the clamour and recognized the voice, it was gay boy. Daryl knelt beside him as Hershel sedated him once more and Merle saw a side to his brother that he had never seen before. The body stilled and Daryl looked weary as he stood, wiping away the sweat from Sam's brow before he went. Daryl met with Carol who hugged him, expressing her relief.