𝓗𝓮𝔂 𝓐𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓵 | 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝔂𝓵 𝓓𝓲𝔁𝓸𝓷

Chapter 5: Negotiations

The journey back to Atlanta was quiet and tense. I sat in a corner of the van fiddling with the locket around my neck.
It was a skull one that my brother had gotten for me and it only contained one photo. It was of me and Noah. It was the only photo we actually had of us together seeing as the rest had either been burned or ripped up. We had managed to get away from our parents and take some photos in a photo booth. By the time they were printed, our parents had found us and as per usual we're causing a massive scene by screaming at us. My father had taken the photos but Noah had managed to keep one.

Eventually, the van stopped and we all got out and headed for the building which Merle had been left on top of.

"Why did ya come?" Daryl asked me and we ran up the flights of stairs.

"He saved me. I was stuck on the roof of one of the other buildings and I had no way off as they were a load of walkers packed down the staircase. He managed to get me off and back go the rest of the group that was with him."

No more was said as T-Dog cut the chain on the door. Daryl kicked it open eagerly wanting to get to his brother. But. He wasn't there. The only things that were there were his hand and a bloodied saw.

Before I could do anything Daryl had his crossbow aimed at T-Dog's head and Rick had his gun to Daryl's.

"I won't hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears it, " Rick said seriously. I shot Daryl a pleading look and after a few more long moments he lowered his crossbow.

Once the hand was put in Glenn's bag we went in search of Merle following the small bloody trail. By the time we got to the smashed window that Merle had left by I had a new respect for him. Which is something would never have I would find myself saying but he had managed to cut off his own hand, killed two walkers and cauterise the wound all without passing out.

"I'm goin' to get him, " Daryl said moving for the window only to be shoved back by Rick.
"Get your hand off me! You can't stop me!"

"I don't blame you. He's family I get that, " Rick said.

"We can check for a few blocks it's not likely Merle could have gotten very far, " I suggested.

"Only if we keep a level head, " Rick added.
"And only if we get the guns first. I'm not strolling around the streets of Atlanta with just good intentions," T-dog spoke up.

"So what's the plan for getting the guns?"

We were huddled around a whiteboard as Glenn explained his rather well-thought-out plan to us all.

"Hey, Kid. What'd you before all this?" Daryl questioned.

"Delivered pizzas. Why?"

I was a little surprised to find that that was what he had been doing before. As did Rick and Daryl it seemed by the looked they shared.

"Let's gets to work."

I was waiting with Rick and T-Dog when all the shouting started. I ran off immediately and the others followed behind. I sped down the alley towards Daryl who was glaring angrily at someone that I had never seen before. He shoved him backwards and I got ahold of Daryl and moved him away from the guy who looked quite young.

"I'm gonna kick your nuts up your throat!" Daryl screamed.

"Woah calm down Daryl. What happened?" I said holding the furious man back.

"They took Glenn. Little bastard and his little bastard homie friends, " Daryl said trying to push past me but I kept myself between him and the kid.

"I'm gonna stomp your ass." He tried to push past me again.

"Daryl enough. Beating the kid's arse, although quite tempting,  isn't going to help us get Glenn back and I think we have more pressing matters right now, " I said gesturing to the walkers pressing they're decaying faces into the fence.
                             ***
I walked behind Rick and Daryl with my gun in my hands scanning the areas for any attackers.

The wooden gates cranked open in front of us and a man stepped out.

"You ok, little man?" He asked.

"They were gonna cut off my feet," The boy whimpered.

"Cops do that?"

"Not him. This redneck puto here. He cut off some dudes hand man, " he cried distressed.

"That's that vato right there. He shot me in the ass with an arrow."

I aimed my gun and the new person trying to keep a smile off my face when I heard Daryl shot him in the arse. Childish I know.

"Is it true? He wants Miguelito's feet? That's pretty sick man, " The man who I assumed was Guillermo said to Rick.

"We were hoping more for a calm discussion, " Rick answered.

"The hilbilly jumps Felipe's cousin, beats on him, threatens to cut off his feet, Felipe gets an arrow in the ass and you want to have a calm discussion. You fascinate me."

The conversation went on but nothing good came of it. So we had to come up with a new plan to save Glenn which left is where we were now. Face to face with the other group armed and ready to shoot.

"I see my guns but they're not all in the bag."

"That's because they're not yours I thought I mentioned that, " Rick replied.

"Let's just shoot these fools right now, " Felipe said fed up.

"I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation, " Guillermo said ignoring his friend.

"No I think he does, " I piped up as Rick shoved the kid forward.

"You've got your man. We want ours, " I said.

"I'm gonna cut up your man and feed them to my dogs. They're the evilest, nastiest man-eating bitches you ever saw. I picked them up from Satan at a yard sale."

"I don't recall selling any dogs, " I muttered jokingly to myself but the half confused half-amused look Daryl gave me said I had not said it as quietly as I had thought.

"I told you how to had to be. Are you deaf?" Guillermo continued.

At this, we all cocked our guns and aimed. Everyone seemed fully prepared to kill everyone else in the room until an old lady came in.

From there everything changed and we ended up being shown the rest of their camp which seemed to be a care facility. We found Glenn safe and sound.

A dog yapped grabbing my attention.

"Well that's one vicious dog, " I said with heaps of sarcasm. Daryl just shook his head at me.

"Somethin' is wrong with ya woman."

"What do you mean?"

"We're in a room full a guns ready to kill each other and you think it's a good time for an 'I'm satan' joke."

"Well I still think it was funny, " I defended.

The leader of the others explained what they were doing here. It was nice to see that there were still some decent people left around taking care of those who couldn't take care of themselves.

In the end, Rick gave them some of the guns we had grabbed and we went our separate ways.

"Admit it you only came back to Atlanta for the hat, " Glenn joked.

"Don't tell anyone, " Rick replied.

"You've given half our guns and ammo, " Daryl added earning him an elbow to the ribs.

"Hey what the hell was that for?"

"Being whiny all the time, " I replied. "And besides its not really even half of what we have."

Before Daryl could make any retort we came back to where the van was only to find it was no longer there.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me, " I exclaimed.
"Who the hell would take our van?" Daryl exclaimed.

"Merle."