RULE THE WORLD | D.DIXON

019

THE CUT THAT ALWAYS BLEEDS-019

TWO WEEKS LATER

Raiding an entire store on supply run, Glenn, Maggie, and Matilda had hit the jackpot after they had found a large supply of baby formula and diapers.

"We just hit the powered formula jackpot," Glenn called towards the girls as he filled his basket with formula.

"Oh, thank god," Maggie says, letting out a sigh. Her backpack was filled with diapers.

The trio headed out of the store and into the summer heat. Matilda walked over to an abandoned car and placed the basket of food on the hood.

"It's a straight shot back, to the prison from here. Probably make it home before dinner." Glenn informed walking over with his girlfriend.

"I like the quiet." Maggie mused, before pulling out her gun, pointing it over Glenn's head.

Glenn whips around, taking out his gun with Matilda loading her bow and was with met the familiar Dixon blue.

"Merle?" Glenn asked shocked.

Merle Dixon, the older brother of Daryl stood with his hands raised. His similar blue eyes peered into Glenn and to the girls. "Wow."

"Hey, back the hell up!" Matilda ordered.

"Okay, okay, honey." The man said, stopping.

"Jesus, you made it." Glenn stared in disbelief.

The older Dixon smirked. "Can you tell me, is my brother alive? Huh?"

"Yeah," Glenn said, continuing to point his gun at Merle.

The older man laughed. "Hey, you take me to him and I'll call it even on everything that happened up there in Atlanta. No hard feelings, huh? You like it?"

The trio stared at the man's missing hand causing Merle to chuckle and hold it up.

"Well, I found myself a medical supply warehouse, Fixed it up myself. Petty cool, huh?"

"We'll tell Daryl you're here and he'll come out to meet you," Glenn said.

"Hold up. Just hold on." Merel said, moving slightly towards them.

"Whoa, whoa," Glenn said, holding out one of his hands.

"Hold up. Hey, the fact that we found each other is a miracle. Come on now, you can trust me." Merle says, holding up his hands.

"You can trust us. You stay here." Glenn annoyed, they were all tired and they don't want to deal with old Merle.

Anger flared up in the older Dixon's face. And in a flash, Maggie yelped as Merle's rough hands grabbed her and pulled her to his chest.

Matilda and Glenn yelled for him to let her go, but the old man just laughed. Merle holds Maggie tightly with his knifed hand to her neck.

Maggie whimpered, feeling the cold blade touch her neck and clutched Merle's arm tightly, trying to break free. She only stopped when she felt warm blood trickle down her throat.

"Let go of her! Let go of her!" Glenn shouted angrily.

Matilda pointed her bow at the old man's head, as he spoke.

"Put the gun and bow in the car right now. Put it in the car, son, girl."

Matilda and Glenn placed their weapons in the car, holding up their hands.

Merle chuckled. "There you go. Now we're gonna go for a little drive."

"We're not going back to our camp." Matilda said, shaking her head.

"No, we're going somewhere else." The old man said. "Get in the car, Glenn! Girl! You're driving! Move!"

"Don't." Glenn said, looking at his girlfriend.

Merle pushed his knife harder to Maggie's throat making her whimper. Glenn and Matilda climb into the car, as Merle shoves Maggie in. The old man jumps in, slamming the door shut before pointing his gun at Glenn.

Glenn inhaled as he started the car, glancing at the rearview mirror at the girls. Maggie was silently sobbing as Matilda just glared at the older man.

Not likely the way Tilly was staring at him, Merle takes the butt of his gun and hits the girl across the face. Matilda's head slammed against the door of the van, knocking her out.

***

The sound of someone being beaten was the first thing Matilda heard as she regained consciousness.

She was laying on her stomach, pain shooting up her back as she slowly lifted her head. Her vision slightly blurred, as silhouettes of two people caught her attention.

"Well, looky here. Princess finally woke up." Merle's gruff voice broke out.
His figure moved into the dark haired girl's line of sight, kneeling down next to her head and caressed her bruised cheek. She flinched away from his hand, causing him to chuckle.

"With the beating you got, I thought you wouldn't woken up."

Matilda was utterly confused, as her body was lifted in someone's arms. She grunted as pain shot through her as her body was thrown across the room.

Letting out a pain scream, her battered body hit the ground before a pair of arms scooped her up carefully. Matilda flinched harshly, squirming in the unknown arms.

"Tilly, hey, it's okay. It's Glenn. It's me. You're okay."

She relaxed upon hearing her best friend's voice as Matilda opened her eyes. Glenn looked over her body, seeing that she got worse than him.

Her legs were covered in bruises and little tiny dots, same with her arms. But instead of cuts, they were cigarette burns. Her lips were bruised black and blue, with a cut.

Merle laughed cruelly as he walked towards the pair. He was about to grab Matilda again when a female's voice stopped him.

"Leave her, Dixon."

Glenn and Matilda looked towards the door and saw a woman standing in the doorway. As the woman walked further into the room, Tilly's eyes widen as she saw who it was.

"She's mine."

"But, Maria—" Merle started but Maria cut him off.

"No." Maria sneered at the old man. "You can have the boy, but she's mine."

Merle nodded, backing away from Glenn and Matilda. Maria walked towards the pair, kneeling in front with an ugly smile.

"Hello, daughter."