Spider Monkey

Chapter Eighteen - This Means War

"Why don't he wear shoes?" Merle asked Daryl as they watched Hedley doing a puzzle on the porch.

"Don't like 'em." The younger Dixon said, "Whenever I get 'im to wear 'em, he takes 'em off when I'm not lookin'."

Merle huffed out a small laugh, "You said you found 'em swingin' in the trees?"

"Yeah. Little fella loves to climb. That's why I call 'im Spider Monkey."

"He reminds me of you when ya were young."

Daryl frowned at his brother, "Really?"

"Quiet, loner, always in the woods. Ya not much different. That and ya used to throw the most explosive hissy fits if ya didn't get your way."

"No, I didn't."

"Yeah, ya did." Carol came in, giving Hedley an apple. Merle smiled at her, "Hey there, darlin'. Ya lookin' beautiful on this fine day."

Carol blushed a little and shook her head, "Turn it down, Dixon, or I'll chop it off."

"As long as ya holdin' it."

Carol scoffed to hide her laugh, walking out. Daryl hit his brother on the arm.

Hedley happily ate his apple, oblivious to the banter.

Daryl stood, "Hey, Spider Monkey, wanna go huntin'?"

Hedley jumped to his feet, grabbing his crossbow, bouncing up and down.

Daryl looked at Merle, "Ya comin' with us."

"Why?"

"I got to keep an eye on ya. Besides, Spider Monkey probably want ya to come."

Hedley nodded, humming.

That was how the three journeyed into the woods. Hedley shot up into the trees, swinging from branch to branch effortlessly as the two men went on foot.

Merle whistled, watching the boy move quickly, "Damn. He's fast."

The familiar sounds of growls and groans came in through the trees and four walkers came into view. Daryl shot one, Merle used his stump to stab another. Daryl brought his knife out to stab the third and the final one was shot in the head by an arrow. The Dixons glanced up the tree to see Hedley still aiming. Daryl took his own arrow and reloaded, he then got Hedley's and offered it to him. The boy didn't get down. Instead, he dangled his foot down and grabbed it using his toes. He put the bolt in his quiver, strapped his bow to his back before jumping to the next tree.

"He's a weird lil' fucker but I've gotta admit, the kid's got skill." Merle commented before going deeper in the woods.

They managed to catch a deer, medium with a good amount of meat on it. Merle carried it back to the prison. When the three got back, Rick was talking to the group.

"So, I met this Governor. Sat with him for quite a while."

"Just the two of you?" Hershel didn't look happy.

"Yeah."

Merle huffed, putting the dead deer onto the table, "Should have gone when we had the chance, bro."

Rick ignored him and told the group, "He wants the prison. He wants us gone. Dead. He wants us dead for what we did to Woodbury. We're going to War."

***

That night, Hedley woke up suddenly. He was on the porch, looking around to see the space Daryl normally was. Empty. He went over to his cell where he last saw Merle snoring in. Empty. Frowning, he went down the stairs and heard voices just outside, next to where they store the food. Hershel, Rick, Daryl and Merle were gathered round.

"Give him that girl. It's our best option." Merle said.

"He ain't gonna kill her, you know." Daryl said, "He's just gonna do things to her. Probably take out one of her eyes. "

Merle shrugged, "Both of 'em, most likely."

"You'd let that happen for a shot?"

It was Rick's turn to shrug.

"Whew." Merle smirked, "You're cold as ice, Officer Friendly."

"So that's our plan?" Hershel said, "Give Michonne to the Governor?"

"It's what he wants. It's worth a try." Rick said but before he could say any more, Hedley ran forward, a face of anger. "Hedley?"

"Whatcha doin', kid? Ya meant to be asleep." Daryl said.

Hedley ignored him, diving into his pockets to get his collection of cards. Going through them before slamming some down onto the table.

'No'. 'Michonne'. 'Stay'. 'Family'.

"She ain't family, Hedley." Rick whispered.

Hedley poked at the card that said 'Family' on it, fingers drumming on the surface.

Hershel sighed, "He's right, Rick. This isn't right."

Rick paused, looking at the boy before reading the cards again. He nodded, "Fine."

Merle cackled, "Shit. Ya got some balls, kid. Ya definitely a Dixon."

Hedley smiled.

Daryl reached over to ruffle his hair.

Hershel saw the concern on Rick's face and patted his shoulder, "We'll find another way."

Rick just nodded, biting his lower lip.

The next time Hedley woke up, it was breakfast. He went down to get something to eat, stopping when hearing Carol and Merle talking in Beth's cell. Carol was rocking Judith.

Merle leaned against the wall, smiling up at the woman, "Ya ain't like ya was back in the camp- a little mouse runnin' around, scared of her own shadow."

"It wasn't my shadow I was afraid of; it was my husband's."

"Well, ya don't seem scared of nothing anymore."

"I'm not." She said firmly, "I like to think that if he came wandering in here, I'd shoot him."

"Hmm. You're a late bloomer."

She smirked, "Maybe you are, too. But in the opposite way."

Hedley went off to get a bowl of porridge. Sitting next to Carl, he tucked in.

Carl turned to him, "Do you trust Merle?"

Hedley nodded.

"Do you know what he's done? He hurt Glenn."

Hedley nodded again.

"So how can you trust him after that?"

The boy showed Carl a card. 'Family'.

Glenn overheard the conversation, narrowing his eyes at Hedley, "Really? You're just willing to forgive him? Just like that?"

Hedley flipped the card around and took out his pen. Wrote down something then gave it to Glenn before heading back into the cell block to finish off his breakfast in peace.

Glenn looked at the words, feeling the hatred in his chest deflate.

'Forgiveness doesn't change what happened, but it could change our future.'