Sneaky

Chapter 4

Halfway to the city, I got tired of standing and laid down in the center of the truck; Getting a nice upside down view of the sky through the front windshield.

I can see the clouds from right here. It's only like a 3 inch slit but it's funny, no matter if you're rightside up or upside down, clouds technically don't have a right side up, yet they still look wrong if you're upside down.

Lying contently in the sunlight, I closed my eyes, letting a sigh go.

If only there was a nice cool breeze, you could almost forget the world is eroding away...

Ten minutes of silence later, Daryl finally broke it instead of just scowling at T-Dog, or his crossbow.

"He better be okay. That's my only word on the matter."

"I told you, the geeks can't get at him. The only thing that's gonna get through that door is us." T-Dog rubbed his hand over his face. Exhausted frustration with having Daryl glaring daggers at him the whole trip shining through his voice.

Ohhhh...it's gonna be a long day.

I should be getting paid somehow for this. If I'd known I was gonna be the chaperone on this play date I would've made a demand myself.

Another few minutes ticked by and Glenn finally stopped the truck.

I sat up, twisting to look at the pair in the front seats.

"We walk from here." Glenn looked at me and I nodded, getting up. I had intended to get the door but Daryl beat me to it.

He and T-Dog jumped out first, myself following closely, and we ran down the train tracks to a hole in the fence, me and Glenn use when we do runs into the city.

Glenn rolled the fence away, letting me step through first.

Once on the other side, I scanned the area for walkers. Luckily for us they hardly ever come out this far; and when they do, it's usually only one or two who've wandered or were drawn out by a bird or something.

"Merle first or guns?" Rick stood just behind me, waiting for the others to step through.

"Merle. We ain't even having this conversation." Daryl came around him, but surprisingly didn't blow past me in a reckless fury to find his brother without us.

"We are" Rick stated tenaciously.

"You know the geography. It's your call." Rick turned to Glenn as we began our journey out of the frying pan and headed straight into the fire.

"Merle's closest. The guns would mean doubling back. Merle first."

Good thing too, or we'd probably have ended up either splitting up or chasing after one very angry Dixon on a hunt for the other.

Glenn motioned at me and I jogged ahead of them. Per usual, I'm the scout.

I don't imagine we won't draw attention, all of us here. There's only 5 of us, but in my experience, it only takes 1 to draw a crowd of those things.

A single wrong turn, downward draft, or just plain bad timing and Merle won't be the only one left behind in the city.

-

We made our way to the department store Merle's supposedly cuffed to, and it's eerily empty; except for a lone walker wandering near the back.

I motioned behind me, letting the others know the coast is clear- for all intensive purposes. One walker on the other side against the 5 of us isn't as much of a threat as I was expecting to run into here.

I tapped Rick when he came up next to me and pointed to the walker.

Rick motioned to Daryl, and pointed to the walker just as I had. Daryl moved around us and grumbled something before putting it down with a bolt.

I moved to the stairs and looked up through the center while the others made their way to me.

No walkers that I can see, and they aren't exactly shy about letting you know they're there.

I motioned to the other 4 to head up the stairs and followed at the back, watching our 6.

Thundering up the flights of steps, as soon as we reached the top, T-Dog cut the chain, and Daryl ran out onto the roof calling for his brother before I could even blink.

I was last out onto the roof but I stopped as soon as Daryl yelled, "No!"

I followed his line of sight to a spot on the ground.

Merle wasn't there but a pool of blood, a bloodied hacksaw, and what I assume is Merle's hand, is all that's left.

Last time I checked, Walkers can't devour bone and there'd be a lot more blood if he'd died here, plus that door was still chained. That dumbass must've done this himself.

Good God, man.

All you have to do to get out of handcuffs is break your thumb, but of course, you decided it'd be less painful to cut your damn hand off- Hell, you could've jammed that saw into the space between the cuffs and just as easily have broken them.

I ran my hands over my face, pulling my skin until I ran out of face and it all snapped back into place.

Now we've got two angry Dixon's on the loose in a city full of corpses. One of them is missing a hand, the other has a crossbow...Lovely.

This is gonna be fun¿

Daryl paced back and forth before he flipped, aiming at T-Dog. Rick aimed his Revolver at Daryl's head in almost the same second but that didn't deter Daryl from keeping his crossbow pointed at T.

"I won't hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears it." Rick threatened.

This time I did decide to get involved and came around Glenn, making sure Daryl could see me as I came up and gently but firmly placed my hand on his shoulder, silently telling him not to go through with what he's clearly considering.

This isn't gonna help Merle, he knows that. He must've noticed the same things I have. He's a hunter.

Daryl hesitated before lowering his bow, along with his head. I let my hand fall a few seconds later, when he looked back up.

He glanced down, getting his head back together before looking back at T-Dog.

"You...you got a do rag, or somethin?"

T-Dog hesitated, uncertainly pulling a blue bandana out of his thigh pocket and held it out to Daryl.

Daryl snatched it less violently than I honestly expected and handed me his crossbow, not bothering to wait and see if I actually had hold of it before he let go.

I can't believe he actually let me touch this thing, let alone hold it. He's so protective of it- almost more so than he is of his brother.

I watched as he laid the blue cloth on the ground and picked up Merle's hand by the pinkie.

"I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuff." And his brain, apparently.

"Ain't that a bitch." Daryl narrowed his eyes at it, inspecting it as if he didn't totally believe it belonged to his brother. I almost don't believe it myself.

Placing it on the bandana, he wrapped it up before rising. Looking between us, he motioned at Glenn before moving past me and shoving the appendage into Glenn's backpack.

Glenn gave a grimace but tolerated it. I gave him a sympathetic shrug and he nodded, closing his eyes.

Yeah, sorry Glenn. I'd have taken it but you brought the backpack and frankly, I'm better with a weapon than you.

"He must've used a tourniquet. Maybe his belt. There'd be much more blood if he didn't." Daryl turned back to me and I handed him his crossbow, following him back to the stairs.

What I don't understand is how Merle got off this roof. The door was still bolted...

"Merle! You in here!?" Daryl called down the staircase, crossbow ready before the rest of us followed him down.