Bleeding Souls (Daryl Dixon)

40. A Journey In Sorrow

           I woke up to the sound of the cell block door slamming shut. I stood up from my bed and walked over to the plastic mirror and noticed how tired I looked. Not like your normal tired, but like I should sleep a year just to help get some of the tired off my face. I look away from the mirror and put on some black jeans with my black long-sleeved shirt. I could feel that the prison was getting colder, so I put on the black jacket Daryl got me back on the farm.

          I walk out of my cell and see Beth feeding Judith. I lean down and give her quick kiss on the forehead. "Who went out?" I ask Beth. Beth looks up at me and smiles. "Rick, Daryl and my dad." Beth says to me. I nod at her and glance down at Judith one more time before deciding to head up to the walkway and keep watch.

          As I start to head outside, I hear voices speaking to one another. I quickly realize that it's Daryl, Rick and Hershel.

          "It's the only way. Michonne isn't family. If sacrificing her saves my family then I'm gonna d what I need to do. No one else needs to know. Especially, not June." Rick says. I squint my eyes. Not sure what the hell Rick is talking about. Why is Rick keeping this from me?

          I lean in closer, making sure I hear every word.

          "You gonna tell 'em? You gonna tell June after it's done?" I hear Daryl ask. I hear Rick sigh before speaking.

          "Not till after. I know not everyone will agree with it, but this needs to be done. We have to do it today. It has to be quiet. June can't catch a scent of this." Rick says. I feel anger boiling inside of me. First he, Daryl and Hershel are keeping this from me and they are going to send a woman, a woman who has helped us, to her death. It took everything in my power not to bitch slap all three of them.

          "You gotta plan?" Daryl asks Rick. I hear Rick's boots hitting the ground. Meaning that he was walking. Probably towards Daryl.

         "Tell her we need to talk. Away from the others." Rick says.

         "This ain't us, man." Daryl says. I feel relief wash over me know that Daryl didn't want this.

          "No. No, it isn't." I hear Hershel say before I hear his crutches against the concrete floor. Letting me know that he is leaving the conversation.

          I peak my head out and watch as Hershel makes his way into the prison.

          "We do this, we avoid a fight. No one else dies." Rick says. I listen closely and wait for Daryl's response. "All right." Daryl agrees with Rick. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. "You've gotta be fucking kidding me." I say quietly to myself.

           "We need someone else." Rick says. I start to wonder who would help him do this. Other than Daryl. Then my mind clicks. I quickly leave the area and run to cell block B where Merle is holding up.

          As I bust through the doors, I run up and see Merle ripping a part a mattress. "Merle don't do it." I say out of breath to him. He looks at me and scoffs. "It's just a damn mattress, Blondie." Merle says to me. I walk over to him and shake my head. "Rick and Daryl... their plan is to deliver Michonne to The Governor. We're better than that. And if you're going to be a part of this family, you have to be better than that. Rick and Daryl are just... excited about the idea of not dying in fight." I say to Merle.

          Merle looks into my eyes and I can see the conflict behind them. "I would rather... Daryl dies, with a pure soul than a corrupt one. Sending Michonne to her death... it would eat him up inside." I say to Merle.