Endure and Survive (Sequel to How We Live Now)

Chapter 3

The sound of arguing caused me to wake up. I looked up and could see Rick and Andrea. They had come back. I quickly got up and out of the car. I made my way to them and saw why the arguing had started. They had brought Daryl back but Merle was with them as well.

"I don't want him anywhere near me," Michonne said with her katana out.

Merle wasn't making things any better.

"Y'all are a bunch of pussies," he said.

"Merle, shut up!" Daryl shouted.

Merle was about to add something else but Rick didn't give him the chance to. Giving him a blow behind the head, Merle was out like a light.

"What happened?" I asked.

"The governor had them pinned against each other then brought a walker to them. He tried to have them kill each other," Andrea said.

"What the hell?" I asked.

"Yeah. He said that he wanted to test Merle's loyalty," she said.

"That sick son of a bitch. So what do we do now?" I said.

"We bring him with us," Daryl said.

"No. We're not gonna do that," Rick said.

"Why the hell not? He's family, Rick. He ain't with the governor no more. Not after what just happened," Daryl said.

"He's your family. And you're ours. He's unpredictable, Daryl. Who knows what having him at the prison will do," Rick said.

"With all due respect, Rick but Merle isn't the governor. We shouldn't be wasting our time trying to figure out whether or not we should have him come with us. The longer we stay out here arguing, we run the risk of him finding us. That's why we have to get the hell out of here before he comes looking. You don't know what he's capable of. We have to leave, now," I said.

"I'm not riding with him," Michonne said.

"Michonne..." I started.

"No, Kari. Don't ask me to go along as if he didn't try to kill me," she said sternly.

She put her katana away and turned to head back to the car.

"I'll see if I can talk some sense into her," Andrea said.

She left and the three of us were alone with Merle's body on the ground.

"Rick, we have to leave," I said.

"I know...but," he started.

"But what? I ain't leaving my brother out here on his own. I did that once. I ain't doing it again," Daryl said.

"Daryl, we need you at the prison. You're one of us," Rick said.

"What if we put him in the back?" I suggested.

Just then, Merle groaned and started to come to. Rick sighed and headed to the car. I looked at Daryl.

"I'll give the two of you a minute," I said.

I turned and followed the way Rick had gone. When I got to the car, Andrea and Michonne were on either side of it. I could feel the tension between them from where I stood. Rick was placing his things in the trunk of the car. I went over and leaned against the car.

"You have something to say?" he asked.

"No...just...I don't know. Maybe I should have just stayed there. Had I stayed, Merle wouldn't have come out to look for us...or maybe he would have..." I started.