In the Very End: Book One

Chapter 8

*WARNING: Please be advised that this chapter contains mature content and strong language.*

Chapter 8
Daryl's POV

I awoke to the sound of Merle's voice.

"Why don't you take that arrow out, dummy? You could bind your wound better."

I smiled. "Merle."

He smiled genuinely while his eyes traced over me. "What's goin' on here? You takin' a siesta or somethin'?"

"Shitty day, bro," I answered.

"Want me to get you a pillow, maybe rub your feet?" Merle asked sarcastically.

"Screw you," I said tiredly, turning my head to the side.

"You're the one screwed by the looks of it. All these years I spent tryna make a man of you, and this is what I get. Look at ya, lyin' in the dirt. You're gonna die out here, lil' brother...and for what?" He shook his head.

"Girl. They lost a lil' girl," I replied.

"So you got a thing for little girls now?" Merle asked.

"Shut up."

"'Cause I noticed you ain't out lookin' for ole Merle no more."

"Tried like hell to find you, bro," I assured.

"Like hell you did. You're spoiled, man; let out the first chance you got," he spat.

"You let out. All you had to do was wait. We went back for you, Rick and I. We did right by ya," I defended.

"This the same Rick that cuffed me to the rooftop in the first place? Forced me to cut off my own hand? That who we talkin' 'bout? You his bitch now?" He cocked his head.

"I ain't nobody's bitch," I rejected.

"You're a joke is what you are. Playin' Arrow Boy to a bunch of pansy ass niggers and democrats. You're nothin' but a freak to them. Redneck trash; that's all you are. Yeah, they're laughin' at you behind your back, you know that don't you? I got news for you, son. One of these days, they're gonna scrape you off their heels like you was dog shit." Merle paused. "They ain't your kin. You're blood. Hell, if you have some damn nuts in that sack of yours, go shoot your pale Rick in the face for me. Now you listen to me, ain't nobody ever gonna care about you except me, lil brother...not even Quinn."

I perked at her name. "Quinn?"

When I re-opened my eyes, Merle was gone and Quinn was there.

"C'mon, Daryl, get on up. C'mon, love, get up."

She had her long, dark, brown hair up in a messy bun. She wore blue skinny jeans and a tight tanktop.

Suddenly, Quinn turned to a walker. I blinked the fuzziness away and kicked the walker off of me. I grabbed a stick as he made his way towards me. He lunged onto me, but I flipped him over and crushed his brain in with the stick. I then turned the stick and stuck it point first into his head.

As another walker approached, I quickly pulled the arrow out of my side, hiding the pain, and grabbed my crossbow. I struggled to pull the string back, but I did. I loaded my arrow and fell on my back, shooting him in the head as he fell to my side.

I let my head rest on the hot dirt and fell asleep.

___

I awoke to the sun shining brighter than it was before and I sat up. I took off my shirt and tied it around my waist.