𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐒

𝟏𝐱𝟎𝟒

DARYL was breathing heavily, looking at his brothers hand until the crossbow clicked and he pointed it at T-Dog. Rick pulls out his gun and aims it at Daryl. "I won't hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears it." Rick stated firmly to Daryl. I guess Daryl realized that Rick wasn't bluffing and lowered the crossbow. Rick lowered his gun.

"You got a durag or something?" Daryl asked T-Dog. Then T-Dog grabbed a blue durag out of his pocket and handed it to Daryl. Daryl picked up Merle's severed hand by one finger with his hand. "I guess the saw blade was too dull for the handcuffs. Ain't that a bitch." He grimaced towards the end while holding the hand up. He sighed again while placing the hand on the durag and wrapping it up. He stood up from the ground and moved toward Glenn to put the hand in his backpack.

I sighed and shook my head at that, damn that's gross. "He must have used a tourniquet, maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn't." Daryl said. He followed the trail of blood Merle left on the ground. Glenn, Rick and I followed while T-Dog went to pick up Dale's tools then followed us. The trail of blood leads to an open door that said caution on it. Daryl walked in first with his crossbow up in the air. Rick followed, them me, Glenn and T-Dog. "Merle? You in here?" Daryl called out as we walked down some stairs.

I had one of my hands on my sword behind my back as a precaution. I was walking alongside my brother as we were behind Daryl and Rick and T-Dog was behind us. We walked into some room that looked like an abandoned office. We noticed two dead walkers on the ground.

"Had enough in him to take out these two sumbitches. One handed. Toughest asshole I ever met, my brother." He said before he started grunting while reloading an arrow into his crossbow. When I tell you that grunt was sexy as hell...wow, Ara get outta your head. This dude is brazen, surly, and impulsive, don't start something you can't finish.

"Feed him a hammer, he'd crap out nails." Daryl continued. "Any man can pass out from blood loss, no matter how tough he is." Rick stated.

We all started moving along. "Merle!" Daryl exclaimed again. "We're not alone here. Remember?" Rick cautioned. "It wouldn't be a party if we were." I nudged to Glenn. "You have problems." Glenn told me. "The best kind of problems little brother." I remarked. "I don't think there are good kinds of problems Ara." Glenn said. "Well I think there are." I shrugged with a smile.

"Screw that." Daryl said in response to Rick. "He could be bleeding out. You said so yourself." Daryl continued before he walked into another room and we all followed. It was a kitchen where the burners on the stove were still on. There was blood everywhere. "What's that burned stuff?" Glenn asked.

"Skin. He cauterized the stump." Rick replied before looking back at us. That is some tough shit, I wouldn't have been able to do that. Hopefully if I make it out of this alive, I won't have to do it to myself. I blew out some air while looking down at the stove covered in blood. "Told you he was tough. Nobody can kill Merle but Merle." Daryl told Rick.

"Don't take that on faith. He's lost a lot of blood." Rick remarked. "Yeah? Didn't stop him from busting out of this death trap." Daryl said before walking to a window. "Holy shit." I marveled from behind him. "He left the building? Why the hell would he do that?" Glenn exclaimed. We all looked at the bloody rag by the window and the broken glass.

"Surviving." Daryl responded before walking away. "You call that surviving?" T-Dog questioned. "Just wandering out in the streets, maybe passing out? What are his odds out there." T-Dog continued. "No worse than being handcuffed and left to rot by you sorry pricks." Daryl spat at us. "Oh Jesus! Merle got his ass handcuffed to a roof because of himself! Sorry that happened to your brother, but that's what happened." I exclaimed. I then sighed as Daryl came up to face me and eyed me until I eyed him right back. "You ain't sorry." Daryl spat. "Your right I'm not." I agreed. Merle's an asshole.

Then Daryl turned away from me and looked at Rick. "You couldn't kill him. Ain't so worried about some dumb dead bastard." Daryl asserted towards Rick. "What about 1,000 dumb dead bastards? Different story?" Rick argued. "Why don't you take a tally?" Daryl carried on. Jesus these two need to get married.

"Do what you want. I'm gonna go get him." Daryl went to walk away until Rick pushed him back. "Daryl, wait." Rick said. "Get your hands off me!" Daryl exclaimed. Glenn and I looked at each other with wide eyes and raised eyebrows questioning what the hell is happening.

"You can't stop me." Daryl seethed. "I don't blame you. He's family, I get that. I went through hell to find mine. I know exactly how you feel. He can't get far with that injury. We could help you check a few blocks around, but only if we keep a level head." Rick stated. "I could do that." Daryl agreed.

Then Rick looked at me waiting for me to agree also. "Oh come on! I'm level headed." I exclaimed. Then Rick tilted his head and raised his eyebrow at me. "Jesus. Fine." I sighed. I'm level headed I know I'm right. Then Rick looked at T-Dog. T-Dog shook his head and sighed. "Only if we get those guns first. I'm not strolling the streets of Atlanta with just my good intentions, okay?" T-Dog said defending himself. I nodded my head towards him in agreement.

We all just took a minute and sat down in some room. Glenn, T-Dog, and I were on the floor beside each other while Daryl and Rick were standing. We were going over the plan my brother came up with to get the guns and Merle. "You guys aren't doing this alone." Rick said. "Even I think it's a bad idea and I don't even like y'all much." Daryl chimed in.

"It's a good idea, okay, if you just hear me out. If we go out there in a group, we're slow drawing attention. If Ara and I go alone we can move fast." Glenn said. "Dude he's right and you know it." I argued. "Look. That's the tank five blocks from where we are now. That's the bag of guns." Glenn pointed out on the makeshift map he drew out.

"Here's the alley we saved your ass in when we first met." I motioned towards Rick. "That's where Daryl, Glenn, and I will go." I continued pointing somewhere else on the map. "Why me?" Daryl asked me gruffly. "Why not?" I retorted with a tight lipped smile. "Your crossbow is quieter than his gun." Glenn said to Daryl. "So is my sword." I added on.

"While Daryl and Ara wait here in the alley, I run up the street, grab the bag." Glenn carried on with the plan. Seriously Glenn why would you stick me with Daryl. I'm gonna die it's official, I'm dying today.

"Y'all got us elsewhere?" Rick questioned. "You and T-Dog right. You'll be in this alley here." Glenn told Rick. "Two blocks away? Why?" Rick asked us. "I may not be able to come back the same way. Walkers might cut me off. If that happens, I won't go back to Ara and Daryl. I'll go forward instead, all the way around to that alley where you guys are. Whichever direction I go, I got you in both places to cover me." Glenn explained. If that were to happen I'd go back for Glenn but I know that he knew that already. I can't lose my little brother. He's my responsibility.

"Afterwards, we'll all meet back here." Glenn continued. "Hey, kid, what'd you do before all this?" Daryl asked my brother. "Delivered pizzas. Why?" Glenn questioned. Rick looked at Daryl and Daryl nodded. That was some weird guy language typa thing that just happened. It's too much testosterone in here.

We all split up to do our tasks. Glenn, Daryl, and I climbed down the latter and we stealthily sped walk and made our way behind a trash can. Daryl was right behind me and I was behind Glenn. We hid behind another trash can making sure not to be seen by a walker.

Daryl loaded up his crossbow and I took my sword out of its scabbard. "Y'all got some balls for China people." Daryl commented. "We're Korean asshole." I corrected. "Whatever." Daryl retorted. Glenn made a run for it and Daryl and I were waiting behind the trash can until we heard footsteps. We both stood up at the same time and held our weapons in front of the boy.

"Whoa, don't shoot me! What do you want?" The boy question nervously. "I'm looking for my brother. He's hurt real bad. You seen him?" Daryl questioned. "Ayudame!" The boy shouted. "Be quiet!" I whisper yelled. "You're gonna bring the geeks down on us. Answer me." Daryl demanded. "Answer me." Daryl demanded. "Ayudame! Ayudame! Ayudame!" The boy shouted again. I'm gonna kill this damn kid.

Daryl smacked him upside the head with his crossbow knocking the kid down to the ground. I aimed my sword at the boy. As the boy kept screaming. Daryl put his hand over the kids mouth. "Shut up. Shut up." Daryl demanded.

All you heard was the boys muffled screaming. Two guys came at us and kicked Daryl while the other guy grabbed me before I head butted him. He got back up and hit me in the face. I was caught off guard and dropped my sword. I was on the ground and one of them was kicking Daryl and I and the other was swinging a bat down on us.

"That's it. That's the bag, vato." I heard one of the guys say. They ran toward my brother while I was on the ground. Oh hell no! I held my side in pain before I jumped on one of the guys from behind so they wouldn't get to Glenn. He struggled to get from my grip until he made sure to ram my back into the wall. I was thrown to the ground once again.

They started beating up Glenn until Daryl shot one of them in the back of his leg with an arrow. I nodded my head toward Daryl in gratitude and he returned the gesture. I was right by the guy who got shot and he started screaming in agony.

He grabbed me off the floor while the other guy grabbed my brother. "Let me go you bitch!" I shouted. "Get off me! Get off me!" Glenn shouted. I heard a car approaching and it stopped in front on the alley we were in. "Daryl! Daryl!" Glenn and I shouted in unison.

Daryl was running up to get us but they shoved us in the backseat. I knew it. I knew I was gonna die today. They better write me a good ass eulogy.

They dragged us into some abandoned building roughly. I swear when I get out this shit I'm gonna slit their throats for hurting Glenn.

They pushed us to walk towards the door. "You dick!" I exclaimed trying to get out the bald guys hold. They kept us waiting in some room for awhile with a bunch of other guys.

A Few Moments Later

Two guys all of sudden had put bags over our heads, with our hands tied, and duct tape over our mouths. They took us somewhere. With the way they were leaning us over, it seemed like we were above ground.

Then they took the bags off of our heads and we were on a roof. Oh crap we're screwed. I heard Glenn started whimpering as they leaned us over the edge. I looked over at him worriedly. When we looked down below us we saw the kid from earlier, Daryl holding up his crossbow, and Rick holding up his gun.

They were having some kind of conversation but it was inaudible. Then they took us back inside before we could see what was going on. They took the duct tape off of us and the binds and took us into another room. A nursing home. You could hear the elderly coughing and separated in different rooms.

So that's why these people are like this. To protect the elderly. You really can't judge a book by its cover. But, in our defense they did look like they came straight up out of Boyz n the Hood or something. I saw an older woman walking slowly and I went over to help her get to the table. "Do you need anything?" I asked her softly while holding her hand. "No sweetheart I'm alright thank you." She said thankfully. I smiled gently at her and looked to find Glenn helping some other guy.

Then all of a sudden an elderly African American man started having trouble breathing and we all made our way over there concerned for him. Apparently he had asthma and he had medicine to take for it so we all started to look for his medicine and couldn't find it. A petite elderly lady said that she would go find her grandson so he could help.

Rick, Daryl, and T-Dog had came in with them. I glanced at them and gave them a peace sign before turning my attention back to the man having an asthma attack. The man gave the guy his inhaler and the inhaler made a hissing sound as the elderly man used it. Rick looked at Glenn and I with a puzzled expression.

"What the hell is this?" Rick asked. "He was having an asthma attack." I replied. "Couldn't get his breath all of a sudden." Glenn added on. "We thought you guys were being eaten by dogs, man." T-Dog chimed in. "Those dogs? Their chihuahuas T." I remarked while looking at the dogs and back as T.

The one of the three chihuahuas started barking. I don't get why their barking but I mean you never know. Then Rick asked to talk to their leader or whatever. They were having their own conversation while I walked over to the dogs and pet them. I love dogs but I never had one and now I probably won't ever have one unfortunately. The dogs leaped into my lap and cuddled into me and licked my face.

I felt someone's eyes seeping into the back of my head and turned around to catch Daryl looking at me before looking away. I have no idea what that was. Then the guy and Rick went into a room and T-Dog, Daryl, Glenn and I followed him. "What about the rest of your crew?" Rick asked the guy.

"The vatos trickle in to check on their parents, their grandparents. They see how things are and most decide to stay. It's a good thing too. We need the muscle. The people we've encountered since things fell apart, the worst kind, plunderers, the kind that take by force." The guy replied.

"That's not who we are." Rick assured him. "How was I to know? My people got attacked and you show up with Miguel hostage. Appearances." The guy stated. "Guess the world changed." T-Dog chimed in. "No. It's the same as it ever was. The weak get taken." The guy corrected.

"So we do what we can here. The vatos work on those cars, talk about getting the old people out of the city. But most can't even get to the bathroom by themselves, so that's just a dream. Still it keeps the crew busy, and that's worth something. So we barred all the windows, welded all the doors shut except for one entrance. The vatos, they go out, scavenge what they can to keep us going. We watch the perimeter night and day and we wait. The people here, they all look to me now. I don't even know why." The guy explained before seeming to be questioning himself towards the end of his whole speech.

"Because they can." Rick told him before handing him a gun. The guy took it. Then Rick unzipped the bag with the guns inside of it before putting one on the table. Then another and another and well you get it.

Finally, after a couple centuries, we made it out of there and alive which is a win in my book. We were walking back to the truck to head back to camp. "Admit it, you only came back to Atlanta for the hat." Glenn said to Rick. I laughed because it was true, he thought we wouldn't notice but we did. "Don't tell anybody." Rick requested jokingly towards us.

"You've given away half our guns and ammo." Daryl said. "Not nearly half." Rick argued. "For what? Bunch of old farts who are gonna die off momentarily anyhow? Seriously, how long you think they got?" Daryl questioned. Really Daryl.

"How long do any of us?" Rick questioned as we kept walking back to the truck only to stop. Where the holy hell is the truck?!? We left it right here. "What the shit." I muttered. "Oh my god." Glenn sighed. "Where the hells our van?" Daryl questioned.

"We left it right there. Who would take it?" Glenn asked. "Merle." Rick answered. "He's gonna be taking some vengeance back to camp." Daryl stated. Shit! It's gonna take us forever to get back to camp.

A Few Hours Later

We had been running for awhile hoping to get back to camp in one piece. If anyone told me the world would end and we'd be doing all of this exercise, I would've at least I don't know get in shape. We heard gun shots in the distance. "Oh shit." I sighed. "Oh my god." Rick mumbled. "Go! Go!" He exclaimed to us while we were running in a hastily.

We had finally made our way up through the forest and heard a bunch of screaming. Rick fired a shot and so did Glenn. Daryl and I ran up to the herd and started taking em out. I made sure to make only headshots.

One was coming up behind me and I didn't notice until Daryl shot it down for me. I looked back at him and nodded at him thankfully and he gave me a curt nod in response. We had been killing a bunch of them. We saw what was left of the group and Rick walked up to them. Carl ran to him and hugged him.

We were panting and looking for more. I looked around and noticed Andrea sobbing over Amy's dead body. I put my hand over my mouth and looked over at her sympathetically. Amy was such a sweet person and deserved so much more than to die like that. Andrea was wailing in agony and it was so hard to watch.

I grabbed Glenn's hand and gave it a squeeze before he squeezed my hand back. "Hey!" Daryl shouted. I looked over at him and pointed at myself wondering if he was talking to me or my brother. He nodded firmly and I nudged Glenn's shoulder with my own and said, "I'll be back alright." He nodded and said, "Yeah okay."

"I wanted to give this to ya." He said gruffly while holding up my sword. This asshole has a heart, what do you know. I smiled at him and then at my sword. As I grabbed the sword our hands met. A warm sensation spread through my body before he pulled away first and shifted around looking uncomfortable.

"Thank you." I said meaningfully while grazing my finger over the letters A.G.E.S engraved on the handle. I looked up to see him nod and walk off. I let out a loud sigh, it's gonna be hard to get him to crack. Wouldn't be me if I sort of tried even though he's still an ass.

And that's it. That is officially another chapter of Desolation. I hope you enjoyed it. This chapter was 3k words. Just about two more chapters until season one is over and on to season two. Anyways I love you guys 3000.
-brayla❤️❤️