Merle’s gone, Quarry Attacked, The Greene’s

Chapter 7: Merle's gone, Quarry Attacked, The Greene's

(Previously...)

Sometimes, Daryl thought Merle might do something about them dying faster, maybe let the walkers into the camp or something. So, he could make things go faster, but still … Daryl needed to get back eventually, no matter how much quieter or more peaceful it seemed, he was alone in the woods. In the woods, he understood who he was, and what he was meant for, back at camp through, with so many people around, not so much.

When he came back from his hunt though, he soon found himself facing off to the barrel of Shane's shotgun, and a bunch of other melee weapons held by the other men from the camp surrounding him. Right then and there, he wished he hadn't bothered returning to these sons of B**tches. Yeah, he got that, they thought he was a walker, but if they'd known he was Daryl, would their attitude be any different? He bet it wouldn't...

Then he saw that they were all standing around his hunted deer, he had so carefully sent their direction just to get eaten by a filthy walker, and now he was pissed. All that damn work, and none of these people could lift a damned finger to help him. They were all useless, weak, bunch of soft idiots, the lot of them. They hadn't even killed the stupid walker correctly, just cutting off its head won't cut it, they still hadn't learned the simplest thing.

Maybe Merle was right. Maybe all they were good for was their stuff, once their dead, of course. He called out for his brother as he approached the main camp but soon saw no sign of him. "Merle, get yo' ass out here." That's when Shane, the big leader, the poser, the one who thought he was the leader, took it on himself to tell him that his brother was still in Atlanta, but they weren't sure if he was dead or not.

Some new guy he hadn't seen before came toward him. "No easy way to say this, so I'll just say it straight." The new guy said as he stared at him. "And who the f**k are you?" He was trying to be intimidating toward the new guy as he stepped forward. "I'm Rick Grimes." Rick responded trying not rill the guy up and cause more trouble. "Well, Rick Grimes? Got some'ing you want to tell me?"

He asked in a threatening manner as he walked forward towards the new guy. "Your brother was a danger to us all. So, I handcuffed him to pipe at the roof top of the Department store we were in, he should still be there, hooked to a piece of metal pipe." Daryl's mind was going ballistic listening to this s**t of a man. "Still there, huh? What's that suppos' to mean? Wait, hold on,"

As he took a long breath in while he had his hand on his forehead as if relieving a headache. Then continued, "Let me process this straight, you say you handcuffed my brother to a roof? And then, you lef' 'im there?" Daryl was looking very pissed at Rick and everyone around them saw it. "Yeah, that's correct." Daryl had to give it to this Grimes guy, he wasn't trying to make excuses for himself.

Well, Daryl wouldn't make any excuses for himself, either. He threw the string of squirrels he was carrying at him as the weapon nearest to hand and then got set to lay into him with his fists, only for Shane to come at him from the side before he could swing his knife at Rick. He struggled to get to his knife, but Shane and Rick worked together, pretty well too, and disarm him.

Shane the cop had him in a chokehold, which almost made Daryl wish for law and order to come back to keep guys like this under control. Rick got in his face, demanding a calm discussion between them. What was Daryl supposed to say, fighting to breath like he was? "What I did was not on a whim," Rick said after Shane let Daryl go and Daryl was trying to catch his breath.

"Your brother does not work and play well with others." Daryl knew he wasn't lying, still leaving a man behind, wasn't sitting well for him. Merle didn't work and play well with Daryl either, much less people like this, soft and vulnerable. As all this was going on, T-Bone got in the middle of it all, he was owning up to his part in the whole mess.

So, what? They left his brother handcuffed on a roof and they wanted him to give them a goddamned medal or something? So, they chained the door closed, those walkers are way stronger than regular humans, they would break the door down, sooner or later? "The hell with all y'all! I'll get my brother by my damn self." Daryl shouted at them, trying to fight back the tears.

He had never belonged here, anyways. He would never belong, anywhere, especially not around people. "Jus' tell me where he at, so's I can go get him. I don't need none of you." That was when Shane's woman, Lori spoke up. "He'll show you where he left him. Isn't that right, Rick?" Lori and Rick traded serious looks at each other, and that was when the name rang out loud, the right bell in Daryl's head.

Grimes. This was the dead husband; she'd been talked about. Well, wasn't that just the way things ought to work out. Rick wasn't sure he liked being put on the spot like Lori just did, but he took his medicine raw and proud, then agreed to take Daryl back to the Department store. 'Maybe he'd be less useless than the rest of them, or maybe he'd die in the process.' Thought Daryl as he kept eyeing Lori, who had a smirk on her lips.

The next morning came, and four people left for Atlanta early, Rick as its leader with Daryl, because his Merle's brother, T-Dogg, for the muscle, and Glenn, because he knew the city streets. While Rick was gone, Lori tells Shane secretly that with Rick back they must end their relationship with each other, causing Shane to become very bitter.

When Shane was walking away from Lori, he witnessed the sneers that Ed Peletier was giving him, he soon confronted the a**wipe and then took his anger out on Ed severely. As the commotion was dragging more attention to themselves, he was pulled off Ed by Dale and Morales, leaving a beat-up Ed on the ground bruised and bleeding, as Shane walked away.

Meanwhile, Rick and his group arrive back to the department store in Atlanta, they all make their way up to the rooftop with Daryl in the front, as soon as the exit the door, they find Merle apparently gone. However, Daryl sees a bloodied hacksaw lying beside Merle's severed right hand with the bloody handcuffs still hanging from a pipe, where Rick left Merle cuffed too.

Daryl goes into a fit of rage and screams at the others as they looked helpless at each other for what they did. Daryl not wanting to be near them at the moment follows a trail of blood down the stairs where he sees that Merle had killed several walkers as he made his way down. Daryl kept following the blood as they lead to the kitchen where they find that Merle managed to cauterize the cut off stump using the stove.

"Merle's one tough sonva B**ch, only a Dixon can kill a Dixon!" He was proud that Merle wasn't dead, but he was worried for his brother, he's lost a lot of blood, even if he cauterizes it. It also looks like he escaped the building as well, I need to follow it best I can before the trail runs cold. Daryl looks through the broken window and follows the trail out to wherever it led to.

Back at the survivors' camp, Dale is getting worried for his friend Jim, who is digging holes up at the hill where the survivors are sleeping. After a short talk with the man, Jim refusing to explain why to Dale, and it was scaring him. As a few survivors press Jim to explain why he's digging the holes, he lashes back at them to leave him alone.

Which forced Shane to restrain Jim, which causes Jim soon after to break down and start crying. Later on he explains how he had lost his family to some walkers earlier in the outbreak, and a few days age, he had a dream telling him to dig the holes he had been doing before. Jim then turned to warn Lori to keep her son Carl close and safe, scaring the woman, which caused Shane to get angry again.

Back in Atlanta, Rick's and Daryl came to the conclusion, that Merle survived and left the area to heal his wounds. So, they wanted to collect Rick's gun bag from the streets and head back to the quarry, right when Daryl and Glenn collected the gun bag, they were attacked by a group of Hispanic delinquents. They called themselves 'The Vatos', a group of Latinos that have been surviving the area since the outbreak.

They soon start to beat down on Daryl and Glenn, after a while they kidnapped Glenn, so they could demand a trade, the gun bag for the exchange of Glenn's return. Hours later, they face-off with 'The Vatos' at their base, and discover that 'The Vatos' have been secretly taking care of a nursing home since no one else would, leaving the place and its residents abandoned.

They explained to Rick that they were only trying to protect their families and the people there. Rick, with the displeasure of Daryl, leaves half the weapons and ammo for 'The Vatos' defense, meanwhile Glenn is returned unharmed. As they were making their way back to their vehicle, they found it had gone and missing. Rick automatically suspect Merle, then thought he would seek his vengeance on the survivors' back at the quarry.

So they race back to the quarry, as fast as they could on foot, and it didn't help that it was already getting dark, hoping that they would make it in time. Back at camp though, the survivors were enjoying a calm and well-deserved dinner, when suddenly a small horde of walkers appear and attacked them, biting several of the members including Amy, Andrea's sister who just so happen to step out from Dales Winnebago and getting bit by one of them.

And Ed Peletier, who was suddenly awoken, thinking that it was his wife and daughter that had returned from wherever. That was when the walker attacked him as he was stepping out from his tent. Rick and his group arrived just in time to kill the walkers that were attacking. After the attack, Amy dies in Andrea's arms, as the others stand around in shock as she puts a bullet through her head, and Jim recalls why he had dug those holes earlier.

--Greene Farm, Present Time--

I explained their situation so they would not receive a cold shoulder from the family and Hershel agreed by nodding his head at my request. And two minutes later, the three girls walked up, standing behind me, as Carol waved hello with a slight smile on her face, Sophia holding her hand, and Olivia grabbing mine for support which made her happy that I grabbed it.

"Well, let me begin with my name, hello everyone, my name is Jack Keller, the two standing behind me are Carol Peletier and her daughter Sophia Peletier, and of course you all know Olivia Watson. Let me start by saying that we all met in different places when the world went to s**t, pardon my French. I'm from a small town called Marshallville, southeast of Macon, and that is where it all started."

The people around me got comfortable, as I started to tell my story to the Greene's. I started talking about myself first and how it led me to the Harrison Memorial Hospital where I found Olivia. After what was an hour, maybe two, I ended my story as I went through the last week since I met Olivia, Sophia, and Carol. And what led us to be at their farm, which is now.

"WOW!! That... that was just... awesome and awful at the same time. So, you've been alone since a few days ago, Jack." Maggie says as she looked at the four of us as if she was missing something. "What about Carol and Sophia, why did you leave your other group?" I shrugged my shoulders at her and didn't bother with her stare and let Carol answer her if she wanted too.

Carol looked a little nervous, but still answered her. "Well, my husband back with the last group I was with was not a very nice man. I won't go too much into it, but we were treated very badly most of the time. Until I decided to leave in the middle of the night. That was when I met Jack and Olivia, they were camping a couple of miles away from the camp and they were nice enough to let us join him."

As she hugged her daughter beside her and then kissed her on the forehead. "Since then, I haven't seen Sophia this happy around anyone without flinching or curling in a ball and cry. She likes Olivia and Jack, and so do I." As she ended her story, the Greene's were showing pity faces at Carol and Sophia, but also looked angry for how they were treated before.

"So, the Watson's are dead. And you know this because? Maybe they are searching for Olivia as we speak." Hershel tried to make some kind of excuse to why Olivia's parents were there. I shook my head at his trying to find some reason, to contradict everything that's happened, and it was getting irritating. "Hershel, when I arrived at the hospital, I only saw walkers surrounding the place."

I just spent two hours explaining what was going on out there and how I ended up finding Olivia, back then in the hospital. "I even took another look around the area after we were leaving. We took the long way around the place just in case they had made it to the nearby houses or something, but nothing. Met a couple of people that were still held up there , but no one else. You could ask Olivia if nothing else."

Which he did right after, Hershel questioned her as to what we did after leaving the hospital. "Yup, Mr. Hershel, we tried finding them and nothing. I was sad when we didn't find them, but Jack and I did help a few people that asked for help. Then there was this one group that wanted our food and wanted to fight us for it. It was a good thing Jack has guns with him or something bad would happen to us."

And here he is, still trying to blame me for taking Oliva from where her parents had left her, in other words he was making excuses. That didn't go well on me, "You know Mr. Greene," as I stood away from the man, as I was tired of explaining, as did Olivia and Carol, "those things that roam around are not human anymore. If they ever get a hold of any of you, I hope you do the decent thing and give them mercy."

I turned to Carol and asked her to take the girls back to the Winnebago, would be there soon. "If you don't, they will either infect you and you'd join them soon or they eat you where you stand. Those things you have in that barn, will kill you and yours, if you give them a chance to. And all the praying you and your family do, will not bring them back. Get it through that stubborn head of yours, THEY. ARE. ALREADY. DEAD!!"

As I pointed at the barn that was near the house and all the Greene's getting scared at what I said. "And here I thought you were a doctor or something. Read the report for the last month that came out on the news. Don't risk the lives of your family for your religious beliefs and wishful thinkings, that they'd be returned to you. Now if you want us here, we'll stay, but if you don't, we'll be gone by the morning. For now, good night."

So, I excused myself from the rest of his family and went back into the Winnebago to cook dinner for them as I let the Greene's think about what I said. I wanted to rest and if Olivia decides to leave faster, we will be gone faster than when we got here. Minutes later, Carol walked into the camper searching for me. She had found me just standing beside a tree just outside the door, thinking about our next move as I looked for a bigger RV.

"Jack, what was that? Why did you want to scare the poor family just now? This isn't like you. Please explain." She came in nervous, still under the impression that I might hit her like Ed would when questioned. "Carol, when we got here, I felt something was wrong with this place, but I didn't want to voice it out until, I was sure. But after I stepped out from the camper, and got closer to their house, that feeling was coming from that barn, there."

As I pointed at the red barn behind the Greene house. "The only time I had that sort of feelings, was when there were walkers nearby, always, that feeling has never failed me once and has saved me many times." Carol was surprised to hear that from Jack, and since she met him, he has never lied to her, he had no reason too. She was just worried they be booted off the property and would have no place to stay.

"Then why are we still here? We need to leave! If this place if what you said is true. I'll go and get Olivia and Sophia, and we can leave as soon as I get back." I held her hand before she left, stopping her in her tracks, as she turned around, she looked down at my hand that was holding hers, causing her to turn away with a blush on her face.

"Not yet, Carol. They need to understand that by having them there, it will only mean their death. The Greene's are good people, for what Olivia has told me. They just need to overcome that 'God will do something' attitude, and realize his family comes first." Carol stared at Jack for a second, then said, "fine. But I'm not letting Sophia and Olivia near that... thing, as long as we're here."

I nodded in agreement as we watched the two girls run around the place. They looked happy to run outside and not be cooped up inside the camper all day long. I even got to play tag with the two as I chased them around a couple of trees, they looked so happy as they laughed throughout the whole time we were playing. And I could see Carol with a smile on her face from the side as she watched us.

And like that, hours went by, and Sophia and Olivia came back to the camper to eat and sleep, as they had been playing around the farm since I returned to the Winnebago. It was nighttime when I heard a knock at my door and Carol answered, "Yes, how can I help you? Maggie, right?" Carol asked the girl in a welcoming manner. "Yes, that's right. Is there any way I could talk with Jack for a minute?"

Carol moved to the side and letting Maggie enter the Winnebago, "How can I help you, Maggie? What's on your mind? And don't worry, if it's about staying, we'll be gone in the morning." I said just in case that was why she was here for. "No, that's not it. I was wondering, how did you know we had them... in there. And why are they dangerous? We haven't been attacked, not even once."

"Carol, can you bring the video tape I showed you a few days ago, please." She nodded and went to the wall, opened up a space in the wall and retrieved said tape. "Please, have a seat. I know words won't convince you or your father, but maybe this video that I recorded a month ago will help. Carol also take the girls to my room for the time being as she watches this. Thank You."

Carol handed me the tape and I slipped it into the VCR player and let Maggie watch the recording, she soon gasped in surprise at what she saw has been happening around the world. As the minutes passed, the video ended, Maggie sat there a long time trying to come to terms with those things out there, and they are no longer their friends or family. About a half hour later, she snapped out of her thoughts and looked at me.

Then said, "and this... is happening all over the world?" She asks as she pointed at the TV. "That's correct!" I responded waiting for her to do anything else but sit there looking catatonic, again. "Look Maggie, I am not going to get in between your religious views and the real world. I'm just letting you know what's happening out there. I heard from Olivia that your family are good people. I wanted to warn you all and survive what's out there."

As I took a deep breath in, "I know... I should have laid out the truth slower to your father, but Olivia wanted to come see you all, and while she's with me, it's my responsibility to protect her. I had promised her that I would be there for her, always. She has become my first priority in every decision that I make from the first time I agreed to be her father. And nothing is going to change that."

As I was telling her this, I could see how she and Carol both stared at me with fire, conviction, a passion in their eyes. For Maggie, she has never met a man with so much commitment over a little girl who he met a few days ago, and for Carol, she wanted the same thing for her daughter as Olivia has, and if being with Jack would bring her daughter safety first, she wouldn't mind being Jack's lover or wife if he would care too.

Maggie felt confused after she left Jack's camper, 'was he right? Were those things dead already? She needed to talk to her father and Stepmother about all this.' She thought as she soon left to go back to her house. Back with Jack and Carol, "why are you so passionate about this, Jack? Why do you care so much for Olivia?" I look at her seriously, I thought I told her already.

I turned to her and said, "because no one else will, Carol. She... no, I mean both Sophia, and Olivia, and even you deserve happiness." As I pause for a second to comb my hair back with my hands and sighing. "When I was younger, I had nothing, I mean by, no parents, no guardian, nothing to take care of me. I spent most of my time on the streets learning to rob, steal, connive my way through my childhood."

I was of course describing the other me that died. I paused to get a drink of water because I was starting to get parched. And after that drink, I continued, "I was never happy, I was always weary of adults, they always wanted something from me, and I was right back then." As I took another drink because I felt parched for some reason.

Then I continued, "There was always some motive behind every adult I met. Be it sex, drugs, fights, they only wanted, not asked for, demanded, made me and others do things to survive." I sighed again as I sat down by the dinner table, "this world was not all roses before the outbreak happened, Carol. It was well hidden but the bad was still there."

Carol was surprised at what she was hearing and let a loud gasp at what I said. "And now it's even worse, that there is no law, it's gonna get worse and I've experienced that already, not gonna lie, it was the worst back then. I will give those two little girls a happy childhood even if I have to kill for them so they could have it. I stand by my conviction, Carol."

I could see the surprise Carol had on her face, all the different emotions she showed in her eyes, she looked and was conflicted right now. "Go... and stay with the girls for tonight. I'll stay here and sleep until it's time to go. If you changed your mind and want to stay here, while Olivia and I leave, it's fine. I will not get angry about your decision. Remember it's your life and don't let no one change that."

I stood up and left to the kitchen to cook something for the girls before they needed to go to bed. I made each of the girls two small deer hamburgers that I caught two days ago and some fries for dinner and let them eat in my room. They looked so happy that I didn't want to disturb their movie night. I did not see Carol for the rest of the night as I let her think over what to do next.

As the night passed quickly, I was up at the usual time, 5:30 AM, and breakfast was already being laid on the table by 6:30AM. Once breakfast was set, the girls came out rubbing their eyes as they awoke to a wonderful smell of chocolate chip pancakes and waffles with sausage patties. After Sophia and Olivia sat at the table, Carol came out of the room with a little sad and worried look on her face. "What's the matter?"

I asked as she sat on the empty seat, next to Sophia as I drank my morning coffee and served Carol hers. "I'm sorry, Jack. I feel so bad for giving you the cold shoulder last night, after you save me and Sophia from that man at the quarry, and this is how I treat you. I can't believe I did that to you; I didn't know what came over me. Can you please forgive me!"

I mean I wasn't angry, maybe a little disappointed, but angry, nope. I looked at Sophia and Olivia as they devoured the pancakes, not saying a word for a minute or two. "I know how it feels Carol. I've been there before, but since Olivia came into the picture, I changed my priorities from just me to her. If you want to be a part of this," I waved around the room, "you need to change your priority from you to us. There is no you anymore."

"Thank you daddy. Those pancakes were great, they are now my new favorite pancakes." I rub her head at let her leave back to watch TV. "Your welcome sweety, now go watch some TV while I clean up here. Then we could walk outside and see the farm animals before we leave." She nodded and walked away. As I stood up and cleaned up the table.

"Thank you, Mr. Jack, the waffles were great, never had them before, but now I know I like them." I rub her head as well and told her she was welcome, as she went with Olivia after that. As I was cleaning I asked Carol, "so, what are you going to do? Stay or go?" Carol didn't wait a second to answer, after I asked, "we're going with you. If that's ok, I mean. Please let us go with you."

She stood up and walked next to me, as I held her by her shoulders, "Carol, I am not asking anything from you. If a relationship happens between us later down the road, then great, but for now, don't pressure yourself into anything. Let it form on its own, don't rush it. You'll feel better when the time is right. For now, give all your attention to Sophia, she deserves that attention while she's still a child, believe me she needs it." 

She backs a little and nodded in agreement and felt happier that I was still considering a relationship, and also the way I explained to nature take its course. She just fell out of a failed marriage, and she wasn't ready for another, but it felt good to be told to take it slow. Well, I wanted to say our good-byes to the Greene's and wished them well, also to warn them. To take care of themselves if nothing else.

So, I spent the early morning with Sophia and Olivia as we walked all round the farm as we looked and petted a few of the farm animals. The two kids were having a good time while us adults were watching them closely. We didn't want anything to happen to them, for they are now our main priority. As we were done with the farm tour, led by me of course, we all headed to the Greene house to say goodbye.

Once it turned 8 AM, I had everyone go with me and say goodbye to the Greene's. Olivia was the first to run to their home, followed by Sophia and Carol right behind her, I was the last to walk up to them as they stood by the front door. We all walked up to the Greene house and knocked on the door, which a minute later Hershel answered. "Well, Mr. Greene, we just wanted to say, farewell. We are continuing our travels into the unknown."

As I raised my hand to shake the mans hand, "right, about that. Look Jack, you gave us a lot to consider, and we would like you all to stay, Olivia especially. It's just hard to change something that I've believed in for so long. We just need time to consider all this. I'm a church fairing man, and I believe that they are just sick people who need help. After that outbreak passes, the government will find a cure and they come back to us."

I shook my head on that the excuses he made up about the dead. I raised my hand to make him stop talking, "look Hershel, I'm not telling you what to do on you land or who you keep on it. But as long as those things are here, Olivia will not be coming anytime soon." I still shook the guys hand and then said, "I know it's hard, Mr. Greene, but as long as those things are on this farm, Olivia and Sophia will not be. I'm sorry."

After shaking his hand I turned to leave but then I paused and reached into my pocket, "Olivia, go get that case I have by my door. The little black one, please." She nodded and raced off to the Winnebago. Minutes later she came back carrying said case, which she then gave to me. I turned to Hershel and handed him that same small case.

Then I said, "this is a satellite phone Hershel, works better than a home phone, well as long as there's satellites in the night sky you can anyone, anywhere. I found this baby in one of those military refugee camps the Army had around Atlanta. Anyways, if ever your family finds themselves in trouble, give me a ring. I'll try to get to you as fast as possible. We'll be around for the next few days, if you need help, just call."

He looks at me confused and then asks, "why are you doing this? Why give me this?" I cocked my head to the side and respond, "I do it for Olivis sake, not yours. If keeping in contact with your family will make her happy, then who am I to not make it happen. My number is already programmed in it. Just press the number 1 and then the green button to make the call." Then Olivia slammed into my thigh as she hugged me. "Thank you, Daddy."

(To be Continued...)