𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐔𝐌 (𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛)

𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑦

Daryl nodded in thanks as he took the pistol from T-Dog's outstretched hand. He swore he left his gun inside his leather bag, yet when he opened the front pocket, it was nowhere to be found.

"I wish I knew where the hell mine is," Daryl grumbled and made sure the safety was on before tucking the pistol into his waistband.

"Everyone ready?" Rick approached  the blue pick up truck and inspected supplies resting in the back.

"I'll go get the package," T-Dog mused before heading to the shed. Once he was gone, Rick turned to Daryl.

"Thank you, again, for doin' this. I'd go myself but I don't trust Shane to keep his head on straight while I'm gone," he said to Daryl in a low voice.

"It's no problem," Daryl shrugged. He wanted to find Charlotte to say goodbye. The memory of her soft lips pressed against his was still fresh. He wished that someone else would go in his place.

"You seen Charlotte?" he casually asked Rick, not wanting to seem too eager.

"I think I saw her in the house with Maggie," Rick replied with a curious gaze.

Daryl mumbled a quick thanks to him before heading towards the door. He was at the top of the front porch before T-Dog's shouts stopped him in his tracks. He and Rick shared a look before the both of them took off sprinting.

They found T-Dog pacing nervously in front of the open shed door, panic visible on his face.

"What happened?" Rick demanded.

"He's gone," T-Dog said incredulously.

"What do you mean he's gone?!"

✯✯✯

I hurriedly followed Maggie and Glenn out the front door after hearing a commotion from outside.

"They're over there," Maggie pointed to the shed, where Rick, T-Dog, and Daryl stood. We ran over to the three men and everyone inside the house quickly followed suit, immediately bombarding Rick with questions upon arrival.

"What's going on?!" a trembling Carol sounded from nearby.

"Randall's gone," Rick answered curtly. A grave look weighed down his face. "The cuffs are still hooked; he must've slipped them."

"How the hell did this happen?" Andrea spoke up.

Everyone broke into a flurry of frightened remarks and repetitive questions. I let out an exasperated sigh through my nose and briefly shut my eyes. Had they made a mistake letting Randall live? I didn't want to believe it, because then, Dale would have died for nothing. Everything he said and fought for would have been for nothing. I desperately hoped that I was wrong.

"RICK!"

Everyone went silent as their heads turned towards the treeline. Shane rushed out of the woods, blood trailing from his nose and down his mouth. He looked the most deranged I'd ever seen. A feral look shone in his eyes as he neared us, one that I knew too well. I suddenly felt sick. I took a step backwards and bumped into someone. I turned around to apologize and came face to face with a leather vest.

I lifted my eyes and found Daryl already sending me a reassuring look. He placed a gentle hand on my arm and carefully moved in front of me.

"He's armed!" I heard Shane say in a hoarse voice. "Little bastard took my gun!"

I focused my sights on the angel wings that Daryl liked to wear, and took deep breaths as I counted the stitches. Rick shouted at Hershel and T-Dog to take everyone inside and Daryl quickly turned to me.