𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔽𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 | Daryl Dixon

22 | BESIDE THE DYING FIRE

The group was gathered by the barn, staring at the open doors whilst Daryl and Rick investigated inside. Randall was missing, his disappearance discovered by T-Dog moments ago.

"The cuffs are still hooked. Must've slipped 'em," Rick told everyone as he and Daryl emerged from the barn.

"Is that even possible?" Carol questioned.

Andrea replied, "It is if you got nothing to lose."

"The door from the outside was locked," Hershel spoke up, holding the padlock in his hand.

"Tori was meant to be on watch," Rick said. "Anyone seen her?"

The group all looked around at each other, but nobody had an answer. Since she'd gone off to take the watch post, nobody had seen Tori or checked on her. The most worried of them all was Daryl. He paced back and forth, looking all around where he stood as if he'd magically see Tori standing with the crowd.

"RICK!" a yell came from the treeline.

All eyes turned averted to the voice as a bloody-faced Shane came stumbling out of the woods with a limp, unconscious Tori in his arms.

Daryl was the first to sprint over, feeling his heart stop when he saw blood on Tori's head, like she'd been hit. Shane set the woman down on the thin grass, and a panicked Daryl crouched beside her, reaching for her wrist, feeling for a steady pulse.

He sighed a little in relief when he felt a strong heartbeat, but he didn't feel any calmer. His hand stayed in hers, not wanting to let go. With his free hand, he pushed her hair away from her pale face, seeing the blood trailing down her cheek from a cut and bruise on her temple. Hershel also rushed over, crouching across from Daryl to assess Tori's injuries.

"What happened?" Lori gasped after she and the others all ran over.

"He's armed," Shane panted out his lie. "He got my gun."

"Is she alright?" Rick quickly asked Hershel.

The older man glanced up at the cop, "She's got two big hits to her head, bruises around her neck." Hershel looked to Shane, "The boy did that?"

"I don't know how," Shane huffed. "All I know is, I saw Tori and him walking into the woods. I followed, found her like this, and the kid was running. I went to grab him; that's when he got my gun."

The lie had come to him easily. The deceit was simple for him, all part of his plan to finally come out on top. Tori wasn't a part of his original plan, but clearly it had everyone else convinced. Too worried about the young woman to question the story Shane spewed to them. 

"Are you okay?" Carl asked, afraid of the amount of blood on Shane's face.

"I'm fine," Shane told the boy. "When I grabbed him, the little bastard managed to grab a rock, clocked me round the face."

Rick sprang into action. "Hershel, T-Dog, get everyone back to the house. Make sure you patch her up," he pointed to Tori on the ground. "Glenn, Daryl, come with us."

"Wha..." Daryl looked up, still holding Tori's hand in his, reluctant to leave when she was hurt. He knew that it would make sense to no one; they didn't know he and Tori were as close as they were. All he knew right now was that he didn't want to leave her. He didn't want to walk off when she needed help.

He looked across at Hershel, the older man seeming to understand the look in Daryl's eyes. He gave a small nod of reassurance, one that the others wouldn't see. Reluctantly, Daryl let go of Tori's hand after giving her a gentle squeeze, hoping she'd feel it, then let T-Dog come over to lift her up.