𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔽𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 | Daryl Dixon

44 | ISOLATION

Karen and David lay on the ground before her. Their bodies charred black, clothes nothing but ash, hair singed to nothing, and their faces unrecognizable.

Her eyes were unblinking, stinging with dryness as the smoke rose in the air. The sharp aroma of gasoline was drafting with the winds, despite the walls that cornered of the part of the yard they stood in. Her boots were rooted to the floor, her breathing shallow as she tried not to think about the pure stench of burnt flesh.

Thin plumes of white smoke radiated of the two side by side bodies, and all Tori could do – all any of them could do – was stare. The skin was still crackling like flames, despite the fire being out for a while. The sound was just like an echo, a ghost of what had happened, what had been done to these two people.

"You found 'em like this?" Rick questioned, his voice quiet, in total shock of what he was seeing.

Tyrese cast his eyes down to the ground. Fresh flowers were scattered in a loose bundle where he had dropped them as he made the discovery. The colours of the petals, bright yellow and lilac, seemed so out of place now. Almost disrespectful toward the traumatic sight that lay before them.

He had been bringing them to his girlfriend as a small gift to lift her spirits while she was sick. But their petals were already browning at the edges, brightness dying the longer they were left singing on the concrete.

He was pointing at the ground where a dried trail of blood went from each of the bodies, starting at the cells they had been occupying when Tori left them. It was only a few hours ago she had checked on them, made sure they were comfortable.

Someone changed all of that within an afternoon. She remembered hearing the footstep in the hallway before she left, putting it down to her imagination when she called out and heard nothing back. This someone – the someone who killed Karen and David, had been watching her. Waiting for her to go so they could do this.

If only she'd followed that footstep...

"I came to see Karen," Tyrese rasped slowly, his throat scratchy. "And I saw the blood on the floor and-and then I smelt it..." The corners of his mouth twitched as his anger began to take over. He spoke again with a growl, "Somebody dragged 'em out here, at set 'em on fire! They killed them and set 'em on fire!"

He spun on his heel in a flash, squaring up to Rick. Daryl stepped forward, ready to defend the Grimes if Tyrese lashed out. Tori and Carol were stood back a bit; the former kept her eyes on Tyrese, seeing an anger in him she'd never seen before.

Someone killed the woman he loved in a completely horrific way, and it was breaking him.

"You a cop," the man snapped. "You find out who did this, and bring 'em to me, you understand?! You bring them to me!"

Daryl went up behind him, talking gently as he reached for his arm. "We'll find out who–"

Tyrese never broke eye contact with Rick as he reached behind his back and shoved Daryl's hand away.

"I need to say it again?" he glared.

"I know what you're feeling," Rick spoke quietly, his face pale as he tried to process what he was seeing. "I've been there. You saw me there. It's dangerous-"

"Karen didn't deserve this," Tyrese cut him off, pointing to the bodies. "David didn't deserve it. Nobody does."

Daryl reached for him again. "Alright man, let's-"

"Man, I ain't going nowhere until I find out who did this!" Tyrese yelled. He grabbed Daryl by his vest, aggressively shoving him back against the wall.