Back Woods

Chapter Five

Chewing anxiously at the skin on the nub of her thumb, Tess' eyes shifted wearingly over the small 'running party'. Her body began to fill with dread upon realising that the face of her older brother wasn't amongst them. Craning her neck to peer around the large removal truck she narrowed her eyes on seeing that no one else was exiting the vehicle. As the rest of the group, were finishing their greetings: letting out sighs of relief, clasping each other in grateful embraces, shaking each other's hands, Morales and Jacqui's gazes met on realising the anxious women standing alone. A look of shared realisation amongst the group, prompted Glenn to shuffle forward, a lone hand reaching out to grasp her upper arm. 

"Umm Tess.."

"He dead?" Tess interrupted, eyes unblinking staring into the city skyline. Walking forward, Morales joined the duo, stepping in front of her to gain her attention. 

"There was a problem in Atlanta," he started, nervously swallowing when Tess' piercing gaze shifted to meet his own. 

"A problem?" she goaded, her jaw clenching tightly to restrain the build of emotion in side of her. 

Angela, unclasped her arm from around her sister's shoulders, sensing the build up of tension. 

"Your brother became unhinged," she started angrily, "he started shooting it up on some rooftop, almost gave away our position to every walker within the city. We barely made it out alive." 

Spinning on her feet, Tess rounded to face the woman. Her eyes shifted to the pistol that was tucked in the waistband of her jeans. 

"You gonna tell me where he is?" Tess stated. 

"We had to leave him. We had no choice," Angela cried in disbelief, her arms waving encouragingly at the people around her in support. 

Her heart constricting at her words, Tess narrowed her eyes, "you left him there?" 

Before anyone could stop her, Tess marched towards Angela with fuel and fire within her eyes, an outcry of her name passed Shane's lips but it was already too late. Reeling her arm behind her, Tess bought her fist down onto Angela's jaw, which brought her unceremoniously into the dirt with a painful cry. Her hands reached out to grasp the lapels of the woman's shirt to unleash more of her rage, but arms constricted around her waist and pulled her backwards. 

"Let me go!" she screamed ferociously, her legs flailing in front of her in an attempt to remove herself from the person's clutches. Frustrated tears began to sting at the corner of her eyes, as her hands pulled at the arms around her waist, "please," she whispered. 

At her desperate plea, the grip around her waist loosened and she twisted to shove the person away from her. Her eyes narrowed and eyebrows furrowed at the newcomer in camp, who had risen his arms in a surrendering gesture. 

"I won't touch you again, but you need to calm down," he reasoned. 

She scoffed to herself, craning her neck behind her she observed the scene of Amy gingerly helping her sister to her feet. Angela glared at her, one of her hands rubbing the blossoming red that had formed across her jawline. Moving her gaze, she stared at the other group's gazes some of sympathy, while others where staring her down with disgust. Motheringly, Lori had pushed Carl behind her, his eyes wide with fear as he gripped his mother's shirt. Tess' entire body began to fill with embarrassment at her outburst, momentarily camouflaging her fear for the outcome of her brother. Stilling her subconscious fear that consumed her brain - Merle, walking solemnly, eyes unfocused and glazed, through the streets of Atlanta: his clothes and hair dishevelled and his body ravaged with gorging marks, blood turning a rusty brown. Eyes plagued with a misty grey.