Back Woods

Chapter Twelve

Daryl's frustration boiled over as his eyes searched the rooftop relentlessly for the missing figure of his brother. With each dead end and unanswered call, his anger mounted, fueled by the helplessness that gnawed at his soul. His brow furrowed, his jaw clenched in a futile attempt to contain the storm raging within him. His eyes, once filled with determination, now shimmered with tears of desperation. He cried under his breath, the weight of his emotions too heavy to bear silently. Each curse word punctuated the air with a sharpness that mirrored the pain in his heart.

"No!" he exclaimed, his voice raw with emotion. "No!"

With his fists clenched at his sides, Daryl's knuckles turned white with the force of his grip, as he began to pace. He called out his brother's name into the void, a plea tinged with desperation and fear. Anguished tears stung painfully in the corner of his eyes before they were released, streaking down his cheeks, mingling with the sweat that beaded on his brow. His chest heaved with each ragged breath, the weight of his anguish threatening to crush him beneath its weight.

With his white knuckled grip, Daryl quickly raised his crossbow that was hung limply at his side. Exhaling sharply through his nostrils, his steely glaze narrowed at the man that caused his brother's demise. Instinctively, Rick unholstered his Python and rose it towards the angered man's temple.

"I won't hesitate," he stated, his head tilting threateningly, "I don't care if every walker in the city hears it."

Not listening to the men who were standing off beside her, Tess stood motionless on the rooftop, her eyes were filled with tears as she followed the trail of blood. Each drop seemed like a scar on her heart, leading her further into the labyrinth of her despair. She couldn't bring herself to stare at the bloodied limb that lay in the asphalt, it's fingers reaching skyward. With her arms crossed protectively in front of her, her eyes trailed and her eyebrows furrowed as they narrowed in on a bloody trail, the scarlet splatters moving away from the scene. Her fingers clenched tightly around her over-shirt, trembling slightly with a mixture of dread and determination.

Numbly her feet followed the trail, her mind racing with harrowing thoughts, drowning out the loud shouts of the men behind her. of what had transpired. She couldn't shake the feeling of dread, the weight of uncertainty pressing down upon her shoulders. Yet, she persisted. Her determination was fueled by a flicker of hope, a desperate need to find answers amidst the chaos. She followed the trail as it twisted and turned around the debris, poles and vents that were scattered across the rooftop. Every time she rounded a corner, her heart stilled in worry that she would find her brother, lying in a pool of crimson.

Seeing an ajar doorway, Tess carefully nudged it open with her booted foot and cautiously stepped through the doorway, her senses on high alert. Suddenly, she was jolted by a horrifying sight. A figure lurched towards her from the shadows, its grotesque form illuminated by the dim light filtering in from the boarded windows. Her heart pounded in her chest as adrenaline surged through her veins. Without hesitation, Tess instinctively reached for the knife strapped to her belt, her fingers closing around the hilt with a firm grip. Time seemed to slow as she squared off against the undead creature, its empty eyes fixated on her with hunger and malice. With a steady hand and unwavering resolve, she lunged forward, driving the blade deep into the undead's decaying flesh. The creature let out a guttural moan as the knife found its mark, its grasp weakening as life ebbed from its twisted form. With one final push, Tess delivered a decisive blow through creature's eye socket.

As it collapsed to the ground in a heap of rotting flesh, Tess stood panting, her chest rising and falling with exertion, startled by the sudden encounter. With a determined glint in her eye, she wiped the blood from her blade using a nearby rag and continued forward. Behind her, she could hear the sound of Daryl's voice shouting out her name, before he barreled through the door with his crossbow held aloft. Tilting his head angrily, Daryl shook his head in Tess' direction, obviously displeased with her wondering off. Walking into the room, he passed her and cast his eyes over the two bloodied, disfigured corpses that littered the floor and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Turning to face the trio that followed him, all with grimaced faces, he wore a smirk on his face.