Torn Apart • TWD

Chapter 9 - crossbow

Tessa's plan had started, yesterday the girl had found the prison after four months of searching, and in those months as she would scout and run around she would think of all the different ways it could go and how she could approach them, this is one of them.

Once she had returned home and handled the baby, who was only a little fussy about being alone, Tessa had taken down her newest net trap and hauled it for hours on a sledge as she walked the same pathway she had embarked on the previous day, the cover of the night helping her as she had connected the trap to a sturdy tree.

Then the girl went back home to catch a few hours of sleep before feeding and putting Lola down for her nap, then walking to the prison again.

Needless to say, her muscles hated her.

The trap was set up for the scruffy man with the crossbow, seven fighters in their group of thirteen Lori had said, and that man was presumably one of them, with so many people — assuming none of them (other than Lori) have died in the past few months — then that's a lot of mouths to feed, and his was the only tracks she had found around the perimeter, leading her to believe he was their only hunter.

She assumed the man would go hunting daily, not only for the purpose of food but just because he seemed like the type who enjoys it judging by how dirty and bloody the man is, though Tessa can't really judge with her appearance, he looks like he doesn't even attempt at cleansing his skin, and the girl knows there must be showers in the prison.

The plan was for him to set off the trap, she would grill him for information, maybe sending an arrow to the hand if he's being difficult, and if he verifies that he knew Lori then he will lead her to the woman's husband so they can talk. She won't mention Dolores until she is sure they aren't a danger to either of them, it's easy to tell a person's character with how willing they are to hurt a kid.

As she munches on the bird caught the day before, cooking it at home and occasionally snacking on the creature as she trekked, she can finally finish her breakfast. With her back slouched against a tree and her leg lazily thrown over the other, she feels relaxed despite how far from home she is because she has the net to tell her of any passing people.

Her body is needing rest from all the hours she spent running back and forth, merely thinking of it is making her eyes droop. Not knowing how long this would take, she had given Lola more formula to fill her tummy for longer, luckily she was going through a growth spurt so she happily took the extra ounces. Along with being able to take extra milk, the baby will sleep longer too, relieving Tessa so she won't have to be awake while she's alone in the basement.

Boredom is hitting her hard, along with her aching legs, she has already carved patterns into her bow using her knife, making messy swirls and patterns, she was hesitant at using the blade to draw on the bow, especially since she had tried that before on a previous one and ended up breaking it, but after spending another ten minutes staring at the trees she decided to screw it.

The child has bushes shielding her from anyone who may walk past her, dead or alive, and with the net to warn her of anyone's presence and to capture the man, she no longer stops her eyes from closing, not falling asleep but not in her most alert state either.

"What the shit!" The trap went off. Tessa opens her eyes in a huff, annoyed at how she only got seconds to rest her eyes.

Stomping out from behind the plants with her bow in hand, Tessa huffs out a laugh at the bewildered and angry look on the man's face.

The hunter's crossbow was dropped when he got flung into the air, leaving it sitting before the child's feet. Fascinated with the device, it looks like a fancier version of her bow, and no way he made it by hand like she did. Maybe I can also bargain with Lola for the crossbow?