Unbreakable threads

Chapter Seventy-One: Beth goes Missing, and Reuniting with Rick.

As the first light broke through the trees, Daryl and Beth made their way out of the shack, the cool morning air sobering them further as they trekked deeper into the woods. Both were on edge, scanning for any sign of Alyssa, hoping she'd found somewhere safe to take shelter. The woods were eerily quiet, save for the sound of their footsteps and the occasional rustle of leaves.

Eventually, they came upon an old, weathered house, partially hidden by overgrown vegetation. Daryl raised a hand, signaling Beth to stay back as he moved cautiously toward the door, gripping his crossbow tightly. "If she's anywhere, it might be in here," he murmured, though his gut twisted with unease. He pushed the door open, his senses sharp, ready for anything.

But as soon as he stepped inside, the smell hit him—a rank, decaying stench that told him all he needed to know. The house wasn't empty. Walkers shuffled in the shadows, their  growls growing louder as they caught sight of him. Daryl swore under his breath, raising his crossbow and taking out the first walker with practiced precision. "Beth! Stay outside!" he shouted, his voice urgent as more walkers emerged from the dark corners of the house.

Beth, standing just outside, heard the commotion and instinctively backed away, panic rising in her chest. She turned to run, but her foot caught on a root, and she fell hard to the ground, a sharp crack filling the air as she landed on her arm. Pain shot through her, and she let out a cry, no clutching her injured arm as she tried to scramble to her feet.

Before she could fully register what was happening, the roar of an engine cut through the woods. A car appeared out of nowhere, skidding to a stop just yards away from her. Two men jumped out, moving with a terrifying speed and precision. Beth barely had time to scream as they grabbed her, one clamping a hand over her mouth while the other hoisted her off the ground. She struggled, kicking and flailing, but her broken arm made it impossible to fight back effectively.

"Daryl!" she screamed, her voice muffled as they bundled her into the car.

Daryl heard her cry just as he dispatched the last walker in the house. He spun around, rushing out the door to see the car speeding off, dust kicking up in its wake. His heart pounded, his chest heaving as he tried to process what had just happened. "Beth!" he yelled, sprinting after the vehicle. It disappeared down the dirt path, leaving him standing there, helpless and furious.

For a moment, he stood frozen, his hands trembling as the reality of what had just happened sank in. Beth was gone—kidnapped by men he didn't know, taken to who knew where. He let out a  shout of frustration, his fists clenching at his sides. He didn't know what to do, but one thing was certain: he wasn't giving up. Not on Beth. And not on Alyssa.

Daryl took off running up the dirt road, his boots pounding against the ground as he chased the car, even though it had long disappeared into the distance. His chest burned, and his breaths came out in ragged gasps, but he didn't care. The frustration, the guilt, and the fury propelled him forward. First Alyssa, now Beth—he felt like he was losing everything, and the helplessness of it all was suffocating.

Daryl's thoughts were anything but clear. He cursed himself, cursed the men who had taken Beth, cursed the entire damn world. How had it come to this? Alyssa had run off, hurt and betrayed because of him, and now Beth—sweet, soft Beth—was gone too, snatched away in front of his eyes. He felt like he was failing them, like he wasn't the man he thought he'd become.

As he slowed to a stop, his legs heavy and his heart pounding, he bent over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. His mind raced with a singular thought: If I find Alyssa and Beth's gone... all hell's gonna break loose. He knew Alyssa's feelings for Beth, knew how protective she was of her, and if she came back only to find Beth gone, she wouldn't stop until she tore the world apart looking for her. Hell, Daryl didn't blame her—he felt the same way. But Alyssa's anger, combined with her grief, would be a dangerous force, one he wasn't sure even he could rein in.