Skeletons - 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 19 - 𝑹𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒏

Iris and Daryl got their things packed and prepared for the trip before Rick came back over from the barn.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Yeah." Daryl replied, Iris nodding along.

"I'll go get the package." T-Dog offered, jogging off toward the shed. Iris hauled open the back door, depositing a backpack of things Carol had prepared for Randall. T-Dog came running back fairly quickly, the look on his face saying everything they needed to know. "He's gone."

"What?" Rick asked, turning around.

"Randy's gone. All's left is a pair of handcuffs covered in blood, man." He replied. They took off running toward the shed, Daryl practically ripping the door open. Rick knelt down to inspect the pile of blankets and the handcuffs. T-Dog went to tell the others and word spread fast.

"How long's he been gone?" Iris asked, looking at the others.

"'S hard to say." Daryl grumbled.

"The cuffs are still hooked." Rick murmured, coming out of the shed to find what looked like the whole group waiting expectantly. "He must have slipped 'em."

"Is that possible?" Carol asked, stepping forward.

"Could have dislocated his wrist." Iris suggested. "Doesn't have much to lose."

"Little runt couldn't even pinch himself without screaming bloody murder." Daryl replied.

"The door was secured from the outside." Hershel observed, flicking the gold lock.

"Rick! Rick!" Shane yelled suddenly, storming out from the forest.

"What happened?" Lori asked. It was a good question. His face was bloodied, his nose obviously broken. It was spattered all over his shirt, his hands.

"He's armed!" Shane replied. "He's got my gun!"

"Are you okay?" Carl asked, worried.

"I'm fine. Little bastard just snuck up on me, clocked me ion the face."

"Alright. Hershel, T-Dog, get everybody back in the house. Glenn, Daryl, Iris, come with us." Rick ordered, pulling out his pistol and meeting Shane halfway.

"Just let him go. That was the plan, wasn't it? To just let him go?" Carol asked.

"The plan was to cut him loose far away from here. Not on our front step with a gun." Rick replied shortly. Iris frowned. She watched as Shane took a gun from T-Dog, glancing back at the forest where he emerged. There was no way. It just wasn't believable. Yet, everyone around her was immediately in fight or flight. Something wasn't adding up.

"Don't go out there, y'all know what can happen!" Carol warned.

"Get everybody back in the house. Lock all the doors and stay put!" Rick ordered. Iris adjusted her knife belt as they stalked off into the woods.

"I saw him head up through the trees that way before I blacked out." Shane explained, gesturing. "I'm not sure how long."

"Couldn't have gotten far. He's hobbled, exhausted." Rick replied.

"And armed." Glenn stated.

"So are we." Rick replied.

"Can you track him?" Rick asked Daryl.

"No, I don't see nothing." He replied, frowning into the dirt.

"Hey, look, there ain't no use in tracking him, okay? He went that way. We just need to pair up." Shane stated firmly. Iris raised an eyebrow. Suspicious motherfucker. "We spread out, we just chase him down, that's it."