𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒.
chapter sixteen; All Out Manhut
" Okay, then he ate something bad-- people don't just turn into these things. "

  THE TRUCK WAS stuffed, but Vex was actually quite proud of her packing skills. Dean attributed this to her Tetris obsession in elementary school, but Vex assured him it was the military that had taught her how to pack a vehicle full.

  Whatever the reason, they'd managed to fit the remainder of the supplies in one trip, and therefore, Vex was content.

  "Holy shit."

  Vex laughed as she exited the truck, joining T-Dog's side.

  "Told you he was a prepper," She sighed, looking over her shoulder to smile at a surprised Rick and Daryl, "Everything's communal 'cept this box and two bags in the front; a lot if it's Zep's clothes, my meds, etcetera."

  "O'course," Rick said, "Thank you two, for bringin' all this."

  "We're in this together now," Dean shrugged, "Figured it was about time."

  Rick nodded, though Vex hung back as T-Dog and Dean began unloading the truck.

  "Thought you two were gonna take the kid out?" She questioned.

  "Just about to," Rick nodded, "Had to take care of somethin' else first-- would you mind grabbin' Randall?"

  "No problem," Vex nodded.

  She walked out to the shed that held Randall, putting the code into the lock before pulling it off. Vex opened the door, her heart dropping as she did.

  "Rick!"

  Both Rick and Daryl were shocked as Vex Williams came sprinting back to them empty-handed.

  "Randall's gone."

🗡

  Rick was inspecting the bloodied cuffs that held Randall previously.

  "The door was locked when I got up here," Vex said, crossing her arms, "Either he locked it behind himself. . ."

  "Cuffs are still hooked," Rick announced, "He must've slipped 'em."

  "Is that possible?" Carol asked.

  "It is if you've got nothin' to lose," Andrea responded.

  "If you break your own thumbs, hands'll fit," Vex mumbled to Carol, "I don't get it being locked-- I mean who would lock a door behind themselves if they're escaping?"

  "Rick! Rick!"

  The group turned at Shane's voice, the man himself emerging from the woods, his face bloodied.

  "What happened?" Lori called.

  "He's armed," Shane yelled as he approached, "He's got my gun."

  "He's lying," Vex whispered.

  "Yeah, no shit," Daryl responded, equally as quiet.

  "Are you okay?!" Carl questioned.

  "I'm fine, little bastard just snuck up on me-- he clocked me in the face."

  "Alright," Rick said, turning to the group, "Hershel, Dean, T-Dog; get everybody back in the house. Glenn, Vex, Daryl, come with us."

  "T," Shane said, "Imma need that gun."

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

  "The plan was to cut him loose far away from here," Rick said, "Not on our front step with a gun."

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

  "Get everybody in the house, lock all the doors, and stay put!"

  Vex set out with Rick, Shane, Glenn, and Daryl, despite the unsettled feeling in her stomach.

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

  "He couldn't have gotten far," Rick said, "He's hobbled, exhausted."

  "And armed," Glenn added.

  "So are we," Rick said, turning to Daryl, "Can you track him?"

  "Nah, I don't see nothin'."

  "Hey, look, there ain't no use in tracking him, okay?" Shane argued, "He went that way, we just need to pair up, we spread out, we just chase him down. That's it."

  "Kid weighs a buck-25 soaking wet," Daryl said, "You tryna tell us he got the jump on you?"

  "I'd say a rock pretty much evens those odds, wouldn't you?"

  "Alright, knock it off," Rick said, "You, Vex, and Glenn start heading up the right flank. Me and Shane'll take the left. Remember, Randall's not the only threat out there. Keep an eye out for each other."

  And so they went their separate ways.

  "You think Rick really believes this shit?" Vex questioned, following Daryl and Glenn, "I mean, Shane's story."

  "Wait, you don't?"

  Vex looked to Glenn.

  "'Course she doesn't," Daryl said, "It don't add up."

  They continued in silence as the sun set and the forest grew impossibly darker.

  "This is pointless," Daryl grumbled, "You got a light?"

  Glenn produced a flashlight quickly, and within mere moments, Daryl lead them back the way they came.

  "We're just back to square one."

  "If you gon' do a thing, might as well do it right," Daryl responded.

  Surely enough, Daryl quickly found two pairs of footprints in the soft dirt.

  "Two sets of tracks right here," Daryl noted, "Shane must've followed him a lot longer than he said."

  "They were walking together," Vex said, staring at the footprints, "Unless Shane meticulously avoided the prints. They're not deep, either. No one was running."

  Daryl looked to her silently, before following the tracks further.

  "There's fresh blood on this tree," He noted, shining the light on the bark. "There's more tracks."

  Daryl followed the tracks, and a bird called out, making Glenn jolt into Daryl.

  "Sorry."

  "You okay?" Vex questioned quietly.

  "Yeah, you know, just. . ."

  "Looking for a man with a gun in the middle of the woods at night?" She suggested, "I get it, but you're not alone."

  Glenn nodded, following Vex as she walked.

  "Yeah, there was a little dust-up right here," Daryl noted.

  "What do you mean?"

  "I mean somethin' went down," Daryl said.

  "It's gettin' weird," Glenn noted.

  "It's been weird," Vex said.

  "Had a little trouble," Daryl said, shining his light on a piece of cloth.

  Glenn picked it up, the realization that it was the cloth used to gag Randall.

  A twig snapped behind them, and the three retreated behind trees quickly. Vex peered around, spotting a lone walker.

  Daryl whistled, tossing the flashlight back to Glenn. The walker approached, knocking Glenn to the ground quickly. Daryl fired off an arrow, but missed the head, and gained the walker's attention. He was pushed down too, backed against a tree, attempting to keep the walker at arm's distance-- until a bowie knife was planted in the side of its skull.

  Vex pushed the walker down, retrieving her knife as she did. She held a hand out to Daryl who, after a moment, took it and allowed her to hoist him up.

  "Found him," Vex mumbled as Glenn shined the light on the walker's face. "But what the hell happened?"

  Daryl crouched, inspecting the body for a moment.

  "Got his neck broke," He said, turning the body over and lifting the shirt, "He's got no bites."

  "Yeah, none you can see," Glenn said.

  "Nah, I'm tellin' ya," Daryl said, pointing to his neck. "He died from this."

    The man looked back, exchanging glances with both Glenn and Vex.

  "How's that possible?" Glenn questioned.

  "It's not," Vex said suddenly, "He. . . he got scratched."

  "None."

  "Okay, then he ate something bad-- people don't just turn into these things," Vex stressed, breathing out, "Right?"

  Daryl and Glenn remained silent.

  "Come on," Daryl said, retrieving his arrow from the tree it had landed in, "Let's go."

  Daryl started walking, Glenn followed, but Vex hesitated, staring at Randall's body.

  "Vex," Daryl said, "Come on."

  She turned, nodding, looking to the body once more before following the men.

  There was just no way.

WORD COUNT : 1216