𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐌𝐎𝐍 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 | 𝐭𝐰𝐝 ¹

15.

   Nicole knew what it was like to have her heart ripped out. She knew what it was like to lose someone she loved ever so dearly. She knew what it was like to mourn someone whom she didn't know was alive or not.

   She could feel Daryl's heart almost break inside his chest. She could feel the ever-growing rage that was building inside him because it never left her's.

   The wind started to blow across the roof. It swept through Nicole's hair and carried the faint smell of blood. Nicole could almost taste the iron as it went into her nose. She hated the taste and smell of blood. God knows she tasted it a fair amount of times.

   Daryl shifted his weight back and forth as the rest of the group moved down the steps. Nicole stepped down and saw the lone, bloody hand laying on the ground. Her stomach churned at the sight.

   Everything happened in a split second. Daryl spun around, aiming T-Dog's head. Nicole was about to try and stop him but Rick placed his Python to his head. Notably, Daryl paused to question his future actions. "I won't hesitate. I don't care if every walker in the city hears it."

   "Daryl put it down. It's not worth it," Nicole cooed as she shimmed herself between T and the arrow.

   With a tearful sigh, Daryl put down the crossbow, which led to Rick lowering his gun. T-Dog and Nicole took a deep breath. T nudged his friend's arm as if trying to say thank you. Nicole nodded in return.

   "You got a do-rag or something?" Daryl questioned.

   T-Dog pulled a black handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Daryl. He snatched it and turned back to his brother's hand. Daryl set his crossbow against the pipe that ran across the building. With a reluctant sigh, he bent down and laid the blue piece of fabric down next to his brother's hand.

   "I guess the saw blade was to dull for the handcuffs," Daryl stated matter-of-factly as he picked up the hand. He examined it for a second, "Ain't that a bitch."

   Daryl folded the handkerchief over the hand and stood back up. "Nik, turn around." Nicole sighed and did as he said. Daryl shoved the hand into her indigo backpack and turned to grab his crossbow again. "He must have used a tourniquet -- maybe his belt. Be much more blood if he didn't."

   Nicole knew that Merle wasn't the smartest man. She knew that he was high and panicking. However, she pondered something. Why the hell would he cut off his hand when he could just break his thumb and slip it?

   "At least he left us a trail." Nicole shrugged as she followed the crossbow-wielding man that walked in front of her. Daryl scoffed as he walked through the door it led out of. Nicole held her bat on her shoulder as she followed wearily behind her redneck friend.

   Rick was hot on her trail; his gun drawn in case of emergency. Daryl led the small group to a staircase. Nicole watched as Daryl peered over the railing. "Merle? You in here?"

   "Daryl," Nicole whispered. The man didn't bat an eye to her before continuing down the steps. The trail had started to thin and seemingly went dark when it got to a hallway. Daryl glanced back to Nicole, who cocked her head. Daryl went inside the single room and came back out when he didn't see a sign of his brother.

   Rick turned the corner and they group continued forwards. Merle's blood had single drops on the carpeting under their feet. They got to the administrative room, where two dead walkers laid. Their heads beat in with the bloody wrench that resides a foot away.