I'm so sorry for not updating this sooner! Every time I went to write this, my mind just went blank. But I must warn you, Daryl's chapter are going to be a bit shorter than Beth's. He is only one person and Beth has someone to talk to. Hopefully you aren't disappointed by that! Anyway, enjoy!
Daryl woke with a shock. He had slept for too long. He wanted to get an early start, but the sun was already blazing overhead. He quick got to his feet, slipping Beth's bracelet into his pant's pocket and continued on the path he had marked off the night before. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, not wanting the blurriness to distract from the trail he was following. He was lucky to have escaped any walkers during the night. He needed the sleep he got, but if it were up to him, he would have kept searching through the night.
Daryl let his thoughts wander to Beth. He imagined her scared and helpless, but he knew that wasn't what was happening. If she was a damsel in distress, she wouldn't be leaving these clues behind. She'd be too focused on being scared of the man kidnapping her. He was proud in how levelheaded she was staying. If it weren't for the time she spent with Daryl, she might not have thought to help out and he would have to work extra hard. Daryl kept an eye out for any blood, walker or human, but he found none and that could keep him breathing easy.
It was hours later that Daryl had come across the cabin in the woods from following the trail. He had noticed Beth had started to make her footsteps heavier, it brought a smile to his face. But he was skeptical that the man would lead them there. It was too obvious if he were aware that someone was coming after them. But this is where the trail led and Daryl was grasping at straws. He would take anything he could get. And Beth made sure that Daryl wasn't going to miss anything. He noted the mud stuck to the stairs, her way of telling him that she did indeed enter the cabin. Though her captor probably had cleared the building, Daryl proceeded with caution.
He knocked three times on the windowpane, waiting for any movement inside. None had come just as he had suspected. Daryl's eyes scoured the room for any sign of struggle but there was nothing to alarm him. Nor were there any traces of blood. All he needed to do was find the next clue that Beth would leave for him. He'd be sure she would leave one. It only made sense that she would leave a clue behind; she did lead him there. Maybe it was some heading towards where the man was taking her. Beth would be prying anything she could out of him to leave behind for Daryl to find. Though, he knew how stubborn she could be. And he had rubbed off on her likewise with him. Maybe the information would come later. Daryl strapped his crossbow across his back as he moved farther into the cabin.
He made his way to the sofa, finding a long strand of blonde hair. He plucked it off the sofa and twisted it between his fingers, the sun catching the bright highlights. He knew it was Beth's. This is where she spent the night. Chills ran down his spine when he thought of her sleeping here with the stranger. He hoped and prayed that this man didn't take advantage of her. He was still a day behind her, that much he did know. He would have to move faster if he wanted to catch her before they made it to wherever they were headed. Daryl let the hair float to the ground. He had no use in keeping it with him than only making him sadder.
He turned, investigating the rest of the living room. There was a sunflower seed stuck in the cushion of the second couch. He crushed it in between his thumb and forefinger. Daryl chewed on the inside of his lip from anticipation. He didn't want to have to waste more time here than what was necessary. He wanted to continue on the trail after Beth, but the item she left behind was going to drive him crazy if he didn't find it. Daryl wandered out of the living room to the bedroom, the hair on his arms standing up straight. He was worried about what he would find.
However, the bed was cleanly made. It looked like it had been undisturbed for some time. Daryl knew that if the man were to rape Beth, he wouldn't take his time putting the bed back together afterwards. His chest loosened as he opened the drawers, looked under the pillows and under the bed. But yet, he found nothing. The bedroom was cleared in his mind. He made his way to the next room, which ended up just being a coat closet.
However, he didn't leave it unsearched. The room after that was the kitchen. Most of the cabinets and cupboards doors were left open. Daryl opened a jar of jelly, remembering his time with Beth at the funeral home. It was one of the only food items left over. He knew that Beth probably left it untouched for a reason. Daryl ate the contents quickly as he moved onto the next room down the hallway. It was the bathroom. Daryl tried the light, the bulbs over the mirror flickering on and off a few times before burning bright.
He noticed the broken wood of the door. It was too high for it to be caused by Beth. He was glad it wasn't her head that caused the wood to break. Maybe she had turned on her captor and it was his head that caused the indent, but even Daryl doubted that. Beth was a tiny thing and was probably even tinier from the lack of food. Daryl remembered how easily he had manhandled her back at the moonshine still. It only made him shut his eyes tight and push the thoughts out of his mind. Whatever had caused the indent of broken wood in the door, it was recent and Daryl couldn't ignore it. It definitely wasn't the clue that Beth had left for him to find.
Daryl spotted the dirt on the floor tiles and he knew this is where the clue was going to be. He stooped down, grabbing a clump of it in his hands. It was almost dried out. Beth had been here a while ago, but not as recently as he thought it would have been. Daryl lifted the toilet seat and lifted the lid on the tank; and nothing. Daryl huffed out a breath of frustration. He had to think. He had to think like Beth. She was a smart girl. It wouldn't be obvious or her kidnapper would notice.
He drew back the shower curtain only to find half-filled bottles of shampoo, conditioner and body wash. Nothing looked out of place to him. He rummaged through the vanity drawers, finding nothing unusual. Daryl ran his hands through his hair out of exasperation. Think! Daryl faced himself in the mirror, noting his tired eyes and stubbly chin. He wanted a cigarette more than anything in that moment. Daryl thought of Beth looking at herself in this exact mirror. He wondered what she saw – if her face was still clean or her captor had beaten her. He was leaning towards the latter from the blood he found at the wreck.
Daryl placed his hands on either side of the sin, his emotions getting the best of him. He didn't want to let himself give up. He still had the trail to follow. Daryl closed his eyes, pressing the heel of his hands into his eyes. He was chiding himself, taunting himself to work harder to find Beth. She was counting on him. And the last thing he wanted to do was give up on her and have her hope for nothing. False hope was something he never wanted Beth to have. Daryl took an uneven breath, glaring at himself in the mirror again. And that's when he caught glimpse of it. It was the curve of a letter written on the reflective glass. Daryl blew a hot breath onto the surface, Beth's message coming alive again.
Daryl, keep going. I trust you to find me. Xoxo, Beth.
He had been right about Beth not knowing much about where she was headed. If she had learned anything, it would have been written on that mirror. Her message only gave Daryl that extra push to keep going. He wasn't going to give up the girl he had fallen in love with. Even in her predicament, she still believed in him. Daryl stormed out of the bathroom. He was determined to keep going. He needed to gain as much ground as he could while the sun was still up. Only then had he heard the commotion in the other room of the cabin. His nerves were on edge as he slipped his crossbow off his back and into his arms.
He edged down the hallway, peering into the living room through the crosshairs. It was a single walker that had wandered inside following Daryl's scent. If only it was that easy to find Beth, Daryl thought. He let his bolt fly, thumping into the walker's head. He retrieved his arrow quickly and dashed out the door to find Beth, no matter how long it took.
Daryl followed the trail for hours, only stopping to drink and the occasional piss. Other than that, he kept his eyes trained on Beth's boot prints. There were times that they had stopped, their footprints milling around in a big circle. Daryl figured that it was times that either of them had to use the bathroom or eat or something else that he didn't want to imagine. He had come across two walker bodies. Both of them had their heads smashed in with a rock. It only confirmed Daryl's suspicions that the man was still unarmed. That, or he chose not to use any weapons. But it didn't make Daryl rest any easier. Beth could have been bit.
On his own, Daryl had killed a few walkers, making sure that he didn't lose the trail while he disposed of the creatures. It was no trouble for him, but it didn't help with the time he was making. Each time he had to kill a walker was a minute wasted. Daryl kept moving, keeping an eye out for any more clues that Beth might have left for him. It was almost sundown when the trail had become a trampled mess. He could tell that this was the place that they had stopped for the night. It wasn't the most ideal place, but he knew they had no choice but to stay there.
One of them had tried to make a fire. The sticks were burnt but no longer warm. The fire had gone out a long time ago. Daryl turned to the trees standing around the fire pit. He had to squint in the dimming light, but he was sure he saw something on one of them. And his eyes didn't deceive him. A lock of Beth's hair was clinging to the rough bark, stuck on by blood. Heat flooded his body. He knew she was hurt for certain and he could do nothing to stop it. His hands shook with rage. Whoever took her was going to regret it. He'd kill them with his own hands slowly. They didn't deserve the mercy of a quick death.
Daryl turned from the bloody tree, searching for any other signs of struggle. He looked around the base of the trees. It was likely that Beth slept against one. It only made sense that something was in the bark or around the base. What he did find was Beth's boot prints leading away a short way. She must have had to use the bathroom or something of the sort. Daryl followed the tracks, her prints curving around a tree. This clue was much easier to find. It made him smile. He knew Beth was armed – this couldn't have been done with just fingernails. Though, his smile quickly faded when he read it. He had no idea what it meant. But it was important enough for Beth to etch it into the tree. On the trunk of the tree was one word scrawled into the rough bark: TERMINUS.
Anyone intrigued as to what happened between Beth and her captor?! But at least we know where they are headed now. Leave a review please, they always make me smile!