Chapter 50 - Animus Pt. 2
The Prison
Tess was growing bored of not being able to do anything. Being stuck in bed all day was misery and while Daryl kept her company for the most part, he couldn't be with her every minute of every hour. Sitting by herself, waiting for her leg to feel better was more painful than the wound itself. In fact, she was growing so bored and so sick and tired of being on her own that she couldn't bear to wait any longer.
Gritting her teeth in preparation for the pain, she shuffled out of bed and tentatively placed both feet on the floor. Tess hissed as her left leg flared white hot and she clutched her bandaged thigh, immediately second guessing herself. Maybe this was a bit premature… Slowly, the pain began to subside and she teetered up onto her feet. She was woozy but determined. She wasn't going to spend another hour sitting here in this depressing corner of the prison all alone.
Not only was it lonely and boring but with nothing to do and no one to talk to, all Tess had time for was sleep. For her recovery, sleeping was great but the dreams she'd been having were still strange and a little unsettling, so she wanted nothing to do with them. She wanted to go outside and feel the sun on her face, she wanted to be back with her friends and return to normal. It had been a week now since she'd had any of that. Tess would volunteer to fold laundry or help with meals if it meant she could sit outside and be anywhere by here.
Staggering out of the room, Tess clung to the walls and gradually limped away from the infirmary. She'd no doubt get an earful for this but she cared very little. If Daryl wanted to demand that she sit and stay put afterwards then she would oblige but for now, getting out of here was her top priority. With a tired grunt, Tess pushed open the side door to the courtyard.
The midday sun was blinding and she squeezed her eyes shut tightly as spots started to appear in her vision. The warmth crept across her skin as she stumbled through the door and she blinked against the glare, adjusting to the daylight. The air smelled different out here, better, and Tess breathed in deep, basking in the baking sun. This was healing. This was exactly what she needed. All she could do with now was a place to sit.
Tess hobbled around to the front of the prison, hearing idle chatter - the stirrings of a community rebuilding after tragedy. They'd lost many, yet again. People were still mourning - coming to terms with those they'd lost or were still yet to recover. Death Row was no longer their designated quarantine ward but that didn't mean people weren't still sick. There were still uncertainties around whether they'd all get better and some were preparing themselves for the loss yet to come.
Selfishly, Tess steered clear of those she barely knew by name, not wanting to get caught up in the politeness of inquiring how they were doing or have them ask how she was feeling. She found herself an empty table and sat at the end, overlooking the outskirts of the prison. Flame was alone in the field now, grazing lazily in the tall grass. Tess briefly wondered about how they'd go about getting more livestock in the future but the thought left her mind as quickly as it appeared.
Opposite the greenspace, Rick and Daryl appeared to be having a tense discussion by their recently damaged fence. Daryl paced irately, even shoving Rick in the shoulder at one point. Tess raised a hand to shield her eyes, trying to get a better look at the two of them but the sun continued to blind her. She could barely see them, let alone hear them. Whatever they were discussing clearly had Daryl upset. She thought about walking over to them but with her leg already throbbing from her short walk outside, she'd be lucky if she didn't collapse before reaching them.
Daryl shoved Rick once more when the Sheriff tried to place a calming hand on his shoulder, causing him to stumble. Tess chewed the inside of her cheek worriedly. Daryl rarely got this worked up. What was going on? As Rick regained his footing, he seemed to stop and look away from Daryl, towards the prison. His hand also raised to shield his eyes to get a better look and despite the distance, Tess could tell he'd locked eyes with her.
Abashedly, Tess lifted her other hand and waved, feeling a bit awkward now that he knew she had witnessed their altercation. Daryl stopped his pacing and turned to see what Rick was looking at. Tess waved again and tried to smile but it was crooked and uncomfortable because she knew he wasn't going to be happy about seeing her sitting there. She sighed when he began to quickly storm up the run towards her.
"Hello." She said to him when he arrived. Her greeting sounded sickly sweet - overkill in the hopes he wouldn't bite her head off.
"What are you doing?" He grumbled, unimpressed.
"Sitting. What are you doing?"
"I mean out here. What are you doing out here?"
"I was going stir crazy. I couldn't stay inside any longer."
"You're being stupid."
"Excuse me? Weren't you the one that was trying to get out of bed the day after falling into a ravine, getting an arrow in the stomach and being shot in the head? It's been two days, Daryl, I'm bored."
"I don't care if you're bored." He snapped at her, his argument with Rick clearly getting the better of his senses. "You should be in bed, Tess."
"Hey, you're angry at Rick, not me, remember?" Tess bit back, "You wanna tell me what that was all about?"
Daryl huffed in frustration and his eyes turned to slits so narrow that she could no longer see the blue of his irises. His agitated pacing resumed and she grew concerned that whatever was upsetting him so had to be very serious.
"You're actually worrying me, what is it?" Tess urged him, reaching out to grab his hand.
Daryl stopped and looked over his shoulder towards the others that sat outside.
"Not here." He advised, squeezing her hand, causing her to frown with concern.
"Okay, so where?"
Daryl helped her stand and looped his arm around her waist to aid her in walking. Together, they found somewhere more private and delved into the conversation he'd had with Rick.
Chills ravaged Tess as she listened to what Daryl had to say. Hazy memories of urgency and fear fell back into place as he told her about Carol - what she'd done to Karen and David and how she'd tried to play dumb straight to her face. She recalled putting it together and wanting to say something and Tess became riddled with guilt when Daryl told her what Rick had done.
"How could he do that?" Tess stressed, confounded that Rick would take it upon himself to banish Carol like that. Had she said something back then when she had meant to, maybe they could have found an alternative.
"He said he couldn't trust her." Daryl muttered angrily, feeling betrayed.
Tess didn't know what to say. Carol had murdered two people. Two of their people. Something had to be done about that but was abandoning her really the right answer?
"Does Tyrese know?" She asked curiously and Daryl shook his head.
"I don't think so."
Perhaps that was for the best. Tyrese was still mourning Karen and Tess wasn't confident that his friendship with Carol would successfully circumvent his rage. She looked to Daryl and tried to decipher the look of anger, frustration and sadness on his face. He cared about Carol, she knew that. In what capacity, she still couldn't really tell - they shared a similar history, so there was some sort of trauma bond there that had manifested over time.
"Are you going to go find her..?" Tess spoke softly, caught between wanting to be supportive and holding him back. She didn't want him to leave but she didn't know if she'd have the heart to stop him if he so chose to.
"I can't." Daryl replied vaguely.
"You know where Rick left her, don't you? I'm sure you could track her?"
"I can't take you with me. Not like this."
"You wouldn't have to go forever-"
"Rick sent her away. I can't just bring her back."
"Screw Rick, okay. It's not up to him."
"And Tyrese? What am I supposed to do about that?"
Tess had no answer for that. She had no idea what to do - whether to tell Tyrese the truth or say nothing and hope he'd eventually let it go. If it were her, she knew she'd never let it go. Carol had done a heinous thing, something unforgivable, so how could they expect Tyrese to move on?
She thought about what leaving to find Carol would mean - leaving their home, their friends, their family. Any potential they had at stability and a life. If Daryl really wanted to go, she'd go with him, but it was a lot to leave behind. She would have to say goodbye to Carl and he wouldn't understand why. It just occurred to her then that perhaps everyone else already knew about Carol's absence, even if not the reason why. Was no one else outraged by her dismissal?
Tess shuffled uncomfortably on her feet. Her leg was beginning to grow tired and sore and she didn't know if she could stand for much longer. She'd have to eat her humble pie and finally rest. There was no point in her standing here in pain. Daryl noticed her discomfort too and his arm found its way around her waist again, helping her back into the prison and into her cell.
"Stay there, okay?" Daryl instructed her, as she sat on the bed. "I'll send Merle to keep you company."
"Lucky him." Tess rolled her eyes in jest and Daryl smirked, countering;
"Lucky you."
"Where are you going?"
"I ain't done talking to Rick."
"Okay."
Before he could leave, Tess was already wobbling back up onto her feet despite Daryl's exasperated sigh.
"I just told you not to move."
"Do you not want me to kiss you?" She protested innocently and Daryl quickly shut his mouth.
He walked the few short steps to meet her and she gave him an impish smile that let him know she was just trying her luck. If he didn't want to, he could walk away but he'd never not want to. How could he ever deny himself, her, that which was all he ever wanted? He had become undeniably pious of her and he'd worship her in whatever way she would allow him to.
The longer Daryl looked down upon her, the longer Tess wanted to simply run away with him. Leave it all behind - the drama, the loss, the conflict and misery. They could survive together on their own, they didn't need much.
"Is it too late to move to the cabin?" She whispered, knowing they never could.
Daryl smiled faintly and kissed her, wishing they would.
—
It was only a few minutes after Daryl left that Merle turned up. Tess was idly stroking the red feather tied to the fletching of one of the arrows Daryl had carved for her when he made his presence known.
"Y'know, someone should really start payin' me for all this babysittin' I been doin'." Merle quipped, causing Tess to snort. He waltzed into her cell and took a seat, a smug smile on his face.
"Oh yeah? And what would you buy yourself with that money? A nice pair of gloves?" She retorted and his smug smile fell.
"You're real mean when you wanna be, y'know that, Red?"
"Pot, kettle, black." Tess shrugged, confident that his feelings weren't really hurt.
"How's the leg holdin' up?" Merle kicked his booted feet up onto the edge of her bed and she swiped them away, only for him to put them up again.
"It hurts but I'm walking." She replied, giving up. "Hey, thanks for saving my life, again."
"You owe me one, now."
"I suppose I do. Let's not make a habit of this, yeah? One day we won't get so lucky."
"Yeah, well, you keep doin' dumb shit, you best hope your luck don't run out."
"Dumb shit should be our motto." Tess laughed, "I'll do my best to keep it to a minimum."
"Daryl chew your ear off for leaving the med-bay?" Merle enquired nosily (secretly, he loved to gossip).
"All things considered, I think he let me off pretty easily." Tess shrugged, knowing his response could've been a lot worse.
"You don't seem to be chompin' at the bit to spill your guts anymore," Merle began and Tess hummed and raised an eyebrow with confused intrigue. "Did your near-death experience serve as a reality check?"
"Are you seriously asking me if my feelings for Daryl have changed?"
"Or have you just chickened out again?"
"Why are you so interested?" Tess peered at Merle suspiciously. He cleared his throat and shrugged,
"I ain't."
"Ya-huh… Y'know it's okay to want good things for your brother."
"I don't want for nothin'. I'm just bein' nosy is all."
"Mhmm…" Tess hummed, unconvinced.
She felt nervous approaching this subject again after all but begging Merle to tell Daryl on her behalf that she loved him. Since she'd been awake and now that she was up and moving again, it had crossed her mind many, many times to tell him. But Merle was right, she was chickening out. She was always searching for the right time and was never able to find it. Despite her earlier fear and desperation, she couldn't get past the apprehension she felt every time she considered telling him.
"My feelings haven't changed," Tess muttered, "I just don't know what to say or how to say it."
Merle scoffed at her in an unimpressed tone. He clearly didn't believe her.
"It ain't some sermon." He rolled his eyes dramatically, "You've got all of three damn words to say. I'm sure even your pea-sized brain could cope with that."
"Jeez, who's being mean now?"
"Stop being a coward and I'll ease up."
"I really don't know why you're so concerned about this?" Tess huffed irritably.
"You nearly died, twice." Merle scolded her, "Or have you forgotten already?"
"How can I forget when you keep reminding me?" She drawled sarcastically.
"Then don't be an idiot and wait until you're about to die again."
"Fine."
"Fine." He echoed her with a humph.
It was a childish argument, hardly one worth fighting over, but they were both too stubborn to let the other come out on top or have the last word. Merle crushed his eyes closed out of frustration, blocking her out, and Tess scowled at him temporarily.
"Want to play poker?" She suggested after a beat, suspecting it would irritate him that she was speaking again. Merle sighed crankily,
"Yeah, alright."
He rose from his seat and reached up to the top bunk where an old, worn pack of playing cards sat alongside Tess' bow, handgun and machete, as well as her extra clothes and other belongings. Merle handed the cards over to her to shuffle and settled back into his chair.
She had barely removed the cards from their pack when the prison was rocked by a thunderous boom that sent the cards scattering across the floor. Tess gawked at Merle with wide, stunned eyes and open mouth. The noise was unmistakable - it was an explosion.
They were under attack.
"Stay here." Merle commanded her as they both got to their feet.
"As if!" She snapped at him and quickly outfitted herself with her weapons from atop the bunk.
Tess hurried after him as quickly as she could, ignoring the discomfort her pace caused her and made her way out of the prison along with everyone else. Past the rubble, through the settling dust, and over the crowd of gathering people, Tess saw the force that awaited them beyond the fence. Standing on top of a main battle tank, its turret pointing straight at them, The Governor waited for them. Dressed all in black, he looked like death, their death, returned to finish the job.
It felt like her heart stopped. Her mind went blank and she felt the flames of the fire from her dream nip at her heels in anticipation of dragging her to hell. He was back. All this time he'd been out there, waiting, biding his time and recruiting. The force that backed him was easily thirty deep - all armed with automatic rifles that looked ready to take them out. They were out-manned and out-gunned. The Governor had come to finish the job and there'd be no escape for them this time.
"Rick!" The Governor hollered and the sound of his voice roused Tess from her stupor. "Come down here. We need to talk."
Tess looked over at Rick who was ashen and stupefied. He stepped up to the courtyard fence and called back, shaking his head.
"It's not up to me. There's a council now. They run this place."
Tess pushed her way through the crowd, towards her friends, where she stood alongside Maggie and Beth, Carl, Tyrese, Sasha and Bob. Carl looked up at her and shuffled closer, whether for his safety or hers, she wasn't sure.
"Is Hershel on the council?" The Governor shouted and Maggie and Beth stiffened, "What about Michonne? She on the council, too?"
Tess looked every which way, searching for their friends but they weren't anywhere to be seen. It wasn't until The Governor beckoned towards one of his men that the door to an old, beat-up RV opened and a bound Michonne and Hershel stumbled out of the vehicle. Beth yelped and Maggie gasped as they clutched the fence in fright. Even with the distance between them, Hershel stared at them reassuringly, imploring them to do nothing. The Governor forced them both to their knees.
Rick faltered and began shaking his head in disbelief.
"I- I don't make the decisions anymore."
"You're making the decisions today, Rick. Come down here. Let's… Let's have that talk."
While Rick slowly began walking across the field towards The Governor and his army, Tess heard feet approach from behind. Merle arrived with Daryl who began to surreptitiously hand out rifles. Tess' heart raced in a panic as Merle's advice echoed in her ears and her hand began to tremble as she took the last rifle from Daryl. He gave her a long, hard look and stayed by her side. She knew what this meant and so did he. They were about to lose - everything.
"We can't take 'em all on." Tyrese spoke with a hushed voice, trying to avoid suspicion.
"We'll go through the admin building, through the woods like we planned." Daryl told them.
Tess didn't like the idea of going back into the prison now. It was too risky. The quarters were too tight and getting trapped or smoked out was too likely a threat. It wasn't a smart move but it was likely the only move they had. Their only saving grace was that they knew the prison better than The Governor and his men.
"When's the last time someone checked the stash on the bus?" Sasha asked and Tess shook her head despairingly.
"Day before we hit the Big Spot. We were running low on rations then. We're even lower now."
"Yeah, we'll manage." Daryl assured them, "Things go south, everyone heads for that bus. Let everybody know."
"What if everybody doesn't know when things go bad? How long do we wait?"
"As long as we can."
As long as we can… It was an ominous indefinite that left very little space for hope.
"Tyrese, Bob, Sasha, start rounding up the kids, the sick and anyone else you can find and get them on the bus." Tess instructed them fiercely, rage building inside her.
"But what if they-" Sasha began to protest.
"You get them on that bus now or they die." Ordered Tess, the familiar sense of directive taking over.
None of them moved, they just stood there staring at her in shock.
"You see that tank?" Tess hissed, "That's an M60 and it will blow this place to kingdom-fucking-come. You get them out now or they don't get out at all."
Tyrese grabbed his sister by the arm and the three of them took off without another word.
When Tess turned back to face the army, The Governor was on the ground and she could see him wielding Michonne's sword. It hung menacingly from his hand like the reaper's scythe or the executioner's blade. It was a threat, a warning of what was to come. He held it up to Hershel's neck and Tess heard his daughters choke back sobs.
Goosebumps rippled across her skin and her chest heaved with sharp, shuddering breaths. The wind seemed to stop and a hard, tangible silence fell over the prison. Tess felt Daryl's arm brush against hers and her head snapped up to look at him and he too looked down at her. Between them, they had some kind of non-verbal conversation - stick with me, don't leave my side. She would avoid doing so for as long as she possibly could. Tess shifted the rifle to her other hand and reached out to hold his. They both squeezed, hoping to find some reassurance in one another, and then let go.
Everyone waited with baited breath while listening to Rick plead to The Governor. He begged for their adversary to see reason - there had to be another way and for a moment, The Governor's resolve seemed to waver. His stance started to relax and he slowly began to lower the sword from Hershel's neck.
For a split second, Tess was hopeful - whatever Rick had said had been enough and they weren't going to die today. But then The Governor reared back and swung Michonne's sword through the air, into the side of Hershel's neck with a sickening thwack. Maggie and Beth shrieked in horror and their screams echoed across the courtyard, haunting them as The Governor ripped the blade from their fathers neck.
Time stood still as they watched on in terror. The sound of Tess' erratically beating heart nearly drowned out her friend's screams while she watched on, horrified. Her entire body rippled with a violent cold that she felt deep in her bones. Hershel collapsed to the ground and in an instant of nightmarish clarity, Rick became enraged. He fired his pistol at The Governor's head, only to get hit in the thigh from the return fire.
Tess only became aware that she was squeezing the trigger of her rifle when the kickback began to make her shoulder ache. All she saw was red. Rage. Agony. The hellfire and blood that was promised. She didn't think twice about the faces she didn't recognize beyond the fence. They were all the enemy. They could all die.
Moments before Tess was forced behind cover, she witnessed The Governor swing Michonne's sword once more but never witnessed it meeting its mark. The bone-chilling wails she heard painted a gruesome enough picture for her and her heart strained with grief. She knew the voices. She could tell why they were shrieking. She didn't need to see.
Bullets ricocheted above her head and she flinched when the wooden pallet splintered. This barrier didn't provide her with ample protection and if she stayed any longer, she'd likely get hit. Tess looked across to the overturned table where Daryl had sought cover and he locked eyes with her. She raised a hand to her head and gestured for him to cover her.
Daryl sprung up from his position and laid suppressive fire. Tess sprinted forth as quickly as her leg would allow her and Daryl caught her as she slid behind the metal table. She steadied herself against him and met his storming blue eyes. Even with his well rehearsed facade, she could see he was scared. From her trembling in his arms, so could he.
"You here?" He asked her, over the sound of gunfire.
"I'm here." She nodded affirmatively. Now was not the time for fear or cowardice. It was kill or be killed.
"You aren't getting on that bus are you?" Daryl scanned her face imploringly, already knowing the answer.
There was a series of sharp metallic twangs from bullets hitting the table that made them both jump.
"Not a chance." Tess panted. Her heart was on the verge of bursting from her chest from the adrenaline coursing through her.
Daryl looked down at her leg and grimaced, wishing he could demand things of her, knowing it was useless but tempted to try nonetheless. Tess could feel the indecision radiating from him and she shook her head.
A bullet flew too close and they pulled each other further to the ground.
"I never should've stopped looking." Tess lamented despairingly.
"That don't matter now."
Daryl was right of course. All that mattered now was that they got out of this alive. And if they didn't… If they didn't… The Earth shattering realization of what that meant was devastating and Merle's unsolicited advice echoed in her ears once more. She'd been waiting for the right time but now they were out of time. It was now or never and she couldn't live or spend eternity in the hereafter with never.
"Whatever happens," Tess' lip began to quiver, "if the prison falls, you take who you can and get out of here."
Daryl frowned and shook his head profusely.
"I ain't gonna leave without you." He asserted and Tess placed a steadying hand on his chest.
"You may not have a choice."
He contemplated her silently, agonizing over the truth they were both afflicted with. They couldn't stay joined at the hip like this. If they were going to stand any kind of chance, then they had to fight for their home. People needed them. Even if all they wanted was each other.
"I'll find you." Daryl muttered, feeling the full weight of the finality of their situation.
"I know you will."
Tess brought her hand to his face and dedicated his every feature to memory. She would see him again. She'd make damn sure of that.
It would only be a matter of when.
Urgently, desperately, with no assurance of tomorrow, Daryl clutched her and kissed her. She returned it ardently, savoring what could be their very last. They fell apart when the air exploded with a deafening boom and the ground shook beneath their feet. The face of the prison had been obliterated and they stared at the rubble in shock.
Tess' heart raced unbearably and she felt the itchings of fear and stress boil beneath her surface.
"Tess-" Her head snapped to face him and before she could second guess herself-
"I love you, Daryl." She told him and his mouth came ajar to form words he didn't know.
Maybe it was the threat of death or her own self confidence but Daryl's silence didn't bother her. She had finally confessed. He knew now. And that was all she needed, even if it meant not hearing it back. It had always been about him knowing, never about needing the affirmation herself.
Tess found herself looking over Daryl's shoulder towards the group of elderly Tyrese was helping to escape from the prison and she knew they couldn't stay here any longer. Taking Daryl by the edges of his vest, she kissed him once more, quick and chaste.
"Please don't die." She muttered meekly and finally cleaved herself from him.
Daryl watched her run for Tyrese and the others with only one thought on his mind. Her confession. Her profession of love. For him. For as long as he could remember, Daryl had wished for a life different than his own. He'd wished for all the hardship and bullshit that had been thrown at him to be aimed at someone else. But if all those moments meant that he was brought here, then he'd live them over and over again just to hear Tess say, I love you.
She felt lighter now - finally alleviated from the weight of words unspoken and bolstered with the knowledge that Daryl now knew. It felt like an assurance that this wasn't the end for them. It couldn't be, not with the giant, open-ended question following them both: What was Daryl's response? Tess tried not to think about it now and focused instead on reaching Tyrese safely.
"Have you seen Sasha?" He shouted above the sound of gunfire.
Tess shook her head and gunned down one of The Governor's militia along with a couple of walkers.
"No!" She shouted back, "I haven't seen her or Bob."
Tyrese scanned the grounds fretfully, searching for his sister.
"I'll get them to the bus, go find her!" Tess told him while they sheltered behind a corner.
Tyrese nodded quickly and took off out of sight. She looked over her shoulder at Linda and the six others behind her and then ushered for them to follow her close behind. The bus wasn't far. If she could get them on, they could hide. At least until they were forced to flee. Hopefully they would be able to fill the bus before then.
Hurrying towards safety, Tess shot anyone she didn't recognize - dead or alive. Men, women, it didn't matter. These people had come to her home and threatened them. Executed one of their own. Tess didn't care if they felt forced into it. In her eyes, if they weren't running away, they were running towards their death and she would ensure they got there.
When she finally laid eyes on the old, rusted penitentiary bus, she breathed a heavy sigh of relief. It was just yards from them now and it looked like it had been saved from being too badly damaged. All the tires were still intact and only one window had been shot out. The one thing that did spike her concern was the fact that the door to the bus was already folded open. Something didn't feel right and she knew by now when to trust her gut.
She turned to Linda and handed her the rifle. The old woman's eyes widened in shock as she fumbled with the weight of it.
"Stay here." Tess cautioned them, "You see anyone you don't know, kill them."
Linda gawked at her with disbelief, stammering to find the right words to argue with.
"B-But how do I-?"
"Safety's off. Just point and shoot. Don't come out until I get back." Tess armed herself with her handgun, adjusting the string of her bow around her chest as she stood again and made for the bus.
She swept the corner like she'd been trained, keeping tight and alert. This was what she had been built for. This is what she had lived for. This was what she was good at. In some ways, this felt like home to her.
Tess quietly approached the door of the bus and spied the toe of a steel cap boot sticking ever so slightly over the step. She whirled around to face the person sitting in the stairwell and before they could even raise their gun, she shot them between the eyes. They splayed back in the footwell with a thud and Tess cautiously stepped over them to do a quick sweep of the bus.
Finding it empty, she shoved the dead body out of the bus and hurried back around to check on Linda and the others. She spotted them across the way and ushered them towards her, waving her hand in a beckoning motion. The seven of them slowly began to creep forward, flinching at the sound of gunfire and Tess kept a keen eye on them. They'd only made it a few steps before she noticed their faces twist in fright as they stared at something behind her. Tess spun on her heel just as a hammer came careening down towards her head and she threw her hands up.
The shaft of the hammer smashed into her forearms and she shouted in pain. Her pistol fell from her grasp and she staggered back. Her arms throbbed and her hands turned numb. The young man with the hammer swung again, for her face this time, and Tess did the first thing she could think of. She crouched, dropped her shoulder and tackled him to the ground, sending the hammer skittering across the concrete. His head smacked against the pavement and while he tried to regain his bearings, Tess rolled off of him, snatched the hammer up and with a big sweeping motion, lodged the claw of the hammer directly into his face. He coughed, spluttered and then lay there, motionless.
Agonizingly, Tess pushed herself up again. If it weren't for the fact that she could move them, she thought her arms might be broken. They were already starting to welt and bruise. It quickly made her forget about the pain in her leg.
"Get on the bus!" She croaked, feeling like she might collapse without a moment's notice.
She was helping one of the more frail women up the steps when she heard a familiar voice call her name.
"Maggie?" She called back, watching the Greene sisters lead another group of people towards the bus.
"Tess!"
The three of them hugged one another tightly and Tess' heart wrenched in her chest at the thought of what they'd just been through.
"I'm so sorry…" She apologized to them, unable to find the words to say anything more of substance.
Maggie just nodded somberly and Beth looked close to tears, scurrying away to help everyone on the bus. Tess knew now wasn't the time to mourn their father but Hershel had become something of a father figure to her as well and as much as it hurt her to know he was dead, it no doubt hurt them much more. All she wanted was to comfort them but there would be a time and a place for that and it wasn't now.
"Is Glenn on the bus?" Maggie questioned her nervously.
"No, he must be still inside." Tess guessed apprehensively.
"I have to go find him."
"I know, I'll help you."
Maggie reached over and squeezed her arm appreciatively. Tess hissed and ripped herself out of her grasp. Maggie then looked down and saw the flowering bruises on her forearms.
"What happened? Are you okay?" Maggie urged her and Tess nodded unconvincingly.
"I'm okay, let's just go." Her arms throbbed painfully but she left them hanging at her sides like they didn't bother her.
After quickly telling Beth and the others they were going to find Glenn and bring him back to the bus, Tess and Maggie started fighting their way back to the main prison building. There were more walkers than militia standing between them and Cell Block C now. The gunfire, explosions and subsequent damage had drawn in walkers from the surrounding areas and it wouldn't be long before they were completely overrun.
It was difficult to find anyone through the haze of smoke and dust and the growing crowds of the dead. Tess had long since lost sight of The Governor and as much as she wanted to hunt the son of a bitch down and make sure he paid for what he'd done, her people came first. With arms made of stone, Tess helped Maggie slash through the clusters of walkers. Each blow felt like her arms would shatter and the longer she pressed on, the weaker her leg became too.
She staggered and limped forward, beginning to feel the exhaustion and impact of still not being completely well. She'd continue on for as long as she could for Maggie's sake - her friend had already lost enough as it was. As they drew closer to C Block, Tess began to discern some living from the dead, most notably, Daryl caught squarely between both. Her heart leapt into her throat, choking her and she rapidly swapped her knife for her gun.
"Maggie, get to Glenn!" She shouted and steered away from her.
She drew her gun up and squeezed the trigger in rapid fire, taking down two walkers that were getting too close to Daryl. Adjusting, she then started firing at the few from the militia that had him pinned down. Daryl located her then and the tension in his shoulders eased a fraction.
A horrible grating sound of metal scraping on metal ruined whatever momentary sanctuary they just had. The M60 tank was rolling up to their final fence and in a matter of seconds, it had mowed their defences down like they were nothing more than blades of grass. It drove up towards the prison, squashing walkers as it rumbled onto the tarmac, and blocked Daryl from her sight. Men began leaping from the tank onto the ground and Tess shot at them as she rushed for cover once more.
Her chest felt tight and she could taste the metal and dust in the air. Her hands were beginning to grow numb. The pain in her leg was surging again and she noticed a growing patch of red seeping through the bandage on her leg as her wound started to bleed. Her arms throbbed and her vision started to waver. She couldn't continue on like this.
As she tried to locate her friends, she noticed the bus had left and there was little left of the living. She couldn't spot Rick, Carl or Michonne, nor Sasha and Tyreese or any of the kids. She hadn't seen Merle or Bob since the fight broke out and she hadn't seen Maggie return with Glenn. Judging by the state of the buildings, Tess was uncertain whether Maggie had ever reached him.
The prison was gone. Their home was gone. Destroyed. And they would be too if they stayed here any longer. Tess tried to peek around cover, desperately searching for any sight of Daryl but the tank stood resolutely between them. She hoped he had fled. She prayed, begged and sold her soul to whoever would take it to ensure that he got out of here alive.
Tess emptied the remainder of her clip, killing walkers as she staggered away from the prison; alone.
Behind her, the tank exploded and Daryl dragged Beth with him away from the prison, hoping against hope that Tess had gotten out alive too.