Hushed ➳ Daryl Dixon

Chapter 18

           "Sure this was the spot?" Daryl asked leaning forward and looking through the water.

"I left her right here. I drew the walkers way off in that direction up the creek." Rick explained.

I continued to search the ground for any sign of tracks. How the hell did this happen? Sophia was not missing, she had gotten chased off by two walkers and Rick chased after her.

According to Rick he had her stay in this spot while he led them away from her.

"Without a paddle- seems we've landed." He sighed looking around for a second before looking back at Rick. "She was gone by the time I got back here. I figured she just took off and ran back to the group. I told her to go that way and keep the sun on her left shoulder."

I clenched my eyes shut before looking back up and glancing at Glenn.

"Hey, short round. Why don't you step off to one side? You're mucking up the trail" Daryl said to Glenn making me snort. "What's so funny girl?" Daryl asked narrowing his eyes at me.

"I got clear prints right here, she did like you said. Headed back to the highway" Daryl said climbing out of the small creek and followed the tracks. "Let's spread out"

We followed carefully behind Daryl, I was sure not to mess up any tracks just in case we had to come back through this way.

Daryl knelt down inspecting the shuffled leaves. "She was doin just fine till right here. All she had to do was keep going. She veered off that way" he explained pointed off in the opposite directing of the highway.

"Why would she do that?" Glenn asked.

"Maybe she saw something that spooked her, made her run off" Shane added.

"A walker?"

I sighed watching Daryl as he inspected the ground. "I don't see any other footprints" he was saying more like he was talking to himself. "Just hers" he mumbled.

"So what do we do? All of us press on?" Shane asked looking up at Rick then down at Daryl. "No, it's better if you, Glenn and Brinley get back to the highway. People are going to start panicking."

Shane stood and looked at Rick for a second. "Let them know we're on her tails. Doing everything we can. Most of all keep everyone calm" Rick explained and we all nodded.

"I'll keep them scavenging cars and think up some other chores, I'll keep Em' occupied" Shane said matter a factly.

"Come on" Shane said and started to walk away. I eyed Daryl for a second before looking up at Rick. Nodded to the two I followed behind Shane and Glenn.

"You really think we're gonna find that little girl?" Shane asked looking at Glenn. I clenched my fist at his question.

"Daryls the best tracker I know, he will find her" Glenn nodded and I hard Shane let out a breath. "How about you? Think we will find her?" He asked glancing back at me. I nodded.

I heard him scuff, "you know not talking is gonna cause a bunch of problems, what happened when we run into a large heard again and you won't be talk to communicate that with the group" Shane said and my blood started to boil.

Remember the one time when I punched you in the face? Yeah well that's about to happen again if you don't shut your damn mouth.

As we made it back to the highway I veered off to look through cars. I didn't want to be there when Shane told Carol that he daughter was still missing.

Finding more food and more clothes I put them in the piles of things we have collected. I moved on to another vehicle and I hard small footsteps behind me.

"Brin, look what I found" Carl smiled holding a small leather bundle in his arms. He unraveled it to show off an arsenal of different hand held weapons.

I nodded with a smile and he wrapped it back up walking off towards Shane. I turned back to the car and continued to search for essential items.

It was starting to get dark so I heard off towards the RV. As if perfect timing I noticed Daryl and Rick coming up from the woods. No Sophia.

"You didn't find her?" Carol stammered, starting to cry. "Her trail went cold, we'lol pick it up again first light" Rick nodded and I frowned. She was stuck out in those woods all by herself.

"You can't leave my daughter out there on her own. To spend the night alone in the woods." She cried.

"Out in the darks no good, we'd just be trippin over ourselves. More people would get lost" Daryl said calmly.

I walked away from the group, taking a seat on the bed of a truck. I laid back looking up at the darkening sky.

I felt the truck dip and I sat up glancing at Daryl who had taken a seat next to me. "You think we're gonna find her?" He asked and I instantly nodded my head.

"She's still alive" Daryl said catching my attention. "Cut open a walker to make sure it was nowhere near Sophia. It wasn't" I nodded.

"Come on, we gotta be up early" he said walking off towards the RV.

~A/N~

I know this is a short chapter!! I'm sorry!

This story is gaining reads left and right and I'm loving every second of it!

Thank you!