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Picnics In The Dark

It's not like this was our first time on the road. As a group, we travelled from the Atlanta camp to the farm, then to the prison. And that was for eight months with a pregnant lady. Somehow that was easier. I thought with it being summer now I wouldn't freeze to death in the woods, which was true, but the extreme heat practically melted me. I tied the jacket around my waist, the grimy T-shirt sticking to my back. My hair was pulled back from my face but I really needed it cutting. We were running out of food, water was fairly low. But we could manage.

I chewed on jerky on my hand, gazing into nothing until Carol sat beside me with a smile on her face. "I got something for you." She reached into her bag and I could've screamed when she brought out Sophia's doll. I took it in my hands, my eyes wide in amazement. "I found it at Terminus. Looks like someone must've brought it from the prison."

I racked my brain, only coming up with one logical answer. My suspicions were confirmed when I noticed Glenn watching over his shoulder, a proud smile on his face. I didn't think it was possible to love him any more.

We camped in woods that night, a small fire burning in the middle of the laid out blankets. I tugged on the string wound around the tree, walking backwards to wrap it around the next one. Carl followed my steps, attaching cans and trinkets to the string to alert us of any walkers passing through.

"I see you got your doll back." Carl pointed out when we sat down, seeing it sticking out my bag.

"Yeah, Carol found it at Terminus. I think it was Glenn." I held it in my hands.

Carl chuckled. "I bet he came all this way just so he could it back."

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Once the sun came up, we were off again. I think it had only been three or four days, but my legs were starting to drag. My arm was healing just fine and the cut on my stomach was practically nonexistent by now, leaving the small traces of a white scar.

I heard the clicking of guns around and I followed suit, raising my own towards the person in the woods. It turned out to be Daryl, returning from a hunting trip with a string of squirrels. I still hadn't talked to him since that night, not sure how to start. It was like every time I looked at him I could just see myself being pinned down on the ground with a knife against my throat. I subconsciously rubbed the area, the bruises stinging slightly. I knew others in the group were starting to notice my distance from Daryl, making them concerned. I usually went out hunting alongside him.

Our guns were returned to our sides and we continued our journey, sticking close together on the path. We weren't quite sure where we were going yet, just as long as we kept Terminus in the far distance.

"Help!"

We stopped.

"Help, anybody! Help!"

Carl's head whipped around, urging his dad to follow the sound. Rick hesitated, causing Carl to lose patience and run anyway. I reluctantly jogged after him, knowing he could be getting himself into trouble. It was an admirable quality, always so eager to help people, no matter what the consequences could be.

Carl shot the first walker, blood splashing against a rock as Michonne and Rick took down the other two. I kept my gun up to my eye, watching the man screaming in fear on top of the boulder. He trembled as Rick helped him to the ground, immediately throwing up from the nerves of the situation. I grimaced, looking away. What a wimp.

"I'm Gabriel." The man announced. He could've been a priest, judging by the smart suit and collar he wore.

Rick ignored him, going straight to the interrogation. "Do you have any weapons on you?"