𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚂𝚞𝚗 ☼ 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚢𝚕 𝙳𝚒𝚡𝚘𝚗

ɪx. ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɪɴ ᴀɴɢᴇʀ

Your cotton vest stuck against your back despite standing beneath the shade of the tall oak there, its branches stretching out to cover you all. The sun had been beating down on you through the cracks of its leaves for a while now, but no one complained. They just wiped away the sweat from their brows and kept digging.

Nobody had even taken the slightest break since it happened, everyone pitching in with shovels and helping to clear the scene in front of the barn. The majority of the walkers were taken away in one of the trucks to be burned, but the bodies of the Greene family members and Sofia were wrapped carefully in bedsheets and placed in the freshly dug graves.

You had finished burying them, and stood waiting to start the service. The Greenes had already done their part, each taking it in turns to shovel a heap of dirt onto both of the graves they stood before, saying their goodbyes. The rest of you followed suit, despite not knowing who exactly you were bidding farewell to. It was out of respect for the living people you cared about. Beth's sobs and Maggie's quiet sniffles tore at your heart, and you felt entirely unable to comfort them.

You saw Daryl approaching from the distance, returning from the RV alone. He shook his head as he got closer, telling you that he wasn't able to get Carol to come. You felt awful knowing that she was just sitting there by herself, as the rest of you put her only child into the ground. You noticed that Daryl had some wildflowers in one hand, probably for Sofia's grave. He said nothing when he joined the group, but the solemn look on his face spoke for him.

He was the first to reach for the shovel, placing a heap on soil over Sofia's grave with care. You went next as he handed it to you, and the rest of the group took it in turns one after another. Even Carl participated in burying his friend, which caused the tears to well in your eyes as you watched him hold his own back.

After that, Hershel prompted for everyone to say a few words about those they had lost. You listened as the Greenes each choked out some loving words about their family members, and told brief stories about their lives. Though, it all sounded muted in your ears as you were more fixated on the muffled cries. Maggie and Patricia were able to stifle their sobs, but you had to put an arm around Beth to comfort her. She seemed in utter, inconsolable shock.

Once Hershel had finished the send off for his late wife and son, your group started saying some words for Sofia. It was a lot more strained than the other service, as you could tell that Rick and Daryl felt personally responsible for what had happened. Dale was the first one to start, reminiscing about the mornings where he'd sit atop the RV to keep watch and listen to the sounds of Carl and Sofia playing, thinking of them as though they were his grandchildren. You weren't able to prevent the tears that trickled over from hearing that.

Lori then continued, saying how Carol and Sofia were the first people she met after Atlanta fell, before recalling how warm and welcoming they both were to her. Carl gave a few words after, explaining how Sofia was his best friend and that he hoped she was in a better place now, before turning into his mother's chest and crying as she stroked his hair. It went on a little, with a few more members of the group contributing, before Rick gave a strained speech in which he aired some regrets, saying how he wished he could have done more. He then apologised once again.

Daryl didn't add anything, remaining silent as he listened. Though, once Rick had finished, he placed the wildflowers over the grave before stepping back into line with everyone else. You noticed him thumbing over the zippo lighter you had given him in one hand, sometimes flicking it open and back closed again. He looked down to the ground at his feet when you glanced at him. After a few seconds of silence, you wiped your tears and decided to speak up before everyone could disperse.

"I didn't know Sofia," you startly quietly, afraid that your voice might break. "But I feel like I did, because of all the things Carol told me about her daughter." You felt eyes on you as you continued, wondering how best to put your thoughts into words.