At breakfast I couldn't focus. I had a plate in my hand but I couldn't eat. "You okay?"
I looked at Lori. "hmm?"
"You okay?"
"Oh, yeah I'm fine."
That's when Daryl walked over to join us. He kissed my head but I didn't pay him any mind. I still didn't know how I was going to bring up the whole Kate thing.
I stood up when he tried to touch me. "I'm gonna go out and start the looking for Sophia."
"I'll come with you," Daryl said.
"I want to be alone," I said which caused every eye in camp to be on me.
I didn't wait for a reply before I walked away.
About an hour into my search I realized I was lost. 'Dammit," I cursed as I turned around. Nothing but tons of trees. The day when I acutally need Daryl he isn't anywhere near me. I heard a twig snap and I looked around. No sight of anything. "Daryl?" I whispered, hoping he followed me.
I heard a growl and I screamed as I was tackled to the ground. My bow landed in some piles of leaves and my gun, well I forgot that at camp. I had my hands around its throat, keeping it from bitintg me. But that's when i heard more groans and moans. I was surrounded by them. All inching closer and closer to me. I screamed loudly hoping someone could hear me.
I head gun shots, I sighed in relief. Thank god, I thought to myself. I shoved the Walker off me and screamed when I shoved my heavyily booted foot into its face. I looked at my savior to see Kate. "Kate?" I asked.
"Thought I'd need to make ammends with you."
We stood back to back as the Walkers got closer. "Get me out of this and we can call ourselves friends," I said.
"Shit!" she screamed.
"What?" I asked.
"I'm out of ammo, I thought I had enough," she said.
"What do we do?"
"You run,'' she said.
"And you?"
"I'll figure it out, just run," she said.
"I can't leave a man behind, wouldn't feel right in my book."
And they got onto us. I fought off one but got pinned down by another one. Kate was....she was struggling with the last one. Suddenly an arrow pierced its skull and I was lifted up.
"Daryl," i whispered.
"Get her out now!" Kate screamed.
I looked to see about six more walkers. "We can't leave her," I told Daryl.
"I came to save you, not her," he said to me as he grabbed my wrist. Kate screamed as the Walker bit into her neck.
I hesitently let Daryl pull me away from the scene.
That night, just sitting around the campfire, brought the guilt quicker. The pit in my stomach was getting bigger by the second.
"You alright over there, you've been quiet all night?" Carl asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said quietly.
"Where's Kate, we haven't seen her all day," asked Lori.
That's when it started to come up, the pit in my stomach moving up my throat. I jumped to my feet and jogged away from the fire.
I dropped to my knees and let the vomit spill from my mouth. I started crying as arms wrapped around me. "It's alright," Daryl whispered into my ear.
"I could've saved her, there was time to free her," I said.
"She wanted your life over hers."
"It don't work that way dammit!"
"I know, but I wasn't gonna try to save her. Aly, you were my priority."
I couldn't sleep. The guilt was eating me all over starting from the inside. Daryl's soft snores occasionally took my mind off everything but not for long. Just as my eyelids started to drop I heard a scream. A child's scream. Daryl was up at the sound immedently and I was unzipping the tent.
"KALEB!" I screamed.
He wasn't with Lori, or with Carol. "KALEB!" I screamed again.
I heard another yell, this time from a man. "OVER HERE!"
I looked over to see Shane carrying a blood soaked Kaleb. "Was he bit?" Lori asked.
"No, got there just in time."
I took Kaleb and hugged him tight to my chest. "I'm sorry I wasn't there," I whispered.
"Shane saved me, its okay."
"What were you doing out there?"
He looked down. "I don't know," he said and kicked at the grass.
"Kaleb," I warned.
"I saw the squrrles at Daryl's camp, didn't see him around and got curious. I heard a noise in the woods and ran after it, thinking it was either him or you because I didn't see you sleeping, it was a Walker."
"Don't ever, and I mean ever, leave camp, understand?"
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
I kissed his head. "It's alright, let's just get you cleaned up."
He nodded as I led him into the tent. TBC
