Complicated ✔

Ch. 14 - Walk In The Dark

KATHRYN’S POV

I was forced to stay back with the others while Daryl, Dad, Shane, and Glenn all went out to where Dad said he had last left Sophia when he lured the walkers away from her. Dad and Glenn both ordered me to go into the RV and sit there to wait for them to come back. It wasn’t too long before Shane and Glenn came back to the highway without Daryl or Dad. Glenn walked into the RV where I was still sat with T-Dog up at the front of it while I was in the back on the bed I had used back at our old camp in the quarry. “Anything,” I asked when I looked up as he entered the back of the RV where I was. “Daryl and Rick are following a trail,” he said as he walked into the room while I could hear Shane barking out orders to the others from outside. “It’s all my fault,” I muttered as I placed my head in my hands, “I should’ve had her under the same car as me. I knew she was scared.”

“Hey,” Glenn said running towards the bed and sitting beside me on it, “it’s not your fault Kathryn. You couldn’t have known there’d be walkers who were falling behind that group. You’re not to blame here so don’t even try to blame yourself.” I looked up at him, knowing I had tears falling down my cheeks as he lifted his hand up and gently brushed the tears away. “I can’t help but blame myself Glenn,” I mumbled as I continued to stare up at him. He pulled his hand away from my cheek and pulled me into a hug before speaking up again. “It’ll be okay,” he whispered, “your dad and Daryl will find her and she’ll be safe. Everything will be okay, you’ll see.” I nodded as I tried to believe him but something in my gut told me otherwise, I just didn’t want to let him in on that. “Can I go outside now,” I asked looking up at him as I pulled out of his hug. “Yeah c’mon,” he said nodding with a smile before standing up and helping me limp my way out of the RV and placing me in its shade with Carl sitting beside me.

It was nearly dark when Dad and Daryl finally appeared by the guard railing on the side of the highway. Just from the look on Carol’s face and the sound of her sobs, I knew they didn’t find her like they’d hope they would. I limped over towards where Dad and Daryl stood, talking to Carol about her daughter. “The trail went cold,” Dad said as I got into ear shot and Daryl’s eyes seemed to land on me as I limped closer, “we’ll pick it up first light.” “You can’t leave my daughter out there in the woods alone by herself,” Carol cried as Lori wrapped her arms around her shoulders to try and comfort her. “Being out in the dark would do us no good,” Daryl said as he turned his attention to Carol, “we’d just be tripping over ourselves. More people would get lost out there.” “But she’s 12,” Carol pleaded, “she can’t be out there on her own.”

“We have to make this an organized effort,” Dad said still trying to calm her down, “Daryl knows the woods better than anybody. I’ve asked him to oversee this whole thing, help us find your little girl and get her back safely with us. We’ll find her Carol but we need the light to do it and stumbling around in those woods blindly won’t help.” I watched as Lori pulled a sobbing Carol away while Carl followed behind her and Daryl hopped over the guardrail. As everyone walked off, Glenn stayed by my side as Dad walked to me and wrapped me in a hug. “I thought I lost you too out there,” he whispered as my arms went around him. “I’m fine Dad,” I whispered back as I buried my face in his shoulder, “Daryl got to me before the walker did.” “How’s your leg,” he asked pulling away. “Hurts,” I mumbled, “but walking on it is helping a little. As long as I don’t try to hard I won’t start bleeding again.”

DARYL’S POV

I was stretched out in the RV, the sound of a crying Carol the only noise in the entire thing. She didn’t like Rick leaving her little girl out there in the woods at night but what else were we to do? Most everyone was asleep, some in here in the RV, some out in other cars. So to say I was startled when I noticed a light outside the window of the RV when everyone should’ve been asleep was an understatement. Sitting up, I looked around before getting to my feet and going to the window to look out better. The sight I saw outside the RV’s window shocked the hell out of me. There was Kathryn, limping along and hiding behind cars to keep out of Dale’s sight as he was on watch right now. Groaning, I grabbed my crossbow and quietly followed after her. When I got closer to her, I finally let my presence be known to her, causing her to jump.