Chapter 11: What Lies Ahead (Part 2)
We finish gathering useful items from the abandoned cars, it was around late afternoon. We place the items down in front of the RV where Shane takes count of it and is packed away.
I look over and see that Carol is standing by the guard rail looking out into the woods. I walk over to her, placing a hand on her back for comfort.
"It's late, it will be dark soon," she says to me.
"They'll find her," I say as much confidence as I can muster.
She gives me a simple nod and I give her a soft smile before turning around and making my way to Shane. I help him with the supplies, packing and putting them away.
"They're back," I hear, looking over to where Rick and Daryl were coming out of the woods.
"You didn't find her?" Carol asks, tears gathering in her eyes.
"The track went cold. We'll pick it up again at first light," Rick says to her.
"You can't leave my daughter out there alone, to spend the night alone in the woods," Carol says.
"Hunting in the dark is no good, we'll just be tripping over ourselves. More people gettin' lost," Daryl says to her before walking over to stand in general area where I am standing.
"But she's only twelve, she can't be out there on her own. You didn't find anything?" Carol asks, starting to panic.
"I know this is hard, but I'm asking you not to panic," Rick says to her. "We know she's out there."
"We tracked her for a while," Daryl adds.
"We have to have an organized effort. Daryl knows the woods the better than anybody. I've asked him to oversee this," Rick says, speaking to the group.
"Is that blood?" Carol asks, noticing the blood stain on Daryl's pants.
"We took down a walker," Rick says.
Rick see's Carol panicking, so he says, "there was no sign of it anywhere near Sophia."
"How can you know that?" Andrea asks.
Rick doesn't say anything. He looks over at Daryl for support.
"We cut the stomach open," Daryl says to her.
Carol holds onto the guard rail, using it for support as she sits on it.
Carol looks at Rick, "how could you just leave her out there? How could you just leave her?"
"The two walkers were on us. I-I had to draw them off, it was our best chance," he says, explaining to Carol.
"Sounds like he didn't have a choice, Carol," Shane says, defending Rick.
"How is she supposed to find her way back on her own? She's just a child."
"It was my only option," he explains while sitting on his knees in front of her, tears in his eyes. "The only choice I could make."
"I'm sure nobody doubts that," Shane says to Rick.
"My little girl, and you left her in the woods."
"I'm sorry, Carol," he whispers to her. He stands up and starts walking down the highway.
*
"Everybody takes a weapon," Rick says the next morning as he lays out a holder that has knifes and axes in it.
"These aren't the kind of weapons we need," Andrea speaks up. "What about the guns?"
"We've already been over that," Shane says. "Daryl, Rick, and I are carrying them. People popping off rounds anytime the trees rustles."
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Revival (The Walking Dead)
Fanfiction-Seasons 1 and 2- Catelyn found a group she felt safe with. They had guns, ammo, bodies, and Daryl Dixon. #689 dead
