Survival Guide: To Surviving the Living Dead 101

Rule #10

Walkers Are Predictable

It's easy to tell what a walker is going to do. All they do is wander around and when they see a living thing they go for it. They hear a noise and stumble towards it. They get close to you, they're going to reach out and grab you and try to bite you. They also walk in groups if they're close by. That's all they do. They don't just leave you alone. All they know is that they're hungry. If they're stuck in a house or a building they're probably just staying where they are until they hear a noise or smell fresh meat. If you're close to one, kill it and move on. And don't use a gun, use a knife or anything that can be used in hand and hand.

The next morning we packed everything up. We made a sign for Sophia on the windshield of the pale yellow mustang. We left some food and water for her as well. Then we turned around and headed for the driveway the girl on the horse told us to go to. I was on the back of Daryl's bike Andrea drove the car that Shane had been fixing up. He apparently was going to just sneak away in the middle of the night which I wouldn't mind at all. Carl and Dale were in the RV. Carol still didn't want to leave the highway but it just wasn't safe and the chances of Sophia finding her way back was slim. She probably wandered deeper into the woods and was lost. Maybe she was held up in an old farm house or something.

We got to the driveway with the mailbox that said Greene on it and turned. The driveway was long, woods flanked on both sides, dirty kicked up as Daryl drove down the windy path. We got to a gate and he stopped, I hopped off and went to open the gate and let everyone through. Once everyone was in I closed it and got back on the bike. We could see Carol's car in front of an old, white farmhouse. Lori and Rick came out the screen door and down the steps to greet everyone. I walked over to Rick and he pulled me into a hug. "How is he? Is he okay?" I asked into his shoulder. "Yeah, he's good. Thanks to Shane."

From what Rick told me, Carl was shot while they had been watching a deer. Carl was slowly walking up to it when a gunshot rang out and he went down. The man Otis, who shot the gun, was aiming for the deer. He never saw Carl, the bullet went through the deer slowing it down and then hit Carl. It had broken into five pieces. Otis and Shane went to the high school a few miles away where they had set up a FEMA shelter. They were going to get everything that was needed to help save Carl's life.

Hershel, the man who owns the farm is a veterinarian or at least he was before the world hit the fan and went to shit. Shane and Otis had gotten surrounded by walkers and Otis never made it back. The story that Shane told was that Otis sacrificed himself. They were both hurt and down to their last couple bullets. He said Otis told him to go ahead and he'd be right behind him but then Shane heard him screaming. Do I believe that? Fuck no. I'm guessing Shane sacrificed Otis to save his own ass. Now we were having a funeral for the man.

After that we were shown where we could set up our camp until Carl was okay to travel again. Maggie, Hershel's oldest daughter, brought out a map of the area so we could get a proper search party going. Hershel told Rick he wasn't going anywhere in this heat we were having. He had given Carl three pints of blood. And Shane sprained his ankle so he couldn't go anywhere. "Guess it's just me," Daryl said, pointing at the map at where he would look. "I'll go with you." He looked at me and nodded. Then Hershel said about not wanting guns on his property. "Well, I'm keeping mine on me while I'm out looking for Sophia. I'll put it away when I get back." With that I left with Daryl.

Daryl and I walked through the woods looking around and watching for any tracks. "So what do you think about Shane's story?" I asked. Daryl shrugged, "I think he's full of shit. Story don't add up." At least someone agreed with me. "Yeah. I think he killed Otis himself or injured him so he couldn't get away. And he shaved his head which is fucking weird." It was weird. I can't remember a single time when Shane had a shaved head. When he was in high school the girls loved his hair. I can't imagine why but they did. He was always one of those players. He jumped from girl to girl. Even after high school he was that way. Never one to settle down. Now he's obsessed with his best friend's wife. "He's completely unhinged. I'm for sure that he wants to get rid of Rick. He's obsessed with Lori and now that Rick is back he can't have her."

We came to an old farmhouse and we looked around. Daryl called out for Sophia before we carefully went inside. We didn't find any walkers but we did find a small cupboard that was only big enough for someone Sophia's size. There was a pillow and blankets inside. Daryl found a can of anchovies that had to be opened only a day ago or maybe a few hours ago. She had to be somewhere close. We went back outside and called out for her again. Then Daryl walked towards a white flower and picked it. "That's pretty," I said. He handed it to me and picked another one. "It's a Cherokee Rose," he said and told me the story behind it. On our way back he found an old glass bottle and filled it with some water, sticking the flower inside. And when we got back he took it to Carol. He told her the story and said he believed we would find her little girl. It was very sweet of him. I found a bottle for the one he had handed me and filled it.

I set it on the little overturned crate beside the cot I was using in the tent I was sharing with Daryl. Sometimes it's the little things that matter the most. The littlest thing can make someone whole day better.