The Mini Badass

Chapter 12

It's the next morning and pretty early too. Rick slams the arsenal that Carl and I found on the hood of a car. "Everyone takes a weapon." 

"These aren't the kind of weapons we need." Andrea argues, pretty pissed about losing her gun as am I.

"We've been over this." Shane says from his spot against the RV. "Daryl, Rick and I are carrying." He says looking up from cleaning his gun. "We can't have people popping off rounds every time a tree rustles."

"It's not the trees I'm worried about." Andrea scoffs while Glenn grabs one of the bladed tools.

"Say someone fires at the wrong moment, and a herd happens to be passing by." Shane explains, tucking his gun away. "See then, then it's game over for all of us."

"So you need to get over it."

"The idea is to take the creek up about five miles." Daryl says before Andrea can react. "Then turn around come back down the other side."

"Chances are she'll be by the creek." Daryl explains. "It's her only landmark."

"Stay quiet and stay sharp." Rick says as Daryl starts walking away. "Keep space between you but always stay within sight of each other."

"Everybody assemble your packs." Shane says but I already have everything I need.

I stand around waiting until my ears perk up at the mention of my name. "Ainsley's going."

I look over to the Grimes family who are all already staring at me. "What?"

"Alright, alright." Rick says patting his son's head. "But always within our sight okay, no exceptions."

Carl basically skips over to me and I chuckle at him. "What was that about?" I ask as he gets closer.

"My dad didn't want me to come." Carl explains as we both walk away. "Used you for leverage." 

"And what would you have done if he told me I couldn't go?" 

"Would've had you convince him to let us both go." He tells me smiling, clearly very proud of his plan.

"Ainsley." Rick says from the arsenal. "Come here for a minute."

I sent Carl a 'help me' look as I walk to his father. "What's up?"

"I want you to take this." Rick tells me, holding out a weapon that's in a holder.

He hands it to me and I remove the blade from the cover. "I'm trusting you with this because I know you'll use it right."

Rick straps the holder to my belt loop as I examine the manchette. "Thank you."

He nods at me while I put the manchette away. Rick pats my shoulder sending me off to the rest of the group that's already leaving.

I walk with Carl who's very preoccupied with a stick he found. "Shane, look it's shaped like Daryl's arrows."

"Keep it down, we're looking for Sophia." Shane shuts down the young boy. I roll my eyes at the older man, grabbing Carl who's clearly hurt and pulling him with me.

"Do you think Shane's mad at me?" Carl asks as we get closer to his mom. "Did I do something wrong?" He asks, turning his head to Lori.

"No, honey I promise you." Lori assures him, placing her arm around him. "He's just worried about Sophia, that's all."

"That's what Ainsley said."

Lori doesn't get to answer as Daryl -who's leading the pack- stops, motioning for the rest of us to do the same quietly.