Struggling (Sequel to Little Mouse)

Church

I woke up the next morning pretty drowsy. I had no idea what time I had gone to bed, but all I knew was that it was very late. After Daryl and I had hugged for a bit, he taught me how to load the crossbow and aim better. By the time I was proficient, we were both exhausted.

I was awoken by commotion right outside of the RV. For a moment I remained frozen, my ears searching for he telltale growls of the dead. Instead I got voices of the living. I sat up in alarm, rubbing my eyes as early morning sunlight hit my eyes. I threw the covers of the bed off, wondering what all I was missing. A small part of me hoped that they had somehow found Sophia and were just getting extremely excited over it. Man, that would've be amazing.

As I left the RV, I realized that that wasn't the case. The group was circled around Rick, who was passing out a couple small black handguns. I watched as Rick handed a handgun to Daryl before his eyes darted to me. "We're heading out to look for Sophia. You comin'?"

I nodded and walked towards the group. Rick nodded briefly. "We don't have any spare guns, so stick close to someone." He advised.

"She's got one." Daryl mumbled, pushing his crossbow into my arms. I didn't know how to react exactly. Daryl was handing me his special crossbow. I smiled softly and took it, adjusting it in my arms like how Daryl had shown me last. He nodded briefly and stuffed the handgun into the waistband of his jeans. I glanced around and saw Dale smile at me from the RV. My stomach churned with guilt almost instantly. What if Dale wanted me to stay behind with him?

"Hold on," I mumbled to Rick, jogging over to Dale.

"Hey Cori." Dale greeted as I approached him.

"Do you want some help around here?" I asked, adjusting the crossbow in my arms.

"Aren't you going with the others to find Sophia?" He questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"I was just wondering if you'd want me to stay here and help out," I said, feeling a little shy.

Dale shook his head. "No, you go with them. When you find that little girl she's probably going to need some medical attention." He insisted. "I'll be fine with T-Dog's company."

I nodded a little, still unsure. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now get going before they leave you behind. You're wasting daylight."

I nodded again and turned back around, jogging back to the group. Daryl eyed me with concern, but when I stopped next to him he didn't say anything.

"Alright, let's get going." Rick ordered. We all turned towards the woods and started forward.

"I'm coming, too." Carl announced suddenly. I glanced over my shoulder at him, surprised by his bold declaration. Rick and Lori, however, did not look nearly as impressed. "Please? She's my friend, I have to help her." Carl pleaded, his eyes rounded with concern and hope. Before they could protest, however, Dale took a step forward.

"He has all of you to look after him. I'd say he's in good hands." He stated, smiling at Carl. Rick nodded in agreement, although Lori looked differently. Though who could blame her? Carl was her only child. If I had any children I probably wouldn't want them coming with us either.

We then set out into the woods in the general direction Sophia had went. I was holding the crossbow at ready, feeling like a complete badass just for holding it. I held my chin high, keeping my elbows locked as I scanned the forest. It was a shame that I had almost no ideas of what I was doing. Daryl was nearby and was keeping watch from the back of the group, so my back felt safe under his cover. Carol was walking next to me, glancing around as if Sophia would magically pop out from behind a tree.