Sweet and Salty ~ Carl Grimes

Three Steps Back - 018

Brooks was shuffling back, when her back hit the tree. Sobs racked her body as she prepared for the gruesome, bloody ending that she'd soon encounter. She looked at the walker that was about to kill her. He was a little on the round side, but a lot of it was covered in blood and shredded clothing. He'd clearly been ripped apart. His left cheek was completley missing, along with his nose. His mouth was wide and snapping, his dark greying hair on his head was thin and there was a large bald spot. He looked like he would've been a car salesman, or an office worker, maybe his name was Bill, maybe Pete or John. Either way, Brooks knew that this man wasn't a murderer before the fall, but that didn't matter, because now he was a monster. A monster that would tear her apart.

However, before the walker could even squat down, an arrow went through its left eye socket. Brooks gasped in shock as it fell down, its head by her feet. She looked up and saw Daryl lowering his crossbow and running over to her.

"You alrigh'?" He asked.

Brooks nodded, grabbing onto her hurting leg. "I'm... I'm okay. Sophia?"

"Rick's gone after 'er and 'er bratty brother. Merle ran after 'im to help." Daryl responded, giving her a hand up, but noticing her knee buckle. Daryl put his crossbow on his back, before he put his hands under her arms to pick her up. "Let's get you back. You ran far, you did good, Brookie."

Brooks smiled a little, before she rested her head on his shoulder, exhausted from the run. "I'm excited to see Sophia. I bet she was scared."

"You were probably scared too. That's okay." Daryl told her.

Brooks scoffed. "I ain't ever scared." She lied, trying to seem tough. Daryl let a small smile pull at his lips as his little sister's forced bravery. He knew she was lying, but it was a little humorous to him, simply because he didn't know how many times she'd been scared in the past forty eight hours.

Daryl got back to the highway quickly, he was about to start climbing when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned, and saw Rick and Merle running back. Brooks furrowed her eyebrows. "Where's Sophia?"

"I don't... I don't know." Merle answered, breathlessly and panicked. He was desperate to find the children.

"Hell you mean you don't know?" Daryl asked, accusingly.

"Me and Merle ran after both of them, but only found Chris. I stashed him to fight off the walkers, but when we came back he was gone. He should be up on the highway, but we couldn't find Sophia." 

/----------\

"I should be down there helpin'!" Brooks yelled at Cam who was trying to get her to calm down.

"Daryl, Rick, Merle, Glenn and Shane got it, okay? Our job is to wait up here, we can do that, right?" Cam forced a smile.

"No!" Brooks shouted, pacing back and forth. "Sophia is out there, I need to help 'er!"

Cam grabbed her shoulders, squatting in front of her. "Chris is out there too-"

"I don't give a shit!" Brooks interrupted. It was good that they weren't near Carol, she didn't really need to hear that while she was sobbing about both of her children being missing. "I want Sophia back! I need to go and help 'er!"

Carl came over, hearing her yelling. "River, we can't do anything, right? So, we wouldn't be helping. We can help by staying here, staying out of their way. Daryl can track, right? That's what he does. He'll find them."

"Why do you care?" Brooks scoffed. "You spend all your damn time following after Shane like he's a goddamn saint. Just leave me alone, Grimes! I don't need you!"