Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Cali searched through every nook and cranny of the small farmhouse, looking for anything useful. She didn't find any medicine that could help Sophia with the pain of the bite but she did find a towel and some bandages.
The teen wasn't an expert in first aid but she was taught a few things by her father. Cali cleaned Sophia's wound the best she could with a half empty bottle of water that she found discarded in the kitchen garbage. She didn't use all of the water, saving a couple of drops for the child to drink from. After cleaning the blood from the bite with the towel, Cali put one of the bandages over it.
It was obvious that Sophia wasn't doing okay. She was in agonizing pain from the bite and she was also completely inconsolable, wailing for her mother. The teen tried her best to comfort Sophia but all she wanted was Carol.
Cali was thankful that by the time the sun had fully set Sophia had cried herself to sleep.
She herself was exhausted from the plethora of emotions she was experiencing as well as caring for Sophia. She couldn't even begin to imagine how the poor child was feeling.
It wasn't surprising that Cali fell into a dreamless sleep shortly after making sure the house was secure for the night.
She didn't remember falling asleep, all she remembered was watching the rise and fall of Sophia's chest while thinking about what her family and Shane were doing.
The Grimes' girl was awoken the next morning by something touching her shoulder. She had fallen asleep sitting up against the arm of the couch that Sophia was laying on. Cali sighed in discomfort from the uncomfortable position she slept in, lifting a hand to rub the tiredness from her eyes. Once her vision was clear she turned her head to look at Sophia, who was laying on her side looking right back at Cali.
"How're you doing Soph?" The brunette questioned moving to check the bandage on the child's neck. It looked like the wound had stopped bleeding but there now looked to be pus forming. Cali knew it wasn't going to heal but she wasn't going to let her doubt show and upset Sophia.
"It hurts." She whimpered going to touch the bite but Cali immediately stopped her.
"Don't touch it. We don't want it to get infected." Cali said applying a clean bandage to it.
There was no way to tell when Sophia was going to turn. It hadn't taken Amy long to turn after being bitten but Jim seemed to last longer before he started to weaken. Cali didn't know what to expect, she was just hoping that Sophia would hold on long enough for them to find the group or the group to find them.
She was sure that Shane and her father were looking for them. Cali just prayed Sophia would be able to see her mother one last time and say goodbye.
But until they were found Cali was going to do everything she could to care for Sophia and hopefully prolong her turning.
Cali used her knife to open the can of beans she had found the day before. She only ate a small amount giving the rest to Sophia who happily ate the rest of the can. Both girls were still hungry and Cali knew she'd have to find more food and definitely some water.
As much as she didn't want to leave Sophia alone in the house she knew she had to go look for supplies. So the teen gathered some blankets and pillows out of the upstairs bedroom and made a cozy space for Sophia to hide in the kitchen pantry.
"Promise you'll come back." Sophia's small voice begged as Cali stood outside of the small space.
"Of course I'll come back." The teen smiled reassuringly, bending down and sticking out her pinky.
A small smile formed on Sophia's face despite the pain as she linked their pinky's together.
"Don't come out of here for anyone but me okay?"
The young girl nodded laying back against the pillows and blankets Cali had set up. She watched nervously as the girl she looked up to as a big sister softly closed the closet door enveloping the small space in darkness.
