DEAD BY DAYLIGHT The Walking Dead

- chapter twleve -

| CHUPACABRA |
The Walking Dead ———— 02x05
Vivian Ford ——— October 2010

"Wow, congratulations on being the last one to notice."

         THE GUILT IN VIVIANS HEART made her chest ache painfully. For the first time since she returned she was forced to face Carol Peletier, the mother of the girl she'd failed out in the woods.

Vivian would never forget the way her eyes lit up with hope when she saw her, expecting Sophia to be close by, only to be able to see her soul shatter when she realized Sophia was nowhere to be seen.

Carol had to watch as her mother fussed over her while her own little girl was still missing, now holding the knowledge that she was on her own the entire time. The group had once clung to the idea that together the two girls had survived, but now they knew the truth.

She knew Carol didn't do it on purpose, it was a natural response to watching a woman care for her child when her own was missing. But Vivian noticed the sorrowful glances thrown her way and the woman glassy eyes and heavy breaths. She'd been so caught up in finding her way back that she didn't even process the fact that she'd have to face Carol again. Her heart broke for the mother and a pit of guilt grew its roots at the bottom of her stomach, the lump forming in her throat starting to burn.

Across the lawn some members of the group were planning a search for Sophia Peleteir. Rick refused to stop looking for the girl just because they'd been separated, arguing that if Vivian was alive, there was a chance Sophia was still out there.

They combined Vivians knowledge of the surrounding forests and the areas she covered with the farmhouse daryl found, trying to come up with a vague idea where Sophia could be.

When the group left in search of Sophia, Vivian abandoned where she was helping Lori and Carol hang the laundry up. She couldn't stand the overwhelming pressure of simply being around the woman, she couldn't even look Carol in the eye without wanting to apologize a million times.

So, Vivian grabbed her father's flannel from the pile of clean clothes and pulled it over her arms and jogged away.

Tommy was in the house, talking to Carl as usual, the two boys had grown close over their time spent on the road between the CDC and the highway. Carl was still in and out of consciousness, but was sometimes lucid enough to hold a conversation.

Vivian didn't blame him, Tommy used to have lots of friends back home. Plus, he probably got lonely and the two had a lot in common.

"Hey Dale." Vivian greeted when she approached the RV where Dale was on watch like usual. Somebody was always on guard on the top of the RV, watching for any sign of danger at the forests edge around the farm. Hershel didn't want anyone carrying weapons—guns specifically— on his property, but Rick had negotiated with the elder man to allow them to have one armed person on watch in case anything happened.

"Hey kiddo" Dale greeted with his usual kind smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling from his old age. "You sure are a sight to see."

Vivian smiled softly, climbing the latter of the RV and meeting Dale on the roof where he was keeping watch. The interaction was starting to remind her of the day back at the Atlanta camp when the small group had gone off to retrieve Merle Dixon. Operation unnecessary rescue mission. The memory made Vivian smile fondly.