𝑩𝒂𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑺𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒔 | ᵀᵂᴰ

12: Haunted

"Mornin' guys. Let's get goin'." Rick said. "We've got a lot of ground to cover." Rick laid the map onto the truck and used sticks to hold down the corners. "Alright, everyone's getting new search grids today. If she made it as far as the farmhouse Daryl and Isabela found, she might have gone further east than we've been so far."

"I'd like to help." Beth's little boyfriend said. He has a very punchable face if I do say so myself. "I know the area pretty well and stuff." Oh, please, you look like you'd get lost in a grocery store or your own house.

"Hershel's okay with this?" Rick asked. "Yeah, yeah, he said I should ask you."

I vote no. If you leave me alone with this kid, I won't hesitate to beat the shit out of him. No reason is needed. I'd just start swinging.

"Alright then. Thanks." Rick told him.

There is no "Thanks." You're not welcome, kid. Go home, don't let the door hit you on the way in. I hope you get lost in the house and fall out a window onto your back and break it, then fall into a coma and never wake up.

"Nothing about what Daryl and Isabela found screams Sophia to me." Shane said. "Anyone could have been holed up in that farmhouse."

I don't wanna hear shit coming from a bald guy who seems like he peaked in high school and still thinks he's still on top.

"Anybody includes her, right?" Andrea said. I don't have anything bad to say about her right now, but maybe later I will. Probably not. She tends to keep to herself more.

"Well, whoever slept in that cupboard was no bigger than yay-high." Daryl said. "It's a good lead." Andrea said. "Maybe we'll pick up her trail again." Rick said. "No maybe about it. I'm gonna borrow a horse, head up to this ridge right 'ere, take a bird's-eye view of the whole grid. If she's up there, I'll spot 'er."

"Good idea." T-Dog said. "Maybe you'll see your chupacabra up there, too." "Chupacabra?" Rick questioned.

"You never heard this?" Dale asked. "Our first night in camp, Daryl tells us that the whole thing reminds him of the time when he went squirrel hunting and he saw a chupacabra." Dale said, handing Rick a gun.

Beth's little boyfriend scoffed. It's taking everything in me not to jump across this hood and beat his face into the ground.

"What 're ya brayin' at, jackass?" Daryl asked Rick. "So you believe in a blood-sucking dog?"

"So you believe dead people walking around?" I replied.

Beth's little boyfriend reached for a gun. "Hey, hey, ever fire one before?" Rick asked. "Well, if I'm going out, I want one." He said. "Yeah, and people in hell want slurpees." I said.

I think Daryl had enough with my antics because he grabbed my sleeve and made me walk with him to wherever he was going.

That place was the stable.

"I'd rather ya stay 'ere for today." Daryl said. "Why?" "Don't ya wanna keep stalkin' those girls?" I looked at him. "I see ya lookin' in the windows every mornin' and night." "It's not like that." "Like hell it is." He replied, grabbing a saddle. "I wanna make sure whoever ya pick is better than that other jackass." "Is that what this is about?" He didn't reply and just kept fixing a horse to take.

"Be careful." I said. "Mhm." I guess Daryl's words made him question a lot since he didn't say anything else.

I walked away and went back to Daryl and I's camp.

All I did was lay in the grass and stare at the sky.

Amy would have loved this farm. She seems like that of a girl.

I walked down to the RV to talk to Glenn and get my mind out of the depressive hole I always end up in somehow.

"Walker! Walker!" Andrea yelled. I turned my head to see. Shit, Hershel is gonna freak.

"Just the one?" Rick asked. Andrea looked through the binoculars. "I bet I can nail it from here." She said. "No, no, Andrea. Put the gun down." Rick said.

"You'd best let us handle this." Shane said. "Shane, hold up. Hershel wants to deal with walkers." Rick said. "What for, man? We got it covered." "Dammit." Rick muttered.

They ran, and I watched by the RV with Andrea and Dale.

As it got closer, the walker figure looked too familiar. I ran to catch up to Rick, Shane, Glenn, and T-Dog.

I caught up and saw him. It wasn't a walker. It was just Daryl. He looked rough.

Rick had his gun aimed at Daryl.

"Is that Daryl?" Glenn asked. No, it's Merle. He's come for revenge.

"That's the third time you've pointed that thing at my head." He said. "You gonna pull the trigger or what?" I sighed. "Dammit, Dar-" I was cut off by a loud gunshot then watched as Daryl hit the ground.

I screamed as Rick yelled,'No.' I ran over to Daryl. Please don't be dead. Please don't be dead. He was still alive but seemed a little out of it. Shane and Rick helped him up.

"I was kiddin'." He said. I sighed in relief, noticing the bullet just grazed him.

Andrea and Dale came running down. "Oh my God!" Andrea exclaimed. "Oh my God, is he dead?"

"No, but you're about to be." I ran over to Andrea, but Glenn grabbed me by my waist, and T-Dog helped him restrain me. "Get off me!" I yelled. "You dumb slutty blonde bitch!" I yelled "I'm gonna stomp your face in! Do you hear me?"

Glenn and T-Dog were practically carry and drag me back to camp. "Hey," Dale said. "Doesn't this belong to Sophia?" We all stopped and turned around noticing the doll in his hand.

➳

"I found it washed up on the creek bed right there." Daryl said. "She must 'ave dropped it crossin' there somewhere."

"Cuts the grid almost in half." Rick said. "Yeah, you're welcome." Daryl said.

"How's he looking?" I asked.

"I had no idea we'd be going through the antibiotics so quickly." Hershel said. "Any idea what happened to my horse?" "Yeah, the one who almost killed me? If it's smart it left the country." "We call that one Nelly, as in Nervous Nelly. I could have told you she'd throw you if you'd bothered to ask." Hershel told him. "It's a wonder you people have survived this long."

You and me both, Hershel.

The next time I see Andrea I'm swinging. I don't care if she's all I have left of Amy.

God, for once can I not think about her? For a second can she not cross my mind somehow?

I mean I look at Beth and see Amy. I look at Maggie and see Amy. I look at Andrea and I see Amy. She just follows me everywhere. She'll haunt me forever.