The Bleeding Scar [TWD]

Chapter 19: At Sophia's Tracks

Saphira was running through the trees, trying to get to Sophia before the walkers could. The tree brunches were scratching her arms and her face but she didn't care. She didn't stop. She couldn't stop...

She spotted the girl a few feet away from her, having some distance from the walkers that were trying to get their hands on her. When Sophia glanced behind her to make sure that she had some space from the walkers, she tripped and fell and Saphira took advantage of it, covering the distance between her and the girl..

The woman reached the girl and tried to help her up but Sophia screamed at the sudden touch, thinking that it was a walker..

"Shh. Hey. It's me." Saphira told her and the girl turned her head, looking at the woman but her panic didn't ease at all..

"Shoot them!" Sophia begged trying to reach the gun in Saphira's holster but she shook her head.

"I can't. The walkers on the highway will hear it." She explained and rustling was heard from the trees, making Saphira pull out her knife. Sophia stood up and the woman stood in front of her, waiting for the walker to come out. However, a walker never showed up, only Rick did and Saphira sighed in relief..

"What are you doing here?" She asked him.

"I couldn't leave you alone. Are you guys okay?" The sheriff answered and both, Saphira and Sophia, gave a nod. But the tranquility didn't last long as rustling and groaning was heard from the trees. Rick took the kid in his arms and the two adults started running, trying to find a safe spot..

They found a creek and Rick released his hold on Sophia before he jumped down in the shallow water. The sheriff then turned around and with Saphira's help he took the child in his arms again. The woman jumped down too and Rick took Sophia a little bit further away, where he found a spot that was covered with tree branches and roots. Between the branches and the roots, there was a small opening making it the perfect hideout..

"Sophia, you have to do exactly as I say." Rick said, releasing his hold on Sophia again.

"Hide in there. Squeeze in tight. I'll draw them away from you." The man instructed but the kid didn't move an inch.

"No, no. Don't leave me." The young girl begged with tears in her eyes.

"Saphira will stay with you, okay?" Rick tried to assure her and that seemed to ease Sophia's fear.

"No." Saphira shook her head and Rick looked at her with furrowed eyebrows. What did she mean 'no'?

"They're three and you're one." She explained.

"I can handle them." The blue eyed man tried to reassure her but Saphira wasn't having it. She wasn't gonna leave him alone. The chances of something going wrong were too many..

"What if they surround you? What if while you're busy taking one down another one shows up from behind?" The woman asked him and Rick realised that she was right. He could still hear Lori's voice in the back of his mind, telling him to not follow Saphira and that she had it covered. But Rick hadn't listened as every part in his body was screaming at him to follow them. So he promised to his wife to be careful and he ran after them. Rick was a man of his word and he didn't want to break his promise. So he decided to listen to Saphira, even tho a part of him felt terrible that they had to leave Sophia alone..

"Okay." He agreed and the girl started crying again..

"Honey, listen to me. We don't have another choice. This is how we all survive, okay? We're gonna lead them away from you and once we kill them we'll come back, okay? As long as you stay in there you're gonna be safe. I promise, everything is gonna be fine.." Saphira explained, crouching down in front of Sophia, making the kid look at her. The girl nodded and went in the hideout, without another word.