𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐭 | d.dixon

𝐒𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

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"Sure this is the spot?" Daryl asks. Bentley nods. "I'm positive." 

"Without a paddle- seems where we've landed." 

"I told her to stay there. Something had to have scared her off. I was only gone ten minutes? Maybe less." 

"Hey, short round, why don't you step off to one side? You're mucking up the trail.Hey, short round, why don't you step off to one side? You're mucking up the trail." Daryl scolds Glenn. 

"Kid's tired and scared, man. She had her a close call with two walkers. Got to wonder how much of what you said stuck." Shane states. Bentley wipes the sweat from her forehead. 

"I told her I'd be right back. I'm telling you, something had to have scared her." Bentley repeated.

"Got clear prints right here. She did like you said, headed back to the highway. Let's spread out, make our way back." Daryl spoke with a serious tone. "She'll be tuckered out hiding in a bush somewhere." Rick told Bentley. She kept her gaze at her feet as they trekked through the thick woods.

"She was doing just fine till right here. All she had to do was keep going. She veered off that way." Daryl eyed the small footprints. "Why would she do that?" Glenn asks. 

"Probably a walker." Bentley looked around. "I don't see any other footprints. Just hers." Daryl sighs.

"So what do we do? All of us press on?" Shane asks. "No, you, Glenn and Bentley get back up to the highway. People are gonna start panicking. Let them know we're on her trail doing everything we can. But most of all, keep everybody calm." Daryl states. 

"Like hell. I lost this girl and i'm sure as hell gonna find her." Bentley kept her emotions tucked away. 

"Alright,  I'll keep 'em busy scavenging cars. Think up a few other chores. I'll keep 'em occupied. Come on." Shane pulls Glenn along. 

Bentley continues through the forest with the two older men. "It's not your fault Bentley." Rick starts. "I don't need you pitying me. I made a wrong call and a little girl's in danger because of it." 

"Bentley, it wasn't the wrong call. There was nothing else you could've done." Rick replied. Bentley didn't respond to Rick she just continued searching for tracks.

"The tracks are gone." Bentley freezes. Daryl walks up to her, "No, they're faint, but they ain't gone. She came through here." 

"How can you tell? I don't see anything. Dirt, grass." Rick asks. "You want a lesson in tracking or you want to find that girl and get our ass off that interstate?" Daryl questions.

As the three continue out searching a large movement shakes the bush. Daryl pushes Bentley behind and aims his crossbow. In sight there's a large walker roaming. Daryl and Rick both run at it in different directions.

Rick whistles and the walker roars. Daryl takes the distraction and shoots the walker in the head with his crossbow. 

He rips the arrow from the walkers head. "Sophia!" He shouts. Rick takes a handkerchief out of his pocket and began searching the walkers teeth and nails.

"What are you looking for?" Daryl asks. "Skin under the fingernails. It fed recently. There's flesh caught in its teeth." 

Bentley grimances. "Yeah, what kind of flesh?" Daryl asks. Rick pulls out a knife. "Only one way to know for sure." Rick rips open the walkers shirt. His stomach looked fat. He definetly had a meal not long ago. 

"Here, I'll do it. How many kills you skin and gut in your life? Anyway, mine is sharper. Now comes the bad part.. Yeah, Hoss had a big meal not long ago. I feel it in there. Here's the gut bag." Daryl cuts the stomach open. Bentley turns away from the scene. Anxiety floods through her veins. The sound of flesh cutting made her gag.