22 (TWD Fanfiction)

Chapter 16 - Final Flowers

  Something's tickling my nose, so I reach up and scratch at it. My fingers brush against something slimy and I bolt upright. A slug is stuck to my face and I send it flying into the grass.

"Ew, ew, ew." I wipe my fingers on dry leaves to rid them of the slime.

I wonder how long I've been out for? The sun is barely in the sky, signifying it's the start of a new day.

Sophia!

I push myself off the ground and try to steady myself on a tree. My back is aching and I'm sure I'll be sore for weeks. Looking side to side I check for any signs of Sophia. Seeing as I'm here alone I hope that she's okay.

I have two options, search for Sophia or find my way back to the highway. Problem is, I have no idea how to do either of those things. So I'll search for Sophia while making my way back to the highway. Good plan.

My attempt at climbing back up the hill ends in failure and muddier shoes. Going around seems to be the best plan. I start walking, it's a while before the hill starts to level out. From there I try to find my way to where I fell down.

It feels like an eternity that I'm wandering around when I finally hear something. The sound of church bells ringing in the distance.

Without wasting a second I start sprinting toward them. It's faint but I'm sure of where it's coming from.

Surely others will be there, someone will know how to get back to the highway. I can't be too far from it.

Sophia must hear them too. She'd try to get there just like me.

Then the sound stops, and so do I. Holding my breath I stay quiet and listen for them again, but it's just silence.

The heat begins to make me light-headed so I stop and lean against a tree. My stomach growls, and I'm so hungry I'm wishing for those bags of dried fruit.

Bong-Ding Bong-Ding

Pushing myself away from the tree I run. Past overturned trees and spiky bushes. Squirrels and birds scatter as I rush under their branches.

The bells stop again, they didn't ring as long as they did the first time.

Sitting down to catch my breath I patiently wait for them to ring again. Sweat rolls down my face but I don't wipe at it. I'm much too tired at this point to care.

Just as my heartbeat returns to an even pace, branches snap in the distance causing me to quickly stand back up and dart away.

Keeping on the same path that should be taking me to the source of the bells I'm careful to keep my footsteps light. I've seen some walkers in the distance, too far for them to notice me but close enough that if I stepped on a twig they'd come stumbling over.

The sun is almost midway through the sky so I know it hasn't been long since I woke up.

Another stomach grumble reminds me just how long it's been since I've eaten. Back in the RV I ate a few bites of some stale granola Glenn found. It wasn't much and I'm regretting not taking Glenn's offer of having a second bowl.

My foot connects with an exposed root and my face slams into the ground. Touching my face I can feel the beginning of a bloody scrape across my cheek but worse there's a cut above my left eyebrow. Blood seeps out of the wound and drips down the side of my face.

Tears well up and I just let them fall. I'm tired, and hungry, and so thirsty.

I don't care that my sobs are probably drawing the attention of walkers. I just want to go home. Back to my warm bed and loving parents.