Finding Sophia (The Walking Dead Fanfiction)

Two: Hydrogen Peroxide and Thread

Andie's POV
I led Sophia back to the house, but she didn't complain or talk much. She asked just a few questions along the way, and I really didn't want her to die. I mean, I know I just met the kid, but it was just that: she was a kid.

I don't think I could've left her alone if I wanted to. I'm not some sicko who leaves harmless kids in the middle of the woods to die and turn into a geek. Maybe she'll get kidnapped by some bad people and be forced to live in a barn for the rest of her life. Maybe it'll be both. She'll die in the barn, or not, and be a geek while some psychos feed her in her dead form.

"Are you with anyone else?" She asked, her voice small. We had just reached the edge of town, and we were only a block away from my house, and my car. It was one of the few cars still actually running and it had three quarters of a tank. Someone before me had written EMPTY across the back windshield in spray paint, but I had gas and turned out that was all it needed.

I take a moment to answer, but when I do, I say, "No. It's...its just me." I change the subject, "How long have you been alone?"

"Since yesterday morning. We were on the highway and the walkers came, in a big group, and I ran into the woods. Two of them were chasing me, and this man, Rick, he came to help. He told me to run the other way while he handled the walkers. I got lost? I spent the night in daycare and kept running...I cut my arm on a tree and lost my doll..." She's on the verge of tears again, "My best friend gave it to me before she and her family left." She almost smiles, "And then I met you."

My mouth goes dry as I attempt to find something to answer that, but all that comes out is, "We're here." I lead her up the ladder to the house and we climb in the hole to the attic.

"Why do you do that?" She asks as I close the ladder to the attic up.

"To keep the geeks out." I explain. "Come one. Let's find something for that arm of yours."

She looks at the cut and says, "It hurts...real bad."

I search the house until I find everything I need. Hydrogen peroxide, bandages, needle, and thread. I try to think of the best way to inform her that this was about to sting like a bitch without scaring her. We sit down at the kitchen table downstairs. She eyes the barricades on the doors and windows, but says nothing.

"This is going to hurt." I tell her. She looks at me all doe eyed and pulls her arm away. I sigh silently and explain, "If I don't stitch it up though, it could get infected."

"What does that mean?" She asks.

"It means that it'll get worse." I explain as simply as possible. She bites her lower lips and slowly holds her arm out for me. I sigh and pour the hydrogen peroxide on her cut. She hisses and let's out a small scream, shutting her eyes tightly. She clutches her fist shut. The cut fizzes and bubbles white. She groans and holds back another scream, pulling her arm away. "Sophia, Sophia." I try to calm her down. I see tears welling in her eyes, but she refuses to cry. "I have to stitch it now. You're doing great. Just a little longer, okay?"

She nods and breathes out, "Ok...ok..."

I stitch up her arm rather quickly and she screams once more. I would be worried about the geeks, but this town was completely clear, at least for the time being. I finally finished he stitches, and she still wouldn't let a tear roll down her cheek.

"God you're tough." I tell her. She manages to force a smile. I wrap her arm up with the bandages.

"That's it?" She asked.

I nodded, "That's it. In the morning, I can teach you to shoot if you want. I don't want you to get in another...situation with a geek like earlier."

"What about my mom?" She asked.

"Day after tomorrow. We'll give you some time to heal up and rest, and then we'll try to see if we can find your highway." I pause a second, "Do you know what number it was?"

She shakes her head and looks back at her cut. "It hurts." She claims.

"It'll hurt for the next few days, Sophia. But, it won't get infected, which means you'll be ok." I promise. "Hungry?" I stand up, and I assume she nods. I dig through my bag and pull out a can of chili. She smiles and licks her lips as I pry the lid off with my knife.

We sit there, eating the cold chili, and we talk.

"What's your group like?" I ask, "Any other kids?"

She takes a bite of the chili and answers, "It wasn't a very big group...but there were a lot of good people...some of them were scary, though." She pauses, "And there was only one other kid. We used to have more, but they left with their family. His name is Carl. His daddy came back from the dead."

Not wanting to hear more on that matter, I ask, "What about your mom? What's she like?"

"She's the nicest lady in the world. She let my dad hit her and she didn't like it...I didn't either."

I furrow my eyebrows at that, "Did...did your dad ever hit you?"

She shakes her head, but then nods, "Once. He was hitting my mom and I saw. He threw a book at me." She points to her leg.

"Your dad's dead, right?"

"He was bit by a walker. Mom put a pitchfork in his head." She says, scooping some more chili from the can. "Why are you alone?" She asks.

"I just...I'm not alone anymore, remember, Sophia?"

She laughs a little and asks, "Why were you alone before?"

I shrug, "Everything just sort of...happened that way." She looks back at her stitches and I realize something. I really missed being around people.