Shattered

Chapter Six: Sophia

Something hit my stomach waking me up. I looked up to not see anyone. I looked down to see a dead squirrel. A smirk danced across my lips and I threw it out of the way. Andrews tossed me an energy drink and a new pack of cigarettes. I smiled and felt good this morning for no reason. I put my jacket on and left it open. I've been on edge so I've been sleeping in uniform. Greene jumped off the porch and tackled me to the ground. I flipped us over and pinned him down. "Not fair Serge." "Pay attention next time. Now what's up?" "Something is bothering me about Otis." I got off him and sat on the ground taking a drag off my cigarette. "He was murdered, I know." "What are we going to do?" Andrews sat next to me with his hat in his hands. We looked over at their camp and I saw Daryl. I watched him smile at Carol making my heart sink. The guys elbowed me shaking me out of the misery I was feeling. "What's with her?" "Our Staff Sergeant is in love." They both started laughing.  

"So what shall we do?" "Watch him. We can't confront him not with Patricia the way she is. They nodded and we hung out on the grass just watching everything. I looked over at the RV and my stomach churned. "Where do you think she could be?" "Dead most likely.." Andrews hit him but I knew he was right. I ran a hand through my hair and put it up in a tight sock bun. I walked over to Rick and was about to say something when the pain hit me. I grabbed onto the table and held my breath. "Are you all right?" "Im fine." I pulled myself back together and stood up straight. "Keep that between us." "What is it?" "Phantom limb pain. I don't like others knowing too much about it. How are the search parties going today?" Everyone started walking over and I joined Rick. "Jimmy you better have asked Hershel." "I did." I let him be and Rick gave us all a search partner. I decided to drive up to the highway and check it out. "Hey, Ellis!" I turned around to see Daryl. I walked over hoping he wasn't going to blow up on me or something. "When you get to the highway try going north a little ways. If something spooked her that's where she would run." I nodded and left. 

It was hot as hell today. I took a horse and rode it up to the main road. I paid close attention to the road and the woods trying to find any movement. "Sophia!" Listening to the air around me made everything worse. I heard a scream coming from the woods. I moved quickly and got the horse around the cars. I moved slowly in the woods waiting to hear anything else.  

I came upon a group of people and slowly got off the horse. I moved slowly up to the group and saw someone sitting in the middle covering her head. I pulled out my sidearm and stepped out of the brush. "I recommend you boys leave right now." "Like we're scared of you. Boys get her." I put my gun away knowing it would be to loud and they all rushed at me. I dodged a few punches until one knocked me off my feet. I grabbed one of their legs and twisted it. It cracked and I left him there. I tackled one to the ground and slit his throat. His blood spattered over me making a few of them back away. I stabbed his head and stood up. "Now what did I say about leavin'?" "Ok. Just breathe. We're going." "Leave the girl or you'll end up like your friend right there." They slowly started to walk away and eventually started running. I walked over to the girl and helped her up. I looked over at the creek and smiled. "Looks like Daryl was right." She looked at me funny and stared at the blood. 

"You Sophia?" She looked at the dead man and started shaking. I grabbed her face gently and made her look at me. "I'm not here to hurt you. Are you Sophia Peletier?" She nodded and I picked her up. We both got on the horse and I saw the walkers headed for the spot we were currently sitting in. She started to cry and I quickly got us out of there.

"Where are we?" "Looks like Sandy Springs. We ended up quite a distance from where we should be." "What now?" "Get you something to eat and get back." She nodded slowly and looked around. The horses hooves clicked when it hit the street. The sun was falling in the sky giving us the time we needed. I found a small truck and sat on the back. Sophia joined me eating the apple I gave her. Everything seemed way too calm here. Some of the buildings looked like they had been ransacked but it was pretty clean. Made me start to wonder where everyone went. I walked up to a building and looked inside. A man was sitting on the counter staring at me. He started saying something but I couldn't hear it. I looked next to him and saw the flashing light. I had only enough time to back away a few steps before the building blew. I was thrown back and a scream echoed through my ringing ears.  

Something wet hit my face and I looked up to see Sophia holding a bottle of water. I grabbed her around the waist and got back on the horse. Racing out of the city building exploded around us. I was way out of it most of the time until we passed a group of men. They were from the military but I couldn't tell what branch due to my eyesight being fuzzy at the moment.. I watched them throwing the survivors form the woods into a building along with walkers. I covered Sophia's eyes and made sure they didn't see us. "What are they going to do?" I looked back over my shoulder shaking my head. She started to cry but there wasn't really anything I could do.

I punched the wall next to me breathing heavily. Andrews put his hand on my shoulder trying to calm me down. I was covered in blood and dust from the events that took place. I ran my bloodied hands through my hair not caring anymore. "Im sorry Serge." "No point in apologizing. You didn't pull the trigger." Putting on a strong face was hard when they knew I was really broken. We aren't suppose to have relationships within the same squad but we kept it on the down low. Everyone now knew. Inside the medical room laid my dying fiancé. His blood was on the jeep, on me, on the ground. It seemed like the only place it wasn't was where it needed to be. They reluctantly let me in and I walked over to him. "I'm sorry." "For what baby?" "For keeping the light of my life in the dark." I pressed my forehead to his and kept my hands on his face. "Don't be sorry. I never cared about that. I had you." I kissed him and he started coughing. I started to cry and his dark brown eyes closed for the last time. I screamed and started sobbing. Andrews and Greene joined me unable to speak, shocked of my actions.  

Throughout the night I sat in the chair and stared at the empty and bloody hospital bed. No one dared to come near me afraid of another outburst. I stood up, grabbed my jacket and left without another word. The last thing anyone saw was a small flame making a light in the darkness of the night.