The Sheriff's Daughter

Chapter Ten: Back at Camp

By the time Glenn and I made it back to camp, the sun had already dipped below the horizon again. We knew that at least Shane and Dale were still awake due to near-constant contact with our radios as we walked. The two of us were both exhausted and leaning against one another, his arm swung over my shoulders as we finally walked up the path that lead to the Quarry Camp.

"I see them!"

Even though it was dark out, it seemed that quite a lot of people had remained awake because the two of us were rushed and soon surrounded by a large portion of camp. Surprisingly, even the Dixon brothers had come to greet us - or, more likely, they just wanted to see what was going on.

"Anna, baby." Mom pulled me into a tight hug. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"

I nearly collapsed into her arms from exhaustion. I hugged her back as Carl forced himself into the hug, quickly becoming encircled by me and Mom. "I'm okay."

She held onto me tightly for a few more seconds as others began to talk. I could hear Dale and Shane asking Glenn what exactly happened, as well as Jacqui, Amy, and Andrea asking if we were all okay. Mom finally released me, then Carl, and then I was swept up into Amy's arms.

"I'm glad you're okay," she told me honestly. "Camp is so boring without you."

I laughed despite my fatigue, hugging her. "I'm glad that I'm back. You're a lot better company than biters, that's for sure."

Amy laughed and pulled away.

"It's good to have you back in one piece," Andrea commented. She gave a small smile and I gratefully returned it. Andrea and I weren't too close, but it was still nice that she wanted me back alive. Then again, it paid to have as many people alive as possible after what I saw in the city with Glenn. Julio's lifeless form entered my mind and I quickly shook it away. Now was not the time to be thinking of dead boys.

Looking around, I could tell that a good number of camp had stayed awake for our arrival. All around me were familiar faces, masked in various shades of shadows and flickering light from the small campfire that was still burning not too far away. There was Amy, Andrea, Dale, Shane, Mom, Carl, Jacqui, T-Dog (who offered a "good to see you again" to me), Donna and her family, the Morales family, and even the Dixons (who still managed to keep a good distance between us and them) all gathered around to witness our return. It was strange, but it left a warm feeling in me. It was nice.

"What happened out there?" someone asked - I think it was Jacqui. I was so exhausted, it was growing more and more difficult to focus on who said what.

"Walkers were everywhere." I told them.

"We raided a few stores and then found a hotel." Glenn explained. "We got ambushed by some geeks in the hotel, and we ended up staying the night."

I caught sight of little Eliza, hugging her doll to her chest and shivering. Her jacket had a new hole in it and what was left of the dirty fabric barely covered her. I sluggishly pulled my bag off of my back, reaching into it and finding the jacket I had found in the city. I held it out to her, watching as a smile lit up her face.

"I think someone could use a new jacket."

Eliza smiled brightly as she took it, quickly retreating to hide behind her thankful mom again. "Thank you, friend Anna."

How no one in camp heard the sound of my heart breaking, I don't know. How no one noticed the way my smile twisted and my eyes moved to just beyond Eliza and Louis, only to stop on the too-real figure of Julio behind them, I don't know. I forced myself to look back at Eliza, giving her the best smile I could manage, and stood back up. I was thankful for the dark of the night, part of me convinced that I was white as a ghost.