Your Crying Shoulder

The end

Daryl's pov

Sophia was gone. Rick came back without the little girl which caused panic at the camp. Carol was taking it hard and even though she wasn't showing it, so was Mae. I told her to stay back while Rick showed us where he last saw Sophia, but she completely ignored me and just walked behind us. Mae wasn't Mae anymore and quite frankly it pissed me off and made it a whole lot harder on focusing on finding Sophia. Dipping into the water, Rick started pointing to the last place he saw her as my eyes examined the area.

" Sure this is the spot?" I asked.

"I left her right here. I drew the walkers way off in that direction up the creek. Without a paddle-- seems where we've landed. She was gone by the time I got back here. I figured she just took off and ran back to the group. I told her go that way and keep the sun on her left shoulder." Rick explained.

Growing agitated, I looked around more and noticed Glenn and Mae were standing right where Rick said she should've ran.

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

Glenn starred at me fearfully and moved. Mae just kinda stood there seeming like she wanted to be somewhere else. Sighing, I threw my crossbow over my shoulder and moved to help her down into the water. Her eyes widened and she shook her head as she stepped back from me fearfully. Confused, I arched an eyebrow when Glenn whispered,

"She can't swim remember?"

Glaring at him, I looked back at the frightened girl. I gotta remember to teach her to swim. Not knowing could kill er.

"Assuming she knows her left from her right."shane butted in.

I glared at Shane as Rick said,"Shane, she understood me fine."

"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 sighed.

"Got clear prints right here. She did like you said, headed back to the highway. Let's spread out, make our way back. She couldn't have gone far." I said getting out of the water.

We all started following the tracks I saw quietly. Unfortunately I couldn't keep focused. Mae was just followin like she was dead. No emotion, not words, nothin. Her eyes showed nothin but loss and defeat and that pissed me off,

"Hey, we're gonna find her." I told her.

She adverted her eyes from the ground and just nodded and then went right back down to starring at the ground.

"She'll be tuckered out hiding in a bush somewhere." Rick said.

"She was doing just fine till right here. All she had to do was keep going. She veered off that way." I said pointing down to her tracks.

"Why would she do that?" Glenn asked.

I bent down and studied the tracks more and to where they headed as Shane said,

" Maybe she saw something that spooked her, made her run off."

"A walker?" Glenn asked.

" I don't see any other footprints. Just hers." I shook my head,

" So what do we do? All of us press on?" Shane asked.

"No, better if you, Mae, and Glenn 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." Rick said.

"I'll keep 'em busy scavenging cars. Think up a few other chores. I'll keep 'em occupied. Come on" Shane said.

Mae turned to leave with them, but I quickly grabbed her arm to stop her. She just starred at me emotionless. In all honesty, I don't know why I stopped her. Sighing, I grunted,