My Hunter || D. Dixon (On Hold)

Thirty-Two - Our lost

I grit my teeth, holding my shoulder with my left hand as we walk. "You gonna be okay?" Rick asks.

I nod at him. "I've been shot in the shoulder before, feels just like that," I tell him, Carl shuddering at the thought.

Carl looks at mt then to Rick. "What happened to Shane? There weren't any walkers nearby, but he came back. I heard a gunshot." Carl says. "How'd he die?"

Rick and I looked at each other. "Um...well. Carl-" Rick starts.

I glance behind us, eyes locking on a real nightmare. "Guys...we've got company." I interrupt, pointing. An absolutely humongous herd of walkers is stumbling towards the farm, groaning and clawing the air.

Rick curses under his breath. "Get to the barn, now!" He orders.

We take off running to the barn. It was the closest building that we could reach at the moment. We get inside the barn and Rick closes the door. The dead pound on it, groaning and growling. "Luna, Carl, get into the loft." He commands.

We hurry up the ladder. Rick grabs a can of gasoline and starts dousing the whole barn with it. The cans now empty, he reached into his pocket and tosses us a lighter. Carl snags it out of the air.

"When I say, flick it on and drop it." He goes to the door, throwing it open. Walkers stream in, and Rick scrambles up the ladder. "Now!"

Carl drops the lighter, and the barn goes up in flames. The intense smell of burning flesh fills my nose and I gag. The sound of engines roaring comes from nearby and Iimp to the window. "They're coming! Jimmy's in the RV!" I exclaim. The RV pulls up by the window and we leap onto it. As I land, my legs crumble and I fall forwards. I get up, gritting my teeth. Walkers have surrounded the vehicle, and I hear Jimmy's tortured screams coming from inside.

We climb down the back and take off into the woods, working around to the house. Everyone's gone by now, all but Herschel, who's still shooting. "Rick!" I yelled out, shooting a walker that came up beside them. "We gotta go! There's a truck left, I'll go grab it, you get Herschel!" I told him, panic in my voice as he nodded and I took off, running as best as I could to get to the truck.

Shots rang out and I blinked back the tears in my eyes. I got in the truck and soon enough I was driving up to Rick, Carl, and Herschel. "Come on!" I yelled, happy to see Herschel turn and run with them to the truck. I moved over to the passenger seat and let Rick drive while I held my aching shoulder.

"Did you see Lori get out?" Rick asked as he drove us out of the field. Herschel shakes his head and I look at him, clutching my dog tags.

"What about Caleb? Jess? Did you see them? Daryl?" I question him, still getting a shake of the head.

"Where do we go now?" Carl asked from the back seat. I glanced to him then to Rick and let out a sigh.

"We got to the highway. If the group's smart then they'll go to the last place we know to meet, the highway." I said, Rick, nodding in agreement to me.

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Sitting back, I let out a deep breath as Herschel looked at my shoulder and arm. "Just the physical activity's been stressing it, you really should have listened to me when I said to take it easy," Herschel said with a chuckle, making me laugh a bit.

Though we were the only four so far to make it to the highway. I sat on the bed of the truck, buttoning up my flannel and zippering my jacket closed. I fiddled with an arrow in my hand, my eyes on the horizon, hoping for some sign of our group. And as if on cue came the sound of a car driving up.

I pulled out my pistol but relaxed at the sight of Otis' truck coming to the highway. A smile came to my face as I watched Lori get out of the car and rush to hug Carl. My smile widens at the sound of Daryl's motorcycle. I rush over to him, him smiling back at me.

I threw my arm around him, hugging him close as he did the same. "You're okay Sunshine." He whispers to me as I cry a bit into his chest as he ran a hand through my hair.

"Patricia's gone," Beth sobs. "I was holding onto her and she...she was pulled away from me." She pauses, looking at the rest of us. "Where's Jimmy?"

"He's in the RV. It got overrun," Rick says, not meeting her gaze.

Beth buries her face into Herschel's chest and whimpers more.

"And what about Shane?" Lori asks.

Rick shakes his head, and her face falls.

I pull back from Daryl a bit, looking around at the group. "Where's Caleb and Jess?" I ask, fully pulling away from Daryl. When no one answers I shake my head, I hold my hand to my mouth, tears in my eyes.

"Andrea?"

"We saw her go down," T-dog says.

"Are you sure?" Lori asks.

T-dog doesn't answer.

"I'm goin' back for her," Daryl says, turning to his bike.

"No. There's no point," Rick says, stopping him. "If she is back there, she's dead or long gone. There's no way of finding her."

"We can't just leave her," Carol insists.

"We can and we have to. Luna's hurt, and I don't want us splitting up again," Rick says. Everyone goes silent. "We only need a few vehicles. We'll leave the Cherokee and Otis's truck behind. Everyone scavenge for some extra food."

Everyone moves but I'm stuck to one spot, now sitting on the ground crying. "Luna." Daryl's voice calls, making me jump when a hand's placed on my shoulder. I look up and meet his eyes before I reach my hand out, pulling him closer, my head resting on his shoulder.

I let out a choked sob, Daryl pulling me closer to him. "I told them to stay, the first time in his life he listens to me when I'm wrong." I cry and he tightens his hold, pressing a kiss to the side of my head. "They're gone, Daryl." I cry and he sits down next to me.

"I know Sunshine. I know."