Survive the Impossible II. ~ A "The Walking Dead" Fanfiction

The Cherokee Rose

That day was the 1st of September. By then, Carl's wound healed totally, he could walk and talk just like nothing has happened to him. He was happy again. Rick and Hershel told Patricia one week ago that Otis was dead. He died when they were at the school with Shane. On that evening, Patricia wasn't at herself, she cried so hard and fainted, so Hershel stayed with her, while Rick walked to us and we were down in the room with Carl and Lori. On that day, at dawn, we buried the man and gave him a funeral. All of us, one by one, put stones onto the grave, until a nice pile of stones became. We were standing in a half circle. Patricia kindly asked Shane to tell her everything about her husband's death. He took a deep breath while  he was staring the grave, and began to tell the story.

In a nutshell, he said that after they got what they wanted (bandages, infusion, surgical supplies), the walkers closed the way in front of them, and meanwhile, both of them hurt their leg, when they jumped off the stairs from six metres high, and became lame, which slowed them down. But they didn't give up. Heading to the car, Shane noticed that Otis stranded, and when he ran back to him, and help him on the last few ten metres, the elder man refused it. Shane quoted exactly what he said (according to him): "Shane, I did everything what I could for that boy. But if you don't leave me here now, you'll die, too, and the boy won't survive. Go now. Take everything." These were his last words. When Shane looked up, he saw all the walkers coming towards them fast, so after seeing the man did not waver from his decision, he picked up the supplies and started to ran alone to the car, which they went with, and then came back.

- ...Patricia, I would like you to know. - Shane turned to the woman - Otis was one of the good men. I tried to help him, but he did not allow. I'm sorry.

After breakfast, which took place in the house in the kitchen with the Greene family, Rick, Maggie, Daryl, Andrea, Shane, Hershel and I put the map on the car hood on the yard to see how much area did we have to look through to find Sophia.

- We've already been to this area. - Rick pointed on the map - but in the last days, she could been to everywhere. - that was the moment when we got that it wasn't an easy task to find the lttle girl. Though we knew that, but then our eyes widened.

- When did this girl lost? - Hershel asked from us.

- About one week ago. - Rick replied to him, while he was staring at the map.

- I don't wanna stop the search, but even if we find her, she might be already bitten. And we'll have to shoot her. - Shane was not believing that we would ever find Sophia alive. His stare met Rick's, as it could be seen that Rick wasn't counting with this.

- We do what has be done.

- And her mother? What do you tell her? - Maggie asked it kindly. Behind her, Andrea replied, while holding her smaller bag on her shoulder.

- The truth. - she said this like she didn't really care whether the young girl was alive or dead.

I was standing next to Maggie, who was wearing a cowboy hat, a brown sleevless shirt, dark trousers and boots. Her dark brown hair was brushed, and a thicker lock got in her eye. She looked at me, and gave me a nice smile. Maybe she saw on me that I was really worried about Sophia.

- I'll take a look 'round here, see if I can find somethin'. - Daryl took his crossbow on his back, and his light brown plaid long sleeve shirt wrinkled under the strap. Without any other word, he stepped down.

- If you don't mind, I will follow his example.

- Why don't you go with him? - Maggie asked from me.

- Ah, it's better if he's alone. Trust me. - and a weaker laugh broke out of me.

- Would you like me to go with you? - Dale offered to me. It was very kind from him.