Don't look back

Ten

"Yer Okay? Not hurt?" Daryl asked Mary sharply as he drove. Mary nodded slowly. "We stopping in five. Jus' gettin' away from that fire. It'll bring Walkers near."
Mary didn't reply, and the rest of the drive was in silence.
As soon as the car stopped, Mary flew out and ran straight into Ricks arms.
"Daryl. Thank you so much for saving her. Thank you." Rick thanked, and Daryl just shrugged.
"Damn near got me killed. Should keep a better eye on her." He mumbled gruffly, but everyone knew he didn't mean it.
"Where to now?" Carol asked softly, her arms over Sophia's shoulders.
"I say we do your plan," Rick suggested to Shane, "Fort Benning. Best shot. No other ideas."
Shane nodded. "Sounds good. Safe. Military."
"It's far." T-Dog warned.
"We can siphon off gas," Rick nodded, "sleep in the cars." Mary pulled a face at that, and Rick shushed her gently.
"Alright. Let's get on the road. RV in front, Glenn can map it out. Quickest way." Shane ordered.
"Come on. You're in our car." Rick murmured to Mary. Rick got in the drivers seat, Lori next to him. Then there was Carol, Sophia, and Carl. Mary sat along Carols lap, with her back leaning against the car door, and her legs resting on Sophia's lap.
The rest of that day they didn't leave the car, and around three in the afternoon they all ate a rationed power bar, and three sips of water. Carl and Sophia played a few games of very competitive checkers, and Mary played with Sophia's doll, but they were all bored senseless.
They all stopped driving at eight in the evening, then Carol and Sophia went to sleep in the RV, for more room, and Mary slept in her seat, curled up tightly.
The whole of the next day was boring also, but they stopped driving at two, and scavenged for supplies in a small town.
"Stay with Glenn, okay, Mary? Everyone in pairs. I'm going to look for ammo with Shane." Rick ordered. Mary nodded, and Rick kissed her on the top of her head, then Carl, before he left.
"Come on kid. We're going to look in this little shop." Glenn smiled. Mary took his hand, and followed him into the small corner shop.
"Okay. The list says any clothes if there is any, food, water, batteries, and painkillers, antibiotics. You get a basket, and fill it with food and drink. Lots of it, yeah? And not just things you like. Things for everyone. If you get scared, I'll come running." Glenn explained. Mary nodded, and grabbed a large plastic basket. She put a few boxes of crackers inside, a bag of raisins, a box of breadsticks, three tubes of Pringles, four cans of beans, a jar of apple sauce, some chocolate bars, a few packs of gum, a jar of coffee, a six pack of juice boxes, and some powdered milk.
"Done." Mary whispered, walking back over.
"Woah. Good haul kid."
"There's not much left. Or it smells." She muttered.
"That's fine. You have loads. Come on, I've got it all. We'll head back now." Glenn smiled. Mary sighed softly. "What's wrong?"
"My feet hurt."
"Come here." Glenn beckoned, and Mary did as he said. Suddenly, Glenn lifted her up, and put her on his shoulders. "I used to carry my little sister like this."
"I had brothers. John and Adam." Mary whispered.
"Yeah? Were they big brothers or little brothers?" Glenn asked as he grabbed the two baskets and walked out of the store.
"Big. John was very big like you. At college. Adam was like Carl."
"Well, I had two sisters. Chloe and Daisy. Chloe was two years younger than me. She was twenty. Daisy was fifteen. You'd have liked her. She was gentle and kind. Couldn't even kill a spider. Chloe loved sports. Baseball, really. She was so brave. So bold."
"Are they gone?"
"Yeah. They're gone." Glenn whispered sadly. The rest of the walk back was in silence.

That night Mary couldn't sleep, and at one am she was curled up on Ricks knee, and the man hummed, as Mary called it, "the sunshine song", and rocked her slightly.
"I'm too hot." She sighed, and Rick nodded. Slowly he climbed out of the car, making little noise.
"Come on," he smiled gently, as he climbed up the ladder onto the top of the RV, "come up here." Mary clambered after him, and sat on Ricks lap.
"Look at that star. That one up there. That's the North Star. If you're ever alone at night, if you ever get lost, look for that star."
"Why?" Mary breathed quietly.
"Because no matter where you are, I'll be looking up at the same star. If you look at that star, you'll know you're never alone. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Still too hot?" Ruck asked gently, and Mary shook her head. Rick laughed softly, took off the thin jacket he had put on, and wrapped it around her tiny body. It was skinnier already. "Go to sleep now."
"Sing the sunshine song." Mary whispered in a slight whine. And Rick did. He was only on the second line when Mary's eyes shut.