The Light in my Storm

Chupacabra(13)

I stood for about an hour with Katie looking at the cattle. A few came over and we pet them.

"They must like you, huh?" I asked.

"I feed them, of course they do," She laughed, I laughed along with her. We had set up camp on Hershel's farm, Dale had an extra tent, Katie and I slept in that. Katie for some reason preferred sleeping in the tent, she said it was just like camping. Whatever makes her happy.

*

When I woke up the next morning, Katie was already gone, I'm guessing she had morning chores to do around this place. Lori and Carol had done laundry, all of us could change clothes everyday now. I changed clothes and walked to the truck. They were talking about today's search grids.

"Everyone is having a new grid today, we have a lot of ground to cover. Bella and Daryl think she may have been at that farm house which means she could be a lot farther away than we originally thought," Rick explained.

"I'd like to help, I know the area pretty well," A guy said, I think his name was Jimmy. Tanner was standing beside me. Rick decided that Tanner would be okay to keep around. Mason had been talking to Carl a lot. Theo hasn't been doing anything, he's convinced he needs rest. So he stays in the house for the most part.

"I never got a chance, thank you. For convinving everyone to let us stay," Tanner whispered to me with a soft smile. He looked a lot brighter, a lot less exhausted.

"I think you'll be nice to have around," I told him with a small smile.

"Nothing they said is screaming Sophia to me, anyone coulda been holed up in that farmhouse," Shane stated.

"Anyone includes her right?" Andrea asked.

"Anyone who slept in the pantry couldn't have been more than yay high," Daryl stated holding his hand up.

"If they had Bella's height it could've been an adult to-" Shane started.

"Don't bring my height into this," I stopped him, "It could've been Sophia."

"I'm gonna borrow a horse, follow this ridge right here," Daryl stated, "I'll have a bird eye's view, if she's up there I'll spot her."

"Good idea, maybe while yer up there you'll spot a chupacabra too," T-dog stated trying to hide a smile.

"What?" Rick asked.

"You never heard this? First night in camp, he told us how the whole thing reminds him of when he went squirrel hunting and saw a chupacabra," Dale explained.

Tanner laughed.

"What are you brayin at jack ass?" Daryl asked Tanner.

"So you believe in a blood sucking dog?" Tanner asked trying not to continue laughing.

"You believe in dead people walkin around?" Daryl asked, Tanner stopped smiling.

Daryl began walking away.

I took a gun. Tanner didn't.

"You ever fired one?" I asked.

"No, I've been running around with a spear honestly," He said with a small smile.

"If you wanna learn, I'm a certified instructer," Shane stated.

"Sure, that'd be great, thanks."

We went off, starting our search. I went alone.

*

After a while, I came to a creek.

"Shit," I muttered, I wandered into Daryl's grid. In the creek, there was a dry spot. I noticed a doll. I jogged over there.