Found Book One

Virginia

"Each car is gonna have a walkie talkie," Rick says then he turns to Noah. "Is there anywhere close to the community that the rest of the group can hole up somewhere while we check it out," he asks.

"Yeah here's a small neighborhood about ten miles before it," Noah says with a small nod.

"That sounds good. Everyone get in their groups and into the cars," Rick says.

Rick and his small group drives away in a separate cars. Our group gets into the van. Carol and Rick have a conversation over the walkie talkie.

"If we don't hear from you we'll come looking," Carol answers. "Mika?" Maggie says, "You should read the book out loud," she says.

Mika turns to the front of the book and starts reading. Maggie leans her head on my shoulder. I hum a tune my mom used to hum to me so her and Judith drift off to sleep.

I watch out the window as trees go past. We go through an intersection before turning down a street to the left.

"We need to stop here and find a place to stay for a little bit until they contact us again," Carol says pulling the car up to a light blue house.

We all nod and Mika stops her reading as the older woman parks the car. I comfort Judith as I open the door. Abraham and his group are walking toward the home. Carol gets out of the car to assist Sasha.

I open my door and swing my legs out. Before I can even stand up Abraham's voice booms. "Get back in the car until we clear a place!"

I raise my free hand and sit back in the car but I don't shut the door so I can listen if Rick radio's in.

'Carol ya copy?'  the radio sizzles. "Yeah we're here," she answers, 'We made it,'  he says.

She taps on the roof of the car with a smile on her face getting everyone's attention.

'It's gone,'  he says, Carol takes a deep breath and shoves the device in her pocket. "Come on guys," she says holding out her hand. Rosita and Tara start a fire.

"I'm gonna go around and see if there's anything to scavenge," Sasha says grabbing a bag and walking out the door.

Maggie nods, "I'm goin' too," she says following the other woman out the door.

I move to the window of the house and watch as they cross the street. Sasha grabs Maggie's hand and says something. I turn back to the rest of the group. 

I help clean and get the house ready. After about an hour I go into the kitchen to see Carol, if she'd heard anything else from the group. She is sorting through a pile of cans with the radio beside her. 

"Need any help?" I question as I move to stand next to her at the counter. "Yeah can yo-," she goes silent as the radio sizzles. I listen closely to see if Rick had has any news. Carol almost 

The radio crackles, 'Carol, we're at the car!'  Rick yells the woman nods and before she can reply it crackles again.

'We need to cauterize the arm and wrap it!' Rick says to anyone but Carol and I. 'Get Sasha and the younger kids away. They don't need to see this,' he says.

My eyes widen, "Carol what is he talking about?" I ask. "I think somebody got bit," she says.

I pace the length of the small room that I've locked myself in. No one but me and Carol know that something happened to someone in our group. A small knock makes me jump.

I turn and rush to the door. Rosita is standing there with one of her hands behind her back.

"May I come in?" she asks. I nod cautiously and move so that she can step into the room.

"I can hear you pacing from downstairs is everything okay?" she questions as I shut the door. I nod silently again, the woman smiles and holds out a sweater.

"I thought you might like it, so you don't get sunburnt as easily," she says. I smile and hold up the gray materiel.

"I love it Ro, thank you," I say to her. "Now all we need to find for you is a hat," she says ruffling my hair. I smile again as she leaves.

I begin my pacing until there's another knock on my door. "Come in," Carol walks in and shuts the door behind her.

"Any news?" I ask her, she nods. "They just left the community," she says. I bite my lip and tear off small chunks of the skin. "What if they don't make it?" I question her. 

I run my hands through my hair because I need something to do. I hate just sitting here. "Then we make it," she says. I hug her, "And we will make it," she whispers. "I know," I mutter. 

She hugs me back tightly. "I'll tell you when we have news," she says before she pulls away. "I'll be here," I say as she leaves. 

I open the door for Carl who seems calm and collected. He smiles lightly at me, "They're gonna be fine and get back before anything bad happens." 

I manage to smile, "I hope they do," I mutter. I let my lip between my teeth so I can chew on the skin.

Carl runs his thumbs over my cheeks, "Hey, they're gonna be okay," he says. I nod although I don't fully believe him.

"You need to stop chewing your lip," he whispers to me. I stare into his blue eyes for a moment.

"We should go downstairs." Carl takes my hand and leads me out of the room.

I walk down the stairs with him just in time to see the silver minivan pull up to the house.

I rush out onto the porch, Carl and Mika follow after me. Other people are outside. Sasha and Maggie are walking back from the other house they were in.

Rick throws open his door goes to the back door. He opens it as well to pull Tyrese out of the backseat.

He and Glenn get him onto the ground. The man is covered in blood and half wrapped up in a blanket.

Maggie and Tara grab onto the woman. Sasha screams when she sees her dead brother. Rick pushes a knife into the base of our friend's skull. 

Mika turns to me and buries her face in my shirt. Carl closes his eyes for a moment and goes back into the house. I kneel down to Mika and run my hand through her hair.

"I know it had to happen but I still don't like it," she mutters before rushing off upstairs. I move and sit on the couch.

I hug a pillow to my chest. I sit there unmoving until the door opens. Michonne walks in, her skin is pale and her eyes are teary.

Without saying a word she sits beside me. "I hope no one ever asks me to do that again," she whispers as she drops her bloody sword to the ground.

I place my hand on her knee and we stay like that, just sitting together. I can still hear Sasha sobbing, people have started digging.

I stand up and go find Judith who has made her home in the bathtub of the downstairs bathroom. When I walk in I find Mika cuddled up in the tub with the girl.

Judith is playing with some of Mika's hair. I smile and pick up the toddler. She starts to play with my hair instead.

I rock her as I walk out of the small room, Carl and Michonne are in the living room when I walk in.

I take a step back and watch as Carl hugs her tightly. She nods against his shoulder and stands up.

I step out into the room. Mika is next, Michonne leads us all to a small field where Tyrese's body is wrapped in a white sheet beside a large, deep hole.

Mika begins to cry as soon as she sees the body. I wrap my free arm around her and hug her to my side.

We all stand together around the grave. Gabriel gives a short sermon about the man that he barely knew.

Sasha says nothing as she shoves the cross she made into the dirt.

Daryl hands the woman her brother's favorite hat. She sniffles as she places it on the cross.