𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐔𝐌 (𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛)

𝐹𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑛

Since T-Dog was injured, he decided to stay behind with Dale to keep watch over the RV while the rest of us started off into the woods in a single filed line. I ended up walking behind Carol and in front of Glenn.

The humid air clung to my skin as I walked through various shrubs and tall grass. My sights were only trained on the ground before me and the back of Carol's shoes. I felt numb inside. I wasn't happy or sad or even uncomfortable. I was nothing, collapsing in on myself like a black hole and I hadn't the slightest idea of what would make me feel better. 

Carol suddenly stopped before me and I jerked my head up. Daryl and Rick were slowly creeping towards a yellow tent a few yards ahead of us. Rick motioned for us to stay put before he, Daryl, and Shane went ahead. Carol took in a sharp breath and covered her mouth in anticipation.

Rick's hushed voice suddenly called out to Carol and she, along with Andrea and Lori, quickly rushed away from me.

"C'mon," Glenn ushered me forward and we both jogged up to the rest of the group.

"Sophia, sweetie?" Carol softly called out towards the tent, Daryl standing the closest to it, knife raised and ready to attack. Rick and Shane quietly neared the tent as Daryl slowly unzipped the opening of the tent. I bit my lip anxiously as he pushed the fabric to the side, immediately recoiling away from the tent with a sound of disgust before jumping inside.

Everyone watched in suspense as we waited for Daryl to emerge. Rick and Shane were coughing and covering their noses.

"Daryl?" Carol called out. It was another moment of silence before Daryl finally popped his head out of the tent and climbed out.

"It ain't her," he shook his head. I let out a breath, whether it was of relief or disappointment I didn't know.

"What's in there?" I spoke up.

"Just some guy," he glanced at me quickly, "Did what Jenner said, opted out." He adjusted his crossbow and took another look at me. Glenn cleared his throat awkwardly.

Suddenly, the distant ringing of church bells filled my ears and everyone perked their heads up. Without another word, Rick quickly took off and we all followed, Glenn trailing slightly behind me. We stopped in a small clearing as the bells grew louder.

"I think it's that way," Rick pointed to the right.

Everyone broke into a run again as we followed Rick's lead towards the source of the bells. We broke out of the tree line and stumbled upon a graveyard in a large clearing, a pale-colored building on the other side: It didn't look anything like a church.

"There's no steeple, no bells," I wiped away the bead of sweat inching its way down my temple. Without a word to anyone, Rick sped towards the 'church' at a sprint.

All the running around was giving me a cramp in my side. I hopped over headstones and grave markers, following the group as fast as I could, but the sharp sensation in the bottom right of my abdomen made it difficult for me to move as fast as my companions. I suddenly felt the tense, familiar grip of Daryl's hand wrap around my upper arm and roughly tug me forward. In his left hand, he held up his crossbow.

"Keep up," he growled. The muscles in his arms flexed tightly as he seldom faltered his grasp on me.

"Sorry," I swallowed a rising lump in my throat. 

Daryl finally let go of my arm as we reached the church. He ran over to Rick and Shane, who both stood at the top of the concrete steps that led up to the two main doors. I watched as the three pushed open the red colored doors and stepped inside. I stayed at the very back of the group on the steps and listened to the three men silence the sickening groans of the walkers inside.

✯✯✯

We quickly figured out that although the church had no steeple, it was the source of the ringing we had heard back in the woods. On the side of the building was a speaker that carried out the noise of the timed bells.

I stood in the back corner of the room, quietly watching Carol pray in front of the giant crucifix and Jesus at the other side of the room. I was never one for religion, I thought it was stupid even as a child. Luckily, my father never cared for it either.

Once Carol was finished, we all gathered outside under the shade of a large oak tree. Shane and Rick stood before us.

"Y'all are gonna follow the creek bed back, okay?" Shane started, "Daryl, you're in charge. Me and Rick, we're just gonna hang back, search the area another hour or so, just to be thorough." His large shotgun rested in his arms as he addressed us.

"You're splitting us up. You sure?" Daryl spoke up from a spot on my left.

"Yeah, we'll catch up with you," Shane nodded.

"I want to go with you too."

I turned my head towards Carl at the sound of his determined voice.

"I'm her friend," he insisted. Rick shared a hesitant glance with both Shane and Lori. 

I turned away and grabbed my backpack and baton from their places on the grass. This was a family matter that I wasn't particularly interested in. I came to see Glenn approach me with a grey baseball cap in his hand. A tiny smile tugged at the corner of my lips as he held it out to me. I took it from him and put it on, guiding my ponytail through the back so it would rest comfortably on my head.

"Let's go!" Daryl called to us and started making his way back through the graveyard.

I took one last look at the church and at Rick, Shane, and Carl heading back inside.

✯✯✯

(𝑷𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 6/18/20)