I'm a Survivor: A Carol Peleteir Story

Chapter 10 "The HighWay part 1"

"I want to go to the Grand Canyon" Sophia said, laying her head on my shoulder, looking at Rick.

"We can take them with us--right?" Carl asked his dad.

"I'll never go there without you and your mom, Sophia." Rick chuckled and continued driving. We've been traveling for about..26 hours after the CDC. It's been quiet, and depressing. This is the first time we actually laughed. Talked for that matter.

Dale's RV blew up in smoke, and he pulled over.

He pulled over, along with everyone else. "Oh my god..." I put my hand over my mouth as the smell of rotten flesh flooded my nose.

"God damn it." Dale complained, and kicked the metal camper.

"It smells gross..." Sophia said, putting her doll up to her nose. I looked around, we stopped in the middle of a highway, with over than a hundred cars abandoned.

Shane walked up to Rick. "What's the plan, brother?"

"Look for fuel.." Rick. said. "Food.. Water.. We look for that stuff while Dale can figure out what's wrong with the RV. Then we keep moving after its fixed."

Shane nodded.

"Clothes..." I blurted, looking at the thousands of abandoned cars. " We can look for those too."

"This is a grave yard." Lori shook her head. "I don't feel right doing this."

"It's our only choice." Rick said, and everyone spread out. I grabbed Lori's hand. "Come on. Let's walk with the kids."

*******

We walked pass a black Cadillac, a decaying man, getting his head cleaned off from dozens of flies.

"Kids..?" I walked back with Lori, looking at the children. "Don't look." We walked further to see a trunk full of clothes, and little girls' book-bags.

I picked up a maroon sleeveless top. "Ed never let me wear nice things.." I smiled, folding the top nicely and putting it back in the basket. Lori wasn't going to have any of it. Glenn, and Shane cheered, Shane found a water truck.

I grinned and continued looking through the car. "Look." I said, finding a bright blue shirt, the size of Sophia, and it had a pink butterfly on the chest, made of glittery gems. "Sophia would love this.." Sophia and Carl were looking at the cars, wondering.

"Hey Soph--" Lori pushed me, trying to force me to the ground.

"Lori what's--" I looked over to where the group was, and a army of walkers came walking at us. She pushed me under the car, and I looked to Sophia, who sobbed under a white minivan, holding her doll tight.

"Sophia--" Lori covered my mouth as walkers limped away, Sophia looking at me, and then the walkers, then back at me.

Tears ran down my face as I tried to call for her, but Lori kept me from talking.

The walkers died down, and Carl looked at my baby girl, and stayed under the car.

Sophia peeked her head out from under the car, and then zombies roared and fell to the ground. Sophia ran out to the woods, with two walkers chasing after her.

I pushed Lori's grip off of me, and ran to the woods, Lori regained her grip, and kept me from rescuing my daughter. But.. I know I couldn't.

Rick ran to me, and I grabbed onto his shirt. "There's two walker's after my baby--" I sobbed and he ran into the trees, and I fell to the gravel.

"He's going to find 'er." Lori held onto me. "She's gonna be fine."

*******

Tears ran down my face as I folded a basket of clean, abandoned clothes in a wooden basket, and I threw it to the ground, sobbing into my fists.

"I can't just sit here!" I talked to myself, and looked out into the woods.

I could run out there--I can save her-- no. That wouldn't be smart--I trust Rick. Rick will bring her back. He has too.

Rick crawled out of the trees, sweaty. I ran over to him, nearly falling over my own feet. "Where is Sophia?!" I screamed.

"She's not back here?" Rick asked, questioned.

"You left her alone?" I asked, my heart sank to the pit of my stomach, my legs turned into mush.

"I-I..."

"How could you just leave her?!" I snapped, falling to my knees.

"I had to--I--I--"

"She's only 12 years old!" I sobbed. "You left her out there...alone..?"

"I'm sorry.." Rick said, and tears filled is blue eyes.

I stormed away, walking into the RV. I sobbed in my hands, hearing Daryl and Rick Arguing. The arguing stopped after a few moments and Andrea walked into the camper.

"My little girl is gone...lost in the woods forever..." I looked up at her.

She sat down and held my fists. "Carol, Rick and Daryl will find her in no time." She smiled. "No doubt. she's going to be alive, and safe."

I nodded, and wiped the tears away from my face. "I lost my husband..I can't lose the only thing I have left.." I let out a sob, and tears gushed down my face.

"Carol," she put her hand on my shoulder. "We will find her."

************

I walked out of the RV, to see Rick, and Daryl up from the trees. No Sophia anywhere.

I let out tears of sorrow as I ran after them. "You didn't find her?" I asked, trying to calm down.

"Her trail went cold.." Daryl said softly, completely devastated.

"Oh god.." Tears came back and I sat on a car's hood. "Is that blood..?"

"It's from a walker--" Rick said, I felt sick to my stomach..Oh god..

"There was no sign of it being anywhere close to Sophia." Rick said.

"How do you know?" I asked, sobbing.

Daryl looked at me with his blue eyes, and back at Rick. "We cut the son of a bitch open.." He gently said, and looked down.

"We'll start looking again at sunrise." Rick said.

I stood up again, sobbing harder. "How could you just leave her?!" I asked. "She's only twelve! She can't survive by herself out there at night!"

"I'm sorry..." Rick said, and looked at Shane who backed him up. I sobbed and ran into the camper.

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