1. I Found

-disappearing act-

-Meanwhile-

Everyone back at the camp was up early. 

They were out on the search for the two girls.

Everyone but T-Dog and Dale went, ensuring they had enough time to fix the RV before everyone else returned.

After a few minutes of preparation, the group headed out together. 

Daryl took the lead while Glenn kept at the back, everyone giving Daryl space and letting him do his thing when they came across a tent.

"She might be in there," Shane answered, Carol, standing up straight, hopeful. 

"Wait," Lori told her as Daryl, Rick, and Shane slowly made their way over.

Rick finally called Carol over, and we were hanging back.

Carol called out to her daughter, but there was no answer, so the boys continued to go in, releasing a vile smell into the air.

"Whatever was in there has been there for a long time", Daryl said to Carol with a reassuring nod. 

"Daryl?" Carol questioned, still worried. 

"No, it ain't them," he cleared. It's just someone who had opted out," he sighed. 

The woods were entirely quiet; only their footsteps could be heard. 

That was until a loud bell rang throughout the woods, making them all run instantly in the direction it was coming from.

"That's going to bring in walkers from miles away," Glenn panicked, reminding everyone that they were not alone—they never were.

"Which direction?" Lori asked, looking around.

"This way, I'm pretty sure", Rick directed as they continued to run. 

They followed the loud bangs of a church bell. 

It was hard to pinpoint where the sound came from; they just had to hope for the best.

They soon arrived at a small white church surrounded by gravestones. 

"Eyes up," Rick instructed as they approached the church doors. 

Rick opened the doors to reveal what looked like people, but they turned out to be walkers.

Everyone looked at them, terrified. 

They were the creepiest walkers they had seen. 

"No guns," Rick orders, knowing taking them out with knives or arrows would be quieter. 

Daryl took the left, and Shane followed after.

Rick is to the right, Glenn is in the middle, and the others are handing back.

The four walkers in the room were quickly removed, but more came barging out of a side door.

Daryl took out one with his crossbow but struggled to grab his knife in time for the second, Glenn noticing and taking the walker from behind it. 

Saving Daryl

"Thanks" He nodded. 

All the walkers were quickly dealt with in a matter of minutes. 

Daryl looked up at the statue of Jesus in the middle of the church.

"That felt wrong," Rick admitted before the bell began blaring again, causing them all to jump.

Glenn ran out first, shutting it off, realising it was on a timer.

They all separated slightly, collecting their thoughts as Rick and Shane considered their next action plan.

After a while, they gathered back outside the church.

"You have to follow the creak back. We are going to carry on for a while. Daryl, you're in charge," Shane explained, coming over to the rest of the group. 

"Splitting up? You sure?" Daryl asked the pair. He wanted to stay out in the woods, searching for Theo. 

"Yeah, we can get a couple more miles done, and we will be back soon, "  Shane nodded, looking at Rick, who agreed. 

"Can I come?" Carl asked, stepping forward.

"No." Lori put firmly, shaking her head at her son. 

"Please ", Carl begged, looking at his father, who looked at Lori with a shrug, not minding him being joined by his son. 

"Just be careful, okay?" Lori smiled. "Do not leave your father's side," Lori instructed him as he walked off. And like that, they all separated.

The day was long, and they seemed to need to get closer to the highway. 

"Theo, how much longer, my feet hurt?" Sophia asked as she let out a small cry. 

"I don't know..." Theo began when many walkers' low growls started to close in. 

Theo only had her knife, and the sound was coming from everywhere.

"Stay close", Theo warned. "I need my hands", She told Sophia, who nodded, keeping close to Theo's back as walkers began to surround them. 

Theo took a significant step towards the closest walker, hitting the brain and heading back into the middle of the circle before repeating the action. 

"Are you okay?" She yelled out to Sophia, but she was gone. 

"Sophia!" She screamed, only bringing the walkers closer, giving her no time to run. 

"Damn it!" Theo yelled as she took out another walker. 

And another. 

She was repeating it until she had an opening to run. 

"Sophia!" She yelled out in panic, but all it was doing was bringing in more walkers. 

She held her weapon tightly, but more walkers surrounded her. 

Theo took a deep breath before bracing to fight them all off...