Echos in the Dark

Chapter 13

I sighed and looked at Daryl. Losing your only child is the worst thing that could happen to a mother. I know because...my child was once kidnapped, during the Apocalypse. Didn't sleep, eat, or even bathe. Fainted countless times and ended up in hospital. Getting scolded by my brothers, Bobby, and even Cass...I looked away from him to the ground.

"It was our only option. The only option we could make." Rick tried to assure her.

"I'm sure nobody doubts that." Shane said.

"My little girl got left in the woods." Carol cried. It pained me, it really did. No mother should go through this. I walked up to her and went to my knees.

"Carol, I'll do whatever it takes to get your child back. I swear." I told her. I was determined to find her. Everyone else was silent, unknown of what they could possibly say or do to make her feel better.

-/-

Rick placed a sack of weapons on a the trunk of a car. "Everybody takes a weapon." I don't need them. I have my angel blade, my bat, a satchel with medical supplies just in case, and my black custom stainless steel 1911 handgun. A personal gift from dad for my 7th birthday.

"These aren't the kind of weapons we need." I sighed and looked at Andrea. "What about the guns?"

"Listen, we've been over that. These weapons are needed if we want to stay alive. There could be walkers out there still or even another horde. If we use a gun, this could damage our hopes of finding Sophia. It's game over if that happens." She scoffed.

"Daryl, Daphne, and I are carrying. We can't have people popping off rounds every time a tree rustles." Rick said.

"It's not the trees I'm worried about." Andrea muttered.

"Look, Andrea. When you manage to know every sound in the woods and could tell apart of the wind howling and a wolf howl, let me know. Then I can give you a gun." I said.

"Say someone fires at the wrong moment, like Daphne said, this could be game over. So you need to get over it." That managed to shut her up.

"The idea is to take the creek up about five miles, turn around and come back down the other side. Chances are she'll be by the creek. It's her only landmark." I nodded agreeing with Daryl.

"Stay quiet and stay sharp. Keep space between you but always stay within sight of each other." Rick warned.

"Everybody assemble your packs. Dale, keep on those repairs." Shane said. I moved away from the group, I thought it would be best to go alone, that way I can call Cass, to see if he can find the child.

"Mom?" I look down to see Ace.

"Yes?"

"Can I come?" He asked. I sighed. It was always like this, my brothers would ask me to come along for backup and I would need to leave my son with Bobby or with the neighbor who was a retired hunter. When he spoke more clearly, he became curious and tried to tag along with me. But I couldn't let him.

He's a Winchester, it's in his blood, wether we like it or not, he's bound to pick up a knife or gun. I remember my brothers words.

"Sure, but always within 6 feet of me." His face lit up with happiness. I smiled and took out a pocket knife and gave it to him.

"Just press this and the blade will flip open. Be careful with it okay?" He nodded and held it in his hands tightly.

"Before we go, give this to T," I handed him a small bottle with cream in it. He nodded and took it before going to find T. I looked back to the woods.

He's bound to pick up a gun or knife, this must have been how mom got when she first had dean, wanting to protect us no matter the cost...as much as I hate it, Sam was right. He's a Winchester and nothing can change that. Suddenly I heard Amy and Dale arguing about what happened back at the CDC. It reminded me so much of how my brothers and I in the positions of being the devils and archangels vessels, how much Cass and Bobby put up with us when we wanted to say yes for the safety of one another.