Don't Leave Me

Chapter Ten

"A concussion," Hershel announces as he shines a light into Andrew's eye as he held it open.

"A broken leg." He muttered as he looks at the right leg that was bent wrong.

Hershel pulled Andrew's lip back to discover that he was missing two of his teeth.

"Knocked out some teeth."

Hershel inspected the skinned knees.

"Abrasions to the knees. First degree burns to the hands." Hershel looked at the raw skin on Andrew's hands.

"Are we sure he wasn't hit by a train?" Patricia joked as she gathered the supplies.

    

"Did'ja find him?" Daryl grumbled as he opened his eyes again.

He was briefly conscious when the others were out looking for Andrew.

"We found him," Carol told him.

"He okay?" Daryl's voice cracked at the end.

"He will be," Lori told him.

"Shit. 's my fault," Daryl muttered. "I let him come."

"It's not your fault any more than it is Rick's fault that Carl got shot," Lori tells him.

"He was so excited to learn," Daryl tells her. "I couldn't say no... damn... look at me... going weak over a kid. What would Merle say."

"I don't care what Merle would say. You were trying to teach him to protect himself. That's not a crime." Carol says.

"What's the damage?" Daryl questioned.

"A concussion, a few missing teeth, a broken leg, and some scrapes," Lori tells him.

"Shit... you sure it's not my fault... my chest hurts." Daryl groans.

"You're feeling empathy." Lori snorts. "You care about Andrew."

      

I open my eyes to the sounds of gunshots.

My head pounds and I reach my bandaged hands up to cover my ears.

The gunshots were like firecrackers right next to my ears.

My head throbs and my vision blurs as I try to hide under the covers.

The gunshots stop and I poke my head out from under the nest of blankets I was hiding under.

I notice my bandaged hand and look down to see my foot in a cast.

I throw the covers off and slide off of the bed, crawling on all fours to keep off of my cast.

I go right out the front door and perch on the steps, looking around for the source of the gunshots.

No one was in the house.

I see the group by the barn, many of them are on their knees and crying.

Carl looks up and then turns to look at me. His eyes widen as he tries to get his mother's attention.

He points to me and heads turn.

Lori stands up and now I can see the body.

Sophia Peletier.

The twelve-year-old missing girl.

We found her.

I rest my head on my bandaged knees as I cry.

Maybe, just maybe... if I stayed with her, she would still be alive.

Was it my fault she was dead?

Could she have lived if I went with her or would I be dead too?