Contagion Chapter Two
Taylor crossed his arms as he stood in the woods. He had agreed to come out here with Glenn, Shane, Daryl and Rick to find Sophia. His reasons for coming out here were simple. He had wanted to find her for Carol. He knew what it was like to lose a child and he didn't want another parent to suffer the same fate as him. He didn't want someone else to experience child loss like he had.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Daryl asked as he stood in the shallow end of the water in the creek where Rick had supposedly left Sophia while he had went to kill the walkers.
"I left her right here," Rick spoke sounding sure as he turned away from Daryl. "I drew the walkers away off in that direction up the creek," he said as he pointed ahead in the opposite direction.
Daryl sighed, "Without a paddle. It seems that's where we've landed," he replied as he turned to walk away from Rick.
"She was gone by the time I got back here," Rick spoke as he walked with Daryl. "I figured she just took off and ran back to the group," he shrugged before pointing beside a tree where Glenn was standing. "I told her go that way and keep the sun on her left shoulder."
Walking closer to where Glenn was Daryl called out to him, "Hey short round want you step off to one side you're muckin up the trail."
"Assuming she knows her left from her right," Taylor spoke up as he turned to look where Glenn was standing.
"Taylor she understood me fine," Rick said his voice again sounding certain.
Taylor shrugged at Rick's words, "Kids tired and scared man. She had her a close call with two walkers. Got to wonder how much of what you said stuck."
"We got clear prints right here," Daryl spoke up after he had walked closer to where Sophia should have exited the creek. He could see clear prints on the grass. "She did like you said. Headed back to the highway," he said as he climbed out of the creek. "Spread out."
Shane who had bent down to help Rick up out of the creek smiled as he felt hopeful, "We are gonna find her. She's probably tuckered out hiding in the bush somewhere," he spoke as they walked off and away from the creek.
Not saying anything else for the time being Taylor just followed behind Daryl and Glenn as Daryl continued to track Sophia's track. He hoped to god what Shane had told Rick about finding her somewhere in the bushes was true just so they could bring some good news to Carol who had looked so upset over this whole situation.
Daryl who had been looking at the tracks eventually came to a stop and bent down, "She was doing just fine til right here. All she had to do was keep going," he said seeing that her tracks veered off in another direction than the highway. "She veered off that way," he said pointing to the side instead of straight.
"Why would she do that?" Glenn voiced from where he stood behind Daryl.
Shane who was bent down beside Daryl shrugged, "Maybe she saw somethin. Spooked her, made her run off."
"Walker," Glenn suggested the first thing that popped into his head.
Daryl who was still examining the tracks made a face, "I don't see any other foot prints, just hers.
"So what do we do?" Shane asked as he turned to look to Rick. "All of us press on?"
Rick shook his head, "No. Better if you, Taylor and Glenn get back up to the highway. People are gonna start panicking. Let them know we are on her trail doin everything we can but most of all keep everybody calm."
Shane nodded as he stood up, "I can keep them bus scavenging cars. Think up a few other chores. I can keep em occupied," he said before turning to walk away.
Following behind Shane, Taylor huffed wishing that they could all be going back to the highway together with Sophia but that seemed less and less likely.
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Kate chewed on her lip as she stood beside Carol who was standing vigil at the guardrail. Shane,Glenn and Taylor had came back sans Sophia or Daryl and Rick. They had been told that Rick and Daryl were on her trail and that they were doing everything they could.
Seeing Carol walk off and over to Dale after Shane finished moving one of the cars off the highway to clear it Kate sighed as she followed behind the woman.
"Why aren't we all out there lookin?" Carol asked as she crossed her arms and looked at Dale who had been busy working on the RV. "Why are we moving cars?"
Turning to look at Carol, Dale locked eyes with her, "Well we have to clear enough room so I can get the RV turned around as soon as it's running," he nodded as he explained things to her. "Now that we have fuel we can double back to a bypass that Glenn flagged on the map."
"Going back is gonna be easier than tryin to get through this mess," Shane said as he came to where Carol and Dale where talking.
Turning to look at Shane, Carol made a face, "But we're not going anywhere til my daughter gets back."
"Hey that goes without saying," Kate nodded as she touched Carol's back.
"Rick and Daryl are on it okay," Shane told Carol as he moved a bit closer to her. "Just a matter of time," he smiled as he reached out to touch her arm briefly.
Andrea who had came back from scavenging supplies spoke up, "Can't be soon enough for me," she said as she threw a bottle of water to Glenn. "I'm still freaked out from that herd that passed us by. Or whatever you'd call it."
"Yeah what was that?" Glenn asked as he opened his bottle of water. "All of them just marching along like that."
Shane who had looked down at the road looked back up, "Herd. That sounds about right. We've seen it the night camp got attacked just wider in pack and only fewer," he said before sighing as he shook his head. "Come on people we've still got a lot to do," he said as he turned to see that Carol had returned back to her guardrail vigil. "Let's stay on it."
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Zac ran a hand through his hair as he looked over at Kate who was again by Carol's side. This whole situation with Sophia missing just reminded him again that the world wasn't safe for kids. It wasn't safe and yet he was still pissed that Kate had risked her life and that of the child inside of her to save Taylor.
"Zac?" Mac asked as he waved his hand in front of his brother's face. "You home inside there?" he laughed.
Coming out of his thoughts Zac looked at Mac before shaking his head and going back to looking through the truck they were standing beside for supplies. "I was just thinking," he confessed as he felt his cheeks grow hot as he blushed.
"About Kate?" Mac asked taking a guess only because Zac had been staring at Kate for so long.
Zac nodded his head, "Maybe," he admitted as he shrugged. "I'm pissed she did what she did at the CDC and risked her life as well as the baby inside of her but this situation with Sophia missing just reminds me that this world isn't for kids. Not anymore."
Raising his eyebrow at Zac's words Mac made a face, "When did your views on kids change? Back at the camp you seemed all happy for the impending arrival of your child."
"It changed the night camp got overrun. That's when I woke up and realized how wrong I was," Zac answered him as he pulled out a bottle of aspirin from the glove box and handed it to his brother.
Mac sighed guessing he could understand that, "Well I think you are stupid being pissed at Kate for what she chose to do. Yes she risked her life and your kids life but the world just like it supposedly isn't made for kids also isn't made for holding grudges. Who knows what tomorrow will hold."
At Mac's last words Zac paused because he knew his brother was right but for now he kept on wanting to be stubborn. He wanted to be mad at Kate just a bit longer.
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Looking at Kate who stood beside her Carol made a face, "It's late," she said knowing it would be dark soon. "It'll be dark soon."
Kate reached out to touch Carol again comforting the woman, "They'll find her," she reassured her.
Carol just nodded her head as she forced a smile hoping that the woman was right. She just wanted her daughter found and back in her arms.
After Carol nodded Kate turned and headed back to the RV getting there right as Andrea did.
"Where is my gun?" Andrea asked harshly as she looked at Dale. She figured the older man had hid it from her in fear that she'd use it to kill herself. "You have no right to take it."
Dale turned to look at Andrea, "You don't need that just now do you?"
"My father gave it to me," Andrea told him hoping that would make him give it back. "It's mine."
"I can hold on to it for you," Dale spoke as he turned away from Andrea.
Andrea shook her head not believing that Dale was doing this, "Or you can give it back to me."
"Everything cool?" Shane asked as he walked over to the RV his hands going into the pockets of his pants.
"No, I want my gun back," Andrea answered as she crossed her arms and turned to look at Shane.
Dale turned to look at Shane, "I don't think it's a good idea right now."
"Why not?" Shane asked after Dale turned to look at him.
At that question Kate just rolled her eyes and headed onto the RV having to use the bathroom and also because she wanted to avoid whatever happened next. When she got out of the bathroom and left the RV again Kate saw Daryl and Rick coming back and she ran over to the guardrail with everyone else.
Carol who saw Rick and Daryl come back shook her head as she frowned, "You didn't find her," she said seeing no Sophia with them.
"Her trail went cold. We'll pick it up first light," Rick said to Carol as he climbed over the guardrail.
Carol crossed her arms as she felt her heartbreaking, "You can't leave my daughter out there on her own to spend the night alone in the woods."
"Hunting in the dark's no good," Daryl told the woman as he held onto his crossbow which was slung over his shoulder. "We'd just be tripping over ourselves. More people would get lost."
"She's twelve she can't be out there on her own," Carol spoke her voice cracking as she did. "You didn't find anything?" she asked as she looked at Rick snapping at the end.
Rick looked at the woman and he truly felt sorry for her, "I know this is hard but I am asking you not to panic. We know she was out there"
"We tracked her for awhile," Daryl added in.
"We have to make this an organized effort," Rick spoke as he looked at the group. "Daryl knows the woods better than anybody. I've asked him to oversee this."
Carol who was looking down as Rick spoke raised an eyebrow as she saw what looked like blood on Daryl, "Is..is that blood?"
"We took down a walker," Rick told an even more hysteric Carol.
Carol just shook her head as she felt her worry increase, "Walker..oh god."
"There was no sign it was ever anywhere near Sophia," Rick assured Carol as he moved closer to her and bent to her level.
"How can you know that?" Jessica asked as she looked over towards Rick.
After that question Daryl saw Rick look to him, "We cut the son of a bitch open. Made sure," he nodded.
Sitting on the guardrail Carol took deep breaths trying to calm herself down. "How could you just leave her out there to begin with?" she asked Rick harshly as she glared up at him. "How could you just leave her?!"
"Those two walkers were on us," Rick explained trying to defend himself. "I had to draw them off. It was her best chance."
"Sounds like he didn't have a choice Carol," Shane spoke defending his friend and siding with him for once.
Carol just looked at Rick not buying it, "How was she supposed to find her way back on her own? She's just a child," she spoke as she cried more. "She's just a child."
"It was my only option," Rick told her as he bent down so he could look at her better. "The only choice I could make."
Shane leaned against the guardrail, "I'm sure nobody doubts that," he told Rick.
"My little girl got left in the woods," Carol frowned as she watched Rick walk away after that along with most of the people except for Kate and Lori who now sat on either side of her on the guardrail.
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Avery stood against the RV the next morning listening as Rick told the group that everyone would take a weapon. Well everyone who was going. She figured T-Dog wouldn't go as he had hurt his arm yesterday while trying to hide from the herd and she had heard Zac earlier telling Kate she was sticking behind too. Dale of course would stay so he could work on the RV more.
"These aren't the kind of weapons we need," Andrea said annoyed as she looked at the hatchets that were laid across the hood of the car. "What about the guns?"
"We've been over that," Shane told Andrea referring to their talk yesterday. He had told her that Dale should keep them and only people experienced enough with them should have them. "Daryl, Rick and I are carrying. Can't have people poppin off rounds every time a tree rustles."
Avery shrugged from where she stood beside Shane. A part of her could understand that but of course she didn't voice it. Instead she walked up to grab one of the hatchets doing her best to avoid brushing against Daryl as she did so.
"It's not the trees I'm worried about," Andrea spoke as she looked over at Shane.
Shane sighed as Andrea kept pressing on, "Say somebody fires at the wrong moment. Herd happens to be passing by. See then it's game over for all of us. So you need to get over it," he told her bluntly as he put his back pack across his shoulders.
"The idea is to take the creek up about five miles. Turn around and come back down the other side," Daryl told everyone. "Chances are she'll be by the creek. It's her only landmark," he said as he walked away.
Rick watched Daryl start to walk away and he sighed, "Stay quiet and stay sharp. Keep some space between you but always stay in sight of each other," he said before walking away.
When Shane told everyone to assemble their packs Avery reached for hers making sure she had everything in it to be ready for when they officially took off. As she did she could hear Carl trying to convince his parents to let him come along with the group. He was making a pretty appealing argument by saying they needed more people to cover as much ground as possible. In the end she wasn't surprised when he got to come along.
Once she finished making sure her pack was good Avery looked up watching uncomfortably as Dale and Andrea fought over him taking her gun. It was obvious Andrea was pissed that Dale had forced her hand at the CDC by staying behind and getting her to choose him and it was obvious that Dale was still concerned that she'd find a way to kill herself.
It was after Andrea walked away from Dale that Avery followed behind the rest of the group as they walked off on their trek to hopefully find Sophia.
Walking through the woods for god knows how long Avery stayed close behind Rick. She knew it was crazy but Rick was right behind Daryl and just being close to Daryl made her feel a little better about going through these woods because at the moment even with most of their group she still felt exposed and like something could get her at any moment.
When they got to a part of the woods that had a tent Avery slowed down to a stop when Rick motioned for the group to stop.
"She could be in there," Shane said as he stood behind Rick and Avery.
Daryl stood from where he had been bent down and he took a few more steps closer to the tent, "There could be a whole bunch of things in there."
After Daryl spoke Rick stood up too and started following behind him, putting his hand up to stop the others from following. Well everyone except for Shane.
The moment Rick called out softly for Carol to come where he and Shane where standing near the tent Avery followed behind hearing the rest of the group coming along too. Stopping in her tracks beside Shane she watched Rick telling the woman if Sophia was in there her voice should be the one Sophia heard first.
Staying silent as Carol called out for Sophia, Avery felt her breathing slow down as her nerves got the best of her. When there was no response Avery chewed on her lip as both Shane and Rick walked to the opening of the tent where Daryl was poised to go in. She could tell though the moment that the flap had been open and the faces all of the men standing around had made that Sophia wasn't in that tent.
Watching as Daryl went inside though Avery looked down and just waited for him to come out and confirm the news.
"Daryl?" Carol called out questioningly getting scared when Rick and Shane kept coughing and covering their noses.
Coming out of the tent after pocketing a gun off the dead corpse in the tent Daryl looked at everyone, "It ain't her."
"What's in there?" Andrea asked as she stepped a bit closer to Lori and Carol.
"Some guy. Did what Jenner said. Opted out," Daryl said as he slung his crossbow back over his shoulder. "Ain't that what he called it?"
Hearing bells sounding from somewhere after Daryl spoke Avery looked around confused though she knew they could be from Sophia. Seeing Rick pointing in the direction they were coming from she took off running along with everyone else.
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Kate crossed her arms as she looked up at Dale who was standing on the roof of the RV, "Aren't you supposed to be fixing that radiator? What if they come back with Sophia and Rick wants to move on right away?"
"I had it fixed yesterday," Dale answered as he looked down at Kate.
Looking up at him shocked Kate uncrossed her arms, "What?" when Dale nodded she shook her head, "What was all that running sand for then. Was that just bullshit?"
"Yeah that's one word. Another word would be pantomime," Dale smiled as he looked down at Kate. "Just for show. No one else needs to know that."
"Pantomime," Kate muttered to herself sarcastically.
Dale looked away from the woman, "If the others know we're mobile they'll wanna mobilize, move on."
"So you don't think they are going to find Sophia?" Kate asked him as she raised an eyebrow. Just asking that made her feel sick. "That it?"
Dale shrugged, "Just guarding against the worst. Sooner or later if she's not found people will start doing math. I wanna hold off the needs of the many versus the needs of the few arguments as long as I can."
"That is one tricky hose huh?" Kate asked as she laughed softly.
Nodding Dale laughed as well, "Very."
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Jessica walked through the woods with everyone else as they still followed the sounds of the bell. When they reached a clearing she raised an eyebrow as they came upon a white church.
"That can't be it," Shane spoke as he eyed the church. "Got no steeple. No bells," though even after he said that he watched Rick head off towards it anyway.
Running through the graveyard that lead to the church Jessica sighed. She hoped that this was the church with the bells. She hoped that this was the place where they would find Sophia. Making it to the entrance she followed Shane,Rick,Daryl and Glenn up the stairs.
The moment the doors where opened though it soon became apparent that Sophia wasn't here though there were three walkers on the pews. Walkers who had turned to face them at the sound of the doors opening. Staying at the doors Jessica made a face as she watched Daryl, Rick, and Shane kill the walkers.
Moving inside some once the walkers were killed Jessica looked over at Shane and Rick once they came towards the back again. Again Shane had stated this was the wrong church because it had no steeple. It wasn't long after those words though that the sound of bells started up and Jessica jumped slightly.
Turning around she ran outside and towards the side of the church. Seeing Glenn run over to a box on the side she came to a stop as he opened it and flipped a switch.
"Timer," Daryl said out of breath as he pointed up to the speaker. "It's on a timer."
Carol felt any hope she had left of finding Sophia here at this church shatter, "I am gonna go back in for a bit," she told the others.
Jessica took a breath and followed her inside staying close to Glenn. Once they were inside she sat down beside of him on a pew. "Why did you really come to my room at the CDC?" she asked him as she chewed on her lip. She could faintly remember him coming by and she could faintly remember his excuse.
Being taken aback by Jessica's question Glenn blushed, "I told you the reasons that night," he shrugged as he avoided her gaze. He couldn't reveal to her the real reasons. It wasn't like she'd ever like him back. She was probably still hung up on Merle.
"And I don't believe them," Jessica said honestly as she moved some hair out of her eyes. "You know you can tell me anything Glenn. You are my friend."
Glenn forced a smile when Jessica said she was his friend. That's all he'd ever be and that was why he couldn't tell her, "And I did tell you," he said again sticking by his lie as he stood from the pew and headed outside.
Going outside after Glenn, Jessica shook her head. She wasn't sure what Glenn was hiding from her but she did feel like he was hiding something.
When everyone had came out of the church Jessica walked to a tree in the graveyard staying close to everyone else in the group as Rick and Shane stood off to the side talking amongst themselves. Seeing Shane walk back over she crossed her arms.
"Ya'll gotta follow the creek bed back," Shane spoke as he walked towards the group that was under the tree. "Daryl you are in charge. Me and Rick we are just gonna hang back. Search this area another hour or so just to be thorough."
Daryl raised an eyebrow as he looked at Shane, "You sure?"
"Yeah," Shane said as he took a deep breath. "We'll catch up to you."
Jessica crossed her arms as her attention turned to Carl as he said he wanted to stay as well. Just like at the highway he had a good argument. He was Sophia's friend and again he got to stay with Lori telling him to be careful.
Turning and following Daryl as he lead the way back to the highway Jessica found herself staying close to Glenn. He was her friend. The only friend she had left besides her family anyway.
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Zac who walked through the woods with everyone else as they made their way back to the highway turned to look at Carol as she spoke.
"So this is it?" Carol asked as she continued to walk before sitting on a log. "This is the whole plan?
Daryl leaned against a tree, "I guess the plan is to widdle us down into smaller and smaller groups."
"Carrying knives and pointy sticks," Andrea replied sarcastically before turning her gaze to Lori who Daryl had handed a gun to before they left the church. "I see you have a gun."
Lori who had laid her backpack down to look through turned to look at Andrea, "Why? You want it?" she asked before moving to stand beside the woman. "Here, take it," she said as she held the gun out to Andrea. "I'm sick of the looks you're giving me."
When Andrea took the gun and gave her a flabbergasted look Lori sat down on the log. "All of you," she stated before turning to look at Carol. "Honey I can't imagine what you are going through and I would do anything to stop it but you have got to stop blaming Rick. It is in your face every time you look at him. When Sophia ran he didn't hesitate did he? Not for a second," she said as she looked up at the others. "I don't know that any of us would have gone after her the way he did or made the hard decisions that he had to make or that anybody could have done it any differently," she spoke just getting silence at that.
"Anybody?" she asked as she looked from Carol to the group again. "Ya'll look to him and then you blame him when he's not perfect. If you think you can do this without him go right ahead nobody is stopping you," she finished and not long after she did she saw Andrea hand the gun back to her.
When Lori took the gun Andrea sighed, "We should keep moving."
Zac just shook his head as he stayed towards the back of the group. He was taken aback by Lori's outburst but in a way he understood it and it made sense. It also made him glad that no one looked to him as the leader of things.
Taylor crossed his arms as he stood in the woods. He had agreed to come out here with Glenn, Shane, Daryl and Rick to find Sophia. His reasons for coming out here were simple. He had wanted to find her for Carol. He knew what it was like to lose a child and he didn't want another parent to suffer the same fate as him. He didn't want someone else to experience child loss like he had.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Daryl asked as he stood in the shallow end of the water in the creek where Rick had supposedly left Sophia while he had went to kill the walkers.
"I left her right here," Rick spoke sounding sure as he turned away from Daryl. "I drew the walkers away off in that direction up the creek," he said as he pointed ahead in the opposite direction.
Daryl sighed, "Without a paddle. It seems that's where we've landed," he replied as he turned to walk away from Rick.
"She was gone by the time I got back here," Rick spoke as he walked with Daryl. "I figured she just took off and ran back to the group," he shrugged before pointing beside a tree where Glenn was standing. "I told her go that way and keep the sun on her left shoulder."
Walking closer to where Glenn was Daryl called out to him, "Hey short round want you step off to one side you're muckin up the trail."
"Assuming she knows her left from her right," Taylor spoke up as he turned to look where Glenn was standing.
"Taylor she understood me fine," Rick said his voice again sounding certain.
Taylor shrugged at Rick's words, "Kids tired and scared man. She had her a close call with two walkers. Got to wonder how much of what you said stuck."
"We got clear prints right here," Daryl spoke up after he had walked closer to where Sophia should have exited the creek. He could see clear prints on the grass. "She did like you said. Headed back to the highway," he said as he climbed out of the creek. "Spread out."
Shane who had bent down to help Rick up out of the creek smiled as he felt hopeful, "We are gonna find her. She's probably tuckered out hiding in the bush somewhere," he spoke as they walked off and away from the creek.
Not saying anything else for the time being Taylor just followed behind Daryl and Glenn as Daryl continued to track Sophia's track. He hoped to god what Shane had told Rick about finding her somewhere in the bushes was true just so they could bring some good news to Carol who had looked so upset over this whole situation.
Daryl who had been looking at the tracks eventually came to a stop and bent down, "She was doing just fine til right here. All she had to do was keep going," he said seeing that her tracks veered off in another direction than the highway. "She veered off that way," he said pointing to the side instead of straight.
"Why would she do that?" Glenn voiced from where he stood behind Daryl.
Shane who was bent down beside Daryl shrugged, "Maybe she saw somethin. Spooked her, made her run off."
"Walker," Glenn suggested the first thing that popped into his head.
Daryl who was still examining the tracks made a face, "I don't see any other foot prints, just hers.
"So what do we do?" Shane asked as he turned to look to Rick. "All of us press on?"
Rick shook his head, "No. Better if you, Taylor and Glenn get back up to the highway. People are gonna start panicking. Let them know we are on her trail doin everything we can but most of all keep everybody calm."
Shane nodded as he stood up, "I can keep them bus scavenging cars. Think up a few other chores. I can keep em occupied," he said before turning to walk away.
Following behind Shane, Taylor huffed wishing that they could all be going back to the highway together with Sophia but that seemed less and less likely.
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Kate chewed on her lip as she stood beside Carol who was standing vigil at the guardrail. Shane,Glenn and Taylor had came back sans Sophia or Daryl and Rick. They had been told that Rick and Daryl were on her trail and that they were doing everything they could.
Seeing Carol walk off and over to Dale after Shane finished moving one of the cars off the highway to clear it Kate sighed as she followed behind the woman.
"Why aren't we all out there lookin?" Carol asked as she crossed her arms and looked at Dale who had been busy working on the RV. "Why are we moving cars?"
Turning to look at Carol, Dale locked eyes with her, "Well we have to clear enough room so I can get the RV turned around as soon as it's running," he nodded as he explained things to her. "Now that we have fuel we can double back to a bypass that Glenn flagged on the map."
"Going back is gonna be easier than tryin to get through this mess," Shane said as he came to where Carol and Dale where talking.
Turning to look at Shane, Carol made a face, "But we're not going anywhere til my daughter gets back."
"Hey that goes without saying," Kate nodded as she touched Carol's back.
"Rick and Daryl are on it okay," Shane told Carol as he moved a bit closer to her. "Just a matter of time," he smiled as he reached out to touch her arm briefly.
Andrea who had came back from scavenging supplies spoke up, "Can't be soon enough for me," she said as she threw a bottle of water to Glenn. "I'm still freaked out from that herd that passed us by. Or whatever you'd call it."
"Yeah what was that?" Glenn asked as he opened his bottle of water. "All of them just marching along like that."
Shane who had looked down at the road looked back up, "Herd. That sounds about right. We've seen it the night camp got attacked just wider in pack and only fewer," he said before sighing as he shook his head. "Come on people we've still got a lot to do," he said as he turned to see that Carol had returned back to her guardrail vigil. "Let's stay on it."
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Zac ran a hand through his hair as he looked over at Kate who was again by Carol's side. This whole situation with Sophia missing just reminded him again that the world wasn't safe for kids. It wasn't safe and yet he was still pissed that Kate had risked her life and that of the child inside of her to save Taylor.
"Zac?" Mac asked as he waved his hand in front of his brother's face. "You home inside there?" he laughed.
Coming out of his thoughts Zac looked at Mac before shaking his head and going back to looking through the truck they were standing beside for supplies. "I was just thinking," he confessed as he felt his cheeks grow hot as he blushed.
"About Kate?" Mac asked taking a guess only because Zac had been staring at Kate for so long.
Zac nodded his head, "Maybe," he admitted as he shrugged. "I'm pissed she did what she did at the CDC and risked her life as well as the baby inside of her but this situation with Sophia missing just reminds me that this world isn't for kids. Not anymore."
Raising his eyebrow at Zac's words Mac made a face, "When did your views on kids change? Back at the camp you seemed all happy for the impending arrival of your child."
"It changed the night camp got overrun. That's when I woke up and realized how wrong I was," Zac answered him as he pulled out a bottle of aspirin from the glove box and handed it to his brother.
Mac sighed guessing he could understand that, "Well I think you are stupid being pissed at Kate for what she chose to do. Yes she risked her life and your kids life but the world just like it supposedly isn't made for kids also isn't made for holding grudges. Who knows what tomorrow will hold."
At Mac's last words Zac paused because he knew his brother was right but for now he kept on wanting to be stubborn. He wanted to be mad at Kate just a bit longer.
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Looking at Kate who stood beside her Carol made a face, "It's late," she said knowing it would be dark soon. "It'll be dark soon."
Kate reached out to touch Carol again comforting the woman, "They'll find her," she reassured her.
Carol just nodded her head as she forced a smile hoping that the woman was right. She just wanted her daughter found and back in her arms.
After Carol nodded Kate turned and headed back to the RV getting there right as Andrea did.
"Where is my gun?" Andrea asked harshly as she looked at Dale. She figured the older man had hid it from her in fear that she'd use it to kill herself. "You have no right to take it."
Dale turned to look at Andrea, "You don't need that just now do you?"
"My father gave it to me," Andrea told him hoping that would make him give it back. "It's mine."
"I can hold on to it for you," Dale spoke as he turned away from Andrea.
Andrea shook her head not believing that Dale was doing this, "Or you can give it back to me."
"Everything cool?" Shane asked as he walked over to the RV his hands going into the pockets of his pants.
"No, I want my gun back," Andrea answered as she crossed her arms and turned to look at Shane.
Dale turned to look at Shane, "I don't think it's a good idea right now."
"Why not?" Shane asked after Dale turned to look at him.
At that question Kate just rolled her eyes and headed onto the RV having to use the bathroom and also because she wanted to avoid whatever happened next. When she got out of the bathroom and left the RV again Kate saw Daryl and Rick coming back and she ran over to the guardrail with everyone else.
Carol who saw Rick and Daryl come back shook her head as she frowned, "You didn't find her," she said seeing no Sophia with them.
"Her trail went cold. We'll pick it up first light," Rick said to Carol as he climbed over the guardrail.
Carol crossed her arms as she felt her heartbreaking, "You can't leave my daughter out there on her own to spend the night alone in the woods."
"Hunting in the dark's no good," Daryl told the woman as he held onto his crossbow which was slung over his shoulder. "We'd just be tripping over ourselves. More people would get lost."
"She's twelve she can't be out there on her own," Carol spoke her voice cracking as she did. "You didn't find anything?" she asked as she looked at Rick snapping at the end.
Rick looked at the woman and he truly felt sorry for her, "I know this is hard but I am asking you not to panic. We know she was out there"
"We tracked her for awhile," Daryl added in.
"We have to make this an organized effort," Rick spoke as he looked at the group. "Daryl knows the woods better than anybody. I've asked him to oversee this."
Carol who was looking down as Rick spoke raised an eyebrow as she saw what looked like blood on Daryl, "Is..is that blood?"
"We took down a walker," Rick told an even more hysteric Carol.
Carol just shook her head as she felt her worry increase, "Walker..oh god."
"There was no sign it was ever anywhere near Sophia," Rick assured Carol as he moved closer to her and bent to her level.
"How can you know that?" Jessica asked as she looked over towards Rick.
After that question Daryl saw Rick look to him, "We cut the son of a bitch open. Made sure," he nodded.
Sitting on the guardrail Carol took deep breaths trying to calm herself down. "How could you just leave her out there to begin with?" she asked Rick harshly as she glared up at him. "How could you just leave her?!"
"Those two walkers were on us," Rick explained trying to defend himself. "I had to draw them off. It was her best chance."
"Sounds like he didn't have a choice Carol," Shane spoke defending his friend and siding with him for once.
Carol just looked at Rick not buying it, "How was she supposed to find her way back on her own? She's just a child," she spoke as she cried more. "She's just a child."
"It was my only option," Rick told her as he bent down so he could look at her better. "The only choice I could make."
Shane leaned against the guardrail, "I'm sure nobody doubts that," he told Rick.
"My little girl got left in the woods," Carol frowned as she watched Rick walk away after that along with most of the people except for Kate and Lori who now sat on either side of her on the guardrail.
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Avery stood against the RV the next morning listening as Rick told the group that everyone would take a weapon. Well everyone who was going. She figured T-Dog wouldn't go as he had hurt his arm yesterday while trying to hide from the herd and she had heard Zac earlier telling Kate she was sticking behind too. Dale of course would stay so he could work on the RV more.
"These aren't the kind of weapons we need," Andrea said annoyed as she looked at the hatchets that were laid across the hood of the car. "What about the guns?"
"We've been over that," Shane told Andrea referring to their talk yesterday. He had told her that Dale should keep them and only people experienced enough with them should have them. "Daryl, Rick and I are carrying. Can't have people poppin off rounds every time a tree rustles."
Avery shrugged from where she stood beside Shane. A part of her could understand that but of course she didn't voice it. Instead she walked up to grab one of the hatchets doing her best to avoid brushing against Daryl as she did so.
"It's not the trees I'm worried about," Andrea spoke as she looked over at Shane.
Shane sighed as Andrea kept pressing on, "Say somebody fires at the wrong moment. Herd happens to be passing by. See then it's game over for all of us. So you need to get over it," he told her bluntly as he put his back pack across his shoulders.
"The idea is to take the creek up about five miles. Turn around and come back down the other side," Daryl told everyone. "Chances are she'll be by the creek. It's her only landmark," he said as he walked away.
Rick watched Daryl start to walk away and he sighed, "Stay quiet and stay sharp. Keep some space between you but always stay in sight of each other," he said before walking away.
When Shane told everyone to assemble their packs Avery reached for hers making sure she had everything in it to be ready for when they officially took off. As she did she could hear Carl trying to convince his parents to let him come along with the group. He was making a pretty appealing argument by saying they needed more people to cover as much ground as possible. In the end she wasn't surprised when he got to come along.
Once she finished making sure her pack was good Avery looked up watching uncomfortably as Dale and Andrea fought over him taking her gun. It was obvious Andrea was pissed that Dale had forced her hand at the CDC by staying behind and getting her to choose him and it was obvious that Dale was still concerned that she'd find a way to kill herself.
It was after Andrea walked away from Dale that Avery followed behind the rest of the group as they walked off on their trek to hopefully find Sophia.
Walking through the woods for god knows how long Avery stayed close behind Rick. She knew it was crazy but Rick was right behind Daryl and just being close to Daryl made her feel a little better about going through these woods because at the moment even with most of their group she still felt exposed and like something could get her at any moment.
When they got to a part of the woods that had a tent Avery slowed down to a stop when Rick motioned for the group to stop.
"She could be in there," Shane said as he stood behind Rick and Avery.
Daryl stood from where he had been bent down and he took a few more steps closer to the tent, "There could be a whole bunch of things in there."
After Daryl spoke Rick stood up too and started following behind him, putting his hand up to stop the others from following. Well everyone except for Shane.
The moment Rick called out softly for Carol to come where he and Shane where standing near the tent Avery followed behind hearing the rest of the group coming along too. Stopping in her tracks beside Shane she watched Rick telling the woman if Sophia was in there her voice should be the one Sophia heard first.
Staying silent as Carol called out for Sophia, Avery felt her breathing slow down as her nerves got the best of her. When there was no response Avery chewed on her lip as both Shane and Rick walked to the opening of the tent where Daryl was poised to go in. She could tell though the moment that the flap had been open and the faces all of the men standing around had made that Sophia wasn't in that tent.
Watching as Daryl went inside though Avery looked down and just waited for him to come out and confirm the news.
"Daryl?" Carol called out questioningly getting scared when Rick and Shane kept coughing and covering their noses.
Coming out of the tent after pocketing a gun off the dead corpse in the tent Daryl looked at everyone, "It ain't her."
"What's in there?" Andrea asked as she stepped a bit closer to Lori and Carol.
"Some guy. Did what Jenner said. Opted out," Daryl said as he slung his crossbow back over his shoulder. "Ain't that what he called it?"
Hearing bells sounding from somewhere after Daryl spoke Avery looked around confused though she knew they could be from Sophia. Seeing Rick pointing in the direction they were coming from she took off running along with everyone else.
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Kate crossed her arms as she looked up at Dale who was standing on the roof of the RV, "Aren't you supposed to be fixing that radiator? What if they come back with Sophia and Rick wants to move on right away?"
"I had it fixed yesterday," Dale answered as he looked down at Kate.
Looking up at him shocked Kate uncrossed her arms, "What?" when Dale nodded she shook her head, "What was all that running sand for then. Was that just bullshit?"
"Yeah that's one word. Another word would be pantomime," Dale smiled as he looked down at Kate. "Just for show. No one else needs to know that."
"Pantomime," Kate muttered to herself sarcastically.
Dale looked away from the woman, "If the others know we're mobile they'll wanna mobilize, move on."
"So you don't think they are going to find Sophia?" Kate asked him as she raised an eyebrow. Just asking that made her feel sick. "That it?"
Dale shrugged, "Just guarding against the worst. Sooner or later if she's not found people will start doing math. I wanna hold off the needs of the many versus the needs of the few arguments as long as I can."
"That is one tricky hose huh?" Kate asked as she laughed softly.
Nodding Dale laughed as well, "Very."
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Jessica walked through the woods with everyone else as they still followed the sounds of the bell. When they reached a clearing she raised an eyebrow as they came upon a white church.
"That can't be it," Shane spoke as he eyed the church. "Got no steeple. No bells," though even after he said that he watched Rick head off towards it anyway.
Running through the graveyard that lead to the church Jessica sighed. She hoped that this was the church with the bells. She hoped that this was the place where they would find Sophia. Making it to the entrance she followed Shane,Rick,Daryl and Glenn up the stairs.
The moment the doors where opened though it soon became apparent that Sophia wasn't here though there were three walkers on the pews. Walkers who had turned to face them at the sound of the doors opening. Staying at the doors Jessica made a face as she watched Daryl, Rick, and Shane kill the walkers.
Moving inside some once the walkers were killed Jessica looked over at Shane and Rick once they came towards the back again. Again Shane had stated this was the wrong church because it had no steeple. It wasn't long after those words though that the sound of bells started up and Jessica jumped slightly.
Turning around she ran outside and towards the side of the church. Seeing Glenn run over to a box on the side she came to a stop as he opened it and flipped a switch.
"Timer," Daryl said out of breath as he pointed up to the speaker. "It's on a timer."
Carol felt any hope she had left of finding Sophia here at this church shatter, "I am gonna go back in for a bit," she told the others.
Jessica took a breath and followed her inside staying close to Glenn. Once they were inside she sat down beside of him on a pew. "Why did you really come to my room at the CDC?" she asked him as she chewed on her lip. She could faintly remember him coming by and she could faintly remember his excuse.
Being taken aback by Jessica's question Glenn blushed, "I told you the reasons that night," he shrugged as he avoided her gaze. He couldn't reveal to her the real reasons. It wasn't like she'd ever like him back. She was probably still hung up on Merle.
"And I don't believe them," Jessica said honestly as she moved some hair out of her eyes. "You know you can tell me anything Glenn. You are my friend."
Glenn forced a smile when Jessica said she was his friend. That's all he'd ever be and that was why he couldn't tell her, "And I did tell you," he said again sticking by his lie as he stood from the pew and headed outside.
Going outside after Glenn, Jessica shook her head. She wasn't sure what Glenn was hiding from her but she did feel like he was hiding something.
When everyone had came out of the church Jessica walked to a tree in the graveyard staying close to everyone else in the group as Rick and Shane stood off to the side talking amongst themselves. Seeing Shane walk back over she crossed her arms.
"Ya'll gotta follow the creek bed back," Shane spoke as he walked towards the group that was under the tree. "Daryl you are in charge. Me and Rick we are just gonna hang back. Search this area another hour or so just to be thorough."
Daryl raised an eyebrow as he looked at Shane, "You sure?"
"Yeah," Shane said as he took a deep breath. "We'll catch up to you."
Jessica crossed her arms as her attention turned to Carl as he said he wanted to stay as well. Just like at the highway he had a good argument. He was Sophia's friend and again he got to stay with Lori telling him to be careful.
Turning and following Daryl as he lead the way back to the highway Jessica found herself staying close to Glenn. He was her friend. The only friend she had left besides her family anyway.
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Zac who walked through the woods with everyone else as they made their way back to the highway turned to look at Carol as she spoke.
"So this is it?" Carol asked as she continued to walk before sitting on a log. "This is the whole plan?
Daryl leaned against a tree, "I guess the plan is to widdle us down into smaller and smaller groups."
"Carrying knives and pointy sticks," Andrea replied sarcastically before turning her gaze to Lori who Daryl had handed a gun to before they left the church. "I see you have a gun."
Lori who had laid her backpack down to look through turned to look at Andrea, "Why? You want it?" she asked before moving to stand beside the woman. "Here, take it," she said as she held the gun out to Andrea. "I'm sick of the looks you're giving me."
When Andrea took the gun and gave her a flabbergasted look Lori sat down on the log. "All of you," she stated before turning to look at Carol. "Honey I can't imagine what you are going through and I would do anything to stop it but you have got to stop blaming Rick. It is in your face every time you look at him. When Sophia ran he didn't hesitate did he? Not for a second," she said as she looked up at the others. "I don't know that any of us would have gone after her the way he did or made the hard decisions that he had to make or that anybody could have done it any differently," she spoke just getting silence at that.
"Anybody?" she asked as she looked from Carol to the group again. "Ya'll look to him and then you blame him when he's not perfect. If you think you can do this without him go right ahead nobody is stopping you," she finished and not long after she did she saw Andrea hand the gun back to her.
When Lori took the gun Andrea sighed, "We should keep moving."
Zac just shook his head as he stayed towards the back of the group. He was taken aback by Lori's outburst but in a way he understood it and it made sense. It also made him glad that no one looked to him as the leader of things.