12

                                    

                                          
Rick dropped the leather pack of weapons that Carl had managed to find on to hood of Carols car, rolling it open. "Everyone takes a weapon." He ordered. 
                          
Andrea rolled her eyes. "These aren't the kinds of weapons we need. What about the guns?" She asked, frustrated that she couldn't carry. 
                          
"We've been over that. Daryl, Rick, Charlotte and I are carrying. We can't have people popping off rounds every time a tree rustles." Shane sounded like he was getting annoyed with Andrea pestering them about her gun.
                          
She put her hands on her hips. "It's not the trees I'm worried about." 
                          
Shane shook his head, looking at her. "Say somebody fires at the wrong moment, a herd happens to be passing by. See, then it's game over for all of us. So you need to get over it." Andrea backed down, knowing she'd lost the argument. 
                          
"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." Daryl explained, walking away. 
                          
"Stay quiet and stay sharp. Keep space between you but always stay within sight of each other." I grabbed a curved machete, nodding at Rick.
                          
I followed after Daryl and leaned against his truck. "Stay close to me." He instructed, cleaning some dried walker blood off his arrows. 
                          
I grabbed my gun and knives. "Daryl, I'll be fine. I can take care of myself." He scoffed. I raised my eyebrows at him and put my hands on my hips. "You don't think I can?" I asked. 
                          
He chuckled. "You're like a damn magnet to trouble."
                          
I grinned and nodded in agreement. "Especially after I moved with Elizabeth. I was always getting into fights at school. They would bully me about my size. So I broke their nose." 
                          
He shook his head with a grin. "You had a good teacher."
                          
We all head into the woods, Rick and Daryl leading. Daryl grabbed my arm. "Stay close. Don't argue." He mumbled in my ear. I nodded and trailed behind slightly, walking with Lori and Carl. Rick put a hand up, stopping us from walking any further. 
                          
We crouched down, everyone staring at the tent through the brush. "She could be in there." Shane whispered. Daryl stood, walking slowly towards the tent. 
                          
Soon followed by Rick, Shane and I. "Could be a whole bunch of things in there." He whispered back.
                          
Daryl pulled out his hunting knife and held up a finger, telling us to stop. He walked around the tent, trying to see inside. He looked back at us and shrugged. Rick called for Carol. She rushed over to him, trying to keep her foot steps quiet. "Call out softly. If she's in there, yours is the first voice she should hear." Rick told her. 
                          
She nodded and stood in front of Rick, crouching slightly. "Sophia, sweetie, are you in there? Sophia, it's mommy. Sophia, we're all here, baby. It's mommy." No reply. Rick put a hand up, telling Carol to stay where she was. Rick, Shane and I walked closer to the tent as Daryl slowly unzipped it. I slowly pulled my gun from its holster, turning the safety off. 
                          
Daryl pulled it open and a horrible smell wafted out, we all started coughing. He went inside, not making a sound after. "Daryl?" I called out. "Daryl?" 
                          
He came out and looked at Carol. "It ain't her." He said. "What's in there?" I asked. 
                          
"Some guy. Did what Jenner said. Opted out. Ain't that what he called it?" I sighed, putting my gun away. After a very brief moment of silence, church bells started ringing in the distance. We all looked around, trying to follow the source.
                          
Rick pointed and we all ran after him. "What direction?" Shane asked. 
                          
Rick pointed again. "I think that way. I'm pretty sure."