Improbabil Dragoste

Daryl continued to pound on the door hoping to make a scratch in it. Rick was still pleading with the Doctor to open the doors. Finally, he did and everyone booked it but Jacqui decided to stay behind. No one can make that decision only she can so I turned and left. We made it to the lobby and everyone banged on the doors and windows trying to open them. When we started to lose hope Carol pulled out a small grenade and Rick busted open the windows. We all ran outside to the vehicles. I ran with Daryl to the truck and quickly got inside. The blast got the attention on nearby walkers and Shane, Rick and Daryl took care of the close by ones. We were about to leave when we Saw Dale and Andrea leave the building. I was watching the building when I felt someone pull me down I was alarmed at first but saw it was Daryl who pulled me down and covered me with his body. The blast was so loud and the shock wave went though us. I started to shack and adrenaline pumped through my body as Daryl sat up he said all was clear but I stayed down not wanting to see the building. For Jacqui to stay behind and chose to die in such a way, it was terrifying. She's a brave woman. Or a coward. I can't decide. I stayed laying down for awhile just breathing in the old smell of the truck. I had dosed off at one point and I woke up when I thought I felt a hand on my head but when I opened by eyes I didn't feel the pressure. Probably just imagined it. I sat up just in time since it looked the group was taking a quick stop. They spoke about going to Fort Benning I didn't know where that was but they said it a long journey. So, the guys went out to get gas for our vehicles. Daryl switch out his Truck for the motorcycle that he had in the back. I put some of his things into my pack, then put his slung his crossbow next mine and sat down behind him and we took off. This time we were in the front of the pack leading the group. It was eery leaving the city seeing all the cars empty or full of dead bodies. At first I was pretty nervous at first since I was riding without a helmet but Daryl is a good driver so I didn't worry too much. I was actually able to sleep a bit with my head resting on his back. I was exhausted so I didn't question whether it was awkward or not. I came to when Daryl woke me up and I saw a lot of cars through about a road and Daryl road further down looking for a way out but the cars blocked the path. As we drove through we saw families still in there cars, dead. I pulled out a knife at the sound of the Rv's engine giving out again. Daryl parked and we went to scavenge through the cars for anything. Lori was uncertain about doing this but the things we find could be important. I walked off and began searching. I had started looking through a car when I felt someone pull at my pack I whipped around pushed the intruder away and pulled the knife up only for my wrist to be stopped by Daryls hand.

“Idiot, don't come behind me.” I said lowering my blade.
“Sorry, you've got my bow.” I said.
I took off his crossbow so he could sling it back around his own shoulder and return to T-Dog, finally had to ask Daryl his name, in getting more gas. I had only be looking in the cars for about two minutes when I started to hear them. A hoard. I slowly glanced up over the cars and I saw a few stumbling heads so I quietly slid down and laid on the floor and moved underneath the car. I slowly reached down down and pulled out my custom knife that has a spiked brass knuckle on the handle. In the event a walker got in my face. I saw the hoard get closer and I watched carefully as they walked around the car I was under. I looked back as they all passed me and they still had to clear the camp. After a few more moments and the sounds started to fade away I slowly got out from under the car, knife ready, and slowly stood up and saw the walkers down the road. Then I started to hear Sophia scream and I looked over and saw two walkers going after here. I saw Rick quickly chase after her into the woods. I started to run after to help. When I got to the woods I couldn't see Rick or Sophia but I entered anyways. I could hear the sounds of limbs breaking and I tried to follow them. I found a creek I checked underneath a gather of tree limbs it looked like Sophia might have hidden in there but she wasn't there anymore. I saw bigger feet printers which I assumed were Ricks. He must have told her to hide here. I check the creek bay for any tracks and I saw some. They were small and it was hard for me to see but I think they were Sophias. I followed them but I'm not a good tracker so I lost the trail I continued in the way I guess they were leading. I was venturing pretty far into the woods I turned around to go back but it all looked unfamiliar. I started to quietly shout out for Rick in case he was near and could hear me. I started to hear voices and weird sounds. I hurried forward and could see two figured crouched down near a body. I got ready to attack but as I got closer I saw it was Rick and Daryl. I sighed with relief and jogged toward them.

“Rick, Daryl. I tried to find Sophia.” I said as I slowed down as I got closer, but then stepped back at the sight and smell of them cutting open a walker and looking in his stomach. “Ugh-what?”

“We were looking to see if, human remains were in his stomach.” Daryl said as Rick was busy cutting open the stomach.
I looked away and waited for them to finish. When they found out it was just an animal in his stomach we started to return back to camp. It was quiet since none of us could find her. When we got back and Carol had to face that we returned without her she naturally started to blame Rick. I knew nothing could be said to comfort her.
I went up top the RV to help keep watch and give Dale a rest. I was asked if I wanted a rifle but I declined and held up my bow. I paced by and forth quietly keeping my eyes and ears focused on the forest.

The next morning I found out Carol had found a weapons bag with a bunch of good melee weapons. I had enough so I didn't take any. Most of us were going into the woods to look for Sophia. I was going with them. I was waiting on the edge and I heard Andrea and Dale having a little fit. I turned around to give a quick glance to everyone as they finished and everyone started to set off. I walked to the front by Daryl and Rick.

“Hey, I've got some tracking experience. Can I stay up front to help?” I was asking Daryl but since it Seems Rick has taken the leader role he looked at me to respond, “I think it'd be best if you watch the middle.”

I nodded and turned away quickly and slowed down to the middle of the group. We came across a tent and Daryl went up knife drawn and slowly tried looking into the tent. He had Carol come up in case Sophia was there and had her call out to Sophia. There was no reaction so Daryl slowly open the tent and from his reaction it smelled awful.

“Daryl? Daryl what's in there?” Carol called out.
Daryl came out and slung his crossbow over his shoulder while saying, “Just some guy who opted out, isn't that what the Doctor said?”
“What is that?” I asked upon hearing bells in the distance.

Everyone else started to hear it and started to run toward the sound. As we got closer they appeared to be church bells. It was hard to determine where the sound was coming from but we were all hopeful that Sophia is where the sound is coming from. We came through to a clearing and before us was a white church and a graveyard.

“This can't be it there's no bells.” Rick stated as he started to run toward the church.

They were careless about running on top of the graves but I took my time in walking around them out of respect. I arrived a tad late seeing as them were already running out of the church to tend to the bells going off. An automatic bell system. Glenn quickly shut it off and then most of them returned back inside. I followed those returning inside the church. I did not sit down instead I stood in the aisle with my hands clasped together looking at the figure the Jesus. I stood close to the back and listened to Carol pray.
“Father, forgive me. I don't deserve your mercy. I prayed for safe passage from Atlanta and you provided. I prayed for Ed to be punished for laying his hands on me and for looking at his own daughter with whatever sickness was growing is his soul. I prayed you'd out a stop to it, give me a chance to raise her right, help her not make my mistakes. She's so fearful. She's so young in her way. She hasn't had a chance. Praying for Ed's death was a sin. Please, don't let this be my punishment. Let her be safe. Alive and safe. Please, Lord. Punish me however you want, but show mercy on her.”

I looked at Carl as she ended her pray and stood up to sit down next to Lori in a pew. I left the church to sit outside under the tree where the others were. I am not the praying type unlike my mother for prays enough for the whole world. Standing in a holy place is enough.

Shane came over and told us “Follow the creek bed back, okay? Daryl, you're in charge. Me and Rick, we're just gonna hang back, search this area another hour or so just to be thorough.”

“You're splitting us up, you sure?” Daryl asked.

“Yeah, we'll catch up to you.”

Carl stepped forward to add “I want to stay too. I'm her friend.”

We all stood around until Lori stood up and said “Just be careful, okay?”

“I will.” Carl said looking grateful.
“When did you started growing up.”

Rick was going to give Lori his gun but Lori did accept so Daryl have a spare to her. We set off back toward camp. I took lead next to Daryl as we worked our way back.

“So this is it? This is the plan?” I looked back as I heard Carol ask as she sat down on a log.
“I guess the plan is to whittle us down into smaller and smaller groups.” Daryl said.
“Carrying knives and pointy sticks.” Andrea said still sour about losing her gun.

“Knives are safer than guns.” I said looking at Andrea who didn't look pleased.
“Yeah well not all of us are content with knives.” She spat back.
“I'm content with knives because I trust myself with one and we cannot count on you with a gun. Reckless.” I said.
Everyone was quiet as Andrea turned to face with with obvious rage in her expression. She didn't say anything because she knew it was true, yes she was able to kill her sister but that was close range and we didn't need to worry about alerting a hoard. She turned away and I glanced over at Daryl who did a small nod.
“Here Andrea take my gun, I'm sick of the looks you're giving me.” Lori said as she handed out the gun Daryl gave her. Andrea took unhappily.

“All of you,” Lori began, “Honey, I can't imagine what you're 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. 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. Anybody?” Lori finished and looked at each of us, waiting for a response. “Y'all look to him and then blame him when he's not perfect. If you think you can do this without him, go right ahead. Nobody is stopping you.”

Andrea handed back Lori and gun and added, “We should keep moving.”

Every picked up lose things and started walking again.