Fighter

Church bells brought Isabell from her thoughts. It was her. It was Sophia. The little girl had found a way to signal to the group to where she was. Isabell smiled. She was okay.

Rick pointed in the direction he believed that the sound was coming from and the group took of running. They came to a small clearing of trees and stopped for a quick moment.

“Which direction?” Shane asked.

“I think that way.” Rick said, pointing. “I’m pretty sure.”

“Damn, it’s hard to tell out here.”

“If we heard them, maybe Sophia did, too.” Carol suggested.

“Someone’s ringing those bells,” Glenn brought forth, “maybe calling others.

“Or signalling that they found her.” Andrea said.

“It could be her ringing them.” Isabell said, turning her jog back into a run to get there as quickly as she could, Daryl on her tail. She ran until they found another clearing. On the edge was a small graveyard. She noticed the church and stopped in her place. “This isn’t it.” Isabell said. She couldn’t be here.

“Can’t be.” Shane agreed. “Got no steeple, no bells.”

Rick wouldn’t have it though. He still walked towards it. “Rick.”

Shane called to stop him. But everyone ran forward anyway.the came upon the church and Rick walked up the steps to the main red door.

Daryl stopped Isabell at the bottom of the stairs and he joined Rick, taking aim with his crossbow.

Shane went up a couple of steps in front of her.

Rick signalled for quiet and then turned to the doors, opening both with the help of Daryl. Inside, there were walkers sitting the the pews, dressed for a wedding.

Isabell had never had her own wedding, but she couldn’t imagine what she’d feel if this was how the day ended.

The men looked shocked, but sprung to action in a minute.

Rick was handed a knife and Isabell handed one to Daryl, taking his crossbow. These few walkers could be dealt with quietly. Rick got the man in overalls down quickly, Shane went for the man in the center and Daryl got the bride.

Daryl made kissing noises to get her attention, making Isabell roll her eyes. What wasn’t expected was the walker falling towards him when he hit it across the head.

Isabell took in a breath as he moved backwards quickly.

While Daryl got in one hit, the other men continued to hit their victims. They were just as frustrated as Isabell was for not finding Sophia. Daryl walked up to the front of the church where the crucifix was placed. “Yo, J.C., you taking requests?” he said to the statue.

Isabell bit her lip hearing his words. She had never known Daryl to be the religious type, but she guessed at the point, he just wanted the girl back.

“I’m telling you.” Shane said, speaking to Rick. It’s the wrong church. It’s got no steeple, Rick.” he stressed. “There’s no steeple.” Just as he said it, the bells tolled.

Daryl pushed his way out of the building first to find the source of the sound. This was the right church. As everyone rounded the corner of the building, they saw that it was a computerized bell; the sound coming from a speaker.

Glenn ripped the mechanics apart angrily.

Daryl was breathing hard out of frustration. “A timer.” he said, waving his weapon around in a circle above his head. “It’s on a timer.”

Isabell’s heart dropped for the second time in such a short span. Sophia wasn’t here.

“I’m gonna go back in for a bit.” Carol said.

Isabell put a hand on her arm and led her inside. Isabell followed Carol up to the front.

Carol went to kneel at the front.

Isabell sat in the first row pew.

“Father, forgive me.” she said aloud.

Isabell tried to ignore it. This was personal, she shouldn’t listen.

“I don’t deserve your mercy.”

Lori came and took a seat next to Isabell.

“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 lookin’ at his own daughter with whatever sickness was growing in his soul.”

Isabell looked up to Carol. She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. She looked to Lori in confused.

Lori shrugged, not knowing either. Tears stung Isabell’s eyes as Carol’s voice started cracking.

“I prayed you’d put 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.” She paused. “Praying for Ed’s death was a sin. Please, don’t let this be my punishment.” Carol’s eyes were pooling. “Let her be safe, alive and safe. Please, Lord.” She prayed. “Punish me however you want, but show mercy on her.”

Isabell couldn’t take listening to this anymore. Praying never worked for her. It wouldn’t work for Carol. She’d hoped, but Isabell never had any luck. She joined Daryl at the back of the room. Isabell showed him a look that didn’t need words to back up.

“We’ll find her.” Daryl promised.

Isabell nodded and started to walk out of the building.

Daryl grabbed her though and stopped her. He jerked his head back and opened his arms.

Isabell sighed, but hugged him tightly. She needed the comfort from him. Daryl’s promise was their only hope of finding this little girl. Last time Daryl made a promise it didn’t exactly pan out the way that she wanted.

!@#$#@!

The Night of the Breakout

“Daryl, what if she’s there? What if she’s hurt?” Isabell asked, racing around the house, gathering bags of clothes and anything else she thought useful. Isabell had flipped the channel quickly after finding out about the city and they learned that this epidemic wasn’t just happening in their city. It was everywhere. People eating people. But then, they weren’t people. They were dead. Dead that had risen.

Daryl was moving around her gathering his weapons.

Isabell couldn’t focus though. She was putting things in backpacks that they really didn’t need.

“Izzy.” Daryl said, stopping her by grabbing her hands. “Harley is fine. I promise. We’re gonna go get her.”

!@#$#@!

Everyone gathered around outside of the church in the heat. Isabell stood close to Daryl for the comfort. She hoped that he was right this time. Rick and Shane were off talking for a moment about what the next move was. Rick was arguing to keep going. Shane knew that they had the whole other side of the creek to look over. Shane came to the group clearing his throat. He rubbed the back of his head. “Y’all gonna 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.” Daryl pointed out, throwing his crossbow over his shoulder. “You sure?”

“Yeah,” Shane responded. “We’ll catch up to you.”

“I wanna stay, too.” Carl piped up. “I’m her friend.”

The men didn’t know how to answer him. They didn’t really want Carl to go with them, but it seemed as if they couldn’t say no. Rick looked to Lori, letting her make the decision.

Lori moved forward. “Just be careful, okay?”

Carl nodded. “I will.”

“When did you start growing up?” Lori hugged him and kissed the top of his head.

“I’m sticking with ‘em.” Isabell said, looking to Rick.

Rick nodded. He’d learned to respect Isabell after she grabbed his son, keeping him safe from the herd of walkers. It would be smart to have her around.

“You sure?” Daryl asked from behind her.

Isabell turned around and nodded. “They’ll be busy on lookout for Sophia. Someone’s gotta watch him. Make sure we don’t lose him, too. Can’t have that on my conscious.”

“Alright.” Daryl takes a step, making sure no one is watching him and grabbing the back of Isabell’s head and kissing her forehead. “Be safe, okay?”

“Yessir.” She smirked, turning back to see some of the group start moving.

Rick held his gun out to Lori. “Here, take this. Remember how to use it?” he asked.

“I’m not taking your gun and leaving you unarmed.” Lori explained.

Daryl moved forward, pulling one of his guns from a pocket. “Here, got a spare. Take it.” He insisted when Lori hesitated.

Isabell heard Andrea scoff behind her. The other woman was shaking her head watching the scene. “Cut it, Andrea.” She stressed, walking in Shane and Carl’s direction, joining them.

Andrea just passed a dirty look onto Isabell and joined the others who were walking away.

“Give me a minute.” Rick requested into the space between Shane and Isabell.

Shane nodded. “Yeah.”

Isabell watched Rick walk up the steps back into the church. As Shane urged Carl forward, Isabell took a seat on the top of the steps to the church, waving him over.

Carl took a seat in front of Isabell, Shane to the left of him.

Isabell reaches down and scratches Carl’s back lightly. “How you feelin’, bud?”

“I’m okay.” He says, looking up to Shane.

Shane nods.

“Good.” Isabell smiles. “You know, that while we’re out here, we have to be really careful, okay? You gotta listen to your dad, Shane and me.”

“I know.” Carl insists.

“Of course, you do.” Isabell ruffles his hair. The rest of the time waiting for Rick was spent in silence. It wasn’t until Isabell heard the footsteps heading their direction that she stood from the stairs. She followed Rick as he left off the stairs.

“Get what you needed?” Shane asks.

“Guess I’ll find out.” Rick supposed.

!@#$#@!

Daryl’s Group

Daryl led the group through the trees, knowing that he was probably the only one that could direct them through these woods. It wasn’t until he heard Carol’s voice that he paused. Daryl turned, seeing her sitting on a fallen-over tree. Lori dug through her backpack on the tree Carol sat on.

“So this is it?” Carol asked. “This the whole plan?”

Daryl shook his head. “I guess the plan is to whittle us down into smaller and smaller groups.”

“Carrying knives and pointy sticks.” Andrea complained. She turned to Lori. “I see you have a gun.”

“Why, you want it?” Lori quipped. She pulled out her gun and held it out to Andrea. “Here, take it. I’m sick of the looks you’re giving me.”

Andrea looked at Lori, bewildered, like she didn’t know what Lori was talking about. She took the gun anyway.

“All of you.” Lori sat down. Lori looked to Carol. “Honey, I can’t imagine what you’re going through.”

Carol looked to her.

“And I would do anything to stop it.” Lori continued. “But you’ve got to stop blaming Rick. It is in your face every time you look at him. Isabell, too. When Sophia ran, they didn’t hesitate. Not for a second. I don’t know that any of us would have gone after her they way they did. Rick made a hard decision, putting her in that cave, telling her to wait until he was gone to head back. I’m sure if Isabell found her first, she woulda done the same thing. It was a hard decision that wouldn’t have been handled differently.”

Everyone paused. Carol licked her lips, looking for an answer.

“Anybody?” Lori asked, wondering if someone would actually speak up and say they wouldn’t have done the same thing. She looked to Daryl.

Daryl knew she was right. Daryl nodded to her. He hoped she’d take it as a sign of acknowledgement for sticking up for Isabell to Carol.

Lori looked around a second more and shook her head. “Y’all 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 paused taking a sip of water.

Carol rocked herself on the tree, feeling bad for being so cruel to Rick and to Isabell. They were just trying to help.

Andrea held the gun back out to Lori.

Lori looked at it for a second and took it back.

“We should keep moving.” Andrea insisted.

Lori got up throwing her backpack over her shoulder. She looked up ahead seeing Daryl nod his head, pushing her along. He respected Lori for what she’d said to the group.

!@#$#@!

Isabell’s Group

Rick led the group through the trees, Shane taking up the rear. Isabell was in front of Shane and behind Carl. She looked to her left and gripped one of Carl’s shoulders when she heard branches snapping.

Rick held a hand up motioning of everyone to stop.

Isabell pulled her bow from around her body and readied it with an arrow she grabbed from the bag that hugged her hip. She took a step around both Carl and Rick, going forward first towards her left. The men followed after her. Isabell saw the buck first. She thought about trying to get it when an arrow, but paused. “Carl!” she whispered. “Come look. Slowly. Watch your step.”

Carl comes from behind his dad, noticing the animal. He smiles.

Shane still had his shotgun raised, ready to shoot it down.

Rick stopped him, motioning to the boy.

Shane lowered his gun, smiling at Carl.

Isabell leans down to talk into Carl’s ear quietly. “You can get closer. Just go slow. Watch where you step and it won’t run.”

The boy nods and starts moving forward at a slow pace. He was a few feet away when he accidently stepped on a small twig, making the buck’s head turn towards him.

“Stay still.” Isabell whispered, but Carl didn’t listen.

Carl continued moving forward, surprisingly not scaring off the animal.

Isabell looked back at the other two men, watching after Carl in amazement. The pure joy that seemed to be on the child’s face was something they hadn’t seen in a long time.

That was when a shot rang out, making Isabell jump. Carl had been just a yard or two away from the buck when he fell backwards. Isabell couldn’t move as she watched the boy fall to the ground. Even when Rick and Shane had pushed her to the side to go to the boy, she couldn’t move.

“Isabell!” Shane shouted behind him, holding up his shot gun. “Isabell!”

The sound of her name instantly pulled her from her trance. She looked around to Carl, Rick, and then Shane. Isabell picked up her bow that she hadn’t realized she dropped and ran off in the direction that the shot came from. She kept running until she finds a rather large man, slowly walking in the direction of the buck. As soon as Isabell saw the man, she raised her bow, holding the arrow, not pulling back yet. “Shane!” Isabell called.

“Wait, wait!” the man shouted, putting his gun to the ground and putting his arms in the air. “Don’t shoot!”

“Do you realize what you’ve just done?” Isabell seethed between her teeth.

“I - I shot a buck! You can take it! Just don’t kill me.”

“No, you didn’t asshole! You should a little boy!” Isabell pulled the arrow back, ready to fire at the man.

“I…” He looked past Isabell, thinking. “I did, what?”

Shane comes to the small clearing, pointing his shotgun at the man. He looks to the woman on his left, who is staring angrily at the man, ready to let her arrow fly. “Isabell, pull back.”

Isabell scoffed. “Why the fuck should I? This guy shot Carl.”

“I swear I didn’t mean to!” The guy begged.

“Shut up!” Isabell shouted, taking a step forward.

“Isabell, put your bow down.” Shane said gently, so as not to upset her.

“Look, I - I live on a farm. Th-there’s a man there. Herschel! He might be able to help.” The man suggested, dropping to his knees.

“Isabell put it down.” Shane insisted.

Isabell took a few breaths, mulling it over, before she lowered her bow. “Which way?” she asked calmly, wrapping her bow around her body.

The man pointed behind him. “Straight back that way. ‘Bout a mile, maybe mile and a half.”
Isabell looks to Shane, wondering what she should do.

Shane glanced at her and then back to the man. “Get Rick. Run ahead of him. Let this Herschel know we’re comin’.”

“You got him?”

“I got him.” Shane said, tightening the grip that he had on his gun.

Isabell ran back through the trees, joining Rick and his son on the ground. “Rick!” She shouted when she saw him. “He’s alive?”

Rick took a deep breath, trying not to break down. “He’s alive. Barely.”

“Alright. We’re gonna go that way!” Isabell points behind her. “There’s a man that might be able to help us. Can you carry Carl?”

Rick nodded.

“I’m gonna run ahead. You get there as soon as you can. I’ll have ‘em ready.” She starts going back the direction she came.

“Who shot him?”

“Shane’s taking care of him.” Isabell shouted over her shoulder. “He’s just up this way.” Isabell runs. When she runs into Shane again, she lets him know that Rick is just behind him. Isabell doesn’t stop running. Even when she’s run out of breath, she keeps going. Isabell pushes her exhaustion away, needing to get to this house and talk to the people. Finally, the trees ended and she came to a big field. She could spot the white house far away and it just pushed her determination all the more. Isabell sprints in that direction. She comes to the fence and pushes herself over it and continuing her stride towards the building.

“Herschel!” Isabell calls out to the woman she sees sitting on the porch. “I need Herschel!”

The woman turns to the house. “Dad!” She runs towards the front door, disappearing inside.

As Isabell approached the house, five people come out, the woman who was on the porch, two other women, an old man, and a boy with a bat.

“Can I help you?” The old man asked.

Isabell stopped, bending over, holding herself up with her hands on her knees. “We have a little boy. Your man shot him.” She spoke between large breaths.

“Otis?” the older looking woman stepped forward, walking down the steps.

Isabell shrugged. “Big man. With a gun. That’s all I know. He shot a little boy!” Isabell shouted, angrily.

“Alright, calm now. Where are they?”

“They’re behind me. Told me to run ahead. Talk to ya. Your man said to find Herschel. Are you Herschel?”

The girl with short brown hair picked her binoculars up from the railing of the porch. “There!” she shouted, pointing towards the field. “They’re comin’ up to the fence.”

Isabell turned back to the group. “You have to help us!” She begged, awaiting Rick to get to the house.

“Isabell!”

The blonde ran to her friend when she heard her name.

“Did you find Herschel?” Rick asked.

Isabell nodded. “They’ll help! Just get him inside.”

“Are you Herschel?” Rick asked the old man as he walked up the steps to the house. “Help me! Help my boy!”

The man didn’t answer. Instead, he turned back towards the house and made his way inside, rolling up his sleeves and barking orders. “Patricia, I need my full kit. Maggie, painkillers, coagulates. Grab everything. Clean towels, sheets, alcohol.”

Rick and Isabell followed the man into a side room with a bed. Rick followed Herschel around to one side of the bed.

Isabell took the other, staring at Carl. “What can I do?” Isabell asked, knowing she wouldn’t be able to stand still.

The man, pulled the sheets back on the bed. “In here.” he said.

Rick lowered his son onto the bed.

“Pillowcase.” Herschel ordered.

“Is he alive?” Rick asked, in shock.

“Pillowcase, quick!”

Isabell, realizing it would take a minute for Rick to snap out of his trance, reached for the pillow, shedding the fabric over it. She folded it up and handed it to Rick. “You need to focus, for Carl!” she shouted at him.

“Is he alive?” Rick asked again, reaching for the pillowcase from Isabell.

“Put pressure on the wound.” Herschel told Rick.

Isabell knelt down on the floor, pushing Carl’s short hair off of his forehead, trying to be as comforting as she could for the unconscious boy.

Herschel took his stethoscope from the woman Isabell knew to be Patricia. He put the piece of metal against Carl’s chest after sticking the pieces in his ear. He listened. “I’ve got a heartbeat. It’s faint.”
Patricia came from behind Rick, trying to push him back. “I got it, step back.”

Isabell is quickly on her feet, walking around, and reaching for Rick to pull him back. “C’mon. They’ll take care of him.”

“Maggie, IV.” Herschel said.

The brunette from the porch came forward with a bag filled with fluid. “We need some space.” she said, taking Rick’s spot.

“Your name?” Herschel asked.

“Rick.” He said softly. “R-Rick.”

“Rick?”

“I’m - I’m Rick.”

“Rick, we’re gonna do everything we can, okay?” Herschel promised. He straightened up and looked back at the two. “You need to give us some room.”

Isabell strengthens her hold on Rick and pulls him back against the windows. The two stand there for a minute before they hear Shane and the man, Otis, outside.

Rick walked himself out of the room and onto the porch, watching as Otis and Shane approached.

Isabell had followed him to make sure he keeps on his feet.

Rick takes off his hat when Shane and Otis come to the stairs up to the porch.

“He’s alive?” Otis asked pleadingly. “He’s still alive?”

Rick couldn’t answer from being in shock. He wipes his face with the back of his hand, leaving a trail of Carl’s blood on his face.

“He’s alive. Carl’s hanging on.” Isabell answers. She watched as Shane took out a rag and wiped the blood from Rick’s face, then from his hands.

“Where is he?” Shane asked. “Where is he? Is he okay?”

“Rick head back inside. Carl needs you.” Isabell insists, and Rick takes her advice, Shane following after him. Isabell stays for a minute, staring down Otis.

“I - I swear I didn’t see him. It was an accident.” Otis said. “I’m sorry.”

“It don’t matter. What does matter, is that you’re a hunter and you weren’t more careful. It’s bullshit.” Isabell spat down at him. “If that little boy dies, it’s on you.” Isabell opened the screen door, following the men from her group into the room that Carl was in. The chaos in the room had calmed.

Herschel was on his knees by Carl’s side holding a towel to his stomach. “You know his blood type?” He asked Rick.

“A-positive.” Rick responded. “Same as mine.”

“That’s fortunate.” Herschel turned to look to Rick. “Don’t wander far. I’m gonna need you. What happened?” Herschel asked, looking to Otis.

Otis was still confused and in shock. “I was tracking a buck. Bullet went through it. Went clean through.”

Herschel examined the wound. “The deep slowed the bullet down, which certainly saved his life. But it did not go through clean. It broke up into pieces. If I can get the bullet fragments out… And I’m countin’ six.”

Otis travelled around the room, going around to stand next to Patricia. “I never saw him.” He assured her.

Rick’s eyes start tearing and he looks around looking unsure. “Lori doesn’t know?”

“No.” Shane said.

“My wife doesn’t know.” Rick cried. “My wife doesn’t know.”

Isabell joined Rick standing on his left with Shane on his right. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder, knowing it was nothing compared to the comfort he really needed.