DISCLAIMER: The Walking Dead belongs to AMC.
~ Lost Doll ~
"You saved me," Sophia said reverently, looking up at her hero with shining eyes.
"We're not out of the woods yet, little girl," Daryl said. Literally as well as figuratively. "I'm going to get you back to your mama, but you have to keep quiet so as not to attract any walkers."
He needed both hands free to operate his crossbow if they encountered any walkers on the way back to camp, but he didn't want to chance the girl falling behind or getting separated from him during a walker attack and getting lost again.
He said to her, "Hang onto my belt loop and no matter what happens, don't let go. Do you understand me?"
Sophia nodded as she curled two fingers into the loop at the left side of his waist.
They crossed paths with a few wandering walkers at various points during their trek, but each one was alone and Daryl picked them off easily from a distance. Each time, Daryl feared not the undead creatures themselves but that the child would panic and flee despite his earlier instructions. His fears went unrealized, however, as the child remained at his side, clinging with grim determination to that thin strip of denim, trusting - with the absolute faith of a child - that her savior would deliver her safely to her mother as he'd said he would.
Once they were within sight of the highway, close enough to spy Dale waving at them from his lookout spot on top of the camper, Sophia dared to raise her voice for the first time since before they had started on their way back.
"I lost my doll."
Daryl was so surprised by this sudden pronouncement that he stopped and looked down at the child.
"We can't worry about that right now, Sophia."
"I know," the girl whispered, ducking her head so that Daryl wouldn't see the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. "That's why I didn't say anything until now."
While they'd been traveling through the woods, their focus had to be on survival. Now that they were back to the relative safety of their group's camp, and Carol was already running toward them, the child had only a few brief seconds to grieve for the loss of her beloved toy.
In the moment before Carol reached them, Daryl promised the child, "I'll find you a new doll if I can."
~end~