I don't know where I am … I've been walking for days, resting for only minutes at a time. I am so tired, I keep seeing things that aren't there. I can't remember when the last time I ate was, I can't even remember why I am walking this way.
Daryl and I were separated by accident … I tried to hold onto him but I couldn't. I wasn't strong enough, that and I was fighting him too. I wanted to go back, to get the kids and Judith. Oh God … Judith. Please let someone have taken Judith.
There go the voices I keep hearing; I know there is a road close to me, but I am scared to get on it. I don't want to be seen, I don't want the walkers to know I am here alone. I have a knife and that's it, Daryl had the gun along with his crossbow. Why didn't I learn to shoot?
Oh no, a clearing … wait, there's houses … if I can sneak across and get inside on before anyone sees me … I can rest, I need to rest. I keep down behind the parked cars and try not to make noise as I cross the street. I make it to the houses, and a door is open. I don't know if it's luck or not, but I'm going inside. I sneak onto the porch softly and head inside.
The lights are out but I can see enough through the drawn blinds and curtains. I move cautiously through the house … then the sound stops me. There's some thing or some one on the couch; I pull my knife out and creep over. I ease around the corner and … Rick!
"Rick, can you hear me?" I ask, sitting beside him. He's in bad shape, worse than bad shape. I reach my hand out and run it over his face. He's been in a fight … of course he has, he and the Governor had it out on the front lawn.
The voices are growing stronger as footsteps come closer to the house. Looking around, I head to a small closet not far from the couch. I pull the door shut ever so gently so no one will know I am here.
"But we can't leave him here, he's helpless! He's my dad!" That's Carl.
"We don't know how long it's going to take him to recover sweetie; we can't stay here because of the walkers." And there's Maggie.
"We have a herd coming kid, we need to move." Daryl, the voice of reason.
"We need to find my sister!" What does Carl mean? Where's Judith?
"I know you want to find your sister, I want to find mine to but we can't take the chance! We need to move!" Maggie, trying to be the voice of reason.
"We will leave supplies and if we can we'll come back for him after we're settled." A new voice, wonder who that is.
"He could be dead or turned by then!" Carl's a force to be reckoned with, I guess he cares more for his dad than he lets on. "Judith could still be alive!"
"I feel the same way about Beth, but that is a herd of over 500 walkers heading this way. We don't have the resources or ammo or strength to fight that many. We need to run Carl, and after we're safe WE ARE coming back for both of them!" That's my sister.
"Fine, unload whatever you want to leave here for them but we are rolling in ten minutes." Another new voice, who are these people.
"I'll do it," Daryl replies and leaves.
"What happened to your sister?" A woman's voice, she sounds nice.
"My dad and I went to find her, we didn't know if anyone had taken her when you were leaving the prison. All we found was her car seat covered in blood."
Judith, God no please no. Not my little girl, God please let her be alive. I cover my mouth with my hands to keep them from hearing me cry. Why don't I want them to know I am here? Why don't I leave this closet and tell them here I am? I know why, and this is the moment where I stand up. This is the moment my daddy told me would come … 'a young woman must learn to stand on her own feet and leave her family.' I am leaving one family … for another.
"That's all we can spare for him, where should we leave Beth's?" Daryl is sweet, I know he cares.
"Leave hers here to … I am leaving both her and Rick a note. I am telling them where we are going and how to find us." Maggie certainly is determined. "Y'all did this for Sophia, I can do this for Beth and Rick. He doesn't deserve to be left behind."
"In the condition he's in, we can't transport him and they won't let him in." I don't know who the new voice is, but he sounds reasonable. "We need to hurry."
"Goodbye dad, I love you." I watch Carl place a kiss on his dad's head, something Rick would do for him. I watch him turn and leave with tears in his eyes. Maggie is waiting on him.
"We'll come back Carl, we'll find them." I watch them leave and hear the door shut. I wait patiently, I wait to hear the cars crank and pull away … I wait till I know they're not coming back.
I push the door open and step into the open. I walk over to the table and look at Maggie's note. I reach into the bag and scavenge for medical supplies … they left a few. I take out a can of peaches and eat them almost immediately and drink a bottle of water … I am so starving.
I head to the couch with the medical supplies and sit down. Reaching my hand out, I feel for a pulse … he has one, strong and steady. He's in a deep sleep, almost like a coma. He needs to rest. Now, it's time for me to do my job … take care of him.
Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I sit beside him. I managed to get the bullet from his leg and stitch it up. I got his broken ribs wrapped, now all he has to do is fight and wake up. Tears roll down my cheeks as I sit beside him. I pick his hand up and hold it.
"Rick, it's Beth … if you can hear me, I need you to wake up. We're all alone, Carl and Maggie left with the others to go to some sanctuary. Rick please, I need you to wake up … we need to find Judith … we need to find … your daughter." I feel my voice crack. "We need to find our baby."
I can't keep the sadness in and I lay my head against his bare chest. I wrap my arms around him and cry … my daddy is gone and now Judith may be gone too. I can't bear this, I can't bear this alone. I cry softly, feeling his warm skin under my fingers.
A movement startles me; I go to sit up but feel a hand holding me. I look down and stare into his eyes … he's awake, he heard me.
"Thank you." His voice is hoarse from being strangled. "Let me rest for awhile and we'll start looking for her." His eyes close as he falls back asleep. His arm tightens around me as I curl up on the couch with him. I lay there with my head on his bare chest, feeling his warmth and chest rising as he breathes.
My eyes drift shut as I lay there, listening to his heart beating. I am safe now.