The Dead are Walking
chapter 35: back with the group
Wow, season 3 is really surprising me. I'm just ready to see the 4th episode already.
Thank you for the reviews. I know some of you are sad about Sophia, and were jumping down my throats, but in the end Sophia will not die alone, and the group still needs to go through that loss and transition. I was going to put season three in this chapter, but I though I would go a different route.
If you guys are still needing to watch season 3, go to "let me watch this" and look up the walking dead. They have the episodes that have aired already. This is for free.
One more piece of news. If any of you guys watch 'Once upon a time' I have started a story. Feel free to read it. And to all the people on the east coast(i know you probably wont read this yet with out power) hope you are all safe and dry and not freezing your butts off.
It was now light out. The sun was just coming up. There was a cool breeze so the sun was the least of my worries. I had walked a little over an hour and Sophia wasn't getting any better. Thinking of Jim, since Sophia was smaller whatever it was that caused people to turn would affect her more quickly.
I ran most of the time. The higher the sun went, the more I ran. I had already made it to the highway. Just finding them was the hard part. Getting to where I thought everyone would be felt like a life and death situation. Al I could think was that if I didn't make it I would be alone. Sophia would turn in the end leaving me lost. Then the question, should I kill her before or after she turns? Also, Carol would never know what happened, and they would know that I was right there, right at the farm. Shane would know that I was right there. All the more reason to reach where we had broken down at.
"I haven't felt this tired since high school," I said out loud. I couldn't handle the silence. The longer Sophia didn't make a peep, the more I worried. I didn't want her dying then coming back and comp at my neck. She made a little grunt and breathed out slowly.
"Sorry," she murmured.
"It's fine. Don't worry. I think we're almost there, maybe." I stopped as I saw three walkers. They were standing there with their back turned. I didn't have the energy to take them out, so quietly as I could went over the railing into the shallow part of the woods. I watched the three bodies as I walked slowly past them. Which was hard since there were leaves and sticks underneath my feet. They moved a bit, but not my way. There was a rumble in the distance. I stopped. As it came closer it became louder. A motorcycle? It whizzed by and took down a walker.
"Was that Daryl?" A car came behind and knocked down the other two. It was the green car Shane had picked up off the road. Another one went by after that.
"Come on Sophia." I ran back up to the highway with my new-found energy and ran after the vehicles. I was not going to let up. Maybe they would stop. Sophia was bopping all over the place trying to stay on my back. I told her 'sorry' in my head. I slowed down a bit. Weaving through all the cars that were still on the highway wasn't a piece a cake. I could barely see them anymore. I wished I at least had a bike. It would make things a bit faster.
I stopped running altogether. All of these close encounters were really getting me down. Right now, I guess you could say it was all about timing, and so far I was failing in that department. I stopped and took a deep breath.
"Please give me a break." I started walking again for what seemed forever. By this time I was staring at the ground. My pace had slowed down a bit. This doesn't seem like it was going to end well, again. Some day this has turned out to be. Jenner who had been gone for forever was with them, and me who had been with those guys since the beginning was left behind along with Andrea. I wonder where she was at and if she was still alive. I had to believe she was. She was strong enough.
I raised my head as I heard raised voices. My people, or those guys that Rick told us about? I hoped for the first one. I walked a little faster and peered around cars to see where the voices were coming from.
"Shut up, Lori!" That voice. I knew it well. A big smile came across my face. Better yet, it was telling Lori to keep her bit black hole of a mouth shut. I put Sophia down and grabbed her hand as I fast walked us toward the group.
Sophia, still with part of my hoodie around where she was bit, also heard the voices and let go of my hand to run.
"Mom," she shouted. Not even her wound could hold her back.
"Sophia," I heard Carol yell. I rounded a big black truck as I saw them. My heart felt like it would leap out of my throat. As soon as my eyes locked with my legs moved forward as did his. His arms circled around me and my eyes closed so I could only concentrate on him. He felt warm and safe. I felt the tears behind my eyes. As I opened them I heard, "Aunt Blair."
I felt another set of arms circle me.
"Hey, buddy," I said as I put one arm around Carl. I still held onto Shane because I was scared to let go.
"I knew you'd make it," Carl said. "Mom said 'no,' but you came."
"Of course. I'm not gonna let some walkers keep me away." He gave me a tighter squeeze.
"What happen to you," Shane asked.
"Me? What happened to your face?" Shane glanced somewhere then back at me.
"Later, I'm just happy that I have you again," he said as he kissed the top of my head.
"Me too. Rick!" I did let go of Shane for a minuet to hug Rick.
"I"m glad you're safe," he said almost squeezing me to death. "We thought we'd never see you. T-dog and Lori said you got taken down by a walker."
"I was, but if someone would have helped me, Lori. I told you to wait"
"I...I didn't hear-"
"Yes you did. You looked right at me, you psycho. You're trying to get me killed."
"Man, you gotta be kidding me," Shane said. "I've had enough of you." If Lori was a man, he probably would have punched her in the face.
"Lori, what the hell," Rick said. "You know what, we gotta keep moving. We'll deal with this later."
"But," Lori interjected.
"Shut it," Rick told her. "We need to go."
"Wait," I said. "Sophia..."
"What," Carol said. "What about Sophia?" I looked at Sophia's arm as did everyone else. Sophia shifted and looked at the ground.
"What's that around your arm," Carol asked her daughter. Sophia didn't say anything. "Honey, baby?"
"She was bit," I said quietly. Everyone's face seemed to change.
"We'll deal with it," said Rick. "Lets go."
"Wait, what are we gonna do about these two," T-dog said pointing over to Jenner and Seth, who was being strangely quiet. Rick thought for a second before answering.
"They can ride too if they want."
"It will only be for a short period of time," Jenner said. "I don't know about Seth, but only for a couple of days will I be around."
"We'll get this all straightened out," said Rick. Carol held Sophia close with a blank look on her everyone piled into the cars, Shane held onto my hand as he led me to a red old-looking truck.
Okay, so probably not the ending you were expecting, but I really haven't had much time to write. I've been coming back to this chapter over the past week and a half. But next chapter is the start of season 3. Just have to see how many things will be changing so far, so probably wont be updating for a while.