A/N: For those of you who have read chapter 22(previous chp) before 5/15/2017, it has been rewritten. There were a few errors and I needed to make a slight story alteration. Sorry for the inconvenience.
"Everybody takes a weapon" Rick dropped the black tool bag Carl found yesterday onto the hood of Carol's car.
Yeah I'll pass. My own work just fine, thanks.
"These aren't the kind of weapons we need. What about the guns?" Andrea asked impatiently, while others stepped up one by one to choose their weapon.
"We've been over that. Daryl, Rick, Eve, and I are carrying. We can't have people popping off rounds every time a tree rustles." Shane fiddled with his bag, trying to close it up after getting his piece out.
"It's not the trees I'm worried about" Andrea sassed.
"Say somebody fires at the wrong moment, herd happens to be passing by. You see then it's game over for all of us. So you need to get over it." Shane slung his backpack over his shoulder.
"The idea is to take the creek up 'bout 5 miles." Daryl spoke up before Andrea could argue again.
"Chances are she'll be by the creek. It's her only landmark." Daryl started towards his motorcycle.
I glanced at Glenn and bit my lip to stop a rising snicker. He's grinning at that hooked hatchet he chose like a serial killer.
"Stay quiet, stay sharp. Keep space between you but always within sight of each other." Rick instructed.
"Alright everybody assemble your packs." Shane really knows how to get the bees busy.
I made my way to the motorcycle with Daryl and picked up my backpack, stuffing my newly refilled water bottle in the largest pocket.
"Rick's probably gonna stick up front, you gonna be okay coverin' the back with Shane?" Daryl spoke low enough that only I could hear him.
What? My eyebrows knit together, one rising higher than the other. Why would he ask me that?
I glanced at Shane, briefly remembering the CDC. When I first saw him with that shotgun.
I shifted uncomfortably, accidentally bumping shoulders with Daryl.
Oh thanks, Daryl. I needed that delightful reminder of my first panic attack in almost three years.
I almost didn't nod but it'd be stupid not to. What happened back there...was an anomaly. A one time thing. This isn't about him or me, or anyone, or how I feel personally. All that matters right now, is finding this little girl. Comfort should be the last thing on my mind.
Daryl watched me for a few seconds longer before nodding. I wonder why he does that. Always waiting after getting his answers. Just watching before acknowledging— or straight up walking away.
"Andrea, I'm beggin' you don't put me in this position."
My attention was drawn to the RV where Andrea and Dale stood, but mark my words, one of these days I'm gonna ask him about it.
"I'm not going out there without my gun. I'll even say please." Andrea cocked her hips to the side.
Is she thick or something? How many times are gonna have to go over this?
"I'm doin' this for you." Dale shook his head.
"No, Dale, you're doing it for you. You need to stop."
Dale remained silent, putting some tools on the step just inside the RV side doorway.
"Oh what do you think's gonna happen, I'm gonna stick it in my mouth and pull the trigger the moment you hand it to me?" When did this escalate to suicide?
"I know you're angry at me. That much is clear." No shit, Dale. But, hey, is there any way you guys can do this later? We've got bigger fish to fry right now.
"But if I hadn't done what I did, you'd be dead now."
"Jenner gave us an option. I chose to stay." Andrea countered.
"You chose suicide!" Dale argued
"So what's that to you? You barely know me."
Really people? Come on! You're choosing now to bitch this fit?
"I know Amy's death devastated you-"
"Keep her outta this." Andrea snapped. "This is not about Amy. This is about us."
Forget about your damn gun! You'll be fine, if I can get by without using mine, you can live without yours for one day.
"And if I decided I had nothing left to live for, who the Hell are you to tell me otherwise?" Andrea's voice strained, like she was about to cry but too angry to actually do it. "To force my hand like that."
"I saved your life." Dale shrunk a little, not so sure of his reasoning anymore by the sound of it.
"No, Dale. I saved yours. You forced that on me. I didn't want your blood on my hands and that is the only reason I left that building." You'd be dead, why would you care? What makes you think you could care by that point?
"What did you expect? What, I'd have some kind of epiphany? Some life affirming-catharsis?" Andrea I know you're upset, and you have a right to be, but now is not the time for this.
"Maybe just a little gratitude." Dale didn't sound too sure of his answer.
"Gratitude?" Andrea's really perfected that incredulous way of pronunciation.
"I wanted to die my way, not torn apart by drooling freaks. That was my choice. You took that away from me, Dale."
"But-"
"But you know better." Andrea cut him off before he'd barely gotten a sound out.
"All I wanted after my sister died was to get out of this endless horrific nightmare we live everyday. I wasn't hurting anyone else. You took my choice away, Dale. And you expect-..." Andrea shook her head, a tear finally slipping from her eye, "gratitude?"
There was a long lull of silence and I glanced around at everyone else, getting anxious. By now all eyes were on those two. The entire group spectating their argument.
"I don't know what to say."
Apparently you do, Dale. That's more than I would have come up with.
"I'm not your little girl. I'm not your wife, and I'm sure as Hell not your problem. That's all there is to say." Andrea retaliated.
Speaking of little girl's, can we please go now that you're done tearing Dale a new one?
We're burning daylight Sophia doesn't have.
Andrea moved around Dale and as soon as she came towards me & Daryl, I turned on my heel and headed for the guardrail.
I stayed near the back, as far away from Andrea and Carol as I could.
Those two shouldn't be out here with us, they're toxic right now. I understand why Carol is out here, Sophia's her little girl but she's too emotionally invested to make a rational decision, and Andrea's a time bomb. A bitchy, self-centered, narrow-minded time bomb.
I didn't get along with her really before Amy…now I can barely tolerate her.
I mean, I understand why she is the way she is but I just— I can't think like that.
I have given her all the leniency I'm capable of. I wouldn't wish her harm, and we are friends(in a sense), but for the love of God. Please, save the pity party for a time when a little girl's life isn't at stake.
After almost an hour of searching, Carl drifted to the back of the group with Shane and I.
"Shane, look." Carl held up a sharp pocket knife.
"Dad said I could carry it" Shane gave an over-exaggerated sigh as Carl began rambling and I found myself glaring at him. "and mom said as long as I was—"
"Keep it down." Shane snapped. "We're looking for Sophia. You need to focus on the task."
I was floored by Shane's attitude towards Carl, stopping dead in my tracks.
Carl looked like a kicked puppy, eyes downcast. Barely picking his feet up with each step.
I looked at Lori who stepped towards us and we shared a look of equal outrage before her eyes turned towards her son and softened.
"Got to keep up" she pulled him forward up by her, as a protective mother should.
"I am" Carl mumbled.
Shane stopped, moving to look at something we'd just past as the others continued and I stood there, staring at him.
He looked at me and as soon as he walked past me, I smacked him upside the head with my free hand.
He glared back at me but I grabbed a fist ful of his shirt, slamming him against a tree.
"I don't know what's going on with you, but if you ever speak to Carl like that again, Sophia won't be the only one lost in the woods." I hissed.
My eyes bore into his until he knew I was dead serious. He shifted his gun in his hand, nodding, before I let him go and made my way back to the others just a few paces ahead.
I didn't stay at the back, instead making my way up to the front. I can't be alone next to Shane right now, or I might do much more threaten.
Why can't these people just get their shit together for ten minutes?
I came up next to Rick, brushing Carol's shoulder as I passed her. He looked at me as if something was wrong but I shook my head once, just to reassure my appearing upfront isn't something to be concerned about.
Daryl stopped, coming around some leafy green branches and crouched. It was natural for me to do so almost simultaneously but I watched Rick motion to the others to get down as he did himself. I forgot they don't have these instincts.
I followed his gaze through the trees to a green and grey tent. It almost blends in with the surrounding forest but the red cooler next to it makes it almost impossible to miss.
"She could be in there." Shane mumbled, coming up on Rick's other side, not bothering to crouch.
"Could be a whole bunch of things in there." Daryl grumbled as he rose, moving forward cautiously, crossbow raised.
I followed, taking my knives in-hand looking through the surrounding trees to avoid any nasty surprises as we got closer.
Once we were only a few yards from it, Daryl stopped, motioned for Rick and Shane to stay here, then looked at me and point to the right side of the tent.
I nodded and he pulled his own knife as we moved closer; Me to the right, him to the left.
The zipper to the tent was unzipped, not enough to let an adult through but I'll bet a child could no problem.
Daryl gently set his crossbow down on the ground, holding his knife ready while I moved around the side of the tent, looking out at the woods behind it.
I moved back around to the front and watched Daryl move away from the entrance. My guess is he was trying to look inside without touching it, just in case.
He glanced at me, moving towards the other side. I shook my head, and crouched as low as I could to peek through the door while he carefully lifted the edge of the rain cover to see through the window.
I can see something that looks like the foot of a camping chair but I can't tell.
I looked at Daryl and he looked at Rick, exaggerating a shrug to convey our findings of zip.
Rick looked over his shoulder and said something I couldn't make out to the group staying farther back, then Carol came up next to him.
"Call out softly. If she's in there, yours is the first voice she should hear."
Carol nodded, looking towards the tent. Daryl and I got ready for whatever comes out of this tent, but something doesn't feel right about this tent.
Not for this at least.
"Sophia, sweetie" Carol did exactly as Rick told her to.
"Are you in there? Sophia it's mommy."
I shifted my weight from foot to foot, ready for what could happen any second but the longer I waited, the more anxious I got. Nothing's happened yet.
Daryl glanced at me, the same uneasy feeling twisting my gut is twisting his from the looks of it.
"Sophia. We're all here, baby. It's mommy."
Daryl glanced back at Rick and them and shook his head.
Rick came forward, as did Shane, coming up right behind us as Daryl reached for the tent zipper and began pulling it as slow as he could, keeping the noise to a minimum.
Here we go
He unzipped it far enough to get inside but when he pulled the flap out of the way, I almost puked. He covered his mouth with the back of his knife hand, coughing.
The wall of stench billowing out of the tent like invisible smoke, was so putrid my eyes began to water.
I coughed into my elbow, Shane and Rick just behind me coughing as well.
I had to force myself to breathe through my nose, hoping to speed up getting accustomed to the smell. I was right about the camping chair but the body rotting in it answers what these smells are.
Another few nauseating seconds and Daryl moved inside, the flap dropping closed behind him, leaving the rest of us coughing outside.
He has the strongest stomach I've ever seen.
The smell isn't so bad for me anymore, but Shane and Rick are still struggling.
"Daryl?" Carol called
I can hear little clicking noises but I can't place them. If something was wrong though, we'd know by now.
"Daryl?" Carol called again.
I glanced back at her, just before the tent rustled and out-stepped Daryl.
"Ain't her"
I straightened up, tangible relief sweeping across all the faces around us. Including my own.
"What's in there?" Andrea asked, with a little morbid curiosity. Not that I'm one to talk.
"Some guy. Did what Jenner said. Opted out." Daryl picked up his crossbow, checking it and slung it over his shoulder. "Ain't that what he called it?"
I moved to take a step but mid-turn the sound of bells had all of us on alert. They're distant but there's no mistake.
I turned until they were loudest, Rick coming to the same conclusion at the same moment.
Rick pointed whereas I just took off, assuming they'd follow.