"Are you still worrying about it?" Andrea asked as the group stopped to take a short rest.
Thank God. My ribs wanna strangle my lungs just for the need to breathe. Nevermind what I've been making them do.
"That was a gunshot..." Lori's worried eyes stared past me, back the way we came.
I leaned against the tree next to me, sliding down to give my needlessly sore muscles a break. What was meant to be a sigh, came out as a groan I hope no one noticed.
My muscles are trembling just sitting here but if I show too much pain, they'll make me go back to the highway; and no doubt at least someone will feel uneasy about my going alone, which just takes more manpower away from the search— if they don't decide to just call it.
"We all heard it" Daryl gave me a 'you good?' look. I nodded and took a moment to let the various degrees of pain subside and become background noise.
"Why one? Why just one gunshot?" Lori looked at him as if he'd know the answer.
Daryl shook his head, probably wracking his brain for an answer she'll accept. "Maybe they took down a walker"
"Please don't patronize me. You know Rick wouldn't risk a gunshot to put down one walker— or Shane. They'd do it quietly." Lori looked back to the woods.
She's got a point, actually. I swallowed hard and Glenn came over to me, crouching and slipping his backpack off.
"Shouldn't they have caught up with us by now?" Carol looked at Daryl expectantly.
"There's nothing we can do about it anyway. Can't run around these woods chasing echoes." Daryl looked around, shifting his crossbow in his hands.
Glenn pulled out a water bottle and unscrewed it, holding it out to me.
I took it with a grateful lip quirk and ignored the pinching in my arm for the relief the cool-ish water brought my throat.
I looked where my neck would let me; scanning the area with my laser vision, wishing I was like Superman. I could find Sophia in a heartbeat then, and I wouldn't have tweaked my neck or messed up my torso like— like some rookie dumbass.
"So what do we do?" Lori asked Daryl as I handed Glenn the bottle.
"Same as we been. Beat the bush for Sophia, work our way back to the highway." Daryl answered, glancing at me once again.
It's funny, when Rick and Shane's not around, everyone seems to look to Daryl for direction. Not that it's irrational, he is a hunter and we're in the middle of the woods. Evolutionarily speaking, he would be in charge with the leader and secondary pack leader absent.
"I'm sure they'll hook up with us back at the RV" Andrea reassured.
Glenn offered me a hand. I smiled and he helped me back to my feet. It was easier than the first time but it hurt more.
After all these centuries of modern-ish civilization, the tribal system still applies. To an extent. Guess it's just part of traveling in a pack.
Hmm, I wonder where would I be on that scale? Rick's the pack alpha— that's obvious, Shane is his right hand, Daryl is next—
Lori touched my shoulder and I flinched immediately cursing the involuntary action. She gave me an apologetic look and I waved it off after a second, when I was able.
We started moving again but we didn't get ten feet before Andrea walked over to a stationary Carol, keeping everyone from moving on. "I'm sorry for what you're going through. I know how you feel"
"I suppose you do. Thank you." Carol looked her up and down. Her gaze is getting more and more downcast. She's giving up.
She looked around at the woods like most city people do, shaking her head, and clenching her jaw.
"The thought of her, out here, by herself. It's the not knowing that's killing me. I just keep hopin' and prayin' she doesn't wind up like Amy."
My eyebrows shot to my hairline, jaw dropping like the muscles had been cut. She did not just say that to her.
Andrea shifted, obviously having half a mind to smack Carol but Carol's desperate, "Oh God. That's the worst thing I ever said" made her shake her head and step back.
"We're all hoping and praying with you. For what it's worth."
Damn. I should give her more credit. I think I would've grabbed Carol by the throat if she'd something like that to me.
"I'll tell you what it's worth— not a damn thing." Daryl interrupted, drawing all eyes to him.
"It's a waste a time all this hopin' and prayin'. Cause we're gonna locate that little girl. She's gonna be just fine." I don't think I've ever heard Daryl state something with such conviction.
He looked back and forth between the two before turning to walk away.
"Am I the only one Zen around here? Good lord."
"...Eve's pretty calm" Glenn interjected as we started moving again.
I smiled and winked, putting two thumbs up as they looked back at me.
Daryl scoffed, shaking his head, "When ain't she? Just fell out of a damn tree and she's over there smilin' like it never happened."
Amused smiles played across the faces around me as we started moving again. For as much pain as I'm in right now, I can say with some level of certainty, it was worth it. If just for that.
I waited until everyone past me before I started moving again, making me the only person who caught Lori's last worried glance to the forest behind us.
I turned in a careful circle, lingering a bit as I scanned behind us.
Only being able to turn one way is a real bitch.
Somehow we've gone from walking in a line, to walking next to each other, a few paces apart.
I walked on Daryl's right at the end of our line, but every time I did my spin, I couldn't help but notice that while everyone else is leaving footprints, but mine aren't as noticeable.
My step is lighter than most, I know that. I mean, I can understand why my step is lighter than Daryl's, he's probably 100 lbs of muscle heavier than me. But I bet ya I'm faster than all of them— maybe not right this second but if it was life or death, these scrapes wouldn't stop me from bookin' it.
The need to breathe comes second to the need for a pulse.
The line came to a stop and I walked a little farther to where I could see through a slit in the trees. Looking at the horizon, I noted the darkening gradient of the sky. The sun'll be down soon.
Dale's watch would sure come in handy right about now, but if I had to guess, it's maybe 7-ish?
"We'll lose the light before too long. I think we should call it." Daryl's voice right behind me startled me but I could tell he wasn't facing me.
"Let's head back" Lori agreed
I turned, doing another scan. Momentarily blinding myself with the reflection off my knife, but my knife is— ...in my...
I looked down, leaning a bit until the glint blinded me again. What is that?
I knelt down in the dirt, brushing damp and crusty leaves out of the way.
It's a piece of metal. I dug it out of the dirt with my fingers and held it up where I could get a better look at it; burning my retina again. No wonder it was glinting so harshly, it's gold. A small heart shaped locket but I don't think it's Sophia's.
My fingers went to my own locket instinctively, as I stared at it. It's rusted in places but not completely. It can't have been here for that long.
I started to wobble and braced my hand against a tree to make it easier.
"Pick it up again tomorrow?" Carol asked as I opened the locket. Whatever was inside it is long gone, if there ever was something inside it.
"Yeah we'll find her tomorrow" Lori answered.
I wonder how it got here.
This isn't exactly a populated area— nor is it a camp ground. At least I don't think it is. Either that or we somehow missed the sign.
It'd be a shame to leave it here. It's a nice necklace. Maybe Sophia will like it.
I rubbed all the dirt I could off the necklace on my jeans and jacket, along with my own fingers and stuffed it in my pocket just as a sharp low whistle caught my attention.
Neck slipping my mind, I tried to crane my neck and a sharp pull of muscle sent a sing all down my spine. My teeth trapped my lips, eyes slamming shut at the sensation.
It was a good few seconds before I could open them, release my now swelling lips and turn on the balls of my feet, using the ground to keep from falling over.
Daryl jerked his head, letting me know we were leaving, with a wary look I was hoping to avoid.
I nodded, using the tree next to me to stand up, but my bruises and particularly my ribs, weren't happy about standing again.
Quit your whining, Evelyn Rider.
We've fallen out of trees before. Never with a gnawing notion that we could be running for our lives at any second— but that's no excuse.
I caught up to Glenn who waited until I was right next to him to keep going and -probably having something to do with longer legs- made it to the front within a few steps.
I didn't realize before but I think I'm the second tallest woman in the group. After Lori.
I know I'm taller than Dale. Glenn and I are the same height.