I woken up. I felt groggy as hell and exhausted. I looked to my left and noticed I had an IV stuck in me. I rolled my eyes. Then I heard the door open. It was Beth. "Belle, you're awake!" she said bright eyed. "Barely." I mumbled.
She giggled a bit. "Daddy stuck you with a Lexapro needle." I widened my eyes. Hershel used to stick with me with 'sleepy spells', as he called it, when I was younger and had an anxiety attack. Only problem was, was depending on the dosage, it could put me out for days. Almost like a coma.
"Beth, how long have I been out?" I asked through gritted teeth. She looked down. "Two days…"
"I wanna speak to your daddy RIGHT. NOW." I said, through even more gritted down teeth.
As soon as she was about to walk out to get him, Hershel and Glenn walked in. "You don't have to get me sweetpea, I was listening." Hershel said smiling. Beth looked at me and left the room.
"How ya feelin Bellefa-" Glenn started to say. But I interupted him. "Save it Glenn." Hershel walked over. "Now, Bellefaire. You were out of control. I had to stop it. Your mother was upset too. She couldn't have handled you."
I sighed, remembering my daddy was dead. I left an uneasy breath out and left tears slips. "How is she?" I croaked. Glenn came to me and rubbed my arms, seeing me upset.
"Hershel, she's getting upset again." Glenn said nervously. "She's fine Glenn. I can't stick her everytime she cries. Only when she's out of control. Now Bellefaire. You're mother has calmed down a bit. But you're all she has left now. Don't do anything stupid. She needs you." Hershel said.
I nodded and he left the room after unhooking me from the IV. "You'll need to stay in bed for alittle while longer until this wears off." he said.
"I want Daryl, Glenn. He's the only one that can help me right now. I NEED him Glenn…" I started to cry. I sat up and hugged him. He shushed me until I calmed down, and fell back asleep.
I woke up to the sound of a motorcycle coming up the road. It took me awhile to realize that it was Daryl and the rest of the group. My heart started poundin' with excitement.
I shook off the covers and got out of bed. I fell on the ground because I was so weak. I Got back up and started runnin' to the door. Everyone was back. I opened up the screendoor and saw Lori and Carol hugging. And Dale and Rick were talkin'. Daryl looked up at me. Everyone turned their heads and started at me.
I started trembling as soon as I saw Daryls face. Tears welled up in my eyes.
…
DARYLS POINT OF VIEW: Bellefaire was on the porch. She looked rough. But beautiful… I never thought I'd see her again after she found her family. But I guess now her daddy's gone. She was tremblin' and I knew she was happy to see me. I know I was. I couldn't help it. I walked up to the steps….
BACK TO BELLEFAIRE.
…..
"DARYL!" I shrieked and left tears fall heavy. I smiled and cried and started runnin' down the porch steps as he started walkin towards me. I began to feel lightheaded again though, and fell on the last step. Daryl caught me. It never felt so good to be in his arms. His strong….warm arms.
I hugged him as tight as I could and I cried.
DARYLS POINT OF VIEW
After I caught Bellefaire she hugged me tight. I almost forgot how strong she was. Hmph…. I hugged her as tight as I could. She cried really hard. I knew she needed me… But I wasn't good with this kind of hell. I think I was in love with her. I think I always have been. But how? She's young. To young. And this is corny shit… But I want her. In the worst way imaginable.
BELLE POV,
I cried until I realized everyone was staring. I looked up at his goregous eyes and wanted to kiss him but I held myself back. I wanted to say "I miss you" but I knew he knew. It's like we had a whole conversation without words. I looked around. Shane was grimacing. Rick and Lori gave me a half smile.
Glenn T-dog smiled like idiots. Mama was on the porch cryin'. She gave me a nod of approval. Beth and Maggie looked at me with confused eyes. Andrea, Hershel and Dale just watched closely. Carol was smiling. Carol…. I looked to Daryl. "Sophia?" I croaked.
Daryl shook his head. "No." he mumbled in his low voice. I looked at Carol who swallowed hard at that. I went up to her and hugged her. "I'm so sorry." I whispered.
Hershel "uh hemmed" and said "were holding a service for Otis today Bellefaire… We wanted to do it yesterday… But decided to wait until you were awake and with it. Can you handle it?"
I looked at Daryl. He grabbed my arm and firmly held it. I looked back to mama and Hershel and nodded.
We made a rock mound for daddy…. Each of us put a rock on it, and said something. After Beth, it was my turn. I put the rock on top. And I started cryin. "You taught me everythin' daddy… How to fish, how to hunt… And I know I gave you and mama both heartaches when I up and left with Alex and got into trouble… I never said it often… But… I love you, daddy…" I lost it and cried hard. Daryl came up to me slowly and pulled me away from the rocks. "C'mon…" he said lowly and held me as Hershel spoke from the Bible.
"Blessed be God. Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Praised be to him, for the gift of our brother, Otis… For his span of years, for his abundance of character...Otis… Who gave his life to save a child. Now more than ever, our most precious asset. We thank you God, for the peace he enjoys in your embrace. He died as he lived. In grace. Shane? Will you speak for Otis?"
I looked up from Daryl chest and looked to Shane. He looked odd. "I ain't good at it, I'm sorry." he said.
Mama looked up. "You were the last one with him. Will you share his final moments? Please? I need to hear… I need to know his death had meaning." Mama cried. I went up to her and hugged her. Maggie put her hands on our backs.
Shane struggled…."We were bout done… Almost out of ammo, we were down to pistols by then. I was limpin', it was bad. Ankle all swollin' up. 'We gotta save the boy'. Shit, that's what he said. He gave me his backpack, he sent me ahead. RUN he said. Said I'll… I'll take the rear,I'll cover you. And when I looked back... " He stopped and went to the wheelburrow filled with rocks. "If not for Otis… I'da never made it out alive. And that goes for Carl too. It was Otis… He saved us both. And he did that for that meaning… It was his."
Mama nodded her head with peace and cried into my arms.
Shane put a rock on the pile.
After the service we out to the RV in front of the house. We were planning for searchin' for Sophia.
"How long has the little girl been lost?" Hershel asked. It was Rick, Shane, Andrea, Daryl and me standin' by the car. "This will be day three." Rick replied.
Just then Maggie came up to the car with maps.
"County survey map. Shows the rain and elevations." she said, layin' it out over the car.
"Ah, this is perfect." Shane said.
"We can finally get this thing organised." Rick commented. "We'll grid the whole area, start searchin' in teams."
"Not you. Not today. You gave three units of blood. You wouldn't be hikin' five minutes in this heat before passin' out." Hershel said, disagreeing. Then he looked to Shane. "And your ankle. Pushin' out you'd be laid up a month. No good to anybody."
I looked to Daryl. He nodded. "Guess it's just me. Im'a head back to the creek, work my way back from there." he said. Rick nodded.
"I could still be useful. Drive up the interstate, see if Sophia wandered back." Shane said.
"Alright. Tomorrow then. We'll start doing this right." Rick agreed.
"That means we can't have our people out there with just knives." Shane commented. "We needa' gun train like we promised."
"I prefer ya not carryin' guns on my property. We've made it so far without turning this into an armed camp." Hershel said.
"All do respect, a big crowd of those things wanderin' in here...ha…" Shane commented.
"Well, were guests here." Rick said. "This is your property. And we WILL respect that." Rick layed his gun on this car. Shane grimaced and layed his on the car. I didn't let mine go. But no one noticed.
"First things first, set camp, find Sophia." Rick said.
"I hate to be the one to ask but someones got to…" Shane started. "What happens if we find her. She's bit? I think we should all be clear on how we handle that?"
"You do what has to be done." Rick said looking down.
"And her mother? What do you tell her?" Maggie said.
"The truth." Andrea said. Hershel shook his head to Maggie.
"Gather, and secure all the weapons. We'll make an arrangement for a place to target shoot. I do request a rifle for lookout. Dale's got experience." Shane asked.
"Our people would feel safer. Less inclined to carry a gun." Rick said.
Hershel nodded his head.
"Thank you." Rick said.
Daryl took my arm and made me follow him. But then Maggie called me and I looked behind me. "What?" I asked.
"I have to go to town. Pharmacy run. Rick wants me to take Glenn along. Is he…?" she trailed off.
I grinned. "Yes, go. Just go." I laughed. She rolled her eyes and went to him. Daryl and I continued walking.
Daryl wanted to go search for Sohpia. So I tagged along. We came to this cabin. He grabbed his crossbow and I grabbed my knife. We went in slowly.
We looked around in the rooms, finding nothing. But then we heard a noise. I gasped. Daryl looked at me and shushed me calmly. "Stay behind me." he said. And we went towards the noise. I noticed a can of opened wet cat food in the trash that looked rather fresh. "Daryl." I said, and pointed. He looked at it and picked it up, smelling it for freshness. Then we heard another noise. It was coming from a pantry closet that was creaked open. He set it down and started going towards it.
He opened it but there was nothing there. I left a relieving breath out. There were cans on fruit and vegetables in there. I grabbed them and stuck them in my bag.
We looked down. On the ground there was a blanket and a pillow. Small enough for Sohpia. "Oh my God." I mumbled. He looked at me and rubbed my shoulder.
We walked outside and he called her. "Sophia! Sophia!"
We walked around the house. He stopped and stared at something. "What is it?" I asked. He pointed at some Cherokee Roses. We stopped and sat in the grass beside them. "I think it's time we...talked." he said, nawling nervously on a piece of grass.
I looked up. "About?
"Us." he mumbled.
I gulped. "I think you already know, Daryl…" I said.
He nodded. "Yea, why?" he asked in disbelief.
"I've known men like you my whole life, Daryl… But not quite like you. That's the thing. You're...different. I...I don't know, Daryl. I'm not sure I wanna talk about this yet. I just know that I can't live without you." I said honestly.
He stared in my eyes and then threw the piece of nawled on grass at me. I laughed. "Hey!" . I picked up a bunch of grass and threw it at his face. He laughed slightly. I raised my eyebrows. "well by God, he laughs."
He then got all serious. "Stop."
I laughed but then got serious too as he got up and helped me up. I looked up to him. "I feel safe with you." I said softly.
"I'll never let anything happen to you Belle." he mumbled. I wanted to kiss him so bad.
"We should get back." he said. I nodded. We started headin' back to camp.
"Why do you like me?" I asked.
He shrugged his shoulders. "I'unno. You're just...My kind of girl." he said, not lookin at me. I smiled and picked a piece of grass and stuck it in his mouth. We got back to the RV and walked inside.
Carol was in the back, crying. We walked back to her. She was sewing one of Sophia's blankets.
"Cleaned it up. Wanted it to be nice for her." She said.
He nodded and then looked at me and then back to her.
"Looks like I was in the wrong place." he mumbled. He then sat one of those flowers in a beer bottle on the table in front of her.
She looked up. "A flower?"
"Cherokee Rose. Story is, that when American soldiers were moving Indians off thier land, on the trail of tears, the Cherokee mothers were grievin' and cryin' so much, cus' they were loosin' their lil' ones on the way. Exposure and disease….Starvation. A lot of them just...Disapeared… So the elders they uh...Said a prayer, asked for a sign to uplift the mothers spirits. Give them strength. Hope…. The next day...This rose, started to grow right where the mothers tears fell… I'm not...Fool enough ta think there's any flowers bloomin' for my brother. But uh…. I believe this one… Bloomed for your lil girl." he spoke.
Me and Carol were both left in tears. But a hint of jealousy stuck me. Daryl never spoke and opened up to me like he did with her just now. I turned around to walk outside and he started to follow. But he turned around and looked at her. "She's really gonna like it in here."
She smiled.
I walked out and he followed me. I felt down. "You alright?" he mumbled. I nodded and sniffed. "That was beautiful." He shrugged. "Just a tall tale."
"You don't talk to me like you do her…" I said finally.
"I can't." he said.
"Why, Daryl." I said, losing patience.
"It's easier for me to open up to her… I can't...I don't know how to talk to you, Bellefaire." he mumbled.
"Why Daryl…." I said, easing up.
"Because I love you." He mumbled and looked at me.