A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long! I wanted to make sure this chapter was longer than the 1st, plus I had a little writer's block. But now that has come to pass, here it is chapter 2!
* italicized, bolded and "quotations", words are past phrases/ conversations/ flashbacks *
*Reg. italicized words with 'single quotations' are flashback thoughts*
I woke with my body shaking and sound of whimpers, thinking I was in danger I got up quickly and pulled out my large hunting knife. My eyes wide and crazy, body tense and ready to gut anything that moves. I look down and the girl is sprawled on the floor looking up at me with worried filled eyes. I realize what happened. I wasn't being shakened because a corpse had me, but the little girl. I then re-sheathed my knife and knelt in front of the girl, wiping the dirt and sweat from my face.
"Sorry about that kiddo, didn't mean ta scare you." I said, trying my best to convince her that I'm not ALL that bad. She probably think you're some caveman freak, ya definitely look like on. Doing my best to ignore the self-belittling voice in my head, I sat down next to her and started to open two cans of beans and fruit.
"We should eat somethin', got a long day ahead of us." I say thoughtlessly as I handed the can of beans to the little girl. For a long time we just sat there eating our food slowly, trying our best not to inhale the damn thing. After a while I placed my can of fruit down, wiping the sweat that gathered on my forehead already. "So what ya name kiddo? Can't always call ya that, kiddo or little girl." I asked in a low voice. The girl paused mid chewing;looking down she swallowed deeply and looked up at me from her lashes.
"My name is Sophia Ms." The girl, Sophia answered in a very shy, and quiet voice. Very micey ain't she? Sophia wrung her hands in a nervous manner, staring at the floor panels.
"No need to call me 'Ms', ain't that old." I scoffed in a joking manner, scratching the back of my head looking the other way. When I looked back towards her direction, Sophia had a wide-eyed scared expression, like she had something so absurd and insulting that I was going to hurt her for it.
"Nah, nah, nah kid, you ain't said anything wrong." I told her quickly before she had the mind to run away. Damn, now that explains her micey personality. My posture slumped as I realized and imagined what could cause her timidness. "The names, Ross, Ross Kaegan." I introduced myself, trying my best at a James Bond impression. Going by the blank look Sophia gave me, I failed, miserable. That or she's too young she don't even know who the hell james bond is. God, I AM old. I just shaked my head in disappointment at my demise. Sophia raises her small brow, an obvious look of confusion at my weird behavior. I look back at her, scoffed with one of my own brow raised, "Guess I'll have ta work on my social skills." I say outloud mindlessly, not asking anyone in particular.
"Me too, I guess." Sophia says in her timid voice, but she looks up at me with a small smile that matches her voice. I smile/smirk at her softly and slowly placed my hand on her head, ruffling her already messy bed hair up. Her smiles widens, and she giggles while she fixes her hair.
"Okay, 'nough with the shenanigans, we gotta get going, can't stay here long." I said with a groan as I got up, my leg still hurting. When Sophia noticed my limp and my leg all bandaged up he eyes widened with fear. When I noticed this look I thought for sure she was run for the hills. With my best effort I did my best to act nonchalant and calm.
"Yea got a nasty cut, from going through a hole in a chain-link fence. My best attempt at getting away from those 'things', 'corpses', whatever ya wanna call 'em." we stood their in a awkward silence, not knowing who was going to run first. The only reason I would run, was to run and hide to die in embarrassment. I thought bitterly, The HELL!? What am I back in highschool!? I scolded myself.
"We call them walkers." Sophia asked quietly, breaking the silence. "My group, I mean." She quickly adds.
"Sound WAY better from wha' I been calling 'em," I say more to myself. WAY, way better. Why couldn't I thought of that? Probably because you ain't that creative. I internal belittled myself once again. Gotta stop doing that.
"Does it hurt?" She then stepped closer and grabbed my hand. It would be understatement if I said I was surprised. I mean she initiated the whole 'lemme-hold-your-hand' touch. While looking up at me with those cute 'lil green doe eyes. God damnit, she gonna be the death of me. Death by embarrassment, pathetic.
"Yea, only if I walk or run for a long time. Other than that it's just an annoying limp." I say light-heartedly, letting her know it's alright to ask questions, without the assumption she would get punished. I actually liking this kid. First for everything. I thought cheerfully for the first time in weeks. The first time for the world to end too. I sighed in defeat as my thoughts turned dark once again. Thanks for the emotional support brain, I thought to myself with an internal eyeroll. You welcome.
It had been hours since we left the shed, walking in the god forsaken Georgia heat. Sophia made sure we left a vague note at the shed if her group comes across it in their search for Sophia. If they're even looking for her. I shooked my head in self-disappointment as my thoughts turned to dark place in my head. I seriously gotta stop doing that, of course they're looking for her! I mean look at her! She's fucking adorable.
I thought urgently, trying to persuade my thoughts into a more positive direction. As I was mentally debating with myself I didn't realized we had stopped, with Sophia looking at me with that same look she gave me earlier that morning. The look where she was confused and didn't understand what I was thinking. All I could do was shrug in a reply of, 'don't worry 'bout it.' We then continued to walk in silence. 'We,' does have a nice ring to it.
"Why do you have a boy's name Ross?" Sophia asked quietly. Once again breaking the silence. I Looked at her and shrugged, again. "You shouldn't do that. It's a bad habit." Sophia declared with a strange confidence I haven't ever seen before. I smirked in a playful manner, "Oh, is that so?" She then looked up at me with more confidence and replied with, "Yeah, Momma, always told me not to shrug when asked a question. Always use your words." Makes sense. It is her momma that told her that. Plus she isn't wrong.
"You still haven't answered my question." Sophia dead panned. I deeply sighed, having a feeling she probably wouldn't let this go. "Don't know. Daddy probably wanted a boy, but instead got a girl." I answered her question as we continued to walk. I only stopped when I didn't hear the soft footfalls of Sophia's little feet when she was following. I turn around and see she has stopped and was looking at her feet with a sullen look. I walk up to her and kneel, gently grabbing her chin to look at me.
"Hey, hey, hey look at me. What's the matter now?" I ask with a gentle voice to grab her attention. When she looks into my eyes I can see her eyes tearing up, about to overspill down her cheeks. "Ya don't have to tell me. But know this, you're not alone. Ya hear? And we're gonna find your momma. Now doubt about it." I tell her in a soothing but stern voice. What others may call it, 'a mother's tone.' Sophia the nods quickly and wipes away the few tears that had strayed. "Good, good, now let's get a stepin'. We don't gotta whole lot of daylight to waist." I stand up and put my hand around her shoulders, walking side-by-side with the little girl, I have come to like.
For the past 3 days we would walk 'till our feet hurt, rest, continue our search, then camp in the dark, sleeping in the trees. Couldn't risk getting our ass bit while we slept. Only coming across a couple of Walkers, one by a time. God is on our side…. Well if there is a god. On the 2nd day out here we heard a gunshot, we decided to stay in one place for a day. Made camp and surrounded the camp with the bodies of the Walkers. Masking our live scent with dead.
*Flashback*
"I know it ain't sanitary, and strange, but it's necessary. Gotta stay hidden from 'em Walkers." I said as I sat by the fire after I finished putting the last Walker body in place, creating a circle around us. Sophia just stayed quiet as she stared into the fire, hugging her legs to her chest, chin resting on her knees. I didn't blame her, if I was in her shoes I wouldn't talk to the crazy person who made a ring of Walker bodies as a form of 'protection.'
"Why couldn't we just slept in the trees like we have been?" Sophia asked in a daze. "We could've, but I don't know about you but I don't find sleeping in a tree for 2 nights in a row comfortable." I replied. It only registered how rude and hurtful it sounded after I had said it. I look up to her, but it looked like she didn't notice for she just continued to look dazed into the fire. I sigh shaking my head, 'She's probably tired from walking so much. Damn we can't continue like this.'
"Sophia." I called to her softly, waving her towards me. Sophia leisurely got up and walked in my direction. She then plopped down in front of me, between my legs. Leaning back and resting her head onto my chest as I wrapped my arms around her. She instantly fell asleep, with her strawberry mop of hair covering her eyes. "Goodnight Sophie." I whisper into her hair as she nuzzled her head into my neck. I then kissed her head and kept night watch all night.
I was packing our stuff my the smoking fire pit when Sophia had woken from her sleep. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes a she yawned and stretched. She then started to get everything together and rolled up the bed roll I had put her in later that night. After getting everything packed we headed out.
*End of flashback*
We were walking in the pitch black, the only sources of light being the flashlight Sophia was holding and the stars, when we heard the groans and shuffling of the dead. I crouched down, placing my bow in front of me, "Sophia get on my back and keep the light forward." She then jumped on my back, arms around my neck loosely, legs wrapped around my waist tightly and flashlight pointed forwards. I then picked up my bow and nocked an arrow. As soon as I stood up I ran light my life depended on it. Preferable because your life in fact did depended on it, but not only yours now. I could here them all around us as I continued to run. My face, arms, legs and body being scratched by branches. I skidded to a stop when I reached a riverbank, the water rushing hard and fast, almost looking like tar in the night. I couldn't tell how deep it was; trying to weigh out my options.
"Ross!" Sohpia called from my back in fear. I turn around and see four Walkers quickly approaching. Pulling the bowstring taut then releasing the arrow into the head of the first Walker. I then used my bow to hold up Sophia as I could feel her slowly slipping. It was then I made a decision. Feeling like a trapped animal I ran and jumped into the river. The freezing cold water reaching mid-thigh. I ran through the water, not daring to look back if the Walkers were on our tail. Tripping and stumbling as I stepped on some loose rocks and because of the rushing current.
I gripped tightly onto my bow, turning my knuckles white as I continued to run through the river. Sophia held onto me more tightly, her whimpers loud and clear in my ears as she tucked her head into the back of my neck. As I reached the other side of the riverbed; my left hand letting go of the bow and grabbing Sophia's thigh, then using my right to swing my bow onto the bank, watching it as it disappeared into the darkness of the night.
"Sophia when you hit the ground, climb up a tree and stay there." I tell her as I swung her onto the bank. "ROSS!" Sophia shouted, as a Walker had fell and grabbed my leg, bring me down with it. Hitting my head on a rock in the process. Trying to grab anything, rocks, branches and the bank itself, I struggled to fight the current that wanted to bring me down, along with the Walker. Sophia was leaning over the ledge of the river bank, her arms stretched out towards me, screaming for me to grab her hand. I could barely hear her over the sound of the rushing water that would occasionally go over my head and into my lungs.
I reached out toward her hand, but I didn't grab onto it. I had grabbed onto a leafless tree that grew from the side of the riverbank. I look down towards my body and see the Walker is still attached onto my leg, chewing on my boot. I unholster my beretta and take the shot. The bullet imbeds itself into the abominations head, point blank. It hands release and slips down off my leg, the body following down the river, along with the other walkers that had fell in. With all the strength I have left, I turn back towards Sophia, her hand still reaching out to me. I grab her hand, and with her help I am pulled onto the bank. I flip myself onto my back facing the sky with my eyes closed.
I open my eyes and see that Sophia beside me, her small hands on my shoulder, saying something, but I couldn't really hear her. I look past her at the sky, which was now a darker blue and I could see the trees, telling me it's early morning and the sun is rising. All I wanted to now was close my eyes and sleep. Although I knew what little chance of that happening now, especially after everything that has transpired that evening-early morning.
Sighing as I closed my eyes to take what you may call a 'self-assessment', I opened my eyes as I leaped up onto my feet; realizing the moment I stood up, that move was a big mistake, for I became overwhelmed with dizziness and nausea. Damn I probably have a concussion or some stupid shit like that! I leaned my head against the rough bark of a tree, my breathing heavy. Even though I'm soaked to the bone and cold I can already feel myself sweating. Sophia comes to my side, putting my left arm around her shoulders; her right around my waist and the other holding my bow and my left wrist. When we are situated, Sophia pull me to stand and leads me further into the forest. God I must be pathetic if I have to lean on this Chicky-Dee.
It took us awhile until we found another rundown hunting shack, but much closer to the river. Sophia then opens the front door with the hand holding my bow. She then slowly places my onto the closest chair, with my bow next to my foot. She then takes my hunting knife from my hip holster and walked out of the room. I tried to reach out to her in protest, but I could barely move a finger. My muscles hurting like a son-of-a-bitch; screaming at me every time I think about moving.
But I push myself to stand and follow her into the other room, almost falling flat on my face. Twice. I lean on the door frame tired, my eyes focused on the floor. When I look up, the scene before my eyes quite surprising, slightly terrifying and sad at the same time. Sophia is standing above a Walker body, rotten blood pooling around her feet and the Walker's head. My now bloody hunting knife held tightly in her small delicate hands.
For a while she just stands there looking at the body, her hair covering most of her face from my view. My side getting more uncomfortable as I lean on the door frame. I shift my weight, in the process I make the floor creak, alerting my presence to Sophia. She whips her head towards me in surprise, and the look she gives me breaks my heart. Tears run down her freckled cheeks, creating a track of tears and dirt. I quickly limp my way to her and embrace her into a tight hug. Her sobs more audible as she buries her head into my chest; body shaking from I don't know what. Fear? Sadness? Relief? I couldn't tell, all I knew was that she needed me right now to comfort her.
We stood there for I don't know how long, but as I looked out the window the sky was an ombre of blues, pinks, purple and oranges as the sun rose. I brought Sophia closer, my arms tightening its hold around her shoulders as her did the same round my waist. I kissed the top of her head; only realizing I was crying as well. It had been so long since I cried. And I promised myself I wouldn't be so weak after 'that' happened. But I figured I'd make an exception, just this once and enjoy this melancholy release.
A/N: Hello readers! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am thinking of changing the POV into 3rd person for the next chapter. Please review if you like and want more content, and for any suggestions if you have any.