Chapter 6 - Misguided Ghosts
The heat of the summer sun beat down on us without mercy. I could feel the sweat forming on my brow as we moved silently through the streets of Atlanta. I was in front with Glenn behind me and Rick right behind Glenn. This was our last major supply run before we bolted away from the city. Making a go for Fort Benning. Shane had been the only one glad to hear this. To the rest of us it was 125 miles of possible walker attacks. I came to a sudden stop putting my hand out behind me telling Rick and Glenn to stop. Their footsteps immediately came to a halt behind me.
"What is it?" Rick asked coming a little closer to me. I whipped around my eyes narrowed at him my finger on my lips in a 'sh' motion. He took a step back at the sudden move before nodding. I then handed my backpack to Glenn before pulling out the machete Daryl had given me before we had left. I made sure my 9mm was loaded before taking a step forward. Before I could really go anywhere Glenn grabbed my arm pulling me back a frantic look on his face.
"What are you doing?!" he hissed causing Rick to look between us confused.
"I'll distract, you get the goods," I responded mechanically. "Not that hard to figure out."
"That's not how we do it Mel," Glenn shook his head. "You and me ninja ourselves through here we don't go making noise!"
"Plans change, Glenn. You should probably get used to it," I responded coldly pulling my arm from the Korean's grip.
I could hear Rick hissing my name telling me to get back, but I ignored it. In one ear and out the other. As I turned the corner I saw the group of about 6 or 7 walkers slowly moving around looking for any source of food. They were blocking our way so someone needed to distract them and it might as well of been me. I let out a sharp whistle watching as their heads each whipped around in my direction. I tilted my head to the sides listening as it cracked before my grip on the machete tightened.
"Whose hungry?" I asked as a scoff left my lips. "Come and get it."
"Come on, y'all it's time to eat!" Shane called out the back porch door.
My head whipped around to see Shane looking straight at me and Carl. I scoffed before turning back to look at the little man seeing the sad look on his face. I knew how he was feeling. His father had been shot and was lying in a hospital bed with no sign of waking up. He was sitting on the first swing on the play set in the back yard not moving, just staring at the ground. I was on the swing next to him watching him closely my feet moving slightly so I was actually moving.
"You know, you're gonna have to eat eventually right?" I asked glancing up at the beautiful two story white house that Rick and Lori owned.
"I'm not hungry," he stated his voice dull. I sighed before I noticed Lori standing in the window watching us closely.
"Look, I know you're worried about your dad. I want him back just as bad as you do, but do you think he'd be proud of the way you're acting right now?" I asked poking him in the side. He smiled feeling the poke knowing it tickled him.
"No," he smiled for the first time.
"Then you get that scrawny butt of yours up there to that house and get some of those delicious burgers Shane has made!" I grinned as I got off my swing before pulling Carl up out of his swing. My arms were around his midsection as I swung him around causing him to laugh before I set him back down on his own two feet. "Now go on!"
Carl nodded before dashing up the stairs of the porch and past his mother who had been standing there watching us. She had a smile on her face for Carl's benefit her arms crossed over her chest. Once Carl was inside the smile slowly faded until one of guilt was replaced as I came to a stop just in front of Lori. She reached over closing the sliding glass door before glancing into the kitchen window. I could see Shane standing there watching us before turning and talking to Carl.
"I appreciate everything you and Shane are doing," Lori nodded glancing out around the backyard. "That's the first time I've seen him smile in a while."
I nodded before crossing my arms over my own chest as I gave her a hard stare. "That really why we're out here?"
The woman sighed before her gaze met mine. "What you saw the other day-"
"Is none of my business," I cut her off trying to move past her.
"Was wrong," Lori corrected me as she stopped me from going inside. "It was wrong and it'll never happen again."
I scoffed shaking my head at her. "You're kiddin' right? That looked pretty well rehearsed to me."
"Mel-"
"I don't care about your sex life, Lori." I snapped keeping my voice low so Carl wouldn't hear through the glass. "What I do care about is the fact that you are hurting that little boy in there, your son. Having sex with your husband's best friend is a low blow but to do it while he's in a coma? That's downright selfish."
"Oh and I'm just supposed to overlook your and Rick's late night trysts?" Lori spat the true jealousy coming to the surface.
"You wanna know what happens when Rick and I go out?" I snapped glancing inside to make sure Carl was out of sight. "We have a beer and we talk about you and Carl. He's so head over heels for you and you're too blind to see it. You're the one fucking everything up Lori, not me, not Rick, you." I grabbed a hold of the handle of the door and went to pull it open but stopped and turned to look at Lori. "I can promise you as soon as he wakes up you're gonna tell him about you and Shane...or I will."
I yanked the door open the sound of Shane and Carl talking met my ears before I broke eye contact with Lori as she ran her fingers through her hair while her other hand rested on her chest.
I walked ahead of Rick and Glenn as we made our way back towards the group. While we had been in Atlanta gathering supplies the rest of the group were moving bags around and siphoning gas. We needed the least number of cars, but the most gas we could get. I noticed Lori was standing there with Carl as Shane watched her and the kid closely until he noticed who was approaching. I tossed my backpack to him as I neared the RV and he caught it with ease. I came to a stop next to my brother as Rick headed towards his wife giving her a quick kiss as the two conversed. I looked over at Shane noticing the far-away look in his eyes as he stared at the family.
"Don't look too much like a love-sick idiot. People might actually start to notice," I muttered to him.
"Kinda like you being a bitch?" Shane retorted his voice absent of any sort of malice.
I scoffed a smirk falling on my face. "Me and you Shane. Always has been always will be. Lori played you like a fiddle, brother. Congratulations, you've proven how gullible you are." My gaze fell back over to where Rick was standing and noticed he was looking over at me and Shane before nodding at us. Shane nodded back a smile, fake smile appearing on his face while I rolled my eyes looking away from the men.
"Come on you two!" Dale called out to me and Shane. I glanced up at my brother shaking my head before quickly following after Dale.
Once I was in the RV I threw myself down in the seat right behind Dale's driver's seat. Andrea, Glenn, Shane, Dale, T-Dog, and I made up the RV group. Lori, Carl, Rick, Carol, and Sophia made up the car behind us and Daryl rode by himself on Merle's motorcycle. Daryl was leading the group then it was the RV, then the car. I wasn't ultimately happy with arrangements but I would have to deal with it.
It had been three days since the CDC. Three days since we lost Jacqui. Three days since I had lost the baby. Funny how three days can change a person. The shit I pulled in Atlanta was just the beginning. I knew it was. As the bleeding slowed tremendously I could feel my guilt growing steadily in its place. I threw myself into dangerous situations on purpose. Maybe I wanted to die. Maybe I wanted to do something that would redeem me for what I had done. The only people who knew about the baby - Jim, Jacqui, Jenner - they were all gone. It was me and my conscience and I'm not sure how well that was going to bode over.
I closed my eyes leaning my head against the wall of the RV as Shane sat down next to me at the table. Andrea was situated on the other side while T-Dog sat in the back with the bed. Glenn was up front with Dale looking at a roadmap. I closed my eyes leaning my head against the wall feeling the vibrations. Time seemed to drag on as the RV remained silent the only sounds came from Shane as he cleaned his guns. The constant clicking was starting to grate on my nerves when I heard Andrea speak up.
"Looks complicated," Andrea said softly watching Shane.
"Only if you're an idiot," I muttered under my breath.
Shane scoffed at my answer before looking up at Andrea. "The trick is getting all these pieces back together the same way." A smile crossed his face. "I could clean yours. Show you how."
"And that's my cue to leave," I muttered climbing over the seat to get away from the two. I made my way towards the front kneeling down next to Glenn who was reading the map. He glanced at me before looking down at the map. Judging by the look on his face he was still upset with me about Atlanta. The conversation between Andrea and Shane could be heard as Shane called Andrea's dad a smart man.
"I remember as soon as Mel was old enough, Rick and I had her trained and ready to go," Shane chuckled. I kept my gaze through the front windshield as I listened. "She's good with this kind of stuff...She just hates that she has to depend on it now."
Spot on, brother, spot on. I thought shaking my head. Through the windshield I could see Daryl on the motorcycle keeping a good distance between him and the RV. His head would move around every now and then taking in the landscape otherwise they were glued to the road the motorcycle roaring beneath him. Was riding that loud beast practical? No, probably not, but there was no way Daryl would have left that behind.
We had been along the highway for hours now with no sign of anyone around. Not even any walkers were out and about. It was only a matter of time before we hit a roadblock...things had been just too good since we left the CDC. Boy was I right. I saw the horde of cars blocking the highway, some tipped over, others still on their wheels. Several had their doors open, while a eighteen wheeler lay on its side half in the road and half in the median. Daryl had disappeared into the chaos on his bike as Dale slowed the RV down groaning at the sight.
I could feel Shane standing behind me as we all stared out the front window waiting for any sign of Daryl. We heard him before we saw him as his bike came creeping from behind some wreckage. He slowly rode up to the driver's side where Dale was.
"See a way through?" Dale's question was met with Daryl simply nodding his head before gesturing for us to follow. The motorcycle turned around before the RV began creeping slowly through the wreckage with Daryl in the lead.
"Uh...maybe we should just go back," Glenn suggested looking from the map to Dale. "There's an interstate bypass-"
Dale shook his head cutting Glenn off. "We can't spare the fuel."
"Not like this is gonna help," I muttered as the RV snaked slowly through the wreckage.
The inside was worse than the outside. There were cars lined up along both sides of the road all in different states of disarray. Some looked like they had been thoroughly scavenged through while other looked untouched. Some had hoods up and open while others looked completely totaled. Several cars had dents in them, but none of them looked to be in perfect condition. They had been sitting here a while, that much was evident. Several cars were flipped on their roofs while some had the bodies of their passenger's still dangling inside. I shook my head before turning my gaze to the motorcycle in front of us...That's when I saw the huge pileup of cars.
I jumped as a loud clang echoed through the RV before a constant stream of steam began rising from the engine compartment. I groaned as the engine began squealing and sputtering meaning there was something wrong. Dale groaned in annoyance as he brought the RV to a complete stop. I was the first one on my feet. I reached over grabbing one of the rifles out of Shane's bag of guns before I walked to the side door of the RV and opened it up taking a step outside. Dale was right behind me before everyone else began filing out of the RV.
"I said it..." Dale said as we walked to the front of the RV. "Didn't I say it? A thousand times, dead in the water."
"Problem, Dale?" Shane asked as the group, now including the other from the car behind us, gathered around the front of the RV.
I quickly broke away from the group a serious look etched onto my face as I walked to one of the nearby cars. I climbed up on the hood, before walking up the windshield and coming to a stop on the top of the car. With my hand over my eyes to shield out the sun I looked around at the mess we had gotten ourselves into. There were plenty of cars around we could scavenge from even the ones with dead people in them.
I notice Daryl come up to the group his bike parked and off as he ducked into one of the cars near the group pulling out some stuff from the back of it. The group discussed the possibility of finding food, clothes, and gas in here when Lori spoke up.
"This is a graveyard." Her words caused everyone to halt even Daryl.
I rolled my eyes swinging the rifle over my shoulder using the strap before I jumped from the top of the car my feet hitting the hard pavement below. "Your point?" I asked as I turned my back to the group in order to start walking towards some cars.
"I don't know how I feel about this," Lori talked to my back.
I rolled my eyes turning around and continuing to walk backwards, "Then don't do anything Lori!"
I turned my back to the group when I faintly heard Shane say, "I got her," before he called out for people to start looking around. I adjusted the strap of the rifle on my shoulder as I moved past cars looking for one that would be a good scavenge. I could hear quick footsteps approaching me from behind as I wretched open a nearby car door.
"What in the hell was that?" Shane's deep voice was low as he pressed his hand to the roof of the car. His head was tilted down as he looked at me through narrowed eyes.
"What was what?" I feigned innocent glancing up at my brother before reaching into the passenger seat of the car. I felt Shane's hand snake around my arm pulling me out of the car rather forcefully. I grimaced in pain as the tightness of his grip as I straightened up my glare meeting his own.
I knew exactly what he was doing. He was trying to play the macho intimidation routine. He thought that if he could talk all big and act like a tough guy that I would immediately back down and act like a scared little girl. What my big brother didn't know was there wasn't an ounce of care in my body at the moment. I wasn't going to put up with his petty little games because he was madly in love with the conniving being known as Rick's wife.
"Lori doesn't deserve that," Shane spoke low.
"What...you her bitch now? Do what she tells you? Defend what little honor she has?" I arched an eyebrow staring up at him. Shane's jaw clenched tightly as he looked away briefly before his fiery glare returned back to me. The fierceness in the glare was enough to make me second guess my words. I knew it was out of line to say it but the intensity of his glare actually worried me.
"Everything okay?" Rick asked from behind Shane. I tore my gaze from the crazed look on Shane's face my eyes meeting Rick's concerned blues. I nodded getting as far back as I could from Shane.
"Mel was just saying she was going to go apologize to Lori," Shane stated his voice stern as he stared at me his back still to Rick.
"Mel?" Rick asked walking closer so he could see both my and Shane's faces. Shane had let go of my arm at this point leaving a good space between us.
I rolled my eyes before nodding, "I'm gonna go find Lori." It came out more as a mutter than an actual response, but I quickly pushed past Shane before walking in the opposite direction I had been earlier. I spotted Lori slowly walking by cars while holding onto Carl's hand. Right behind her was Carol who had Sophia close to her as well.
I kept up a brisk pace walking past a confused T-Dog and a suspicious Daryl before passing the RV where Dale, Glenn, and Andrea were standing. I avoided eye contact with every single person, my dark eyes set on Lori and Carol. I honestly did not want to approach Lori at all, but if I didn't Shane would be on my ass and he was the last person I needed watching me. It was bad enough that Daryl had been sending me confused and rejected looks since the CDC, but now Glenn and Rick were watching me careful both convinced I'm gonna run out and commit suicide.
I shook my head at the thought as I walked near Lori and Carol. Instead of saying anything I walked to a nearby car and pried open one of the doors. I could hear Lori telling Carl to stay within her sights while Carol told Sophia the same. I glanced over at the kids noticing they were walking slowly through the cars. Sophia turned around her eyes locking with mine as she started walking towards me. I was standing near the open door of the car noticing we were near the edge of the road the woods just on the other side of the car. The only thing that separated us from the woods were the car and the guard rail.
"Melody?" Sophia's small voice asked as she neared me.
I sighed before turning around to look at her. "What's up Sophia?"
"Are you okay?" she asked causing my eyes to widen slightly.
"What?"
"You've been acting funny," she shrugged. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."
I smiled for the first time since I had lost the baby. I knelt down and put my hand on Sophia's shoulder watching as a confused look crossed her young face. "I'm fine," I whispered. "Thank you for making sure."
I watched as a grin crossed the little girl's face. She was clutching her doll close before she wrapped her arms around my neck hugging me tightly. I smiled hugging her back tightly as I pulled away noticing Lori was watching us closely. Carl had wandered towards us a hesitant look on his face when Rick came running towards us a frantic look on his face.
"Under the cars," he hissed quietly at the three of us. My head whipped around to the direction Rick had just come from my eyes widening when I saw the cause for the distress. There were several walkers coming towards us and when I say several I mean a hell lot more than we usually see this far out from the city.
Carl immediately dove under a truck by himself while Sophia and I quickly rolled under the car I had been going through a moment ago. Rick crawled under the car on the other side of Carl while Lori and Carol climbed under a van a few cars over. I managed to maneuver the rifle off my back holding onto it tightly as I laid on my stomach. I could feel the rough pavement against my stomach as Sophia shook like a leaf next to me.
I could hear groaning and labored breathing as feet entered my vision. Some were dragging their feet while others were limping. I pulled Sophia close to me as the walkers made their way past our car. They were on my side meaning if we were spotted they would get me first giving Sophia a chance to run. I looked down at Sophia who looked on the brink of tears as she continued to shake. I put my finger to my lips causing her to nod the shaking going down tremendously but I could still see the fear in her big eyes. I turned my head so that I was looking over to where Rick was laying on his back. My eyes were wide as we locked gazes causing him to put his finger to his lips in a quiet motion.
Time passed excruciatingly slow as Sophia and I laid there under our car. My eyes were glued to Carl making sure nothing happened to him either. I could feel the relief flooding through me as the shuffling of feet grew distant and it didn't appear like there were any more heading in our direction. My body was still stiff not sure if I should trust the sense of relief running through me especially when it came to the possibility that there may be more walkers out there that I couldn't see or hear.
I looked around slowly my eyes scanning the other cars making sure everyone was okay. I looked back to Sophia nodding to the little girl before looking over at Rick. His blue eyes were wide in concern as he nodded to me telling me coast was clear. I shook my head at Sophia telling her to stay put as I moved my body slowly towards the edge of the car in order to peek out to check for anymore walkers. Sophia cried out when a pair of boots appeared next to my head and a hissing groan sounded.
"Shit," I hissed pushing myself back away from the walker and under the car. Sophia was whimpering behind me crying out as the walker got to his knees before getting on the ground and reaching out to us. Using the rifle I smashed the butt of it into the walkers face before it was ripped out of my hands. "Sophia go, go!" I snapped at her pushing us to the other side of the car as the walker reached out for us.
I cried out as the walker grabbed my shirt. Sophia cried out as she pushed herself out the other side causing me to tear my shirt away from the walker. A loud ripping noise could be heard as I pushed myself out the other side as Sophia was standing up. I was quickly on my feet as Sophia cried out. I whipped around seeing the walker that had a chunk of my shirt and another walker coming towards us quickly. I grabbed Sophia and helped her over the guard rail before jumping over it myself. Sophia was making her way down the sharp decline with me right behind her. I could hear her crying as we reached the bottom. I grabbed her hand and sharply pulled her along behind me running, the sound of the walkers right behind us.
"Come on, Sophia!" I urged her on as we dodged around trees and moved over branches on the ground. My head whipped back noticing the walkers were quickly following behind us right on our tails. I looked back forward the sound of running water meeting my ears. I felt a few branches smack me in the face leaving a stinging sensation on one of my cheeks, but I kept moving pulling Sophia behind me. We were slowly pulling away from the walkers, but the problem with that was we would get tired...they wouldn't.
Sophia's hand suddenly disappeared from my as a grunting could be heard behind me. I came to a sudden stop whipping around to see Sophia had gotten her foot caught on a root and had fallen to the ground. My heart beating rapidly I could hear the walkers but I couldn't see them. "Come on, sweetie," I said softly but briskly grabbing her hands and quickly pulling her to her feet. I whipped around to begin running but instead of going anywhere I ran into a very solid body causing me to scream. The hands wrapped tightly around me as I struggled to get away as Sophia cried out in shock.
"Melody, stop it's me!" Rick's voice met my ears immediately halting my movements. I hadn't realized I had been shaking until Rick moved his arm out grabbing Sophia pulling her close to me and Rick. I wrapped my arm around his neck pulling him close hugging him tightly feeling the sense of security he offered. "Are you alright? Are you oaky?" he asked quickly. I released him from the hug looking back at him.
"Shoot them!" Sophia cried out reaching for Rick's gun.
"Sophia, no!" I snapped pulling her hand away from Rick's gun as Rick moved a little bit away from me and the hysterical little girl.
"The walkers on the road would hear it," Rick tried explain to the little girl as he glanced at me. I shook my head glancing around wildly my hair whipping around as I searched for any signs of the walkers. "Then it wouldn't be just two of them, it'd be hundreds!"
Sophia cried out as the sound of twigs breaking sounded behind us. "Rick, we gotta go!" I hissed whipping back around to face him. He quickly picked up Sophia before nodding at me to follow. We moved much quicker with Rick carrying Sophia, but the walkers were still close behind the sound of twigs and leaves being stepped on were loud and clear. My heart racing as I kept close behind Rick glancing behind me every now and then to make sure we were out of sight of the walkers. They growled loudly as we came to a stop next to a small creek bed as Rick set Sophia down on her own two feet again.
"Wait here," Rick told us before he jumped down the embankment before nodding for me to jump down. I felt his hands around my waist as my feet splashed in the water. "Sophia," he whispered next grabbing onto the little girl pulling her down with us. The chilly water immediately soaked through the bottoms of my jeans as we quickly made our way through the water. Rick had Sophia in his arms keeping her up and out of the water.
"Rick!" I hissed spotting the alcove Sophia could hide in. He whipped around to see it before we both began splashing though the water to get to it. He finally set Sophia in the water before kneeling down in the water to talk to her face to face. My head kept whipping around as the sound of breaking branches and leaves got closer and closer. Rick told Sophia to get in the cover and to push herself back as far as possible. "Mel will stay with you-"
"I'm gonna help you draw them away," I shook my head sternly.
"You need to make sure she stays safe," Rick responded just as sternly. "If I don't come back, get her back to the highway. I'll be okay." He pushed me back towards the branch covered hideout.
"Rick, no," I shook my head fiercely.
"They don't get winded, Mel...I do. I can't be pulling you both with me. I'll take 'em out one by one. I just need you to get back to the highway with her okay? If I don't come back you need to get her back to the others." Rick reached forward putting his hand on Sophia's shoulder before putting one to my cheek. "This is how we all survive."
I nodded before pulling away from Rick, ignoring the weird feeling erupting in my stomach. I grabbed Sophia around the waist lifting her up and setting her down on the dirt of the small alcove motioning for her to squish back as far as possible. I turned around to look at Rick as he stood there in the middle of the creek. "Keep the sun on your left shoulder," he hissed to us before taking a few more steps back. I nodded before ducking into the space with Sophia. I wrapped my arms around her pulling her close to my body as she shook next to me. Her arms were wrapped around my waist holding tightly as we sat there waiting for Rick. I nodded to him and he sent me a nod in return.
"Come on!" Rick shouted as the growling of the walkers echoed from right above me and Sophia. I put my hand over her mouth to keep her from crying out as Ric splashed water up at the two. "You ugly son of a bitch, come on!"
I jumped as a sudden splash was seen. Sophia jumped with me but we stayed squished against the dirt wall. The walker slowly rose before splashing off after Rick who was egging the walker on. Sophia and I sat there frozen as the sound of Rick shouting at the walkers faded along with the growling. I kept my arms wrapped firmly on the girl until the sounds of splashing water was gone and the breaking of the twigs and branches fell silent. I put my finger to my lips telling Sophia to be very quiet as I stepped out from our hiding spot. I looked around carefully making sure there was no one around before I motioned for her to follow.
We quietly made our way through the water careful not to splash too much. We made it to the bank and I lifted Sophia up allowing her to crawl up the first to reach the top. I grabbed onto a root and carefully pulled myself up the bank after her. I could feel Sophia's hands on my arm helping me up. I nodded gratefully to the scared girl as I stood up on my feet. I grabbed her hand before the two of us began racing through the trees keeping the sun on our left shoulders.
Daryl knelt down the slowly moving water passing by him as he stared into the space Rick had pointed to. He could see both the impressions in the dirt of Sophia and Melody. Sophia's were back farther meaning Mel was closer to the water. Then both tracks disappear into the water. Mel wouldn't have left with the girl unless she felt they were safe.
"You sure this is the spot?" Daryl asked Rick as his fingers ran across the muddied dirt. He had to make sure these were the right tracks.
"I left them right here," Rick appeared at his side pointing to the area. The man was soaked head to toe like he had been swimming in the water. "I drew the walkers way off in that direction up the creek," Rick turned pointing up the creek bed.
Daryl sighed stepping back away from the spot the girls had been looking to see where Rick had pointed to. "Without a paddle - Seems where we've landed."
"They were gone by the time I got back," Rick shook his head. "I figured Mel would have waited, but-" Rick shook his head looking around. "She knew how to get back to the group. She knew the way. Something doesn't feel right."
"Damn right it doesn't," Daryl muttered as he moved through the water that was halfway up his calves.
"I told them to head that way and keep the sun on their left shoulders," Rick pointed to the way he was sure Melody and Sophia ran off in. Daryl walked over to the bank where the marks of someone climbing up it could be seen. There was movement in the dirt that indicated someone was on the ground before the footprints began leading away from the edge. There were two sets which was a good indicator they were both still alive at that point. Daryl's eyes followed the steps before he noticed Glenn was standing right in his clear path.
"Hey, short round, why don't you step off to one side," Daryl snapped pointing at Glenn. "You're mucking up the trail."
Glenn looked down sheepishly before quickly moving to the left and off of the trail Daryl had spotted. Shane was standing a little ways away shaking his head as he took in all the information. He wanted to find his sister just as much as everyone else, but he didn't give a damn about that little girl. He had no ties to her. It was his sister he wanted to find.
"That's assuming Sophia knows her left from her right," Shane muttered.
"Shane, they understood me just fine. Besides your sister knew what she was doing," Rick snapped glaring up at his best friend.
"Kid's tired and scared, man. And think about it, ever since the CDC Mel hasn't exactly been in the right state of mind. They had a close call with two walkers. Gotta wonder how much of what you said actually stuck."
"Got clear prints right here," Daryl cut off the argument as he made his way up the bank. His heart beat quickened noticing there were deeper impressions towards the ball of the foot meaning they were moving quickly. Whether it was a run or a quickly walk it didn't matter. "They did like you said and headed back towards the highway. Let's spread out!" Daryl called out as he made his way up the bank. "Make our way back."
"They couldn't have gotten far," Shane nodded reaching his head out to Rick helping him up and out of the water.
Rick nodded to his friend as he went on about how Sophia was tucked in a bush hiding while Mel played protector. Rick knew Mel wouldn't let anything happen to the little girl, but there was something off about all this. Mel would have gotten them both back to the highway, but no one had seen them when they came out looking for the three of them. The problem was there were a lot of woods and that was a huge pack of walkers. There would be more out there. Mel wasn't armed with anything to protect them with. Rick wanted to hit himself for leaving them alone with nothing to use for defense.
Daryl headed past Glenn quickly his eyes glued to the ground. He could feel the weight of the crossbow in his hand as his blue scanned the dirt carefully. He could make out two distinct footprints. One larger than the other which meant at this point Mel and Sophia were both alive. The larger prints were ahead of the smaller ones with every step. Daryl could see Mel walking quickly almost pulling a frightened Sophia behind her. Her head whipping around causing her dark hair to fly every which way as she kept an eye out for any sign of walkers.
His eyes followed along the trail, his body hunched over keeping him close to the ground so he could see the tracks. The footprints belonging to Sophia were getting even more rushed creating drag marks, but there was no indication that they were being chased by anything. His eye brows furrowed as they came to an opening in the trees and the patterns suddenly shifted. There was a large indentation in the dirt meaning someone had fallen, hitting the ground hard. He could see the smaller prints around the larger body sized scuffle in the dirt. Almost like a movie playing out in his head, Daryl could see Melody hitting the ground hard, her eyes wide in shock as Sophia moved around her quickly trying to pull Mel up.
Daryl knelt down next to the imprint. "They were doing just fine until right here," he told the rest of the group following behind him. He noticed Shane kneel down next to him while Rick stood on his other side. "All they had to do was keep going." Daryl took in the marks like someone was scrambling to get to their feet before two distinct prints could be seen again. Instead of going straight towards the highway both prints went sharply to the right. "They veered off that way." He pointed after the prints.
"What the hell was Melody thinking?" Shane asked looking in the direction Daryl was pointing.
"She fell right here," Daryl pointed to the disrupted dirt. "Judging by the prints going that way she hurt herself. The right print is less visible than the left. She's limping."
"But why would she go that way?" Glenn asked quietly from his spot next to Rick.
"Maybe they saw something. If Mel was injured and there was the possibility of danger she wouldn't beeline towards it," Shane defended his sister as he looked around at the area they were in.
"Walker?"
Daryl shook his head. "I don't see any other footprints," he explained as his eyes scanned the immediate area around where Mel had fallen. "Just theirs." He shook his head not understanding why Mel would have veered off. What in the hell were you thinking, Mel? That was the only thing running through his mind as he searched the ground for any indication of some sign of danger. Something that would have made them break their path.
"So what do we do?" Shane asked looking over at Daryl then up at Rick. "All of us press on?"
"No," Rick responded immediately. "Better if you and Glenn head back up to the highway. People are going to start panicking." Shane slowly stood up as Rick explained to them what to do. "Let them know we are on their trail doing everything we can. But most of all keep everybody calm."
Shane nodded, "I'll keep 'em busy scavenging cars. Think up a few other chores. I'll keep 'em occupied." Shane then looked down at Daryl. "Just find my sister." He then nodded to Glenn who quickly followed after Shane as he stalked away from the two.
"Think they're okay?" Rick asked quietly as Daryl stood up looking off in the direction Mel and Sophia went.
"Of course they are," Daryl snapped harshly not wanting to think about the alternative. He shook his head before quietly taking off down the way Mel and Sophia went.
I could feel the sweat rolling down the side of my face as I slowly climbed up over the small hill. I immediately ducked down grabbing Sophia dragging her down to the ground with me. I could hear the gasping and growling of the walker passing just above our heads. I looked down at Sophia putting my finger to my lips waiting until she nodded in understanding. I slowly pulled myself away from her earning a frightened look and her shaking her head quickly at me. Her short blonde hair bouncing around as she tried making me come back.
I put my finger back to my lips before pointing to the ground between us telling her to stay here. I reached over grabbing a heavy rock with both hands before slowly moving away from Sophia. She was shaking and looking near tears before I lost sight of her. I pushed myself behind a tree just ahead of where the walker was coming from. I could hear his groaning as he approached where I was. I shifted my weight so I was primarily on my left leg trying to keep as much of the weight off my right as possible. It might have just been a sprain from the fall, but I wasn't going to take any chances.
The soft grunting then turned into a vicious snarling. I knew the walker had heard me shifting. I shook my head before limping out from behind the tree the rock held to my body as I waited for it to get close enough. He was disgusting, covered in blood and dirt. His face completely sunken with chunks missing right around his mouth. His yellowish black teeth were bared at me as he moved quickly towards me with his own limp. My grasp on the rock tightened as the walker came within a few feet from me. I brought the rock up quickly before swinging it at the walkers head. He went tumbling down sending me down to the ground next to him. He was squirming and growling trying to get back on his feet. I quickly grabbed the rock again before crawling over and smashing the rock down on the walker's head. I brought it down over and over and over again, each hit a loud crunch and squishing noise could be heard as blood spattered the front of my shirt.
I finally dropped the bloody rock next to me once I was convinced the walker was dead. I slowly climbed to my feet keeping my weight on my left as I limped back towards where I left Sophia. As I moved down the small incline I looked down at the tree where I had left the little girl only to find the familiar blond missing. My eyes widened as I whipped around my dark eyes scanning the woods quickly.
"Sophia?" I asked turning my body quickly ignoring the pain in my foot. "Sophia!" I shouted.
I noticed some footprints leading away from where I had left her and quickly followed after them. I could feel my heart beating rapidly as my heart broke at the thought of losing her. We had gotten this far, I couldn't lose her now. My speed increased before the earth beneath me vanished. For a brief minute it felt like my heart had stopped before I felt my back hit the solid ground again. I felt branches and twigs digging into any exposed skin on my body as the world around me spun like I had been thrown on a damn carnival ride. The pain was no longer located at just my ankle, my entire body was on fire until a pain ripped through my skull turning my world from a rush of greens and browns to nothing but black obsidian.
Rick had his revolver in hand as he and Daryl made their way through the trees. After Shane and Glenn had left the other two had continued to follow the faint tracks Mel and Sophia had left. There wasn't any talking as Daryl's eyes darted along the forest floor leaving Rick to his own thoughts, which wasn't where he wanted to be at the moment. He could feel the guilt flowing through his veins as he thought about the two of them out there alone. He knew Mel was never good at tracking through the woods. Sure she could shoot a gun, had decent aim, and was a very determined woman...but she wasn't the roughing it out in the woods with no weapon kind of person.
What worried him even more was the fact that she was injured according to Daryl. She had fallen and was now limping. There weren't any signs of bleeding, but that didn't mean there wasn't that possibility. He knew, injured or not, Mel wouldn't let anything happen to Sophia. If there were walkers around she'd take them on injuries and all just to make sure Sophia made it out alive. He felt his stomach twist at the thought of Mel's mangled body being gnawed on my walkers...Especially after what Jenner had told him.
The sound of snapping twigs had both Rick and Daryl crouching down both of their thoughts now on the possible danger at hand. They were near a small incline when Daryl stopped short his eyes catching sight of body sized marks in the dirt of the small hill. He looked at Rick pointing up the small incline his crossbow ready and held in front of him as Rick nodded. Daryl moved forward first taking the hill quickly aiming in case there were any walkers waiting for them at the top. His eyes darted around quickly before he came to a quick stop lowering his crossbow when he saw what it was. Laying on the flat ground was a walker, the top half of its head smashed in with a bloody rock laying on the ground next to it.
"That's my girl," Daryl muttered as he inched forward taking in the walker. "Melody!" Daryl called out looking around. "Sophia!"
There was no response to Daryl's echoing calls. Rick on the other hand was focused on the dead walker at their feet. There was fresh blood in the teeth of the walker and that worried him. There could be the slim possibility of it being one of the girls'. Rick pulled out a pair of gloves from his pocket as he knelt down next to the walkers. He could feel his breath hitch as he pulled the gloves on Daryl kneeling down next to him.
"What are you looking for?"
"It fed recently," Rick explained pointing to the bloody teeth and mouth. "That's not blood from the head trauma."
"You think..." Daryl trailed off as Rick pried open the walkers mouth. Rick didn't say anything as he gritted his teeth. He grabbed a hold of something slippery and tough before giving Daryl a disgusted look.
"There's flesh caught in its teeth." He pulled out the small graying flesh before showing it to Daryl who was looking at it closely.
"Yeah, but what kind of flesh?"
Rick looked back down at the corpse before reaching back for his knife. "Only one way to know for sure." He tried keeping the look of horror off his face at the thought of possibly finding pieces of Mel or Sophia in this thing's stomach, but he knew they had to do it. He pulled open the walker's shirt revealing the pale, hairy stomach slightly engorged from a recent feeding. Rick could feel his stomach churning but kept a straight face the best he could.
"Here," Daryl stopped Rick as he put on a pair of his own gloves. "I'll do it." He pulled back his shirt slightly to reveal his large hunting knife making Rick's look like a small pig-sticker. "How many kills you skin and gut in your life?" He stepped over the walker pulling his knife out. "Anyway, mine's sharper."
Rick didn't say anything as Daryl brought the large knife down forcefully on the stomach. Rick flinched hearing the squishing sound of Daryl cutting into the walker. As he cut the flesh Rick couldn't help but think of Mel screaming in pain as a walker bit into her skin tearing chunks out. He wasn't sure why his mind gravitated towards that, but with every cut Daryl made he couldn't help but hear Mel screaming out in agony as piece by piece was torn out of her otherwise flawless flesh.
"Now here comes the bad part," Daryl brought Rick's attention back to the corpse.
Rick looked down seeing the black exposed organs of the walker as Daryl dug through it. He couldn't help but flinch back at the thought of there being a piece of Mel or even Sophia inside this thing. It made him sick to his stomach to think that this was what their insides might look like if they turned...if any of them had turned.
Rick's gaze turned to the slimy black organ parts Daryl was ripping out of the walker before tossing it to the ground next to them. The smell alone was unbearable, but the sight made it even worse. A person can't unsee the sight of Daryl Dixon ripping organs out of a walker. Rick covered his mouth with the back of his gloved hand as Daryl pulled out the organ they were looking for, still perfectly intact.
"Here's the gut bag," Daryl tossed the organ down between the two of them.
Rick scrunched up his nose trying to ignore the smell before saying, "I got this." he had to do it. If any piece of Mel or Sophia were in there he needed to be the first to know.
He immediately pulled his own knife out again before he began cutting into the flimsy organ. The blade cutting into the top of it made him cringe as it revealed the slightly digested black gushy contents of the stomach. He pushed open the stomach before pushing around some of the contents with his knife scooping up some as Daryl began to dig through it with his own knife. Rick stared down at the sludge on the flat edge of his blade before he flung it to the ground disgust evident on his face. Using the tip of his own knife Daryl dug the small skull of an animal out of the stomach showing it to Rick.
"This gross bastard had himself a woodchuck for lunch," Daryl flung the skull to the ground before standing up.
"At least we know," Rick stated shaking his head relieved that neither girl was in the stomach of this brute.
"At least we know," Daryl repeated before the sight of tracks caught his attention. "Found a trail."
Rick attention immediately snapped over to where Daryl was looking. Daryl grabbed his arrows and crossbow before pulling off his gloves. His blue eyes were glued to the ground as Rick straightened up. Rick pulled off his own gloves as Daryl moved carefully along some tracks before coming to a stop next to a ledge. Rick was immediately at the other man's side gazing down the ridge when he saw it. There was a clear indication that someone had gone tumbling down the ridge leaving bits of blood behind.
"There's a set of footprints that veer off in that direction," Daryl pointed along the ridge. "They're smaller than the prints that stop here."
"So, Sophia went off that way," Rick nodded looking in the direction Daryl was pointing to. "And Mel..."
"Went off the ridge," Daryl looked down before he slowly began climb down the ledge.
"Whoa, whoa, what about Sophia," Rick said quickly causing Daryl to stop. The man looked up at him with an annoyed look on his face.
"If she went down this ridge she's gonna be hurt which means she won't have made it far. Mel's gotta be down there," Daryl snapped like it was common sense. "Sophia wouldn't be far behind."
Daryl didn't give Rick the chance to argue as he made his way down the steep hill. He could see the broken branches and disturbed dirt where her body had rolled down. He could feel his hand clenching at his side when he saw the blood. Along a few rocks before there was a pool at the base of the hill. It was dark, but still wet meaning it had been recent. He could hear Rick making his way down the hill before Daryl's eyes found it. There were streaks of blood along the ground like a body had been dragged before it disappeared at the edge of a small flowing creek.
"Is that..."
"Blood," Daryl finished for Rick.
Both men looked up at the small creek before the sight of something on the other side caught their attention. Rick's breathing hitched as Daryl's grip tightened dramatically on his crossbow. Neither of them thought twice before they were racing across the water to get to the other side. Rick could feel his heart breaking the closer he got. Laying on the other bed of the creek was a body. Unrecognizable, the face having been gnawed on, the body looking like nothing but a huge chunk of red muscle stained with black blood. Bits of the muscles were completely gone revealing blood stained bone. There were some bits of jeans left on the leg while pieces of a ripped dirty shirt was left over on the petite arm muscles that were left. Long, dark, tangled hair matted in blood caused Rick to fall to his knees beside the body.
He could feel the tears gathering in his eyes staring down at the body. It was the size of Melody. Her shape, her hair. He shook his head when he noticed Daryl kick a nearby rock into the flowing stream. He heard Daryl yell out before his eyes went back to the body in front of them. Rick slowly reached forward letting his fingers touch the dark matted hair. He quickly pulled his fingers back wiping the tears that had fallen before he quickly stood up and turned away from her.
"We can't leave her like this," Daryl's voice broke at the end. "We can't leave Mel like this."
Rick nodded before turning around pulling the knife from his pocket. He knew what Daryl meant. It was starting to get dark and who knew how long she had been dead. The last thing he wanted was her coming back like this, a heap of chewed flesh. He knelt down next to her keeping the tears at bay setting the tip of the knife to where her forehead should have been. She probably wouldn't have come back anyways, but he wanted to be sure.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered before pushing the knife slowly into the brain. He could hear the squishing noise his stomach rolling as he tried to keep from throwing up. Once the tip of his knife hit the ground on the other side he quickly pulled it out and straightened up turning his back to the corpse.
Why was he so sure it was her? It had no distinguishable features. It had been eaten away, the long dark hair the only thing left. But it looked like her hair. How many people could there really be out here with long dark hair like that? Rick shook his head trying to keep the tears at bay as he looked over at Daryl. The anger flashing across the other man's face as he stared at the body of the woman.
"It's getting dark," Daryl's gruff voice broke the silence. "Head back and set out to find Sophia tomorrow."
"What do we tell them?" Rick asked softly glancing off in the direction Sophia might have gone. He then looked over noticing Daryl was making his way back across the creek. Daryl came to a stop on the other side his blue gaze glued on the rotting corpse.
"Trail went cold."
Thank you so much to my wonderful reviewers and the favorites and story alerts! You guys are great. I realize that Daryl stories are tough in this fandom, but I'm glad y'all have stuck through it this far! There's tons more to come this season! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE leave a review. Its the only way I can really moderate my work to see what you guys like and don't like. Again thank you so much for your support!