They ran along the road, passing so many people who needed help.
When Amy began lagging behind, her father had lifted her into his arms and carried her. Cradling her in his arms. She shut her eyes and held her injured hand by the wrist. The shard of glass was lodged pretty deep, and it hurt like crazy.
"Its okay, baby girl, I'm going to keep you safe..." He promised. Determined, this time, to keep it.
but he couldn't think about THAT now.
She began crying into his shoulder.
"shh... Its going to be okay..." he soothed, rubbing her back as he frantically looked for a place to hide.
He spotted a large van crashed against a tree just off the highway, and there were no monsters nor people near it. The back doors were open wide and there was a lot of room inside of it. He jumped the guard rail and raced down the hill towards it.
He gently set Amy down inside of the vehicle, before turning and slamming both doors shut.
"Daddy... a-are we safe n-now?" she asked, curling up against the far wall. The cold, grey steel feeling soaked through her clothing and chilled her to the bone.
Her dad began shoving boxes against the doors. They were on pretty level ground, so nothing was sliding anywhere.
"Why are you doing that?" Amy added, wincing at her hand.
"Urgh... to keep those things away from us. The fucking door-lock-thing is screwed to hell...uh... oops"
He realized what he said, and he knew what she was about to say.
"Dad! You said a swear!" Amy protested. Trying her best to give him a stern face through her pain. She hated when people cussed, especially her dad.
Her dad wiped sweat from his forehead when he was done. He walked over and sat next to his daughter, against the wall.
"Sorry, sweetheart. I know, don't ever say that, okay?"
"Yeah, I know... Ow!"
"How's that hand doing?" he whispered, pulling her in closer to his side and looking at her hand.
"Not good." She said through gritted teeth, pulling her hand up so he could see it. "C-can you fix it? It hurts."
He stared at the wound, studying it. Honestly he didn't know what to do. He wasn't a goddamn doctor.
"Um..." He said in thought, putting one hand gently on her wrist.
He gripped the piece of glass in his right hand, she flinched in pain at this, and attempted to retract her arm from him.
"Daddy? What are you doing?" she asked nervously.
Man, this glass was really far in...
"Sweetheart, close your eyes, this will hurt only for a second."
She did, but she was still flinching in expectation.
He pulled. Hard.
"OW!" she screeched, trying to pull her hand away from him. The piece of glass came out with a sucking sound, and blood began pulsing from the wound.
"Ow! Daddy-" she whimpered, tears flowing from her eyes again.
"Shh, its okay..." He whispered. Frantically looking around for a bandage. Shit, he needs to think crap like this through, or else he and Amy... aren't going to last long.
Don't think like that.
He pulled his tie off of his neck, and began wrapping it around her hand in an attempt to stop the bleeding. She allowed him to this.
"That hurt!" she snapped, but not in an aggressive way. She could feel some relief from having it taken out.
After he was done wrapping it tightly and tying a knot, she protectively pulled her hand in, away from him. Tears were still evident in her eyes. He then pulled her crying form close to his side again.
"I'm sorry, honey, all of this shouldn't have happened. I'm sorry you saw all of that... Outside." he whispered into her ear.
"I... I... she stuttered. "I guess it's okay..."
"No, it's not okay. It's just... You...you could... Never mind."
Giving her father a questioning look, Amy tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. But instead, that just smeared more blood and dirt onto her face. She didn't seem to notice though, either that, or she was ignoring it.
"I could what?"
"ugh... Forget I said anything. I'll... Tell you another time."
Amy looked like she was about to protest, but she kept her mouth shut.
"Im sorry, sweetie, I shouldn't have said anything." He added.
She looked at her feet.
"...no, I'm sorry." she said.
"For what?"
"never mind." She said. "I'm just sorry."
He stared at her, and she looked defiantly at him, obviously not going to say anything more, so he best not try.
"Its okay, just... get some sleep. I'll keep you safe, I promise." He said, giving up.
"but what about you?"
"Me? Nah, I'm fine." He said, though unconvincingly. Amy knew that he was tired. "After a day like this? I'm pretty wide awake."
She frowned.
"I know you're lying daddy, I'm not stupid." She grumbled.
"Of course you're not! I never said you were."
She stared at her hands.
Her dad sighed, removing his dress coat and wrapping it around her shoulders.
"Just please rest, for me. I'll keep a watch for monsters."
She finally gave in, besides, she WAS tired.
He smiled in victory as she leaned against him, feeling his warmth.
"I love you, Amy" he added, kissing her on the forehead. "I won't let anything happen to you."
Amy nodded, taking shaky breathes, and shut her eyes.
"I love you to, daddy."
...
"Amy! Sweetheart, wake up."
Amy opened her eyes to stare into the face of her dad. Behind him, sunlight filtered through the shattered windows.
"Cmon sweetie, were... 'Going home' today, and I need you to stay attentive, alert, serious, and focused." He said. "This is not last night, okay? This is dangerous now, and we have to make sure that we get home in one piece. Who knows what's out there today."
She rubbed her eyes, still trying to wake up.
"What's attentive mean?" She asked innocently.
He stopped, his palm on the door handle.
"uh... It means that your... Paying attention, honey, that's all. Now when i open this door, you have to be just that, okay?"
Amy nodded.
He signaled for her to stay quite, and then he turned towards the doors again.
"Ready?" He asked, but then he just swung the door open. Not waiting for her response. He listened.
Nothing.
He leaned further out.
Still nothing.
He stepped outside. There was still no sound.
He turned back towards the doors, where Amy was standing in the entrance.
"All clear. Come on-"
BANG!
"Ah! Fuck!" Her dad cursed, clutching his right knee. A bullet hole was on the side, going clean through. He fell over on his side, groaning in pain.
"Daddy!" Amy squealed in panic, racing to her dads side.
"I got one, Kevin! I got a walker!" Someone yelled triumphantly. In the distance.
"You did? Good job! Is that- oh, shit! Goddamnit, Kyle, that's a person!" Another man responded.
"it is?!"
"Yes! Fucking hell, way to fucking go!" He scolded, "You always fuck things up!"
Amy heard footsteps racing her way, but she didn't care.
"Daddy?" She whimpered, leaning down next to him.
"I'm okay, honey, it's just-ah! it's just my leg." He said through gritted teeth, his hands gripping his bleeding wound. The blood welled around and through his fingers. Leaking down his pants and skin.
"Sir! Oh my god, are you okay?" One of the men said, drawing closer.
"Amy, stay- Ergh! Ugh, God. Okay, just stay behind me, okay? Just help me stand up, and don't approach them."
Amy helped her dad stand just as the two men burst into the clearing.
"Sir?" The older of the two men asked.