I groggily opened my eyes, the world slowly creeping in.
The revelations of the past day filtered through my head and I groaned.
Lori and walkers close by.
I sat up slowly and rubbed my eyes. It was still pretty dark, and Helena and Alex were both still fast asleep.
As quietly as I could, I pulled on some jeans and a check shirt. I laced my shoes up tightly and crept out of the tent.
I rolled my sleeves up as I walked, checking all the tents to see who was awake. Virtually no one.
The sun had yet to show over the trees, but Dale, Glenn and Rick were already up.
"Morning." I murmured as I sat beside Glenn.
"Morning Sam." Rick chimed.
I was handed a bottle of water and took it graciously and drank greedily. The men chatted between themselves while I say, barely listening to the conversation.
No one had really been looking for Sophia. I was so distracted yesterday that I didn't even think about it, let alone go out looking. The shame of that felt like a kick in the face. But at least we had a lead.
Daryl found Sophia's doll. Which means she had to have been there at some point. Obviously he's in no state to go keep looking-
But what if I did?
I sat mulling the idea over as the rest of the group began to emerge. I thought of the direction Daryl and I had walked back, and how long that took.
If I jogged, I could get there in a mere couple hours. And jogging didn't seem like that much of a problem any more. I needed a bit more practise, but I could push myself on if I needed to, and this would be enough to push me forward for a very long time. If I find out whereabouts he found the doll, I could carry on from there.
Eventually everyone had woken and was gathering for food, and I decided then would be the time to drop my idea.
"I'm going to pick up Daryl's trail from the other day." I blurted, making the group go silent.
"No!" Alex shouted, unsurprisingly.
"No!" Glenn cried.
"What?" Dale gasped.
"Look, Daryl found the first tangible piece of evidence to show us where Sophia is. And as he can't go now, I will." I pointed out. I was determined to do this.
I looked at Daryl, who seemed to be boring holes into my head. I shifted uncomfortably and looked away from his fierce gaze. His gaze doesn't hold any power over me. It can't - he's a total fool.
"But he barely came back in one piece." Lori pointed out, her eyes flicking quickly to Daryl. I shook my head.
"I'll be fine. Besides, I'm not stupid enough to hit myself with my own arrow." I smirked at Daryl. He grunted something but was frowning.
"This isn't a joke Sam. This is serious." Alex growled. I bit my lip and stared at him. He sounded like my mother.
"Nah, let her go. She'll be fine." Shane said, and I was stunned. But as my eyes landed on him, his gaze was anything but understanding; it just felt cold.
"Yeah," I said slowly. " I will be. And you're all talking like I'm twelve, not twenty-six-"
"Don't. I got cornered - it was hard to get out." Daryl interrupted, and I was slightly taken about his admission.
"Lori and Daryl are right Sam. It's too dangerous to go out alone." Rick said calmly, but I shook my head again.
"We were going to look out further anyway, weren't we? I'll be fine." I said, standing a little shakily.
There was nothing they could say that would stop me. I had to do this. I felt like I owed it to Sophia.
I walked away from the group, making a b-line for my tent. I grabbed my bag, my gun and my machete and exited it again. The group hadn't moved, but they were all watching me. I shouldered my bag and stared back at them.
No one tried stopping me.
"Whereabouts did you find Sophia's doll?" I asked impatiently, staring at Daryl. He didn't answer for a while, merely looking me over.
"Creek. Not far from where I found ya." Daryl croaked, earning a glare from Alex.
"See you all in a couple hours, then." I stated, waiting for something, anything.
I rolled my eyes and began walking away, actually disappointed that no one tried to stop me. At least, properly.
"Sam, don't do this! At least wait for someone to come with you." Alex called, but I ignored him.
As soon as I hit the treeline, I broke into a jog.
It took a few hours and continuously getting lost, but somehow I managed to find the creek.
Normally, it would've been beautiful. A real explorers treat. But I didn't see it like that. How could anyone?
Two walkers lay dead in the river bed, one of Daryl's arrows sticking out of its head. What the hell did Daryl have to go through?
As carefully as I could, I climbed down the steep hill to get to the bottom.
After nudging both of the walkers with my foot and machete, I started looking round for any evidence.
I didn't find much, but there was a fair amount of blood on the floor which sent alarm bells firing through me. I suppressed a shiver and pushed myself up the other side of the creek.
When I finally pulled myself up, I felt like punching the air in triumph. How Daryl scaled that hill injured I'd never know. I was worn out with full health.
I walked slowly, looking out for any sigh of the girl. There were faint smudges in the mud, but they looked older. there were small prints too. They were worn and trodden over. Regardless, I followed them. I had nothing else to go on.
I follower the small worn stacks for around an hour when I made a heart-stopping discovery - a purple hair clip. I stooped low and picked it up and began turning it over in my hands.
Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god.
Could it be Sophia's?
It definitely looked like a young girls. It had a butterfly on it, but the glittery wings were mingled with mud.
In a way, I genuinely hope not. I hope she hasn't come this far into the middle of nowhere.
I shoved the clip into my pocket and twirled my machete in my hands, sighing. I started walking slowly, surveying the area hoping for any other concrete sign that a small girl had been there.
There wasn't - but I heard that definitive, bloodcurdling moan.
SHIT.
I stood still, my eyes scanning the surrounding area as the blood began surging quickly through my every fibre. I held my breath as if I could hear anything, but I was totally at a loss.
I couldn't see it. Them. The shuffling and moans echoed, the sound bouncing off every surface.
I turned slowly, straining my eyes and ears, trying to ignore the rapid beating and pulsing of my heart.
Slowly, I began creeping back the way I came, hoping that I hadn't been spotted yet.
I didn't get far before I saw them.
There were four of them shuffling along together, all so decrepit and withered that they didn't have a gender or any human resemblance. But it was too late. They'd found me.
They started barreling towards me, their groans getting louder as they drew nearer.
My body finally kick-started into action and I began running as hard and as fast as I could. I pushed myself harder and harder, dodging trees and trying to keep my balance as I stumbled over uneven ground.
I spun round as I ran, the walkers getting closer as my already tired body began to slow. I grunted my way through the trees, drawing on whatever strength I could.
I had to sort them out. I couldn't run the whole way back to camp with them on my tail.
I slowed my pace slightly, assessing the walkers. One was a lot closer, and wasn't close to the group. I could pick that one off to start with.
It came closer, it's gargles getting louder and more sickening.
In one spin, I stopped and cracked my machete down on its head, grunting loudly. I ripped it back out, sending the walkers crumpling to the floor.
It went down hard, taking out the one running behind it.
In hanging back, the other two had caught up and were right on top of me.
Out of blind panic, I swung out my machete, slicing across the closest walkers stomach. It crumpled, unable to walk but still reaching out towards me I kicked it to give me more of an edge, and watched it as it fell to the floor.
The tripped walker had caught up, spurring me back into running.
I got towards a gravelly embankment and began to scramble up. I was quickly shoved down with a sharp push of my bag, sending me onto the floor.
I smashed into the embankment hard. My face smashed into it hard, sending a splitting pain through the cut on my cheek. My rib cage smacked against something which felt like a tree root, Sending pain around my midsection.
I gasped in pain, the excruciating ache shooting across my ribs. I slid down and rolled to face the walker that grabbed me.
The first walker fell on me and I screeched. As quick as I could, I brought my machete up and sliced its head off, blood spraying on my face.
I pushed my lips hard together and shut my eyes, hoping none of it went in.
It's head was still gargling, even though it wasn't attached to the body. Horrified, I threw my machete at its head, sending it through its eye, but not stopping it totally. I cried out as I started pushing the body off me.
I was shoved back as another crushing weight fell onto my chest as the other walker fell on top of me. I tried to stop hyperventilating as every part of my body stung, and tried to focus on getting out of this situation alive.
"Shit!" I screamed, holding it's snapping head away from me by the shoulders.
I was too far away from my machete, but laying closet was a rock. I shifted as close as I could as the walkers face edged closer and closer.
My fingertips grazed it, and I strained every muscle in my arm to reach it, groaning with pain and determination. When my fingers finally wrapped round it, I gripped it tightly and swung it hard at the side of the walker's head, knocking it off me.
I crawled to it and hovered over it before smashed the stone down on to it's head until it stopped moving.
I scrambled back and panted hard, my eyes roaming the area and avoiding the walkers.
The pain in my chest was unbearable, making me feel like I was going to pass out.
The head still gargled, and scampering beside it, I drew my machete and drove it hard through it's head.
Camp. I just wanted to get back to camp.
I quickly got to my feet and jogged back the way I came, knowing I had to finish off what I'd started. When I found the walker I slashed and without hesitation, I rammed my machete through it.
I stared at it, daring it to get back up. I waited until I had composed myself and began moving.
I dragged myself forward, pushing the pain I felt to the back of my mind.
Every breath I took sent pain into every cell of my body. I knew I'd done something to my ribs. I also knew that there was blood trickling down my face from my cut. Panic flashed through me, making me worried about any of the walker's blood getting into the wound. I wiped a hand around the cut and didn't feel any blood splatters on my cheeks. That's have to do for now.
Licking a clean spot on my hand, I wiped it across the cut, trying to clean it, ignoring the urge to scream,
Somehow, I'd numbly reached the creek. I slid down the hill and past the walkers.
I got by the second, and spurred by the moment, slowly scooped down to pull out the arrow from its skull.
I staggered up the creek on the other side, and pushed myself on again.
I bumbled through the woods, not caring what happened. I was only fighting the need to black out, and I wasn't going to fight anything else.
I could feel adrenaline wanting to pulse through me, but I knew it wouldn't take effect. It only kept me awake.
Maybe it was stupid for me to come out alone. It was all for what? A stupid hair clip. If Alex says I told you so, I'm going to run him through with my machete.
I reached into my pocket as I walked and held the clip in my hand, trying to remain oblivious to the blood that covered me. The clip stayed tightly in my hand and the arrow and my machete held loosely in the other.
The light crept away as I carried on. I tried jogging, but the reverberation of my ribs and stomach made me see stars.
Soon enough, the end of the trees were in sight. The field greeted me as I pushed through the last thicket of the woods and towards the camp.
I slid over the fences with all the effort I could and fell to the ground.
"Sam! Holy shit!" Alex screamed, running towards me as he saw me.
"Oh my god..." Rick shouted as he and the rest of the group ran forward.
I pulled myself up with support from the fence and kept on walking.
I wanted to smile, to laugh, cry, anything. But my body wouldn't respond to my thoughts. It only moved forwards. I struggled for a few seconds. Eventually I managed to get out words.
"Carol." I groaned as Alex reached me and wrapped his arms around me.
I hissed in pain, which made him jump off of me.
"I told you so." He sighed, steering me towards the camp. I couldn't retaliate. I wanted to kick him, punch him, but I couldn't.
They had all gathered to watch me walk up, their faces contort in shock.
"What happened?" Daryl asked, jogging over.
I silently handed over his arrow, giving him a quick look. His eyebrows knotted and his eyes met mine, holding me there.
Carol can running out of the RV, heading straight for me.
"Sam, what happened?" She gasped, laying a hand on my face.
I extended my hand and held out the clip.
"Is this Sophia's?" I asked shakily.
She took it and covered her mouth with her hand, nodding. Lori wrapped her arms around her and steered her away, giving me a strange look. I brushed it off, not in the mood for any of her cryptic shit.
I staggered past and dropped into one of the chairs by the fire, the whole group crowding around me.
It took a few minutes, but I could feel myself waking up more. I could breath better and words formed more easily.
"What happened to you? You're covered in blood." Alex rushed, dropping in front of my knees.
"Walkers. Four of them caught me off guard..." I explained, slowly and breathlessly went through my events of what happened. By the time I had finished, the group was entranced and I was feeling more myself, despite the obvious.
"But yeah. I've obviously done the cut on my cheek again, and I think I've bruised my ribs or something. It's hard to breath." I mumbled, pain coursing through everything.
The group all stared, their mouths hanging open or their eyes wide. They all seemed to be waiting for something.
"What? I told you all I'd be alright." I smirked, ignoring the throbbing pain in my face. If I look alright, they'll believe it. Then they'll get off my back.
At that, there was a collective laugh as everyone relaxed, but their eyes were still concerned.
"Shit, you're a sight." Daryl grunted and rolled my eyes.
"You're such an idiot Sam. But you seemed to have done okay." Alex sighed with a slight smile, but his face still looked a little petrified.
"Not totally. Actually, I want to go and see Hershel. I'm starting to see stars." I said, becoming more delirious with each breath.
"Well, I'd be honoured to escort you." Dale said, offering me a hand. I dropped my machete and let my bag fall off me, I took his hand and let him lead me up to the house.
"She's a crazy bitch." Daryl grumbled, and I turned back to him.
"I heard that." I called, ignoring the pain that gripped my chest to flash him a smile.
His lip twitched and his hands flexed around the arrow. I turned back and gulped hard.
"Dale, we need to hurry up before I black out."
Hope you liked!
This chapter was a lot shorter than I thought. I may work on that, but for now, I'm happy with it.
Let me know what you thought. And what you thought about the newest episode! With Lori and T-Dog? I cried. A lot. Haha. :)
- Loré. X