Chapter Twenty

Summer's POV

Everyone was tense over the next few days because everyone was still taking turns keeping watch at the barn. Rick said he was in talks with Hershel but nothing seemed to be coming out of it. Finally one day it was like everyone snapped. Rick was missing for most of the day when he was supposed to be going on the search for Sophia with Andrea, Shane, and Daryl but wasn't back when he said he was going to be. We heard that he went somewhere with Hershel because Hershel needed his help but that was it. Everyone was starting to wonder what was going on. Finally Shane got fed up and started handing out guns to everyone. He shoved a gun into Daryl's hand and went to hand me one. Daryl shot him a look because I was still holding the baby and Shane turned and handed the gun to Andrea and said we needed to protect ourselves.

"We should probably go look for Rick," Andrea suggested.

"There's no need there he is," I said pointing over to him walking with Hershel and Jimmy.

"What the hell is he doing?!" Shane shouted and ran in their direction.

After looking over at them I noticed they had walkers on poles and were leading them toward the barn. Everyone followed them because Shane was on a rampage. He was screaming at Rick and all Rick could do was tell him to calm down. I stayed a little farther back from the group just incase things escalated and shots were fired. I wanted to make sure Harry was safe. I reached the barn and everyone was screaming. It was hard to make out anything. Daryl came over toward me and stood in front of me to protect me and the baby.

"If these people were alive could I do this?!" Shane shouted and shot three rounds into the chest of the walker Hershel was holding, "Three shots to the chest! A living person could not withstand that! That would take them down!"

"Shane! Enough!" Rick said.

"You're right Rick," Shane said walking toward Hershel, "it is enough."

He walked right up to the walker he just shot and shot it through the head. It dropped and so did Hershel it a fit of tears. Harry started crying immediately due to the sound of the gun being fired and I tried my best to calm him down. The sound of his crying riled up the walkers in the barn and they started slamming into the barn door. Before they could even attempt to break out Shane busted the doors open and walkers started flooding the yard. Everything happened so fast. Daryl pushed me back and everyone started firing rounds. I stood there doing my best to stop Harry from crying while covering his ears in an attempt to muffle the sound of the gunshots. Finally everything was done and Hershel's entire family was on their knees in the dirt crying. Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse and Daryl started to make his way back toward me one last walker walked through the doors. Everyone's heart stopped. There, advancing toward us was Sophia. Carol shrieked and Daryl dove over to her and held her back from running toward Sophia. She was crying hysterically and Daryl was attempting to keep her calm. I could hear Daryl telling Carol not to look. Rick walked toward the center of the group and held up his gun and without missing a beat shot Sophia in the head. Carol screamed again and pushed Daryl off of her before running off in the opposite direction of the barn. Everyone was distraught. I stood there motionless while Harry continued to scream in my arms. I felt like I was going to be sick. That poor little girl who hadn't done any harm to anyone was dead, all because of those flesh eating bastards.

"Summer, hey, Sum," I heard Daryl say and that brought me back to reality.

He had Harry in his arms and he had finally stopped crying. I hadn't even realized Daryl had taken him from me. I just stood there staring at him wide-eyed. He put his arm around my shoulder and guided me back toward our tent. Once inside he laid Harry in his crib and I broke down. I just started to cry. I barely knew the little girl but her death affected me. Maybe it was motherly instinct, I'm not sure, but I was torn apart by this. Daryl was by my side almost instantly wrapping his arms around my and pulling me close to him. We sat there for a few minutes and he just rubbed my back and let me cry it out. I didn't even have to say anything. He knew what I was thinking. He knew that I was torn apart by the fact that someone so innocent had to die in such a brutal way. He also knew my worry for our son's safety was higher than ever. If those things attacked the camp Harry would be helpless. He was only a week old. He couldn't fend for himself or fight off an attacker. I was working myself up and I started to hyperventilate.

"Summer," Daryl said and I just stared at the ground, "hey! Summer! Look at me!"

It look him raising his voice to get me to turn my face toward him.

"Nothing, and I mean nothing, is going to happen to you or Harry," he said, "I won't let it."

"How can you be so sure? Look what happened to Sophia!" I shouted, "She was just a little girl!"

"I know, she didn't deserve to die, but I can promise you I will protect the two of you at any cost and you know that. Remember that night in your apartment when we were watching those zombie movies and you were so freaked out you wanted to sleep with the light on?" He asked wrapping his arms around me and I nodded, "Do you remember what I said to you?"

"You said you would never let anything happen to me," I replied simply.

"Exactly," he said, "and I failed once by leaving you alone in the house that day but I am not going to fail again. Sophia's fate is not what's in store for you or our son. Got it?"

"Got it," I said finally regaining my composure and wiping the tears from my face.

He pulled me close to him again and I buried my head in his chest. He rubbed my back and kissed the top of my head before pulling me in tighter. I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him tighter. I knew he was going to protect us at any cost but I still felt like I needed to just sit here and hold him. What if I woke up one day and he was taken from me just like Sophia was taken from Carol?