Serendipitous

16.

"Again." Shane commands, I aim the gun for the target. As I pull the trigger I miss the target, a sigh of defeat leaves my lips and I let the gun rest down by my side. Shane took me out to the field to learn how to shoot which I'm trying to do good at but I'm not that great with my aim, I keep shooting into the woods.

"But this is my fifth time and I keep missing..." I remind him feeling a little bit frustrated even if it is my first time using a gun.

"It's just your fifth time, you've never even held a gun before, you can do it. Now go again" He persuades me.

"Okay" I breathe before looking straight at the target. The echo of me firing fills my ears and I see that I've hit the target, I hold the gun to my side and turn to see Shane smiling proudly at me. "I did it!"

"I knew you could" He wraps his arms around my waist before placing a small kiss on my forehead which makes me smile.

We both turn our heads to the side to see my dad approaching the two of us which makes my stomach drop. Shane keeps his hands to his side and I do the same, I don't care what my parents think about our relationship anymore but I don't want to pull a red sheet in front of the bull with this one. The last time the three of us are alone together Shane got a bloodied lip.

"Uh... Shane, we're calling a group discussion with Hershel and we need you" My dad hesitates, his eyes flicker between the two of us. "Both of you"

"Oh" I murmur as we begin following my dad he turns around on his heels. He has been cordial to Shane since he helped save my life but their friendship is nowhere near what it used to be, but I guess that's to be expected. The three of us walk in silence as we reach the house where Hershel is standing, I can only wonder what this group discussion is about.

"How long has this girl been lost?" Hershel asks us, oh this is about Sophia. My heart sinks when I realize she really is still missing and I can only hope she's okay instead of allowing my mind to wander to such dark places.

"This'll be day three..." My dad responds calmly.

"County survey map. Shows terrain and elevations" The brunette girl with green eyes chimes in, she has a slight southern accent. I don't believe I have officially met her yet but I saw her at the dinner last night. I think she is one of Hershel's daughters.

"This is perfect. We can finally get this thing organized. We'll grid the whole area, start searching in teams" He wants us to spread apart again? Last time that happened Sophia went missing and I was shot.

"Not you. Not today. You gave three units of blood. You wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out. And your ankle—push it now, you'll be laid up a month, no good to anybody" Hershel tells him, that's right, my dad gave me blood while I was out. I vaguely remember hearing Hershel telling him that I needed his blood.

"Guess it's just me. I'm gonna head back to the creak, work my way from there. I can still be useful" Daryl tells us, he's going by himself? More power to him I guess, but it sounds dangerous.

"I'll drive up to the interstate, see if Sophia wandered back" Shane chimes in, well I guess I know where I am going today.

"Alright, tomorrow then. We'll start doing this right" My dad says with a look of determination on his face, I know he wants to help find her... He must feel somewhat guilty about her disappearance but he was just trying to help keep her safe.

"That means we can't have our people out there with just knives. They need the gun training we've been promising them, such as Molly" Shane tells them, oh I am sure they heard me shooting my gun this morning.