Madison Grimes

15

I shoot my eyes to the noise, taking off. I hear the group running behind me, Carol sprinting at my side. Though we both said some ugly things to each other, I can't stay mad at her. She's only worried about her daughter, same as me. I shake the thoughts from my head as the bells stop, leaving us at a church.

"They've got to be ringing them, right?" Shane asks, determination clear in his voice. I look at him and it seems to spark something in the both of us as we burst through the doors, finding three walkers. I sigh as I go to my right a little, throwing my knife at the decaying man. Shane and Rick take out the other two as I retrieve my knife. Everyone files out except for Rick. I sit beside him in the pew.

"Do you think it'll work?" He asks suddenly. I furrow my brows at him as he points to Jesus on the cross. I shrug. "Mom was a strong believer. Remember when just praying for Grandma May made her knee surgery better for her? She didn't even need to do two weeks of therapy!" I shake my head.

"I don't know, look at the world now. There's nothing but sorrow." He shakes his head, having a battle within himself. I stand from the pew and place a hand on his shoulder. "Do what you will, but I'm going to head out." He nods and bells are heard again. I race out of the church as it stops. I round the church to see the group standing around a speaker. My heart drops. They never rung those bells.

"It was set of some sort of automatic timer or something." Glenn says as he pulls the wires out. The group takes ten minutes to rest while several pray. Once the ten minutes are up, we form a circle again.

"Maddie, Shane, and I are going to go past the creek so you guys can head back. Nightfall is in about a hour, that's enough time to head back to camp and enough time for us to search a bit longer." Just as were about to leave, Carl rushes to his dads side.

"I want to go to."

"No." Lori immediately shuts the idea down.

"Sophia's my friend and Belle's my cousin, I want to bring them back home." Rick looks at Lori with pleading eyes where she just nods, giving in. Carl gets on my back as Rick and Lori have a small discussion. Once they finish, we split up. "Do you think we'll find her?" Carl whispers from above me, so the men don't hear.

"I hope so."

"I know we'll find Belle, she has a lot of training with dad and Shane, like me. I'm talking about Sophia." I give a firm nod.

"I'm sure they're surviving together. Why do you ask?"

"I'm just curious." I nod and he pulls on my jacket. "Let me down, please." I do as told and he starts to walk in front of us; slowly. I furrow my brows and look ahead, finding a beautiful deer.

"No." Rick says, lowering Shane's gun as he points at the deer. I feel the hairs on the back of my neck raise, telling me something bad is about to happen. I look a little ways past the deer and that's when I see him. A man in camo, aiming at Carls deer.

"Carl!" I yell as I run after her, pushing him to the ground. Then the shot goes off, sending a burning pain through my body. I fall to the ground beside Carl, who doesn't open his eyes. I hear the guys yell our names as they come after us. I use my arm to lift myself up and look at him, seeing the blood seeping through his shirt. Rick quickly picks him up as I feel Shane pick me up.

"Oh my god, a-are they okay?" The man asks. My vision starts to cloud as I look at Shane, seeing him looking at the man. His face is angry. "Go to the farm, that way. Go straight and ask for Hershel, he'll fix them!" He says fast. I hear Rick take off and Shane follows behind him. I reach my hand out and touch his face, watching as blood smudges his face a bit.