Seven ➳ d.dixon's dog

f o r t y - t w o

I pull my keys out of my pocket and quickly jog over towards the gate, unlocking it as quickly as possible before beginning to run along the fence. A few walkers beat against the fence but not enough for me to be concerned, the mound of dirt on the other side of the grass field was a far greater worry to me. Please god, no!

It's not long before I've found my way into the field itself and am sprinting towards the mound, praying that it's not what I thought it was. My feet pound against the ground with my heavy footed running and my breath escapes from me rapidly as I try to reach to dirt mound as fast as I can. When I get the dug up dirt, it's exactly what I was hoping it was not.

A clear and tiny hole that led to the other side of the fence, leading out of the prison. My first reaction is to call for him, as helpless as it may be, "Seven!!" I shout quite loudly, perhaps far too loud than I should be, but I didn't care. But when all I'm met is the growls of walkers who'd stumbled their way nearer to where I was, I could feel my heart shatter.

Looking at the ground only to find nothing left behind, no tracks, no nothing. It all made one of my worst fears come true. My eyes water with the familiar sensation I haven't felt since the last time I thought I lost someone. He ran away.

Suddenly, like a dam breaking, it all washed over me. I pushed him away. I made him feel like a bad dog when he was everything better than that. I made him run away and feel like an unwanted dog when he was so much more than that.

Never in my life had I felt so guilty of something.

—

Seven's POV

—

"So! Seven, what's your favorite color?" Milo questions in his irritatingly happy voice. Like I had originally thought, this wolf would prove to be very annoying. Currently, we're walking around the woods at sunrise and I have absolutely no clue where we are. Milo isn't any help either.

"This ain't 20 questions," I reply blandly wishing for the over excited canine to stop his yapping. From just the short time of knowing him, I didn't think it'd work but I could always try.

"Aww, don't be like that. C'mon, tell me!" He presses. It's such a dumb and easy question, I didn't see the point in somebody wanting to know the answer to it. I don't make eyes contact as I continue to walk, hoping that I'd run into something familiar or maybe even something to eat.

In a rather monotone tone I try to bargain, "If I tell ya' my favorite color will you lead me back to where ya' found me?" I look towards him while I attempt to strike the deal, hoping he'd be able to lead me back. My goal was to get back to Daryl, not be stuck in the middle of the woods with this over-sized white dog.

He smiles at me, "I already told ya', I don't know the way back to it. Buuttt~ If you tell me your favorite color I'll shut my mouth." He quite literally has a pep in his step, as if being stuck in the middle of the woods with me was a total win. Milo seemed to try and act like a total dimwit, but he wasn't. He knows the way back and for whatever reason won't tell me.

So rather than called him out for it, I answer his silly question, "Blue." I look away from him and once again focus on what's ahead of me, keeping an eye out for a rabbit or squirrel but so far have had no luck.

"See? That wasn't so hard, now was it?" He asks rhetorically. The way he speaks and his tone itself has my ear flicking back out of annoyance.

"I thought you were gonna be quiet?" I question, annoyance heavy on my deeper voice. My feet somewhat drag against the forest floor, feeling exhausted from just listening to the happy-go-lucky wolf.

"Sorry, Seven!" He peeps out, for some reason feeling the need to say my name. I don't question it really and just sigh before rolling my eyes. I continue to stalk my way through the forest, my follower being only a few paces back allowing for me to take the lead.

—

Nearly an hour passes with no luck. Not even a scent of anything fresh. I'm not sure how much more unlucky I could get right now but I was over it. I'm only thankful that Milo has managed to actually be quiet like he said he would, "Not a single damn scent!" I growl out frustratedly, "We've been at this for far too long to not even have a single piece of meat."

I briefly hear Milo say something but I'm too heated to really hear him, "Let alone to not have a single scent! When will this shitty unluckiness end?!"

"Seven! Be quiet for a second!" I hear Milo whisper-yell at me. Typically I'd be quite annoyed to be shushed in such a manner, but with how serious he seemed I decided to listen.

The air is rather quiet for a minute. The only thing I can really hear is the chirping of birds. But within a total of fifteen seconds I can hear a sound that I used to hear prior to the existence of walkers. The sound was not only nostalgic but also meant more people are nearby. My eyes and head jerk up to look at the sky, and just in time I'm able to see the source of that all too familiar sound, quickly shouting, "It's a helicopter! C'mon! We gotta go towards it!" Smoke emits from the aircraft and it wildly spins out of control, but it was definitely airborne. Unless walkers learned how to fly helicopters, a flying one should definitely mean there are people. Hopefully alive people once they crash land, but people nonetheless.

It may not be Daryl, but I know that if there are humans this close its only a matter of time before them and my group meet. I can only hope that the people don't eat or kill dogs. But that's the gamble I have to take to see Daryl again, and if Milo's not gonna help me find my way back to him, then I'd take it any day.

With that in mind, I'm off running in the direction of where I heard the crash of the helicopter. The smell of smoke and gas fill my nostrils even from this distance, while the smallest sliver of hope fills my chest. Finally having a plan.

I don't know if Milo is following me or is able to keep up with my fast pace. But I was determined to meet my person again. Even if that meant I'd have to jump through hoops.

I'll come home, Daryl.

———

Another chapter. And a photo of a guilty Seven.

Also, join the damn discord, or Milo GETS IT.

Just kidding. But, the link is under my profile's conversation.

Anyways, have a great rest of your day.