RULE THE WORLD | D.DIXON

011

The six hurried over the car where the group had parked their cars. Matilda watched as her mother flung herself out of the car she was in and ran towards them. Carl and Lee sprinted towards her, meeting her halfway as Violet hurried towards her sister and Lola.

Rick dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around his sons and wife as Matilda stayed standing where she was. A hand was placed on her shoulder making her turned towards the person and saw Daryl.

"Ya alright?" He asked, his voice laced with concern as his eyes scanned over her.

"Yeah." The dark haired girl said, her voice coming out constrained. "I'm—I'm okay."

Daryl's fingers softly grazed her bruised throat, which caused her to flinch back harshly. "Who did this to ya?"

Matilda shook her head. "It doesn't matter."

The redneck stared at her for a moment before nodding. She took the risk by wrapping her arms around the man's neck, resting her aching head on his shoulder.

Daryl stiffen slightly before relaxing and wrapped his arms around her waist. His hand lied in the middle of her back, rubbing up and down ever so slightly.

"Tilly?" Her mother's voice called out for her.

The pair pulled apart, Matilda looked at her mother who was standing with her arms open.

"C'here, baby," her mother said making the dark haired girl hurry into her awaiting arms. "Oh, look at you."

Lori's hand cuddled the back of her daughter's head, as she muttered softly how glad Matilda was safe. When they pulled away, her mother cupped her blood-covered face with a worried expression.

"Where's you find everyone?" Her father asked looking around the remaining group.

"Well, those guys' tail lights zigzagging all over the road—figured he had to be Asian, driving like that." Daryl replied, motioning towards Glenn who was hugging Violet and Lee.

Glenn chuckled. "Good one."

"Where's the rest of us?" The redneck asked.

Her father glanced at the man. "We're the only ones who made it so far."

Lori looked over her daughter's shoulder at her husband. "Shane?"

Rick shook his head as Matilda stiffen in her mother's arms. Lori tighten her arms around the girl, pressing a kiss on her forehead.

"Andrea?" Lola asked, looking at her leader.

"She saved me, then I lost her." Carol replied.

T-dog furrowed his brows. "We saw her go down."

"Patricia?" Hershel spoke up.

Beth shook her head, crying. "They got her too, took her right in front of me. I was—I was holdin' onto her, daddy. She just—what about Jimmy? Did you see Jimmy?"

"He was in the RV." Violet answered, moving back towards her sister. "It got overrun."

"You definitely saw Andrea?"