Blood Soaked Arrows (On Hold)

(18) The Night

My fingers dug into the sleeves of my leather jacket as I pulled it closer to me. A cold breeze rustled through the trees and swept my hair from side to side. A shiver ran down the length of my spine and I scooted just a little bit closer to the small campfire. The pitiful excuse for a fire was almost down to its embers but no one dared to add another log until the embers were practically out. The whistle of wind, the chattering of teeth and the crackles of the fire were the only sounds made.

My gaze wavered from the flames and to the group that was huddled around it. Everyone was quiet. Some were still reeling from loss of their loved ones the night before, some were nervous about being out in the open, and others just looked exhausted. My attention wandered over to Sophia who was pinched between me and Carol. Her small hands were rubbing against each other underneath the blanket that I had loaned her and the circles under her eyes were darker.

I leaned over to the small child and pressed a hand against her back. Her eyes wondered over to me and a small smile spread across her lips without really touching her eyes. I didn’t return her smile but simply rubbed my hand up and down her back making her just a little bit warmer. Sophia’s gaze returned to the fire without a word and mine traveled over to Carol.

She was sitting next to her daughter with Daryl flanking her right side. As soon as my eyes settled on his side profile I didn’t even think to look away. The flames from the fire tinted his skin a bronze color and made his blue eyes stand out even more. Something warmed slipped into my stomach and slowly heated the rest of my body from the inside. I wasn’t really sure what this feeling meant but whatever it was I hoped that it would fade soon.

Being distracted in this world nowadays could be your life. If I spent my time gawking at Daryl instead of watching my back then one well-placed bite could get me killed. I yanked my gaze away from him when his eyes met mine. From the corner of my eye I could see him move his weight from side to side as if he was debating on whether or not he was going to say something. But before anyone could say anything there was a rustle out in the woods.

“What was that?” Beth asked with wide eyes.

Everyone slowly started to get up off of their comfy spots and hastily started to scan the dark forest. Glenn pulled Maggie closer to his side as they both got up off of the ground and Sophia locked her hand onto mine.

“Could be anything.” Daryl answered Beth but didn’t bothering looking over at her. “Could be a raccoon. Could be a possum.”

“Walker.” Glenn chimed in and took a few steps around the fire until he was standing in one of the openings of our stone wall fortress.

“We need to leave.” Carol said on the brink of hysteria. “What are we waiting for?”

Glenn turned his head back and forth from the gap in the wall. “Which way?” He asked referring to the noise.

“It came from over there.” Maggie gestured to the wall that T-Dog had been standing on as a look out.

T-Dog frowned as he notched his rifle up a little higher on his shoulder and scanned the dark forest. “Back from where we came?”

“Yeah.” Maggie responded.

People started to make their ways to the exits as if they had all silently decided that it was best to look around in the dark for the supposed Walker. Traveling around in the dark all riled up and half asleep was not a good way to go. Somebody could get hurt or worse killed.

“The last thing we need is to have everybody running around in the dark.” Rick rationalized. “We don’t have vehicles. No one’s traveling on foot.”