It Comes With The Name

Chapter 10: Tomorrow Is Long Time

She lay there for what felt like forever, hearing the moans and footsteps of the dead surrounding them. Once it was quiet, she popped her head out from under the tarp, checking her surroundings. The hoard was far enough away for her to quietly hop out of the truck and help Tank out as well. When they hopped out of the truck, Lauren saw Daryl and T-dog not far away, shoving away the walker corpse each of them was underneath.

"Jesus, T! What the hell happened?" Lauren gasped when she saw T-dog, His forearm was practically sliced open and the entire left side of his shirt was beginning to turn red from blood seeping out of the gash.

"Sliced his arm on one of the cars." Daryl answered for him. T-dog looked like he was near the point of passing out. Daryl grabbed a shirt from a nearby car and pressed against T's arm, attempting to subdue the bleeding. Suddenly, a scream rang out from back up the road. It sounded like a little girl.

"Sophia?" Lauren asked quietly to herself. "Keep pressure on the wound, I'll be right back." She told Daryl. He started to protest but before he could say anything Lauren took off towards the rest of the group. She ran up to find most of the group standing on the edge of the road looking into the trees. Carol was sobbing and Lori was doing her best to console her. "What the hell happened?"

"Two walkers went after Sophia; chased her into the woods." Glenn said quietly to her. "Rick ran off after them."

"Shit." Lauren cursed under her breath, debating on whether or not she should run off after them and try to help. She decided against it, remembering T-dog's state. Looking back down the road, Lauren tried to look between the cars to Daryl and T but she couldn't see them. "T cut himself real bad; he's bleeding like... a lot."

Lauren tried to keep her voice down, not wanting to draw too much attention away from Carol. Glenn nodded in understanding. "I'll see what I can find."

Lauren, with the help of Glenn, Shane, and Daryl, managed to haul the half-unconscious T-dog back to the RV. She somehow wrapped up the wound with a T-shirt and fastened it into a makeshift bandage, stopping most of the bleeding. It wasn't a great solution but it would have to do for now.

Rick returned a while later to the road. Alone. Lauren felt her stomach twist as he emerged from the trees. "Where's Sophia?" She asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"They were on us..." Rick explained. "I couldn't take them both by hand so I- I told her to hide and wait for me while I drew them away... when I got back she was gone."

Lauren blew out a breath. Well, that could mean one of two things, either Sophia was alive and running around blindly in the woods; probably terrified. Or she was...gone. Lauren honestly wasn't sure which one was worse. Carol let out a strangled sob and Lauren felt her heart ache.

"Aight, let's go." Daryl said to Rick, stepping over the guardrail. Daryl turned around to the group after a moment of silence. "Y'all wanna jus stand around all day or ya wanna find the girl?"

Lauren glanced at Glenn before she stepped over the guardrail as well. She whistled to Tank who immediately ran to her side. Glenn followed along with Shane. The five of them slid down the small incline into the trees.

"This way." Rick pointed and the group followed him. He led them a quarter of a mile or so before stopping and jumping down into the small creek. "Here." He said, pointing to an overhang of branches that formed a sort of cove. It was a good hiding place.

"You sure this is the spot?" Daryl questioned, taking a closer look at the area.

"I left her right here." Rick insisted. "I drew the walkers that way up the creek. She was gone by the time I got back here; I figured she just took off and ran back to the group. I told her if she had to leave to keep the sun on her left shoulder."