It Comes With The Name

Chapter 13: And So It Begins

"What about you? You weren't with them?"

"No, actually Daryl and his brothers found Tank and me when everything started going all crazy. We had our own camp; didn't find the others till much later."

"But... you're not friends?" Beth looked at Lauren with justified confusion. Lauren was aware that it made no sense.

Lauren paused. "It's... complicated. Half the time we're arguing and the other half he's asking to take Tank out." She shrugs. "Anyways, the guy on the RV with the rifle, that's Dale. I'm not sure where Carol, T-dog, and Andrea are but I'm sure you'll meet them eventually."

Hershel suddenly appeared in the front doorway. "Beth?"

Beth turned around and smiled at him. "Hi, Daddy."

"Why don't you come help Patricia and I sort through these antibiotics." He told her, eyeing Lauren a bit wearily. He didn't appear to be the biggest fan of their group. Which was understandable... they had sort of just invaded their farm. Lauren hadn't had much interaction with him aside from Carl's operation, but Hershel seemed to at least respect her after that.

"Okay." Beth nodded. "Nice meeting you." She smiled at Lauren before heading into the house.

"Yeah, you too." Lauren gave a small smile back. Beth was seemingly oblivious to her father's apprehensive attitude. Beth walked into the house and Hershel gave Lauren one last look before entering the house himself, closing the door behind them.

What a strange interaction.

Lauren was up bright and early the next morning, anxious to get the search going. In all honesty, she was also just anxious to get off the farm for a while. Hershel and his family had been nothing but accommodating, but Lauren couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy. Something about them being so untouched by the new world didn't quite sit right. It all seemed too perfect like something was bound to go wrong.

Those who planned on helping with the search met at the same place they had the previous day. Lauren leaned forward on the hood of the truck, looking at the map Rick had placed down in front of them.

"Alright, everybody's getting new search grids today," Rick announced. "If she made it as far as the farmhouse Daryl found yesterday, she might've gone further east than we've been so far."

"Um, I'd like to help." Lauren looked up to see a young man approaching their group. He couldn't have been any older than 19. "I know the area pretty well and stuff."

Rick looked at the kid who joined the group. "Hershels okay with this?"

"Yeah, yeah." The kid nodded. "He said I should ask you."

"Alright then. Thanks."

"Nothing about what Daryl found screams Sophia to me." Shane, who was digging inside the car for something, said. "Anyone could've been holed up in that farmhouse."

"Well, anybody includes her, right?" Andrea pointed out.

"Yes. So tell Deputy Downer over there to think positive. We'll follow the lead, maybe we'll pick up her trail." Lauren directed her comment at Shane.

"Ain't no maybe about it." Daryl said simply, looking down at the map.

"Just so we're clear, Tank's coming with me. You're on your own today Dixon."

"S'fine. I'm gonna borrow a horse." Daryl said, pointing at a spot on the map. "Head up to this ridge right here, get a bird's eye view of the whole grid. If she's up there I'll spot her."

"Good idea. Maybe you'll see your Chupacabra up there too." T-dog mocked.

Lauren rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Oh god, not this again."