Broken strings---➤ Daryl Dixon

8

I can tell Lori is worried. We all are. A lone gunshot, doesn't seem right. Yet with no other options, we press onward, weaving our way through the overgrown woods,

"There's nothing we can do about it, anyway. Can't run around these woods chasing echoes." Daryl interjects.

He may have a point but it doesn't help calm anyone nerves, I don't think our group can handle much more loss at the moment, but maybe I'm projecting.

I sometimes forget just how sharp Daryl's words can be until he cuts through Andrea and Carol's quiet talk of prayers. Without waiting for a reply, he strides ahead, widening the gap between himself and the rest of us, or at least trying to.

"You done snapping at people?" I ask, picking up my pace to match his. My tone is even, but the effort to keep it that way makes my chest tight.

He doesn't slow, doesn't even look at me, just grunts.

"Right." I press on. "Maybe you could ease up? We're all running on empty here. I imagine Lori's worried sick about Rick and Carl, and the rest of us—" I cut myself off, my effort feeling futile.

His lack of response twists something deep in my chest. I tell myself it doesn't matter, that this is just Daryl being Daryl, but it stings all the same. I sigh to myself, maybe I don't know him as well as I thought.

The world around us falls quiet, no one dares to speak. The sun begins to set on the second day since Sophia went missing and we have no choice but to call it for the night.

"Oh god."

We all turn to face Andrea as she backs away from a walker. I raise my bow ready to fire but I miss the sound of pounding against the ground. A woman on a horse seemingly appears out of nowhere and bats the walker away.

"Woah." I hear Glenn mutter from beside me, he looks starstruck and I nudge him to snap him out of it.

"Lori Grimes?" The mysterious woman asks, "Rick sent me, there's been an accident, Carls been shot."

My eyes widen, the lone gunshot makes sense now but it is so much worse than we imagine. Understandably, Lori goes with her, the woman tells us to backtrack off the highway until we reach a mailbox with the name Greene. Then just like that she is gone. As we make our way back to the highway, I can't help but nervously tap my arrowhead, not knowing if Carl is going to make it.

Before we leave to find this farm, Carol insists we wait here for Sophia. The group all have different opinions of what we should be doing. I stay quiet, torn between the options.

Eventually, we decide that some will stay behind for tonight so they can create a sign to tell Sophia where we are, in case she comes back, whilst Glenn will take T-Dog to the farm to get him some help with his arm and so we can support Carl. I glance over at Daryl, who turns away from me as I do.

"I'll go with Glenn and T-Dog." I volunteer. I'd rather go with Glenn and find out how Carl is doing than spend a night here led near Daryl in the tight RV.

The three of us grab our things and I start the car engine. Glenn directs me as best as he can whilst T-Dog rests in the back.

"There!" Glenn points to a little mailbox and I make a sharp turn. The road becomes uneven and eventually, a beautiful and serene farm comes into view.

When we arrive, Glenn and I help T-Dog out of the car and up onto the front steps.

"Hello?" I call out. The woman from earlier appears in the doorway.

"Did you close the gate when you drove in?" She questions.

I watch in amusement as Glenn stumbles over his words, trying to answer her. I stifle a laugh and don't even attempt to help him.

"It's just a cut, not a bite." T-Dog informs her as she glances at his injured arm and she is kind enough to help take a look.

She leads us inside and finally, we reunite with Rick and Lori.

"How's Carl?"

"Stable for now, Shane and the man who shot Carl have gone to get some equipment." Lori catches us up, grateful that we have arrived.

"If they don't get back soon we're gonna have a decision to make." An old man explains and suddenly I realise I know none of these people's names.

It seems like Carl doesn't have very long left which puts me off eating the food the woman makes.

We finally introduce ourselves and I learn her name is Maggie. She tells us her dad's name is Hershel and that this is their family farm, There's also her sister Beth and her boyfriend, as well as Patricia and Otis.

Glenn and I sit out on the front steps, Patricia is kind enough to be helping T-Dog, and the two of us want a moment of peace.

"Are you guys praying?"

We turn around and meet Maggie, who is standing in the doorway. Glenn was but I wasn't. I place my hand on my brother's shoulder, before getting up.

"I'm gonna check on Carl, see you later." I walk off, leaving them two alone. Call it twin intuition, but I think Glenn likes her.

Time is running out for Carl and unfortunately, Hershel demands that he start the procedure even without the equipment. He instructs Rick and Lori to leave.

"I can stay and help." I offer, although I have no experience, I'm sure I can follow instructions. I nod to myself in reassurance.

As we start prepping Carl, Shane arrives in time, but he is alone.

"We say nothing to Patricia. Not till after. I need her." Hershel demands.

Shane begins to ramble on about how there were walkers everywhere and that Otis told him to carry on without him. He seems really shaken up about the whole ordeal, I suppose it must've been pretty bad.

Luckily it was worth something as Carl has seemingly stabilized. The Greene family now have to deal with the grief of losing a loved one. It's a bittersweet moment as I am glad Carl is alive, but the faint sound of Patricia sobbing from the other room sends a shiver through the air.