Lucy (Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Oh God, they're back," Glenn spoke softly, a single finger pointed towards the two figures that emerged from the tree line. As they drew closer I felt my lump in my throat as Carol and I's eyes meet, I practically saw her world shatter around her. There was no sign of Sophia.

"You didn't find her?" Carol whispered, possibly to herself more than she was any of us. I stepped over to her and took ahold of her hand as her legs started to wobble. Tears formed in her eyes as she waited for an explanation.

Rick couldn't look up from the road to meet Carol's eyes as he explained why her daughter wasn't with them. "Her trail went cold. We'll pick it up again at first light."

His words sent Carol into a panic. "You can't leave my daughter out there on her own to spend the night alone in the woods." Carol sobbed softly, her grip on my hand tightening the more she thought of her baby out there all alone. It seemed like someone called out to the group as they surrounded us, watching Carol begin to unravel all over again.

"Out in the dark's no good. We'd just be tripping over ourselves. More people get lost." Daryl explained slightly behind Rick. His voice rough like it normally was but it seemed to lighten up when it came to Carol, or maybe it was just the situation at hand. I couldn't help but feel something tug at my heart strings as I watched Daryl closely.

"But she's 12. She can't be out there on her own. You didn't find anything?" Carol cut in as she moved from me to Lori for comfort. From what I've seen from Sophia for the short time I've been here I agreed with Carol, Sophia wasn't ready to take on anything in this world on her own.

"I know this is hard. But I'm asking you not to panic. We know she was out there," Rick started when Daryl cut in, "And we tracked her for a while."

"We have to make this an organized effort. Daryl knows the woods better than anybody. I've asked him to oversee this." Rick announced, now not just to Carol but the whole group. He knew everyone was looking to him, he had to keep everyone calm and he was doing a damn good job at it.

"Is that blood?" Carol asked breathlessly staring down at Daryl's crimson stained jeans. My mind jump to a horrible conclusion but was reassured by Rick.

"We took down a walker," Rick told her truthfully. Still not an idle situation but it was better than my greatest fears. 

"Walker? Oh my God," at this point Carol was starting to panic like Rick said not to.

"There was no sign it was ever anywhere near Sophia," Rick stated trying to calm her but Andrea had to make this harder then it needed to be.

"How can you know that?" She asked not realizing how much this question could affect Carol.

"We cut the son of a bitch open, made sure," Daryl assured as he gave Andrea hard look to not ask anymore questions. Andrea didn't even notice his eyes in her, she was focused on Carol.

"Oh God," Carol mumbled as she took a seat on the rail to keep herself steady. I was about to sit next to her for comfort her but Lori beat me to it sitting next to her. "How could you just leave her out there to begin with? How could you just leave her?" Carol demanded her sad but fierce eyes now on Rick.

"Those two walkers were on us. I had to draw them off. It was her best chance," Rick told her trying to get her to listen to reason but I knew this was all overwhelming Carol too much for her to.

"Sounds like he didn't have a choice, Carol," Shane added trying to back up Rick but Carol wasn't having it.

"How was she supposed to find her way back on her own? She's just a child. She's just a child," Carol practically begged Rick as she started to let go of everything, letting Rick know it was all his fault. That's where I disagreed with Carol, Rick was trying everything in his power to find her daughter, can she not see that?

I couldn't listen to this anymore, I needed some air. I turn my back to the scene in from of me and made my way back to the R.V.