ᴀɴɢᴜɪsʜ » ᴅᴀʀʏʟ ᴅɪxᴏɴ

{10} Missing.

"I'll be fine. Climb on my back."

I turn my back towards her. Sophia carefully wraps her tiny arms around my neck, and I slowly stand to my feet. Wrapping my own arms around her thighs to keep her from falling.

Looking back to where we once came, I think of my options in silence. Then without a word, my body turns away and I run the opposite direction. There is no telling how many of those things are still wandering around the highway. Best to keep low and try to lose the two walkers sniffing us out.

We travel deeper into the woods. Every so often, I pause to awkwardly bump Sophia up higher on my back. She is heavier than she looks. For a girl only in her preteen years, I can't gather how much she weighs.

Something deep down, Sophia reminds me of Jodie. Back when Jodie was young and innocent. Something changed after our dad left, but after mom died, that innocent girl vanished.

Pushing those dreadful thoughts from out of my skull, I notice a small river glistening from behind the tree line.

With caution, I quickly but carefully run for the river and stop just at the bank. Sophia and I search around the clearing before I step down the muddy riverbank. The water is cold and it seeps into my boots as I notice a small cubbyhole hidden from the world. Sizing it up, I allow Sophia to crawl from my back.

"Sophia. I need you to hide in here." I point towards the unnatural gap. It is small enough just for Sophia, but not big enough for both of us.

"No. No, no. Don't leave me!" Sophia whines. She grips the rolled-up sleeves of my button-up shirt.

"Sophia, I need you to be brave," I tell her. "In order to get back, I need to lure them away. That way I can protect you and bring you back to your mom safe and sound. Just stay hidden until I come back."

"And if you don't?" Sophia questions.

Pausing, I search for Sophia's face with a grim expression. 'And if you don't', replay in my head over and over.

"And if  I don't -" I lick my lips, pushing strands of hair from out of her face. "Then you need to find your way back without me. Do you think you can do that?"

Sophia nods.

The sound of walkers growls become coherent. I gently push her back, and she does what I say. "Make sure you go the same way we came. Keep the sun on the left shoulder. Remember. Left shoulder."

Moving away from the cubbyhole to reveal myself, I snatch up a small rock from within the water and throw it at the walkers to gain their attention. "Hey! Fuck faces!" I scream, moving backward. The walkers groan with hunger and stumble down the bank. Taking the bait. I turn slightly, keeping my glare on the walkers before sprinting off. They follow and Sophia goes unnoticed.

***

Sweat glides down my forehead as my feet drag my aching legs forward. The sun now sat low within the sky and the once sweltering weather slowly turn chilly as night creeps near. My body is heavy, unable to keep up sprinting the speed as before. My hair now damp clings to the back of my neck. The button-up shirt is completely gone to allow my torso to be free from the extra clothing.

For a moment, my ears buzz, and my vision becomes blurred. How long have I been running? How long can these things keep up with their prey? Every inch of me is exhausted and I question if it is worth going any further. It feels as if I've gone in circles; every branch, tree, and bush appear identical. If I were to die now, I would accept my fate.

As long as Sophia is safe with the others then my life no longer mattered. But what if my assumptions of Sophia being found is for not. Daryl or Rick should have found her by now, right?