ch.9

what lies ahead

i trudged through the grass, following behind rick who would look back at us every so often. making sure that everyone was still following along.

my eyes drifted to my belt loop, taking out my new fighting knife for protection. loud bells rung through the air, causing all of our heads to turn and glance at each other.

rick pointed in the direction it was coming from, ushering us to follow him as he began running.

"if we heard them, maybe sophia does too." carol stated, earning a nod from me, "it might even be her."

"someone's ringing those bells, maybe calling others." glenn added as we walked, "yeah, come on."

we walked until the light got brighter from the woods, appearing out of the trees, seeing a small white church.

"that can't be it. got no steeple, no bells." shane started, scoping out the church up ahead, "rick"

rick ignored shane as he bolted to the church, catching us all off guard.

i shrugged my shoulders to the rest who were glancing around, before running after him, stopping when we got to the set of red doors.

he opened the doors, causing my knife in hand to instantly rise just in case there were walkers waiting at the door for us.

we all stopped at the door way, watching a couple walkers who were sitting in the pews, turn in our direction.

i gave rick a nod before walking around the pew to where one stood, jabbing my knife up through its jaw.

considering there were only three, we completed what needed to be done fast. and in just a matter of time, the church bells rang again.

we all rushed outside to where it came from, only to find out it wasn't sophia. "a timer. it's on a timer" daryl confirmed.

i let out a sigh in disappointment, walking to the small graveyard near the church.

when i lived back at home, i used to go to the cemetery all the time to visit my dad. i grew a liking to walking around and seeing how far back the tombs and stones were dated.

"wow. 1897" i heard a voice mumble, causing my head to shoot to where the voice came from, finding glenn.

"god, you scared me." i hissed, catching his attention as he looked up from the gravestone. "sorry" he mumbled, slowly making his way to where i stood.

i shook my head at him, continuing to look at the dates. "so..." glenn uttered as we walked, making me roll my eyes.

"so what?" i asked, moving my eyes to where he stood, walking behind me.

"what are we?"

i stopped, now fully turning my body to face him. "hm, what are we?" i started, raising my eyebrows, "we're friends glenn, i don't hold anything against you"

he gave me a weird look, shaking his head, "that- that's not what i meant. i mean what are we actually, you know... the kiss"

i paused, now clearly understanding what he meant, "it was just to stop you from freaking out, why else?" i stated, only causing pain to myself.

glenn rhee had someway managed to make me develop somewhat feelings that i didn't quite understand and i wasn't gonna tell him either.

he looked down, hearing my words, looking as if they cause him pain also, "just to calm me down, huh?"

i shifted, giving him a confused look, "was it supposed to mean something more?" i questioned

he shook his head, looking anywhere but at me, "you don't get it." he mumbled, turning to walk away.

i scoffed, running to grab his arm, turning him to face me again. "what don't i get?"

he hesitated for a moment, piercing into my soul with his eyes, "this."

before i could even react to his words, his hands grabbed my face, pulling me into a passionate kiss. might i add that it was something i was craving ever since we left the cdc.

this time i didn't hesitate as i wrapped my arms around his neck, closing any space between us.

after a couple minutes, we pulled away from each other. leaning our foreheads together,  trying to catch our breath.

"i think im starting to understand" i stammered, trying to get my breathing under control, slowly opening my eyes.

he smiled, pulling his hands away from my face and to my hand, intertwining our fingers.

"so when's our first date?" he asked, causing me to chuckle, "only in your dreams"____________

   "y'all gonna follow the creek bed back, okay? melanie and daryl, you two are in charge" shane informed, stepping to where we all stood chatting.

   me and daryl turned our gazes to each other, both giving a little nod in respect.

   "me and rick, we're just gonna hang back, search this area for another house or so just to be thorough"

   i watched as daryl swung his cross bow around, positioning it on his shoulder, "you're splitting us up. you sure?"

   "yeah, we'll catch up to you." shane assured, earning nods from the rest of the group, except carl.

   "i wanna stay too. i'm her friend" he pleaded, glancing back and forth between rick and shane.

   rick gave a small nod, agreeing with it.

   i started to walk away with glenn, only to be pulled back by shane. "you still have my gun?" he questioned, causing me to nod as i pulled it out of my belt loop.

   "thanks for letting me use it" i smiled, extending my arm for him to take it back.

   he shook his head, pushing my hand away, "no, keep it. you need something to protect yourself and the rest with"

   i nodded, placing it back where it was, earning a glare from andrea. "i'll use it well" i assured, now fully stepping away from him.

i stayed close to glenn as we walked through the woods, slowly making our way back to the highway.

"it was a gunshot" lori mumbled, talking about a loud crackle that happened a couple minutes prior.

"we all heard it" daryl confirmed causing lori to turn and look in our direction, "why one? why just one gunshot?"

daryl shrugged, "maybe they took down a walker"

she shook her head, fully turning her body, "please don't patronize me. you know rick wouldn't rush a gunshot to put down one walker, or shane. they'd do it quietly"

her words caused me to nod, glancing around the group, "no, lori's right. it would attract too many walkers, they wouldn't risk that, not with carl"

glenn placed his hand on the small of my back, tracing circular motions. i rolled my eyes, pushing him away, i was trying to be serious.

"so what do we do?" lori questioned, causing me to look at daryl for an answer, he was also in charge.

"same as we've been. beat the bush for sophia, work out way back to the highway." he announced, earning a nod from andrea.

"i'm sure they'll hook up with us back at the rv." she reassured, adjusting her bag over her shoulder.

most of us started to walk, only to be stopped when carol started to talk again, "the thought of her out here by herself... it's the not knowing that's killing me" she started, pausing to calm herself, "i just keep praying she doesn't end up like amy."

my body froze, staring at carol like she was crazy. "hell" i whispered

"oh god, that's the worst thing i've ever said" she stated, taking andreas hands into her own, apologizing.

andrea closed her eyes and shook her head, restricting herself from saying anything rude, "we're all hoping and praying with you, for what it's worth"

daryl scoffed, walking up to the two, "i'll tell you what it's worth- not a damn thing. it's a waste of time, all this hoping and praying." catching carol and andrea off guard.

"cause we're gonna locate that little girl, she's gonna be just fine" he started, seeing relief flood through both of their eyes, "am i the only one zen around here? good lord."

he turned away from them, continuing back on the trail. "zen, huh? will you teach me your technique?" i asked sarcastically, earning a glare from him as he passed.

the others chuckle at my joke, shaking their heads at my humor.____________

me and daryl led the way, while andrea covered the back. i would turn here and there to make sure everyone was okay.

the last time i had turned everyone was fine and here. but this time andrea was missing and just as i realized, a scream echoed through the woods.

"andrea?!" lori screamed, running towards the direction of where the commotion was coming from.

when we got to the scene, my eyes flew to andrea who was lying on the ground, trying to kick her way out of the walkers grip.

we all stepped closer, ready to take out the walker, but before we could a flash of movement caught our attention.

a young women came riding in on horseback, taking the walkers head out with a baseball bat.

"lori? lori grimes?" the women questioned, soon finding her, "i'm lori"

   "rick sent me. you've got to come now" she informed, her body movement shifting uncomfortably as we stared at her.

   "there's been an accident, carl's been shot. he's still alive but you got to come now." she started, earning a concerned look from lori, "rick needs you, just come"

   lori paused, frozen in place from the news. "go, they need you. we can handle ourselves from here" i assured her, nudging her shoulder to break her out of thought.

   she nodded to me, handing me her backpack before hopping up onto the horse. "rick said you had others on the highway, that big traffic snarl"

   i nodded, "mhm"

   "backtrack to fairburn road, two miles down is our farm. you'll see the mailbox. the names greene" she informed and without another word, they left. soon disappearing from our sight.

   "come on, rick and shane are gonna need some more people there" i advised, fastly leading the way back to the highway.

   "shot? what do you mean, shot?" dale questioned, looking at glenn and me as if we were crazy.

   technically i was, about to go crazy.

   "i don't know dale, i wasn't there. all i know is this chick rode out of nowhere like zorro on a horse and took lori" glenn informed, speaking quite fast from adrenaline.

   i nodded, moving past dale to sort out some of my stuff inside my pack. "if sophia found her way back and we were gone, that would be awful" andrea stated, earning nods.

   "okay. i say tomorrow morning is soon enough to pull up stakes. give us a chance to rig a big sign, leave her supplies" daryl started, making hand gestures as he talked, "i'll hold here tonight, stay with the rv"

   "if the rv is staying, i am too" dale added, causing me to shook a look at glenn, unsure if i should stay and wait for sophia or go offer my support to rick.

   "thank you, thank you both." carol pleaded, causing dale and daryl to give her a small nod, "i'm in" andrea mumbled, throwing her hands up willingly.

   i opened my mouth to talk, but before i could even state my claim, dale interrupted me. "not you guys, glenn, melanie. you're going"

   "us? why is it always us?" glenn fought, causing me to place an hand on his arm, "it's fine, rick and lori need us."

   dale nodded at my words, "you have to find this farm, reconnect with our people and see what's going on. but most important, you have to get tdog there"

   his words caused me to furrow my eyebrows, confused on what happened to tdog. "wait, is he okay?" i asked, glancing to where he sat, a bit away from us.

   "his cut has gone from bad to worse. he has a very serious blood infection. get him to that farm. see if they have any antibiotics" dale started, also gesturing his hands, "because if not, tdog will die, no joke"

   i looked over to glenn, nodding to assure him we were making the right idea about going to this farm.

   he paused, looking at me for a second before finally nodding, rolling his eyes in the process.

   i sat in the passengers seat, after loading the car. glenn sat in the drivers, knowing the coordinates well.

   "late night drives used to be my thing" i stated, rolling the window down to feel the breeze run through my hair.

   "oh yeah, your thing?" glenn questioned, looking over at me, his words causing me to nod.

   i watched as we drove down the long driveway, stopping when we got to an old farm house.

i slammed my door behind me, admiring the tall white house until i joined tdog and glenns side.

"you gonna make it?" i questioned tdog, who looked like shit to say the least. "not if you don't do your job, mrs grey. you are my doctor after all"

i rolled my eyes, slowly walking up the front porch steps. "did you close the gate up the road when you drove in?" a voice asked, turning our attention to the women we had seen earlier.

"uh hi, yeah we closed it. did the latch and everything" glenn informed, me and tdog also nodding at his words.

we all paused, causing awkwardness between all of us, unsure what to say. "uh i'm melanie" i started, breaking the silence, "this is glenn and tdog"

she nodded, reaching out her hand for me to shake, "maggie." i gave her a small smile, shaking her hand.

"look, we came to help. there anything we can do?" tdog questioned, holding out his arm in pain which caused maggie's eyes to shoot to it.

"it's not a bite. i cut myself pretty bad though." tdog assured, seeing a flash of relief in her eyes.

"we'll have it looked at. i'll tell them you're here." maggie stated, getting up from her chair, stepping towards the door.

"we have some painkillers and antibiotics. i already gave him some, if carl needs any" glenn informed, fetching the pill bottle out of his bag.

"come on inside. i'll make you guys something to eat."

________________________________2/20/2021