Blessing or a Curse? ➳ Daryl Dixon

2. New Meetings

“There is a clearing up ahead, I think, Sydney.” That was the last thing Sophia had said to him before he hit the ground, she should have seen it coming as she held his arm for dear life, a farmhouse coming into view. Some would have been suspicious, wary even, but she was just a little kid, she just saw people and she gravitated towards them. She could make out a huge white house, a barn or two, and there were a bunch of tents set up.

And an RV?

It looked exactly like the one Dale had driven, almost the same one. Her hand dropped from Sydney’s arm. They were just out of the clearing of the forest, and they were moving at a slow speed, mostly Sydney was, she could tell he wasn’t feeling too well. He had just tripped over his own feet. Someone was sitting on top of the RV, and Sophia could barely make out blonde hair, her eyes moving to the next person, dark black hair, the next, a woman with long dark hair. There was more, but her eyes were processing them too slowly. Was that Mr Grimes?

Her name was being called but she wasn’t sure by who, because next to her Sydney swayed, and kept swaying, until he finally tipped and hit the ground. 

“Sydney!” The little girl exclaimed through the people yelling her name, dropping down next to him and shaking him slightly. What happened? Was he okay?

The people kept yelling, until they reached her, and she blinked through the sun, making out Mr Walsh, Mr Grimes, T-Dog and Glenn. She found them! Her mom was here. They were safe.

“Sophia? Sophia? Sophia, are you okay?” Mr Grimes was touching her shoulder lightly, a concerned look over his face, while the other three looked a little confused at the male who was now unconscious on the ground next to her.

“You got to help my friend! He helped me get here, Mr Grimes. He saved me. He helped me, please. I don’t think he’s okay.” Sophia begged him, a pleading look in her eyes, just wanting for Sydney to be okay. Friend? She had only known him a day, but she doesn’t think she would have made it here without him. 

Mr Grimes looked at her for another moment, before he quickly told Mr Walsh to help him with the man, and together they hauled him up. Glenn ran off to go warn Hershel (she didn’t know who that was), while T-Dog came over towards her. “You okay kid?” She can imagine she doesn't look too well, she hadn’t had a shower in days. Actually, she hadn’t had a shower since the CDC, which was probably longer than any of them. Dirt covered her clothes and her body, her hair was tangled, with sticks and leaves mixed in. “Where’s my mom at?” Was the first thing she asked, her voice small, as she peered from behind T-Dog, in search of her mother.

Why hadn’t she come to see what was going on?

“Come on. She’ll be so happy to see you. I bet Daryl will be pleased when he gets back to find out you’re here. He’s been out looking for you everyday so far.” Daryl? Mr Dixon? Honestly, it surprised her a little, that it had been him. He kind of scared her, the way he moved and the way he spoke. Like he was going to freak any moment. She didn’t like being yelled at, which was something her dad had done often. 

Sophia knew who Daryl was, he was the man with the crossbow and all the shirts with no sleeves, his brother had been Merle. She wasn’t exactly too sure what had happened with him, her mom wouldn’t really tell her, just that he ended up getting left behind. 

That’s one thing that sucked, when you’re young, the adults don’t tell you anything. It’s not like she didn’t understand what was going on around her, like she didn’t pick up on things, she just wasn’t as matured as the rest of them. She was only twelve, she could only handle so much. T-Dog was walking next to her, and she saw Glenn, Shane and Rick disappear into the farmhouse with Sydney, the male’s body slumped over and only being supported by the two men helping carry him.