ONLY HUMAN [ROSITA ESPINOSA]

Chapter 13

It wasn't until on the highway that the group stopped. Mostly because the Rv broke down. While they waited for Glenn to fix it, Sawyer went with the others to look for useful things.

The boy decided he would see if any of the vehicles there were still full of gas. He grabbed one of Dale's gas containers and a tube and began his search. Though only a few cars contained what he was looking for.

Suddenly,he heard Rick whispering for them to get down and hide underneath the vehicles. At first, he was confused, but then once he saw the walkers, he quickly dropped to his knees and crawled underneath a truck. Just a few vehicles away from Carl and Sophia.

A few minutes, which seemed like eternity passed by. Sawyer looked for Rick's signal for the coast to be clear. However, he noticed Sophia starting to crawl out. He was just about to join her when he saw a walker get down and crawl after her, causing the little girl to scream and crawl away in fright.

No, not her! Sawyer cried in his head. Without much thinking,he quickly crawled out from the vehicle and ran after them. Only to slip and fall down the hill. Though he quickly got up and continued chasing after Sophia.

"Sawyer! " he heard a voice call out. He turned around only to be face to face with Rick, making Sawyer jump out of his skin.

"Don't do that! " Sawyer demanded the older man.

"Which way did she go?" Rick asked. He didn't even notice that Rick had followed him off the highway.

"I think that way. '' Sawyer pointed in the direction where he saw Sophia run.

"Go back to the others. There's only two of them. There's no point in anyone else getting lost." Rick told him. Sawyer didn't get much time to argue as Rick raced past him.

Sawyer made his way back to the group. Climbing back up the hill, he had just stumbled going down not a few moments. A distraught Carol looked at him as Shane helped him up.

"Rick's gonna get her back. "Sawyer told her as he let her wrap her arms around his neck and cried into his shoulders.

………
It wasn't long until Rick and Daryl came back but with no Sophia. An empty pit feeling filled Sawyer's stomach.

"You didn't find her? " Carol sobbed as Lori tried to comfort her.

"Trail went cold. We will pick it up first light. "claimed Rick.

Or you should have let me help in the first place. Thought Sawyer bitterly.

"We can't leave my daughter out there alone to spend the night in the woods. " Carol sobbed.

"Out in the dark's no good. Just be trippin' over ourselves.More people just be getting lost." explained Daryl softly.

"She's 12. She can't be out there on her own. You didn't find anything? " sobbed Carol as she looked at Rick for answers.

"I know this is hard, but I'm asking you not to panic. We know she's out there. " said Rick, confidently.

Yeah, she was right there, and you let her slip away from my fingers. Sawyer thought once more.

"We've tracked her for a while." explained Daryl.

"We have to make this an organized effort. Daryl said he and Sawyer know these woods better than anyone. I've asked him if they can oversee this. " said Rick.

Suddenly, Sawyer noticed blood on Daryl's shoes. "Is that blood? " he asked his older brother.

"Walker." explained Rick, causing Carol to panic even more. Sawyer regretted asking the question.

"There was no sign it was ever near her. Rick told Carol, trying to comfort her.

"How could you know that?" Andrea asked as Rick looked to Daryl for an answer.

"We've cut the son of a bitch open." Daryl explained. "Just to be sure."

Sawyer watched as Carol took a deep breath, sat down on the rail alongside Lori as she looked up at Rick heartbroken. "How could you leave her out there to begin with?"

He listened as Rick explained why he had to leave her alone. His heart broke at the sight of Carol upset over Sophia. Watching as Lori and Andrea sat down with her to comfort her.
………………….

When morning came, Sawyer followed the others into the woods to look for Sophia. As they continued to reach deeper into the woods, they came across a tent. Daryl signaled everyone to get down and they waited for a few seconds before he walked up to the tent.

Sawyer watched as Rick signaled Carol to come forward. Sawyer walked with her as they inched forward to the tent.

"Call out softly. If she's there. You should be the first person she should hear. " said Rick quietly.

"Sophia. Are you in there? Sweetie. It's mommy." Carol called out softly as Daryl stood in front of the tent, knife in hand.

"Sophia. We're all here baby. It's mommy. " Carol called out. When they got no reply, Rick and Shane inched closer as Daryl took a look inside.

Sawyer stood next to Carol, his hands on her shoulder. Watching as his older brother stepped into the tent. The smell of death hit their noses.

"Daryl? "Sawyer called out repeatedly.

Daryl soon stepped out. "It ain't her." His brother answered.

"Who is it?" Sawyer questioned him.

"Some guy. Did what Jenner said. Opted out. " replied Daryl. "Isn't that what he called that? " his older brother asked, making sure he said it right.

All the sudden, they were distracted by the ringing of church chimes causing everyone to run into the direction. As they got closer they found a building. However it didn't look like a church.

"That can't be it. Got no staple, no bells." states Shane. But Rick didn't listen as he led the charge to the entrance.

Sawyer watched as Rick and Daryl opened the door to reveal three walkers sitting in the church. The boy gave his older brother his hammer while Lori gave Rick her knife.

The three men easily took down the three walkers as the others made their way inside.

"SOPHIA!" Sawyer shouted alongside his brother.

"Yo J.C. taking any requests? " Daryl asked the statue of Jesus on the cross.

Sawyer listened to Shane reasoning with Rick that it wasn't a church. But was cut off by the chiming sound again. Sawyer raced out the church with Glenn as they checked the side only to find a box.

Sawyer opened the box and ripped out the cords. "It's on a timer. " Breathed, Daryl.

"I'm gonna go back in for a bit." Said Carol as she walked inside the church.

Sawyer followed her and sat down next to the woman and listened to her pray to the statue.
………….
It wasn't long until Rick,Shane, and Carl went their separate ways to search for Sophia after Carl claimed he wanted to search for his friend.

Sawyer went with the others back to the highway to see if Carol's little girl went back. As they inched closer to the highway, they stopped once they heard a single gunshot.

Everyone paused for a moment before they continued their way back. Sawyer walked ahead with Daryl. Suddenly, they heard Andrea screaming, causing Sawyer to race in the direction.

"Andrea! " he repeatedly called out, seeing her being attacked by a walker.

Sawyer struggled to take out his hammer from his backpack. Only to look up to see a woman on a horse smashing the walker with a baseball back.

"Lori? Lori Grimes? " the woman asked Andrea as Sawyer rushed over to help the woman up.

"I'm Lori. " said Lori, rushing over with the others.

"Rick sent me. You gotta come now. " claimed the woman.

"What?" Lori asked, confused.

"There's been an accident. Carl's been shot. He's still alive, but you gotta come now! "