HAUNTED

6. Maybe there's hope afterall

"HEY CAROL, CAN WE talk? Please" Emma entered the RV, her lips wet as she picked her nails in stress.

Carol turned to the blonde, her eyes were watery, like she'd been crying. And how could you not in her situation? Carol had given Sophia everything. She stayed with an abusive man so her daughter could grow up with dad, she did everything she could to protect Sophia and it still wasn't enough. Emma couldn't even to imagine the woman's pain.

The pain of losing a child. That pain was too much to bare, on any human being.

"What is it?" Carol asked the teen girl.

"I'm sorry. I did everything I could, Carol. I did everything I could to save her. And I failed. I let her down and I let you down. I understand you blame me and are upset at me. But at least know that I tried. I did everything for her in that moment and If I could go back in time, I would do the exact same thing over again if it meant Sophia would've been safe. I just wish I knew where she was" Emma spoke, avoiding eye contact.

"Me too. Not knowing is uhh..." She sniffed. "The worst part" Carol struggled to speak as he inhaled deeply through her nose. "I know it wasn't your fault, Emma. You're still a child too. I just wish everything could've played out differently"

"Me too" Emma spoke as someone came into the RV. Emma turned and saw Daryl. Emma smiled softly. "Hey Daryl"

"Hey Emma." Daryl greeted.

"I'm gonna go" Emma said before leaving the RV and walking into the home when she heard Rick and Carl's voice.

Emma entered the room where Carl was. She smiled when she saw how happy and safe he was. "Hey, Carl. You all healed now?"

"Yep. Wasn't that big of a deal" Carl said as Emma smiled.

"I'm glad you're alive Carl. Without you, where's all the happiness?" Emma asked him.

"I make you happy?" Carl asked, almost shocked.

"You make everyone around you happy, Carl. That's kinda the thing about being a kid. You could laugh and it'd make your parents heart soften. Without you, your parents wouldn't know what to do" Emma told him as Rick nodded when Carl turned to him. "That's how strong family is"

"I never looked at it that way" Carl admitted.

"Nobody does" Emma spoke before leaving the room and running into Beth.

"Hey, how you liking the clothes?" Beth asked the girl with a soft smile.

"Tighter than what I used to wear"

"Do they not fit? Are they too small?"

"Nope. I just like wearing baggy clothes" Emma explained with a shrug.

Beth nodded her head, smiling. "You prefer to be comfortable, huh?"

"Do I look like I dress to impress?" Emma asked the blonde.

"Yes! You do! Every hot blonde looks like they dress to impress" Beth exclaimed.

Emma tilted her head, smiling softly. "You think I'm hot?" She asked.

Beth's cheeks suddenly went pink. "I think everyone is attractive in their own way. Mine is my personality, yours is your hair or eyes" Beth told the girl.

"Oh please, my hair is so damaged and my eyes are boring blue" Emma complained.

"People like blue eyes"

Emma rolled her eyes with a smile. "What are you doing?" Emma asked.

"I was going to feed the horses" Beth said, holding a container filled with carrots and apples. "They're gonna be taken out alot more to find the child so they need their fuel"