My Fear, My Silence

Chapter Nine: Hidden From Everything

I woke up in Daryl's lap. He was chewing his nail again. I swat his hand stopping him from the bad habit.

"Morning Pinkie." He says softly and continues to drive. I sit up. We were still in the truck. I start tugging at my fingers as I scan the truck for Ika.

"Daryl, where is Ika?" He points to the back off the truck. I reach over and grab her. "Where Are we going?" He shook his head.

"No Idea." Then A horn went off, so Daryl pulled over and got out of the car. I stayed. I was too tired to move. He came back started unloading the Truck. "Coming kiddo, you gonna be riding with Dale and Glenn."

I got out of the truck with my bag on my back. I walked to the RV. Andrea sat at the table playing with her gun. She wasn't talking to me or Dale. I think she is mad at me. Daryl said she is stuck up, but he doesn't like anyone. Glenn was sitting in the front with Dale. I walked over and Glenn picked me up and put me in his lap. He smiled and I smiled back. I liked Glenn and Dale. They were nice and they liked to keep people safe.

"So Mason, Where did you get your stuffed animal?" Glenn asked pointed at Ika. I squeezed her tight.

"Mama and Daddy took me to a fair. We rode rides and played games. I won Ika and I never go anywhere without her." I say smiling at the memory.

"It is nice to her you speak little one." Dale said, making me blush and hide into Glenn's chest. Glenn poked at my sides making me giggle. "You know Mason, you can talk to us. We are all friends."

"Okay. Does that mean we are friends?" I ask them.

"Of course Silly." Glenn said while tickling me. I laughed really hard. Dale gasp and we looked ahead. The Highway was filled with cars. We couldn't fit at all, no way. Daryl came around to Dale's window.

"Is there a way through?" Dale asked. Daryl nodded and we followed him till we couldn't get through. Everyone got out of the car but me and Andrea. I went over to talk to her.

"Hi Andrea...." She looked up and glared at me. It was silent while we heard the adults argue. That was a regular thing now. "Are you mad at me?" She slammed her hand on the table, making me jump and squeeze Ika harder.

"You forced my hand Mason! I could be free, but you and Dale made my descion for me! I am pissed cause now I am on watch all the time. You make everything worse! I don't know how Amy tolerated you!" She yelled. I felt my face get warm and fill with tears. I ran out the door and into Carol's back by accident. She turned around and her face softened.

"Sweet heart? Whats wrong?" She asked softly, trying not to catch the attention of others. I look at the RV and then back at her.

"Nothing, I didn't want to be alone." I lied. I didn't want to cause more trouble than I already do. She sighed.

"Why don't you go over to be with Sophia? You could be friends." She said with hope in her eyes. She pointed over to a car that Sophia and Carl were leaning against and laughing. I walk over and Carl and Sophia smiled widely as they saw me.

"Hey Mason!" Sophia said excitedly. She was always happy.

"Hi Sophia." I said. They both gasped.

"You talked!" Carl said happily. I nodded and they got really excited. "Lets go search cars with the others! Daryl and T-dog are ahead already!" Carl ran ahead while I walked with Sophia. She Held the doll that Eliza gave her close.

"What did you name your doll?" I ask.

"Sarah." She replied, then pointed to Ika. "What's her name?"

"Ika."

"That's a pretty name."

"Sophia?"

"Yeah?"

"Can we be friends?" She smiled and stopped walking, so I stopped as well. She pulled me close to her for a hug.

"Of Course, We can be best friends." She said in my ear. I hugged her tightly and we went back to searching cars. I open the car door, and it creaks. I see trash and blood everywhere, but their is a backpack too. I take the backpack and opened it. There was 2 granola bars, a water bottle and some doll clothes. They could fit Sarah. I take the clothes out and put the bag on my back and run to Sophia.

"Sophia, I found these. Maybe It will fit Sarah." I say. I give it to her and we put it on her doll. It fit. We smile at each other, then Rick rushed over to us.

"Get under the cars, don't move." We crawl under the car. I hold Sophia's hand. I look and see Rick and Carl under one as well. Then the moans came. It was Walkers. I started to shake. Sophia started to cry so I put my hand over her mouth. Then feet came passing us by. There were so many. I was so scared. After a while, Sophia pulled me up from the car to check if it was safe. Then Four walkers came out. I screamed and Sophia pulled me over the railing and we ran into the woods. We ran until Two arms grabbed us. We turn and it was Rick. He picked us up and started to run.

"Shoot them, Shoot them!" Sophia cried.

"No, those walkers on the roads would hear it. Then It would be not just be two it would be hundreds." Rick ran until we hit the creek. We hear the growls. Rick put us down and pointed to a small hole. "Hide in there. Squeeze in tight, I will draw them away from you two."

"No, No, No don't leave us!" I cry. I held Ika close.

"I will get too tired from carrying you both to kill them. Okay?" We nod and crawl into the small hole. I went in first.

"If I don't make it back, run back to the highway, back to the others straight the way we came. Keep the sun on your left shoulder." We nod. Rick starts yelling and the walkers follow him. I sit there with my eyes close and my hands over my ears. Then Another walker comes out and scares us. We run out of the hole. We run and run but I trip and fall. The walker gets close to me. I get up and run, leaving Ika behind. I look around and Sophia is nowhere to be found. I stop. There is nothing around and the sun was going down, I couldn't put it on my left shoulder, plus I didn't know which was my left. I didn't know what to do.

I look at a tree and I start climbing it, like Aunt Mickey taught me. I got high enough that no one could get me. I take the bag out off my back and take out a water. I sip it and put it back. There was a sweatshirt in there. It was cold so I put it on. I lean against the tree. I am alone again. No one was coming. Sophia left me. Andrea was right.