My Fear, My Silence

Chapter Fourteen: Mistake

I woke up in Daryl's tent. His crossbow was gone, so I guess he was already out and about. I crawled out and let my eyes adjust to the sun. Everyone was around The truck. I ran over to see what was going on.

"If she made it as far as the farmhouse Daryl found, she might have gone further east than we've been so far." Rick told everyone. Then a guy from the house comes over to the truck. 

"I'd like to help. I know the area pretty well and stuff." He tells Rick, Rick looks a little skeptical. I turn and see Daryl. I walk over and stand next to him. He smirks then puts his attention back to the group.

"Hershel's okay with this?" Rick asks him. I think his name was Johnny or Jimmy.

"Yeah, he said I should ask you." Johnny tells him.

"All right then, thanks." Rick says with a smile.

"Nothing about what Daryl found screams Sophia to me." Shane protests. "Anyone could have been holed up in that farmhouse." 

"Anyone includes her, right?" Andrea Snaps. It was nice to see Andrea helping and not whining for once.

"Who ever slept in that cupboard couldn't more then yay-high." Daryl says. He raises his hand a bit above my head to show the height. It was Sophia's Height.

"It's a good lead." Rick tells Shane. Shane just shakes his head. "Maybe we'll pick up her trail again."

"No maybe about it. I'm gonna borrow a horse, head up to this ridge right here, take a bird's-eye view of the whole grid. If she's up there, I'll spot her." Daryl says then walks away to get a horse.

"Maybe you'll see your chupacabra up there too." T-Dog chuckles.

"Chupacabra?" Rick asks.

"Is that a monster?" I ask T-Dog.

"You never heard this? Our first night in camp, Daryl tells us that the whole thing reminds him of a time when he went squirrel hunting and he saw a chupacabra." T-Dog says while grinning. Then Daryl came out with a horse.

"What are you braying at, jackass?" Daryl snaps.

"You believe in a blood-sucking dog?" Rick chuckles.

"Do you believe dead people walking around?" Daryl says. Everyone chuckles a bit. Then Johnny reaches for a gun.

"Hey hey. Ever fire one before?" Rick says as he stops him. 

"Well, if I'm going out, I want one." He says.

"Yeah, and people in hell want slurpees." Daryl snapped. He started walking away and I chased after him.

"Can I come with you?" I ask him. He bends to my level and shakes his head.

"Nah, you gotta stay here. Keep an eye on camp for me." He says while ruffling my hair. 

"Okay. Be Safe Daddy!" I tell him. I hug him then run to the big house to see If I can help.

Daryl's POV

She called me Daddy. I tense up as she hugs me and then runs off. I quickly get on the horse and start tracking. As I track, my mind wanders. I barley knew this kid, but I felt a bond of some sorts. Only person I have ever had that with was Mikayla. She was much younger than me but me and her became close real fast. She the one who introduced me to her sister Alex. Years later, Alex becomes my fiance. We never started a family, I didn't wanna be like my old man. Only person I guess I have been a dad to was Ava. Helpin' the girls raise Ava, I guess that is father like. 

I am snapped out of my thoughts when the horse starts to whine.

"Woah, girl." The horse gets spooked and throws me off. I fall off and the horse runs off. I fall down some rocks and land on my back. A pain shoots through my side. 

"Why don't you pull that arrow out, dummy? You could bind your wound better." A familiar southern voice tells me. I open my eyes.

"Merle."

"What's going on here? You taking a siesta or something?" He smirks.

"A shitty day, bro." I tell him as another wave of pain hits me.

"Like me to get your pillow? Maybe rub your feet?" He taunts. I sit up.

"Screw you." I snap. I look and there is one of my arrows in my side. Great.

"Huh-uh. You're the one screwed from the looks of it. All them years I spent trying to make a man of you, this is what I get? Look at you. Lying in the dirt like a used rubber. You're gonna die out here, brother. And for what?" Merle snaps. 

"They lost a little girl." I tell him.

"So you got a thing for little girls now? 'Cause I noticed you ain't out looking for old merle no more." He says crossing his arms. He had both of his hands. It wasn't real.

"Tried like hell to find you, bro."

" Like hell you did. You split, man. Lit out first chance you got." Merle Snapped.

"You lit out. All you had to do was wait. We went back for you. Rick and I, we did right by you." He snorts.

"This the same Rick that cuffed me to the rooftop in the first place? Forced me to cut off my own hand? This him we're talking about here? You his bitch now?"

 "I ain't nobody's bitch." 

 You're a joke is what you are, playing errand boy to a bunch of pansy-asses, niggers and democrats. You're nothing but a freak to them. Redneck trash. That's all you are. They're laughing at you behind your back. You know that, don't you? I got a little news for you, son. One day they gonna scrape you off their heels like you was dogshit."

"Daddy." A small voice appears from behind Merle's leg. The small voice pushes Merle away and there stands a little girl and A blonde woman.

"Alex." I breathe. Alex smiles and bends down to my level.

"Babe, you gotta get up. You gotta head back."She tells me. I lift my hand to her cheek.

"Alex."

"You gotta get our little girl." She looks at the little girl. It was Mason. She pulls her over. "Take care of her for us Dare, Take care of our little girl." Alex says with a smile. She kisses my fore head and then disappears with Mason. Right then and there, I decided to get out of this hell hole.