Savior

(2) Grief

     -Rick's POV
"We have to back dad! We can't just leave her there!" Carl whined as he kept his glance down the highway, thinking at any moment Alice would return safe and sound.
"Andrea? Jimmy? Patricia?" Hershel asked, looking around at all of us.
"Jimmy was in the RV, he helped Carl and I escape from the barn, walkers got inside." I said, the familiar weight returning to my chest, the same weight I felt after killing my best friend– my brother. Even the thought of what happened made my heart ache.
"I saw Andrea go down, she saved Carol." Lori spoke up, rubbing Carl's back.
"Patrica was ripped right out of my arms Daddy." Beth said as she embraced her father, tears streaming out of her eyes.
"Did anyone see Alice?" Daryl asked, getting more antsy the longer people were silent.
"Last time I saw her she was heading to the barn. I told her to go find Carl." Glenn said, crossing his arms. His eyes filled with tears begging to come out, he was Alice's best friend.
"She helped Carl and I off the RV, she was right behind us."

The familiar weight came onto all of us, this felt exactly like our night at Atlanta, when our camp was over run. The heartache, the grief.
"Mom, do you think Alice is dead?" Carl said, looking up to Lori, tears welling in both their eyes.
"No honey. I don't think she's dead. She's probably on her way. Any minute now." She looked over to me and wiped her eyes, trying to give me a small smile.
"Carl, we'll wait another ten minutes, if she's not here by then, we have to leave. It's only a matter of time until the herd moves on." We all got comfortable and waited in anticipation, keeping our stares at the direction we all came from minutes ago.

-Alice's POV
    I sat at the small wooden table with a map spread out, trying to figure out where the others could've gone. A sharpie was clenched in between my teeth as I followed a road on the map. I circled where the highway we lost Sophia at was, would they meet there?

   I sniffled and leaned back, rubbing my temples. I can't believe I lost them. How did this happen? Who was alive? Was Glenn okay? A tear began to roll down my cheek and I began to sob. This was the first time in a long time that I was alone. My heart fell to my stomach as a sob escaped my throat, every single bad thing that had happened, was now running through my head– taking my breath away.

  "Think, just think." I used my shirt to wipe away the tears that stained my face and looked back down to the crinkled map.

-Rick's POV
We were all gathered around a small campfire, none of us speaking because the grief was too much to bear. Carl was the only one who hadn't given up on the idea that Alice was out there looking for us, he adored her.
"Mom, does this mean she's dead?" Lori's eyes met mine, she wanted to tell him the truth, but wasn't sure how he'd handle it, especially after Sophia.
"Carl, look, I'm sorry to say this, but she's dead." Daryl spat, throwing a bundle of sticks into the dying fire, sending embers flying into the night.
"Daryl." I snapped as Carl buried his face into Lori's chest, starting to wail.
    "What? It's time to stop sugar coatin' shit. Carl, Alice is tough, but she knew the risk of trying to play the hero." Daryl stormed off into the dark woods, leaves crunching and fallen branches snapping under his weight.
       "We thought dad was dead. " Carl choked out, making everyone be quiet.
     "Carl, once we find somewhere to call home, I promise we'll go look for her. Get some sleep, we're heading out early tomorrow." Lori sniffled and watched as Carl laid his head on a backpack. She covered him with the jacket I had given her and kissed his hair.
    "Goodnight love."

-- 
      After everyone had settled down, Daryl returned, sitting away from everyone else. He leaned against the trunk of a tree and began drawing in the dirt with a stick.
   "You really think she's alive?" He said, breaking the silence.
      "Yeah, I do. You know what she's already been through, she knows how to handle herself."
       "I just can't believe what my last words were to her." He mumbled, trying to hide the fact that he was just as worried as Carl was.
    "We're going to find her." I said, trying to lighten the mood, even if it turned out to be a lie. After everything this group has been through, we can't lose anyone else.

-Alice's POV

       I laid on the small bed in the back of the RV, sleep never washing over me. I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair out  of frustration. Where were they? Who survived? I eyed the pack of smokes Daryl had left on the small wooden table and pulled one out.

      I opened the door of the RV and sat on the small step, lighting the cigarette and taking a drag. I tried to put myself in Rick's position, where would I take them? The sound of my stomach growling cut my sorrow short, if I was going to find them, I had to make sure I didn't die of starvation first. I stayed awake until the sun rose, playing with a deck of cards Glenn had found on one of his runs. I smiled at the thought of his name. He was the one who had taken care of me before we found the Atlanta group, he was my best friend and a part of me knew he was okay.

--
   I stretched my arms and yawned as I threw on the worn in backpack over my back. I pulled my machete out as I carefully pulled the door open, it was quiet in the small store– which could be a good or bad thing. Most of the shelves had been cleaned out but thankfully enough was left for me to last a couple more days. I hopped the counter and picked up a couple left over packs of smokes and sighed. Marlboro lights– Daryl's favorite. I ignored the feeling in my stomach and stuffed the crinkled pack in the bag.

       A low moan startled me as I saw a walker crawling from its hiding place. The bottom half of the man was gone, intestines dragging along behind him, like a tail. I grabbed a handful of the hair left on his head and plunged my machete into its temple. I returned to the RV and locked the door, tossed the bag of canned food and water on the floor and plopped onto the small seat, letting an overdue slumber take over.