Adasyn

We weaved slowly in between the mess of cars scattered on the highway, following behind Daryl who had abandoned his truck a couple of days ago - using his motorcycle instead. I had retreated to the rv along with Glenn, Ashlyn, Andrea, T-Dog, Shane and of course, Dale. Jacqui had stayed behind at the CDC, which opened up some more space allowing us to drop the number of vehicles we were using.
We were about half way through the traffic pile up when there was a sudden loud noise and a burst of smoke started appearing out of the hood of the RV.

"Shit," I mumbled. Dale brought the RV to a stop, honking the horn one time to warn everyone else.
We all piled out, one by one, while Glenn immediately went to working on the problem, Dale watching from over his shoulder.

"Alright everyone," Shane announced. "While we're here lets have a look in some of these cars, see what we can find."

Everyone split up into groups and dispersed across the highway, digging in trunks and backseats. Ashlynn and I hadn't been separated from each other since the camp, but things were still a little tense between us. I think we each blamed ourselves and I'm sure at some point - each other. Grief could really drive you crazy.

"Wanna check that van?" She asked, pointing to a black mini van a couple cars ahead- the windows coated in grime. "Bigger vehicle means possibility for more stuff."

"Sure," I shrugged, following after her. She started on the trunk and I plopped down in the passenger seat, digging through the glove compartment. I found an extra map that I shoved into my back pocket, and a couple of energy bars but other than that it was useless paper work. I reached over into the center console next, and just as I was getting ready to shut it a stack of Polaroids caught my attention. There was a picture of a beautiful woman with dark hair and a wedding dress, with a very tall man standing next to her - their smiles said it all. The next was a picture of the same couple standing in front of a house holding a key. The next was of her, cuddling a puppy with a ribbon loose around it's neck. The final picture in the stash was of the same couple, the dog who was now full grown in front of them, and both of their hands rested on top of her large belly. I got an twisting feeling in my gut, and as I turned to stash the pictures back in the console my eyes grazed the backseat and a gasp escaped my lips.

There was a corpse of a man sitting in the floor board, his head in the lap of what appeared used to be a woman - who was layed across the backseat. Her dark hair quickly informed me who the couple must of been, and when my eyes traveled down to her still round, rotting belly I stumbled trying to get out of there.

"Ady?" Ashlynn asked, rounding the corner. "Everything okay?"

"I can't do this shit," I mumbled. "I - I can't do this."

Ashlynn had no time to question me on my outburst, her eyes still wide as they focused on me, due to my name being softly called from somewhere around us. Looking around on the ground, finally I saw Lori hovering under a nearby truck. Carol was next to her, and Lori was pointing towards the ground with one hand, the other around Carol's mouth.

"Get down," she spat through a teeth clenched whisper. "Now!"

Catching on to what she meant Ashlynn and I quickly dropped to the ground, shuffling under the van we had just been digging through.
Just a couple of minutes later the strong smell hit like a ton of bricks and the low moans and growl seemed to get closer and closer. I covered my mouth with my hands as they passed, trying to control my heavy breathing. I had never seen so many traveling together in a pack like this. The only time there was this many in the same place was when you hit the cities or some big store or something.

It seemed like years passed before they stopped coming. After at least 20 minutes of the shuffling, no more feet drug across the ground and I could no longer hear those God awful moans. Ashlynn looked at me, nodding her head before slowly crawling out from up underneath the van. She had just bent back down, giving me a thumbs up to let me know it was safe when a sharp scream echoed through the air. It had to have been one of the kids.

I made my way from up under the vehicle and just as I raised up from the ground, hatchet in hand, I saw Sophia make a beeline for the woods with a couple of walkers shuffling quickly after her.

And Ashlynn was sprinting right towards them.

**********

"Ashlynn's tracks stop right here," Daryl said. "And the girl's continue up a little bit, then veer off in this direction. I wonder why she stopped, all they had to do was keep goin'."

"Maybe there was some..obstacles?" Shane suggested. I took a deep, shaky breath, tugging slightly at my hair as they all talked amongst themselves. I felt like I was on the verge of a mental breakdown. It had been a little over a week since I buried my baby sister, and now my twin was missing.

Daryl shook his head, examining the ground. "I don't see any other footprints."

"So what we do?" Shane asked Rick. "All of us press on?"

"No. Better if you and Glenn get back up to the highway. People are gonna start panicking. Let them know we're on their trail, doing everything we can. But most of all,  keep everybody calm."

He nodded, probably one of the first times he hadn't tried arguing with Rick since we left camp. "I'll keep 'em busy scavenging cars, think up a few other chores. Come on Glenn."

Glenn looked over at me , "You'll be okay if I go? Cause I'll stay if you need me."

I tried my best to give him a reassuring smile through my clenched teeth, nodding at him. "I'm sure they need you more back at the highway. Go on, I'll be fine."

He looked unsure but took off after Shane anyway. I think he had learned that arguing with me done nobody any good. Once they were out of sight Daryl, Rick and I pressed forward and continued to follow Ashlynn's tracks.

"The tracks are all gone," Rick said between furrowed brows as he stared at the ground.

"They're faint," I mumbled, knowing that this still wasn't a great sign. "But they are not gone."

"How can you tell? I don't see anything but dirt and grass.."

"You want a lesson in tracking or do you wanna find them girls?" Daryl shot back, his eyes never leaving the ground. Rick didn't say anything else on the subject, and we continued on.

After a couple of minutes or so we heard the shuffling of feet, all three of us quickly dropping to the ground. A walker. Daryl gave a couple of silent directions and we spread out. Rick and I ran in front of the walker, creating a distraction while Daryl crept up behind it, sending a bolt through it's face.

"Sophia! Ashlynn!"

Silence.

Rick kneeled down beside the now officially dead walker, looking at it's hands. "What are you looking for?" I asked.

"Skin..under the fingernails." He examined the hands a few more moments before slipping on gloves and checking it's teeth. "It fed recently. There's flesh caught in his teeth."

"Yeah?" Daryl asked. "What kind of flesh?"

"Only one way to know for sure," Rick responded looking like he was ready to projectile vomit all the way across the forest. He ripped open the walker's shirt and pulled a knife from his pocket. Just as he lined it up with the top of the stomach, Daryl stopped him . "I'll do it. How many kills you gutted and skinned in yer life? Anyways," he grunted, yanking his hunting knife from it's place at his side,"mine's sharper."

I had to turn away from the sight , attempting to hold back my own projectile vomit as Daryl cut into the walker's belly. "Here comes the bad part," Daryl grunted. A heard a few disgusting squishy noises before Daryl spoke again. "Yeah, Hoss had a meal not too' long ago. I feel it in there."

I gagged a little and just as I managed to get myself together, I heard a loud plop. "Here's the gut bag."

I wasn't able to control it this time.

"Hay, Adasyn."

"Y-yes?" I managed to choke out.

"Ya can stop yer' worryin' over there. This gross bastard had himself a woodchuck fer lunch."

And yet again, I wasn't able to control it.