Chapter 4

The group that Akaze and Daryl were leading was full of animosity. With every step someone made the other would suck their teeth, and even make a quick remark. Daryl found it easy to ignore them, unlike Akaze. It is difficult to lead people who only complain while also protecting them. Akaze felt like he was taken for granted by how he was on the front like with ungrateful people but to be quite exact ungrateful person. Andrea made it well known that she is not fond of this new setup of how she can carry knives and listen to others who were only looking out for her. She was on thin ice with Akaze to the point if you touched that frail ice it would shatter instantly.

" What exactly is the plan? Are we walking just to walk?" Carol's legs gave up on her as she sat on the nearest log.

" We split into two groups. As we head back to the highway, we are covering ground to look for her." Daryl answered her.

"Two groups would cover more ground than a giant crowd. Too many people at one time can cover her tracks or clues to find her location." Akaze finished it off.

"So we just headless chickens walking around with sticks." Andrea scoffed out loud which made Andrew and Akaze roll their eyes. As time passes Andrew understands the dislike Akaze has towards Andrea. "It's funny how you have a gun and we here with knives. It seems a bit unfair." she aimed at sights on Lori.

(Great. Soon we might witness a catfight over something so pointless.)

"You want it? Here take it." Lori took out the postil and handed it to Andrea. " I'm sick and tired of the childish games you're playing. We are here to look for a little girl and you worry about a gun?" Lori dropped her bag on the ground as she sat on the same log Carol was sitting on. "I can't image the pain you are going through but you have to stop blaming Rick. I see it on your face every time he's in your view of sight." Carol turned her head away from Lori but that didn't stop the sheriff's wife from continuing her rant. " Besides Akaze, he was the only person who ran after her, he didn't hesitate. He chased after that girl knowing he had to face two or probably more of those walkers. He didn't care for his well-being because in his mind was to save that girl, your daughter. He is not perfect and he feels tremendous guilt about losing Sophia but if any of you could do a better job than he can, then do it. Ain't nobody stopping any of you. If you can lead this group, be my guest." after her full-out rant towards everyone she drowned herself in water.

( Never thought I might agree with her but she's right. I honestly don't know how Rick could still be thoughtful and lead this group when all he receives back is just backlash. Especially, Andrea, she is the definition of a pain in my ass.)

Andrea gave Lori back her gun with shame lingering in her eyes. " Let's keep going."

As soon as Lori got up a single gunshot echoed throughout the woods. Everyone snapped their heads in different directions of the woods because it was hard to figure out where it came from. Akaze held Andrew near him as he held on to his katana tight. Daryl grips his crossbow tightly, ready to take down anyone coming near him.

"We should keep going," Akaze mutters as Daryl agrees with him by nodding his head.

The group was walking ahead as they eased their pace, scanning the area around them. As they continued walking, Lori stayed a few inches away from them looking behind her.

" Lori, come on," Andrea called out to her.

"Why one shot was fired?" she questions them as she also questions herself. " why only one?"

Daryl shrugged his shoulders, wanting the conversation to end. " I Don't know. They probably took down a walker."

Lori scoffed at his answer. "We all know Rick and Shane wouldn't waste no bullets to put down one walker."

Carol agreed with Lori. " They should have already caught up with us."

" We can't do nothing about it," Daryl said.

" What if it is someone else? We are not the only ones here. Probably a random panic and fired at the walker?" Akaze suggested and Glenn agreed with him.

" Seems fair. They got scared." Glenn added on.

" How can we know for sure? What do we do?" Lori questions the three men.

The three men along with little Andrew look at each other and look back at Lori, " We walk back." they nonchalantly said all together.

Lori rolled her eyes as she was in disbelief at what they said. Andrea went close to her, "Maybe they were being held looking for food or something. Let's go back and I'm sure they will meet us."

Andrea went to Carol to comfort her. Everyone could tell Carol was losing her mind no matter how hard she tried to hide it with her small smile. "I know how you feel."

Carol shared the tight-lip smile she normally does. " I guess you do. Thank you. I can't imagine her out here and not knowing how she is. I just hope she doesn't wind up like Amy."

As soon as Carol said that Akaze winced at it. Out of everything she could have said she let out words that should be kept to herself only. Akaze was hoping Andrea wouldn't let it rub more salt on her open wounds because she was still grieving for her but unexpectedly Andrea didn't argue with Carol. She placed her hand on her shoulder. " I hope not either."

"Stop with that nonsense. We are going to find that girl. Come on." Daryl butted in the conversation. Unlike himself, Akaze could see that Daryl is equally or more determined to find that girl.

****

After more time passes by from their eyes, the group decides to call it in to head back. "After all that searching we still couldn't find her," Andrew stated the obvious fact that everyone else was thinking.

( Where the hell did she go? To me, she doesn't seem much of a runner so she couldn't run that far away. )

"We pick up the trail tomorrow morning. Let's go." Daryl harshly mutters to himself. Without even saying much, Akaze could tell Daryl was more than frustrated. He could feel his anger and only wished for the older man to calm his nerves but how can he tell him that when he's feeling the same way? Throughout his life, Akaze hasn't failed anything besides certain stuff and when he did fail he was punished for it by his father. After his early childhood from getting beatings, he always pushes himself to never go back to that dark period. Akaze excels at everything he does to stay in his father's graces and he wishes right now he could have him next to him because feeling his father's intimidating aura might help Akaze brainstorm more to find where the girl is located.

"Akaze, we leaving. Hurry up." Glenn's small voice called out to him snapping him out of his thought process.

(I cannot get distracted now. I must stay sharp and focused. I can't let go of my mind because it would lead to unpleasant memories.)

He followed the group, they were walking through the muddy ground, looking from side to side to be aware of their surroundings. Besides hearing the birds chirping, all he could hear was footsteps and the items in the group bag clattering around.

" How long?" Andrew asks out.

" Maybe a hundred yards," Daryl answered.

" That seems far."

Daryl took a glimpse at Andrew. " Don't be a pansy. When I was your age, this wasn't nothing."

A chuckle came from Akaze's mouth because he could relate to Daryl. Although he didn't have any clue what Daryl did before the world fell apart, he could tell he had a rough childhood. Only people who have been through dreadful shit in their childhood can tell another person went through the same crap. The normal person would have a light gleam in their eyes, unlike Akaze and Daryl, their orbs were dark. It felt like all life is drained from it and the way how the two can easily adapt to a situation seals the deal that they both came from the same shit hole.

"I'm not a pansy. We have been walking all day. Of course, I would be tired by now." Andrew defend hismelf.

"I mean he's right." Glenn chimed in as he was panting, climbing up the small hill.

Daryl and Akaze shared a look and looked back at the two. " Yeah, pansy." they both snorted as they saw Andrew and Glenn's faces disapproving of their insult.

"No. it just means-" A scream alarms the group as they look behind them seeing Andrea on her back trying to escape from the walker.

" Shit!" everyone was in sync as they ran down the hill trying to reach Andrea.

( And this woman claims she could handle herself. This female wanted a gun but couldn't stick the knife into the dead head. Fucking blonde-haired.)

Akaze thought they would reach in time when he saw the walker on the ground, snarling right in front of her face, ready to dig in her flesh. As he quickened his pace a person on a horse came rushing by with a baseball, hitting the walker in the head.

( The hell?! Who's that?!)

" Lori?! Lori Grimes?!" the mystery woman repeated her question as she eyed every one of us.

" That's me." Lori went near her as Akaze came near Andrew with his katana ready to slay the woman.

"Rick sent me to get you. It's been an accident. Carl's been shot. He needs you." without a second thought Lori was ready to jump on the back of the horse.

" Whoa, hold up. We don't know her. You can't just go." Daryl tried to stop her but Lori was already on the horse.

"Rick said more of you on the highway. Come to Fairburn Road. Two miles down is our farm. The mailbox says, Greene." After that, the woman just went away without even saying anything else.

"Jesus. We have to tell the others." Glenn said.

The same walker that attacked Andrea got back up but Daryl ended him before he could cause more trouble with an arrow to its head. " Shut up. Come on."