▎SAFE HAVEN ▎
»»————　act two. on the hunt
CHAPTER ELEVEN ━━ the youth

Lori and josie were anxious due to hearing a gun being fired. The pair was nervous and the group could see it. Glenn placed his hand on josie shoulder, snapping her out of her gaze.

"They are okay." He promised and josie nodded, giving a small smile to him.

"You still worrying about it?" Andrea asked the pair, Lori was a little bit behind and the group turned around to see her.

"It was a gunshot." Lori said, looking at where they just came.

"We all heard it." Daryl spoke up, shrugging.

"Why one- Why just one gunshot?" Lori turned around, looking at Daryl.

"Maybe they took down a walker." Daryl suggested but josie shook her head, turning to face him.

"Rick nor Shane would do that. They wouldn't risk killing one walker with a gun, Daryl." Josie looked at Daryl then back at
Lori.

Josie was nervous herself, and her brother, but she had to calm her nerves. Lori agreed with josie. "They'd do it quietly." She added, nodding at josie.

"Shouldn't they have caught up with us by now?" Carol asked, also anxious.

"There's nothing we can do about it, anyway. Can't run around these woods chasing echoes." Daryl said, firmly.

"So, what do we do?" Lori asked him.

"Same as we've been. Beat the bush for Sophia, work our way back to the highway." He told her, nodding his head to the direction of the highway.

"I'm sure they'll hook up with us back at the RV." Andrea said, giving josie a smile which the brunette sent back.

"They'll be alright." Tiff added as she pushed a branch out of her way.

The group started to walk until Andrea spoke to Carol. "I'm sorry for what you're going through. I know how you feel." Carol nodded, smiling.

"I suppose you do- Thank you. The thought of her, out here by herself.. It's the not knowing that's killin' me. I just keep hopin' and prayin' she doesn't wind up like Amy. Oh, God! That's the worst thing I ever said." Carol spoke which made everyone freeze.

Andrea shook her head, Smiling. "We're all hoping and praying with you, for what it's worth."

"I'll tell ya what it's worth- Not a damn thing. It's a waste of time, all this hopin' and prayin'. We're gonna locate that little girl. She's gonna be just fine. Am I the only one Zen around here? Good lord." Daryl spoke which made josie grin to herself. He may not act like it sometimes but he did care for the group.

Josie walked side by side with Glenn and Tiffany, biting her thumb nervously. Glenn took notice of that and gently pushed her hands away. Josie raised a brow at his actions. "It's a bad habit." He simply said, gesturing to her hands and she sent him a small smile. "They are fine, don't stress." He added, seeing the anxiety radiate off of her.

Josie let out a chuckle. "Your right, I'm probably overreacting. They are fine." Josie told herself that. Glenn gave her a small nod.

"Yeah, dont stress about it phinny." Tiff added, patting the girls back.

The group came to a hold and Daryl cleared his throat, looking to the group. "We'll lose the light before too long. I think we should call it."

"Let's head back." Lori nodded, agreeing with Daryl.

"We'll pick it up again tomorrow?" Carol asked.

Josie nodded her head, rubbing her shoulder. "Yeah, we will find her tomorrow." She sent the woman a small smile.

Daryl whistled and everyone turned back around, walking towards the Highway. They all continued to walk in silence. "How much further?" Lori pipped up. Josie turned to look at her and so did everyone else.

"Not much.. Maybe a hundred yards as the crow flies." Daryl replied.

"Too bad we're not crows." Andrea said. They all continued to walk until they heard her scream.

"Andrea!" Josie panicked, running to the place the screaming was coming from. She pulled out her sword and gripped it in her hands. She was almost thrown to the floor as a horse road past her. She was taken back as the girl on the horse hit the Walker with the bat.

"Lori! Lori grimes!" The blonde woman on the horse shouted, which made josie raise a brow and run to the woman on the horse, putting her sword back into her sheath.

"Lori grimes?" She asked.

"That's me. I'm lori." Lori stood in front of everyone but Daryl held her arm, just incase.

"Shane and Rick sent me- You've got to come now." The blonde woman said which made lori frown.

"What?" Lori asked, clearly confused.

"There's been an accident- carls been shot. He's still alive but you've gotta come now." The blonde noticed loris hesitation, "Just come!" The woman told Lori. Josie noticed Lori freeze for a second before climbing onto the horse, sitting behind the blonde girl.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa! We don't know this girl. You can't get on that horse" Daryl told her, he didn't trust the woman but lori shook her head.

"Shane said you had others on the highway, that big traffic snarl?" She asked as lori adjusted herself on the horse, wrapping her arms around the woman.

"Uh-huh." Tiff answered, taken back by the information.

"Backtrack to Fairburn road. Two miles down is our farm. You'll see the mailbox- Name's Greene--Hi-yah!" And the pair took off, leaving the rest of them to trail their eyes, watching the two fade away.

Then realisation struck josie as she realised what the blonde woman on the horse said. Carl had got shot.

"I won't do it. We can't just leave." Carol shook her head, tears threatening to leave her eyes.

Josie looked up at the older woman, her arms over her chest as she bit her lip. "Carol, the group is split. We're scattered and weak." Dale sighed as he tried to reason.

"What if she comes back and we're not here? It could happen." Carol thought, looking at everyone.

Josies eyes softened at the older women. "If Sophia found her way back and we were gone, that would be awful." Andrea nodded her head, agreeing.

"Then why don't half of us stay here with the rv and the rest go to the farm?" Josie quickly thought, the group turning to her.

Daryl nodded his head. "Okay. We gotta plan for this. I say tomorrow morning is soon enough to pull up stakes. Give us a chance to rig a big sign, leave her some supplies. I'll hold here tonight, stay with the RV."

"If the RV is stayin', I am too." Dale nodded his head.

"Thank you. Thank you both." Carol smiled sadly, thanking the two men.

"I'm in." Andrea raised her hand.

"Well, if you're all staying then I'm-" Glenn went to speak but he was cut off by dale.

"Not you, Glenn- You're going. Take-take Carol's Cherokee. Tiffany and josie also." The older man pointed to the two girls, who nodded their heads.

"Me? Why is it always me?" Glenn complained slightly.

"You guys have to find this farm, reconnect with our people and see what's going on- But most important, you three have to get t-dog there. This is not an option. That cut has gone from bad to worse. He has a very serious blood infection. Get him to that farm. See if they have any antibiotics. Because if not, t-dog will die, no joke." Dale explained as josie nodded her head, agreeing with the plan.

Tiffany turned when she noticed Daryl turn around, walking over to his brothers motorbike. "Keep your oily rags off my brother's motorcycle." Daryl grunted as he threw a rag at Dale, a bag of pills in his hands. "Why'd you wait till now to say anything? Got my brother's stash. Crystal, x- Don't need that. Got some kick ass painkillers. Doxycycline. Not the generic stuff neither. It's first class. Merle got the clap on occasion."

Josie and Tiffany both grimaced slightly. "Lovely, thank you for that information." Tiff cringed as josie nodded her head.

Josie drove carols car, following Glenn's directions. It was pitch black and josie had to squint every now and then. "Take a left here." Glenn told her and the girl did as told, turning left.

"It's silent out here, too silent." Tiffany piped up from the back, beside t-dog.

"Probably because we are in the middle of nowhere, tif." Josie mumbled as she anxiously tapped her fingers on the steering wheel.

"What do you think this farms gonna be like then?" A half out of it t-dog asked, making josie look at him through the mirror.

"A farm?" Glenn slowly turned around to t-dog with a confused look on his face.

"There might be farm animals." Tiff mumbled from beside t-dog.

"Okay keep going straight forward." Glenn told josie as she nodded. She watched as a house came into view, a gate stopping them from going further. "I'll be back." Glenn told them as he scrambled out of the car and towards the gate.

Josie watched nervously as Glenn opened the gate, signalling josie to drive through. She did just that as she drove past Glenn before stopping, letting him close the gate behind them and climbing back into the car.

Josie drove closer to the house before getting out, helping T-dog out also. "So do we ring the bell? I mean it looks like people live here." Glenn asked as he held a gun in his hands, starting up at the house that was lighten up.

"We're past this kind of stuff, aren't we? Having to be considerate." T-dog mumbled.

"We can just knoc-" tiff started but jumped as she was cut off.

"Did you close the gate up the road when you drove in?" They turned to the voice to see the same blonde woman that was on the horse and a brunette woman, with short hair, next to her.

"Uh, hi. Yes, we closed it. Did the latch and everything." Glenn nodded his head at the two.

"Look, we came to help. There anything we can do?" Josie quickly asked, wanting to see if her brother and carl was okay.

The two women stood up, eyeing t-dogs injury as he hissed. "It's not a bite. I cut myself pretty bad though." He told the brunette one, who nodded.

"We'll have it looked at. I'll tell them you're here." The brunette nodded her head at the four.

"We have some painkillers and antibiotics. I already gave him some. If Carl needs any." Tiffany spoke up, grabbing the bag out of Glenn's hand and offering them towards the blonde girl.

"Is Carl okay?" Josie spoke up, a worried look on her face.

"Our daddy's doing the best he can." The blonde smiles slightly.

"Come on inside. We'll make you something to eat." The brunette told them, opening the door and the four following the two siblings.

The brunette and the blonde led the four of them into a room, josies heart dropped when she saw Carl in the bed, asleep. Her eyes turned to Rick and Lori, feeling sympathetic for the two. Carl was like a nephew to her, she had watched him grow up to be the little man he is to this day.

"Hey." Glenn mumbled, pulling josie out of her thoughts.

"Hey." Rick replied back as he sat up.

"Um, we're here, okay?" Tiff spoke up with a supportive smile.

"Thank you." Lori spoke up this time, sending her thanks to the group.

"Whatever you need." T-dog added.

"Do you need anything?" Josie was quick to ask, staring at the two sibling figures she had grown up with.

The husband and wife shook their heads, thankful for the young walsh being there. Josie looked around, not seeing her brother, which made her frown. "Where is Shane?" Josie asked Rick, fiddling with her hands nervously.

"He went to go find some supplies that will help Carl." Rick explained quickly as she nodded her head, feeling the breath get caught in her throat. Tiff noticed as rubbed the girls back, the four of them walking out.

Tiffany cringed, looking away from t-dogs arm as the blonde woman, who josie found out to be called Riley greene, was stitching up.

"You got here right in time. This couldn't go untreated much longer." Riley told him in a strong southern accent. She looked over at the pills for a moment. "Merle Dixon. Is that your friend with the antibiotics?" Riley asked. "Strange name." She muttered, making tiff laugh slightly.

"No, ma'am. Merle's no longer with us. Daryl gave us those.. his brother." Glenn spoke up, passing a cup of water to josie, who's mind was on Carl and Shane.

"Not sure I'd call him a friend." T-dog gritted through his teeth.

"He is today. This doxycycline might have just saved your life. You know what merle was taking it for?" Patricia, the older woman behind Riley, asked.

"The clap." Tiffany and Glenn spoke up at the same time, making josie clear her throat.

"Um, venereal disease. That's what Daryl said-his brother." Josie gave the three women a slight smile, taking a sip from her drink.

"I'd say Merle Dixon's clap was the best thing to ever happen to you." Riley muttered, finding it a little bit humorous, concentrating on the stitching.

"I'm really trying not to think about that." T-dog squeezed his eyes shoot slightly, clenching his hand up.

Josie looked up with a frown as she saw glenn walk out. Riley looked up momentarily, raising a brow, as did Tiffany and Maggie.

"I'll be right back." Josie nodded as she placed her glass on the table, walking out of the house to see glenn sat in the chair, eyes closed.

"Are you praying?" Josie asked him, making him jump slightly, seeing the younger walsh leaning on a pillar.

"Jeez jo, you scared me." Glenn sighed as he sat up slightly.

"Sorry." She sheepishly apologised as she sat on the railing.

"I was praying. I was trying to." Glenn nodded his head as josie rested her chin on her knee.

"Oh sorry. You just walked out and I thought I'd be a good friend and check up on you." Josie shrugged her shoulders as she looked out into the distance.

"I should be the one checking up on you." Glenn raised an eyebrow as he watched her get distracted, staring at god knows. "You worrying about your brother?"

Josie turned to Glenn as she clung onto her brothers flannel that was wrapped around her. She nodded slightly, staring down at her legs. She hasn't spoken to Shane after overhearing his talk with Lori, and she could possibly never see him again. "According to Rick, he should of been back ages ago. And if he doesn't get back, Hershel doesn't have the right stuff to help Carl and.." Josie sighed as she closed her eyes momentarily.

There was a comfortable silence for a while until glenn spoke up. "You think.. you think God exists?"

Josie looked up, examining Glenn's face as she took in his question. Josie herself wasn't very religious, sure she had gone to church loads of times with lori but she didn't really believe in that stuff. "I've always believed he doesn't, but others do, just depends on what you believe in." Josie told him as he nodded. "Well, I'll let you get back to your praying, I'll be inside with tiff and t." Josie smiled at him as she jumped off the railing and walked back into the house.

Josie jumped up from out of her seat when she heard a car pull up, tiff and Glenn turned to her as she quickly walked out of the house to see Shane get out of the car.

"Carl?" Shane asked Rick as they all got closer to him. Rick and Glenn each took a bag out of shanes hands.

"There's still a chance." Rick nodded his head.

Josie sighed, seeing that her brother was okay before pulling him in for a quick hug. Shane didn't hesitate for a second had he instantly hugged his sister back, resting his chin on her head.

"Otis?" Hershel asked and josie could feel Shane tense up as he shook his head.

"No." He muttered, his grip loosening on josie.

"We say nothing to Patricia. Not till after. I need her." Hershel said as josie turned around, looking at the greene family, who had tears in their eyes.

Josie watched as Hershel, tiff, Glenn and t-dog walked into the house. She turned back to her brother to see Rick and him sharing a hug. "They kept blocking us at every turn. We had nothing left. We were down to 10 rounds. Then he said.. he said he'd cover me and that I should keep going. So that's what I did. I just.. I kept going. But I.. I looked back and he.. I tried." Shane shook his head as Maggie and Riley let the sadness take over, making josie rub Riley's arm, feeling sympathetic.

"He wanted to make it right." Rick mumbled, holding onto shanes arm.

Josie stood beside Riley, in the girls room, trying to comfort her whilst Tiffany tried to comfort Maggie in the kitchen. "I'm sorry for your loss." Josie spoke up, fiddling with the necklace around her neck.

"Me and my family knew him for years. He ran this farm with maggies mother before she passed." Riley told josie, not looking up from her hands. Josie had learned that Maggie and Riley had a sister called Beth. But Beth and Riley had the same mother but Maggie didn't.

"He must of been a very special person to the family." Josies eyes softened at the greene girl.

"We've lost people before, it's like we are use to it, immune to it even. But it still hurts." Riley wiped her eyes, looking up to meet josies eyes.

"It gets harder and harder each time. We've lost loads of people from our group. We've just lost a little girl. That's why half of our group ain't here. But we are doing everything we can to find her." Josie sighed as she thought of Sophia.

"This world isn't meant for children." Riley stared out of her window, biting the inside of her cheek. Before josie could agree, there was a knock on the door, making Riley mutter a 'come in.'

Josie frowned as she sat up, seeing Shane with a sheepish look. "Jj, can I talk to you real quick." He asked her, then josie realised he probably wanted to talk about the incident at the church.

Josie turned to Riley as she nodded her head, her blonde hair shaking also. "I'll be fine." Riley told her as josie nodded her head, standing up and following her brother into the silent kitchen.

Josie bit her bottom lip as she sat herself down on a chair as Shane sighed. "What's up, big brother?" Josie sat up, speaking sarcastically.

"Look, I know you over heard me and Lori talking." Shane told her as she stiffened up slightly.

"Only a bit of it." She mumbled, cracking her knuckles. Shane gave her the look as she sighed. "I heard it all." She turned to the side, then looking down at her hands.

"I was just spitballing, I wasn't going to leave. It was just the heat of the moment." Shane tried to explain as josie nodded her head. "I wasn't going to leave you jj, you know that right?"

He then took a hold of her hands, giving them a slight squeeze as she hummed. "I know." She spoke quietly. "Does Rick know about you and Lori?" She asked him.

Shane paused for a moment before shaking his head. "You've got to tell him Shane. It's your bestfriends wife." She mumbled the last bit.

"I know josie. I know. She was grieving an I was there." He tried to defend himself.

"She was grieving a not dead man. He's alive. So please, don't do it again. It's not right." Josie told him, giving him a pointed look. "Shane." She repeated, having no answer in response.

"Josie, we ended things as soon as Rick came back, Lori made it very clear." Shane tried to chuckle about it but josie didn't laugh.

"What happened that night? Woke up with some 'scratches'." She quoted 'scratches' using her fingers. "I know you didn't do it in your sleep, you can't lie to me, I see right through you Shane."

"I did it in my sleep Josephine, okay. I was drunk, I must of caught my neck." He told her, getting agitated slightly.

Josie hummed as she nodded her head. "Whatever. Don't lie to me." She scoffed as she stood up quickly, leaving her brother in the kitchen. She walked into the living room to see glenn and Tiffany snap their heads the other way. "Great." She mumbled, walking outside.

"Jo." Glenn sighed as he stood up quickly only to be stopped by tiff.

"Wait up glenny. Let me speak to her. She does love me more than you." She gave him a small grin as he sighed.

"Just see if she's okay." Glenn sighed as Tiffany nodded, following josie.

Josie sat down on the chair outside, head buried in her hands. If she was being completely honest, she felt like she was going insane. Too much was happening. Sophia was missing and Carl was shot.

Two of the youngest of the group having to experience something no child should. And it hurt Josephine.

Arms wrapped around her neck, which made her turn slightly to see Tiffany. The young blonde rested her chin on the brunettes head. Josie couldn't help but lean into her touch, resting her hand on the girls arm. "How you holding up phinny?" Tiffany asked her.

"Shit." Josie mumbled.

"The worlds shit." Tiff added, making josie smile slightly.

"You're right there." Josie hummed as she tapped her fingers on Tiffany's arm. Tiff noticed her miserable look as she glanced into the house.

"Carls going to pull through. If he's anything like Rick, he'll pull through." Tiffany said confidently.

"It's not just that. It's Everything. Sophia, Carl, Shane. I thought we was going to loose t today. We could loose anyone any minuet." Josie ranted. Tiff was quick to remove her arms around josie, walking in-front of her and she crouched down.

"Listen to me. We are not going to loose anyone else. We are all going to stick together. Carls going to pull through. We are going to find Sophia." Tiffany held onto josies knee, giving her a stern look. "So don't say we are going to loose someone because we aren't. We are all family now. We all go through this together." Tiff paused for a moment. "God now I feel like a mother." She laughed slightly, making josie laugh also.

"Thank you." Josie spoke after the laughed calmed down.

"Now let's get back in that fucking house, it's freezing, oh my god." Tiffany shivered as she patted josies knee-the two standing up and walking inside.

MADDIES NOTES —
4th sept 2023

WEVE MET RILEY YAY!! I actually adore her so far. And I've only written one chapter bless. She already has my heart. But jj and shanes bond is going down hill...

3931 words!!