9.

They found a house.

Maybe it had been an old hunting lodge a long time ago. But it had been mostly destroyed. Fire must have ripped through this area at some point. The trees close by were destroyed by fire, others singed and the building had partially collapsed. It was of no use to them. But just beyond the house, there was a fallen tree, and the branches created a shelter.

Somehow this tree was spared from the fire, it had been taken in a different direction, maybe a breeze that spared this tree for them. Daryl made sure it was safe enough before he told Carol to sit still inside. And he checked to make sure he couldn't see her, from any angle.

He moved some branches over, gave them more cover and when he was happy, he crawled inside with her.

"Take first watch," he told her as he lay on the ground, back to her in the small space the tree provided them with.

oOo

It wasn't the sound of rain that woke him, but the way it dripped onto him, through the branches soaking through the material and leaving his skin damp.

He pushed himself up a little, couldn't understand why he was so cold until he realised he was missing the warmth from Carol's body. He sat up fully, panic surging through him. Had someone taken her, kidnapped her? Maybe a walker got her? But neither of those things would happen without him noticing. She was laying beside him. She'd have called for help if she were in trouble.

He fished into his pocket and pulled out his lighter. Held it out, using his other hand to protect the flame from the rain as he looked for something beyond the protection of the shelter, a clue as to where Carol was.

But there was nothing. Mud and puddles, but no trace of Carol. Not even a footprint in the mud.
He couldn't tell if she'd left or been taken.

As he sat there, thinking about what may have happened he noticed the bag Carol had with a few supplies in it was also missing.

He remembered the noise as she pulled it off her shoulders, dropped it on the ground as she'd gone on watch. He'd sighed loudly in annoyance as she'd been searching through it.

And now it was gone.

She'd left. He'd made her leave.

And now he was alone.