𝗧𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗛 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥

009 sucker punch

TAINTED YOUTH
010 sucker punch!

lori was gone. the woman had taken maggies car and left carl in the hands of hallie. sitting by the couch hallies leg shook uncontrollably worried about the woman's whereabouts. shane had informed his daughter he was going out to locate lori and as much as hallie begged to go with him, he ordered to stay with carl.

carl was restless, his mother and father were currently out there in the dead of night and the only person he had right now was hallie. he was worried about what happened and why they were taking so long, resorting in attempting to braid hallies hair, which turned into a knotted twist.

"they'll be ok, you know?" hallie spoke confidently, looking over at the boy who was playing with a football he had found tucked away in some bush.

sitting on the porch she watched as the boy moved the football between his feet. she wrapped a blanket beth had gifted her, around her shoulders as the breeze at night was colder than she expected.

"come play, hallie!" carl yelled has he kicked the football into his imaginary goal, letting out a cheer of glee as he 'thanked his fans'.

"maybe in a little bit, buddy" hallie called back, watching as he sulked for a moment before continuing on with his game.

eventually, carl had gotten bored of the game. tucking up beside hallie as the blanket was now draped over him.

when the car pulled in, lori jumped out of it quickly followed by shane. "where's rick?" she asked, looking at the girl and her son.

"rick? is he not with you?" hallie asked, a confused expression on his face.

turning towards shane, anger filled lori. "you said he came back, you said he was here!"

"i- it was the only way to get you back" shane stuttered, attempting to excuse his lies.

"hey, lor'— he was just trying to protect you" hallie butted in, defending her father.

sighing lori turned to the girl, "hallie, honey. this is between me and your father, please take carl inside"

"i had to protect you and the baby" shane once again spoke, not realising that his daughter and carl had been stood beside them.

"your pregnant!"

"your having a baby?"

lori seemed as if she'd cry at that moment. shane rubbed his head, looking at his daughter in what seemed like embarrassment. his lips pushing against eachother, nodding his head.

that was the moment when everything came together. the times when lori and shane would disappear back at the quarry. the silent arguments, his longing stares.

shane was the father of this baby, and they had an affair the whole time they thought rick was dead.

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the group had come back, with a boy. everything was a blur. like a fever dream. not sleeping catches up quickly and as well as the new found information hallie walsh couldn't seem to grasp life in general.