BEFORE EVERYTHING
Rick Grimes and Lori Grimes were fighting at the breakfast table. It was a common occurrence, but not usually in front of their children.
Lori stood up angrily. "Sometimes I wonder if you care about us at all!"
Rick looked at her in disbelief. "What does that mean?"
Victoria saw the sadness in Carl's eyes. She stood up and went to Carl and took him by the hand and started to pull him towards the outer door. "Come on, Carl. Let's wait outside."
Victoria closed the outer door behind her and sat down on the porch steps. Carl saw her sitting and sat down next to her.
"Mom and Dad don't love each other anymore?" Carl looked at Victoria with sad eyes.
Victoria looked at Carl in shock. At first she didn't know what to say. She was starting to think the same way because of the fights that were going on at the moment. But she didn't need to upset her brother." No, no. Every family has these fights and they pass. You don't have to think too much."
Carl nodded. Rick came out of the house as the door opened. "Come on guys."
Victoria and Carl stood up and got in the car.
When they pulled up in front of Carl's school, Carl said goodbye to his father and got out of the car. The car came to a slow stop in front of Victoria's school and Victoria saw her father looking at her and she looked at Rick. "Yes?"
"Darling, isn't your makeup a bit much?"
Victoria rolled her eyes at Rick. "Everyone wears makeup like that, Daddy," she said, grabbing her bow from the backseat and getting out of the car.
Rick continued to look after her and said, "I love you too, girl."
Victoria had an archery class after school. She and her friends went to it in the school gym. She was actually really good at this sport. She was even the best among her friends.
The teachers were taking turns shooting and it was Victoria's turn. She picked up her bow and shot a bull's-eye. As she stepped back to let her other friend shoot, she saw Shane at the gym door.
There was no one with him. Just Shane. Where was her father? She actually knew the answer to that question. Just Shane being there should have given her that answer. But she didn't want to believe it.
She walked over to Shane. She stopped right in front of him. "Shane?" she said in a questioning tone.
"I'm sorry, kid."
She tried to hold back her crying. "Where's mom and Carl?"
Shane let out a deep breath. "Your mom wanted to come, but she had to go to your dad."
Victoria stared at the ceiling to keep from crying.
Shane realized that and felt terrible for her. He took the child in his arms and hugged her. The little girl couldn't stand the hug and cried right there.
NOW
Victoria was tutoring Carl. Lori was doing the usual stuff. Where were they right now? At a camp. Rick Grimes was dead. At least that's what they knew. That's what Shane said. They were staying in a camp with a group.
Amy ran over to the radio when she heard something on the radio. "hey, hello?"
The man on the radio spoke. "Can you hear my voice?"
"Yes, I can hear you. You're coming trough. Over."
The man spoke again. "If anybody reads, please respond."
"Broadcasting on emergency channel. Will be approaching Atlanta on highway 85. If anybody reads, please respond."
