When The World Caves In |C.G.

eleven

Rick and Glenn came back with Hershel early the next morning. They pulled up right when a group of us were about to leave. Carl and Lori reunite with Rick, and Hershel's daughters all swarm him. It's just like when they came back from Atlanta, the first time. These reunions are cut short though.

"Patricia, prepare the shed for surgery." Hershel says coming out of the car. Rick embraces Lori tightly and they whisper hurriedly until T-dog interrupts them. 

"Who the hell is that?" T-dog asks, pointing a finger to the back of the truck. Everyone's attention is directed towards the vehicle. 

"That's Randall." Glenn says. The boy is blindfolded, leaning his head back onto the headrest.

Daddy pushes me behind him, but I peak my head around his waist to get a closer look. Ain't much longer after that Hershel's doing surgery in the barn on the boys knee and Rick calls a meeting. Carl and I sit next to each other, listening to his daddy talk. 

"We couldn't just leave him, he would've bled out." Rick says, then adds "if he lived that long." 

"It's gotten bad in town." Glenn murmurs quietly. 

"What do we do with him?" Andrea asks but before Rick can answer Hershel walks in, telling us all about the surgery he preformed on the boy. He won't be able to do much for about a week or so. 

The adults are all arguing, discussing what to do with him. I hate when they do this, they just go round and round in circles.  Eventually Shane decides he's had enough and walks out in a fit of anger. 

"You know what? I'm gonna go get him some flowers and candy! Look at this folks, we back in fantasyland!" He calls back as a last remark. Shane's trying to leave the house but Hershel stops him dead in his tracks. 

"You know, we haven't even dealt with what you did at my barn yet?" The old man tells him. "Let me make this perfectly clear, once and for all. This is my farm. Now I wanted you gone, Rick talked me out of it but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So do us both a favor; keep your mouth shut."

Shane walks off, doing exactly what Hershel tells him. The door slams shut behind him and all the adults in the room disperse. Carl and I stay sitting at the dining room table. 

"Guess what Rory." He tells me and I look at him.

"What's up?" I ask. 

"I'm gonna be a big brother!" He tells me looking all excited like. 

"That's awesome!" I say, because it's really cool. I always wanted a sibling. I guess I got Beau but I'm not sure if that really counts cause I haven't seen him or Mama since I was real little. He was three or four years older than me, so I guess he'd be 16 now. I wonder if he thinks about me the same way I think about him. "You think your Mama will let me hold the baby?"

"I'm sure she will." Carl says and we spend the evening discussing all the things we're gonna do with the baby when it gets here. 

___

A week goes by of Randall staying at the farm. Rick and Shane tried to take him off of the farm, to send him 18 miles out but that plan went South so now he's back in the shed. Except now he knows where we live. So Daddy's in the shed, interrogating him or something like that. 

I don't think he's being nice 'cause I can hear some ruckus happening in there. Poor guy, bet he's not having any fun. Carl and I are sharing some eggs for breakfast, splitting a peach too. 

It's getting colder outside so we huddle up close, Lori puts a blanket over our shoulders. Daddy comes back from the shed, I can see from here theres blood on his knuckles.