South Tree * TWD

48. Where's Lillian?

                LILLIAN SLEPT THROUGH all of the yelling that the group did throughout part of the night. Due to exhaustion and the alcohol that was in her system, she didn't even stir. And realistically, the group had forgotten that she hadn't been sitting with the other kids.

So when Carl looked around in the office and realized that Lillian was no where to be found, his head whipped over to Colton.

"Colton, where's Lillian?" Carl asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"What?" Colton turned around to face Carl. "I thought she was with you?" Colton stepped around the room, looking at everyone around.

"You're saying neither of you know where Lillian is?" Tyrese asked as he pushed himself to his feet. He was knelt right next to Bob, who had been bitten and was lying on the couch. Carl let out a frustrated sigh as his hand moved to rub the side of his face.

"Did she go missing with the others?" Athena suggested as she stepped next to Carl.

"I saw her come back in with her dad earlier. I don't think i've seen her move since." Eugene announced from his spot on the floor. Carl was quick to throw the door open and run out of the room, followed by both Tyrese and Colton. They looked around in all the pews, Colton almost tripping as he walked around. Carl was the one to find her asleep on the pew, all cuddled up with her jacket as a pillow with her stuffed elephant hugged to her chest.

"Lilli. Lilli, wake up." Carl shook her as he spoke. Lillian mumbled something he couldn't understand, making him furrow his eyebrows as he shook her again. "Lillian. Wake up." He said a little louder, shaking her a little harder which got the attention of Tyrese and Colton who both made their way over to the two. Lillian shot up, her eyes wide and her breathing slightly labored as she looked around. It wasn't until Carl gave her arm a squeeze that she was able to focus on him. "We gotta hide, c'mon." He mumbled as he tugged on her arm.

"What?" Lillian whined as she stood up. She suddenly felt a throbbing in her head as she got to her unsteady feet.

"There's no time to explain." Colton said quickly as he led the way back to the office. Lillian dragged her feet as she continued to walk with Carl pulling her along. She wanted to go back to sleep, it felt like she had only gotten a couple of seconds.

"No time for what?" she mumbled as her free arm went up to hold her head but Carl only shushed her as they got into the room. Lillian looked around to see a hurt Bob, Rosita, Eugene, Athena, Gabriel, Colton, and Judith. She turned around to look back at Carl as he shut the door after Tyrese walked in. "Where's everyone else?" She whispered this time.

"Someone took Carol and Daryl..." Colton quietly told her. Lillian whipped around, suddenly feeling more awake than she ever has.

"What?" She raised her voice slightly. That's when there was a loud bang, the church door had broken open. Colton was quick to slap a hand over her mouth, his eyes wide as he put a finger over his own mouth. Fear flashes through Lillian's eyes as her breath suddenly got caught in her throat. Colton slowly took his hand away from her mouth before he grabbed her arm and pulled her to a crouch and gave her a nudge to scoot her over behind a desk.Tyrese was right back in his spot next to Bob and Carl stood in the back of the room, his gun ready and aimed at the door. Lillian took a deep breath as her hand moved to hold Colton's that rested on her arm.

"Well, i guess you know we're here." A familiar voice sounded from in the main church area, echoing slightly around the empty room. Lillian thought about it when she remembered the voice. Gareth. "And we know you're here. And we're armed. So there's really no point in hiding anymore." There was a pause of pure silence, right breathing from almost everyone in the room as they all listened closely and listened.