Don't Dream It's Over // Glenn Rhee

Chapter 39

"Only One Way to Keep Him Alive."

Kira

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The next morning, Rick and Daryl had gathered a few defense weapons and spread them out on the tables. Glenn and I had woken up fairly early to get the day started. Today's to-do list: find the cafeteria and infirmary. 

"Not bad." Rick claims as Glenn and I enter the dining area, holding up a small grenade in his hand. "Flashbangs, CS Triple-Chasers. Not sure how they'd work on walkers, but we'll take 'em." He nods. Daryl picks up a helmet, a questionable slime spills out. His face grows shocked, even disgusted, another emotion I've never seen displayed on his face. 

"I ain't wearin' this shit." He frowns.

"We could boil them." T suggests.

"Ain't enough firewood in the whole forest. No." Daryl sternly denies. "Besides, we've made it this far without 'em, right?" He picks up a baton and practice swings with it.

"Hershel, Kira." I turn my head and see Carol calling from the doorway. Hershel and I locked eyes and we had a feeling it was more about Lori that Carol would call us for.

"Everything all right?" Rick asks.

"Yeah. Nothing to worry about." Carol claims. Hershel walks away first. As I pass Rick, I pat his shoulder.

"I'm sure it's nothing." I assure him. I jog ahead, catching up with Hershel and Carol. "What's going on?" I ask.

"Just...might wanna talk to Lori." Carol says softly. We head up the stairs and make our way down to Lori's cell. We find her sitting on the bed, hands placed on her knees, her head looking down. She breathed heavily, and I could see her elbows shaking a bit.

"Lori?" I question as we enter into the cell.

"It's the baby. I think I lost it." She bursts. 

"You haven't felt it move?" Hershel confirms with her.

"Nothing." Lori answers. "And no Braxton-Hicks. At first I thought it was the exhaustion or malnutrition."

"You're anemic?" Hershel asks. Lori barely answers the question.

"If we're all infected, then so's the baby." She says. "So what if it's stillborn? What if it's dead inside me right now? What if it rips me apart?"

"Stop." Hershel calls. "Don't let your fear take control of you." Lori sniffles and wipes her nose.

"Okay." She huffs out. "Then let's say it lives and I die during childbirth."

"Lori." I frown.

"That's not going to happen." Hershel reassures her.

"Why not?" She demands. "How many women died in childbirth before modern medicine? If I come back, what if I attack it? Or either of you? Or Rick? Or Carl? If I do, if there is any chance, you put me down immediately. You don't hesitate. Me, the baby, if we're walkers, you don't hesitate and you don't try to save us. Okay?" Hershel gives Lori a nod. She gives him a nod back. 

"It might have been better if-" Lori shakes her head.

"If what?" Hershel asks. Lori exhales.

"I'd never made it off the farm." She finishes.

"You're exhausted. Frightened." Hershel reminds Lori. She sighs out and nods.

"Yeah, that's true." She answers. "My son can't stand me. And my husband, after what I put him through..."