World was already on Fire

A Different Path

Lori Grimes stared at the two large black duffel bags that she had just finished packing mainly clothes, supplies and food. She grabbed the picture frames off the wall having a feeling she and her son wouldn't be returning. Shane had called earlier saying he was on his way and that Rick was dead but that had been nearly an hour ago. Carl was up in his room packing. Fighting back a panic attack she busied herself with taking the bags to her car ignoring the news that had been on all day, riots have broken out and talk of the dead coming back to life.

The street that was once quiet and peaceful was now full of her neighbors doing the same thing as her, packing and leaving. She spotted one of her neighbors a woman by the name Jolene ride by and nearly run into a mailbox in her panic to leave. Lori placed the duffel in the trunk and turned to head back inside when the shed caught her eye more specially the red ax, better safe than sorry, she grabbed it along with the machete and the jugs of gas that her husband kept stored. All she wanted to do was break down and cry, her husband was dead and she alone having to take care of Carl specially with everything going on.

Hopefully Shane will be there soon. People were dying and coming back to life?!

Lori wiped away tears and went back inside to find Carl coming down the stairs with a suitcase that was probably filled with clothes and games and snacks. " Hey sweety " she smiled and ruffled his hair. " You got everything?" she asked. " yeah " Carl answered eying the ax in her hand. " what's that for?" he asked. She looked down forgetting she was holding it. " oh this, it for chopping wood " Lori fibbed slightly handing it to him. " Go put that and your stuff in the car and be ready, " she warned.

Carl shrugged " okay " he said not really understanding the ax but listened regardless. Lori went to see if there was anything else they could take, finding herself in her room she remembered Rick had kept a 22 in the top shelf of their closet in an old shoe box, she went to grab it happy she remembered.

Just then she heard Carl shouting from downstairs, " Mom "Lori heart leapt in her heart as she ran down the stairs to find some guy trying to steal their supplies from the trunk of her car. " Hey ?!" she shouted pointing the gun at him hoping to scare him away, she was the wife of a sheriff she knew people tend to get scared and do what they normally wouldn't do. It was kill or be killed now until hopefully things settle down and a cure is found. {yeah right}

The man pointed his own gun at her, and the situation got worse, well shit Lori glared not wanting to put Carl at risk as he was right in the crossfire. " I don't want no trouble just to take it " she said hoping he would just leave. Just then a red head woman came out of nowhere and hit the man over the head with skillet.

" Are you alright? " The red head woman asked, she was familiar, like she had seen her before. " It's me Ginny, we met a few months ago at the station" the woman said. Oh yeah now she remembered, Rick had said they had a new recruit a few months ago all the way from Britain. She lived down the street and kept to herself mostly. She had been the talk of the town, a young single female moving all the out here and law enforcement to boot. it was strange no one knew anything about her except that she had just got out of a nasty divorce.

Rick spoke of her and had said in passing comments that she a real good shot and had great detective skills, he had always wondered why she would take a job in such a small town.

" Come on we need to leave it's not safe, " Ginny said knocking Lori out of her thoughts. " There a riot headed this way and undead coming this way " Ginny said tossing the skillet in the passenger seat. " Shane on his way " Lori said not wanting to leave without telling Shane where they are. " Leave a note " said Ginny just as a gunshot rung out and a scream. Lori Nodded quickly running in and writing a quick note for Shane and where to possibly find them.

" Carl! get in the car now " Lori yelled while last minute grabbing a few knives and few kitchen household supplies, she had a feeling they would most likely be on the road. Lori took one last glance at her home and made her way to the car where Ginny and Carl were waiting.