The End

Chapter 24

We had been out here for quite some time. The alarms eventually turned off. I looked over towards the fence by the field. More walkers were against it. Damn. Another problem we didn't need. I wish the group would come out already. I kept my eyes peeled in every direction to see which way they'd come out. Finally, Rick, Daryl, Glenn and the two prisoners came out. But where was everyone else?

"Hershel!" Rick yelled as he and the rest made their way towards us.

"You didn't find them?" Hershel asked.

"We thought maybe they came back out here," Glenn replied.

We shook our heads. Hershel had opened up the gate and we all made our way out.

"Well where could they be?" I asked sounding nervous.

"What about T? Carol?" Hershel asked.

"They didn't make it," Daryl replied.

"No," I said cupping my hand over my mouth.

"That doesn't mean the others didn't. We're going back. Daryl and Glenn you come with..." Rick said but was quickly cut off by the cries of a baby.

We all looked towards the source and saw Maggie and Carl making their way out of the prison. Maggie carrying a baby in her arms. She was shaken up. I made my way towards the both of them. Where was Lori? I noticed Maggie crying when I got closer. Her hands covered in blood.

"Where...where is..." I started but couldn't finish.

I saw the look on Carl's face and knew. Rick came closer.

"Where...where is she? Where is she?" he asked.

He started to make his way to the prison.

"No...Rick, no!" Maggie said reaching out her hand to try and stop him.

Rick then looked at Carl and lost it. He knew it too. Lori was gone.

"Oh, no. No!" Rick cried.

"Carl..." I said.

He looked up at me and tears were all I could see. I went and wrapped my arms around him and began sobbing. Rick collapsed on the floor in agony. I parted from Carl and knelt down. Running my hands through my hair. I was numb. I didn't know what to do. I had fought so hard to find Rick and his family. Now Lori was gone. Carol and T-Dog. These people had become my family in such a short amount of time and now they were gone. I looked at the remaining members of that family. I looked at Rick and Carl. My heart broke for them both. The growling got louder. I looked toward the fence that T-Dog had managed to close. I slowly stood back up. I was about to head over there but then the baby's cries stopped that. Rick was kneeling now.

"Rick, you with me? Rick?" Daryl asked him waving his hand in front of him.

"Let me see the baby," Hershel said.

Maggie handed Carl the baby and he made his way to Hershel.

"What are we gonna feed it? We got anything a baby can eat?" Daryl asked.

I kept my eye on Rick while the group surrounded the baby.

"The good news is she looks healthy. But she needs formula. And soon or she won't survive," Hershel said.

So it was a girl. Carl had a brand new little sister.

"There's gotta be...there's gotta be some place where we could get all that," I said shaken.

"Nope. No way. Not her. We ain't losing nobody else. I'm going for a run," Daryl said slinging on his crossbow.

"I'll back you up," Maggie said.

"I'll go too," Glenn quickly followed.

"Okay, think where we're going. Beth," Daryl said pulling Beth aside.

"Kid just lost his mom. His dad and cousin ain't doing so hot," Daryl began.

"I'm fine," I said.

"You sure about that?" Daryl said making his way towards me.

I looked him in the eye.

"I'm fine," I said again sternly.

"I'll look out for Carl regardless," Beth interjected.

"All right. You two get the fence. Too many pile up, we got ourselves a problem. Glenn, Maggie, vámonos," Daryl ordered.

Rick then quickly got up and grabbed the ax he'd dropped. He was going into the prison.

"Rick! No. Please," I called out to him.

But he wasn't listening.

"Damn it. Here. I've got the gate to let you guys out," I said heading over to get the gate open.

"Come on! We're gonna lose the light!" I heard Daryl yell.

I waited by the gate. Daryl was on his motorcycle with Maggie at the back. I guess Glenn wasn't going after all. I stood by the gate and waited for them to leave but Daryl stopped and called me over.

"You sure you're good?" he asked once more.

"I'm fine, Daryl. Now go and bring back the formula. Daylight's burning. Watch your asses, you hear?" I replied.

They both nodded and took off. I closed the gate and headed back towards the rest of the group. I couldn't help but go to the worst case scenario of what Rick was doing inside. Taking out walkers more than likely. It's something I would do.

"Amelia," Hershel called to me.
I went over to him.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

"Well considering I just lost my aunt, pretty damn fantastic," I said sarcastically.

"Stop," he said.

I looked at him. He was giving me a look of deep concern. There was no fooling him.

"Okay...I'm not fine, Hershel. I'm really not. This wasn't supposed to happen. Carl lost his mother. I know what that's like. It sucks. And Rick...God knows how this is going to affect him. And me, I don't know what to do. What to say to make this situation better somehow," I said tears once again streaming down.

"There's nothing you can say, dear. Just like there's nothing I could ever say to you to lessen the pain you feel. But there is something you can do," he said.

"And what's that?" I asked wiping away some tears.

"You can be here. With us. We're family. You know that, don't you?" he asked.

"Yeah. I do," I replied.

"I know that it's easy to give up. But please don't do that. I'm not giving up on this place. Not giving up the hope that we can move on from this. And I'm not giving up on you. Please don't give up on yourself. We need one another," he said.

"How is it that you know just the right things to say?" I asked.

"Years of experience," he smiled at me.

"Thank you again. So, where's Beth and Carl?" I asked.

"Inside," he replied.

"Are they safe?" I ask starting to make my way to the cell block door.

"They are. Let's go talk to Glenn for a bit. Come on," he said.