infection | D. Dixon

chapter nineteen

definite

A new day, a new problem; it seems as though that may just be what the world has come to for our group. As the sun appeared over the buildings the day after we had welcomed Hershel into our group, Shane stole as much food and weapons as he could carry and left during Glenn's watch.

Glenn, when he had woken up from being knocked unconscious, shook me awake frantically. "He's got Lori! He's got Lori!" He yelled, moving on to shake the next person.

Still half asleep, I climbed to my feet and grabbed Glenn by the shoulders. "Glenn! Who has Lori?" I yelled back.

Everyone had woken up now, and they were coming to investigate all the noise.

"Shane! He- he hit me! In the back of the head with a gun!" Glenn stuttered, tugging me by the arm outside to the front of the mall.

Rick and Daryl investigated the scene while I calmed Glenn down enough to get a clear sentence from him. He was sitting on the bench just outside the mall. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and gave him a gentle squeeze while he cried about losing Lori.

Daryl approached the two of us with a bottle of water in his hands. He handed it to Glenn and stood awkwardly in front of us.

I wiped Glenn's distraught tears on my sleeve and opened the water for him. "C'mon, Glenn, you need to stay hydrated."

Daryl scuffed his boot. "Carver's right. We don't need you crapping out on us," he said in an attempt to calm him down.

Glenn slowly nodded and took a small sip of water. "I didn't hear him. There was a walker in the lot, when I went to kill it he was just there," Glenn explained.

I looked up at Daryl. "Any sign of them?" I asked.

Daryl nodded, eyes flicking between Glenn and I. "They went west, burnt rubber to get out of here."

Maggie quietly stood by Daryl's side, looking at Glenn, who was staring at the ground. "How're you feeling?" She asked.

I let her have my place and gently tugged Daryl away from the two. "Shane wasn't happy with Lori's pregnancy. You don't think he'd hurt her, do you?" I whispered.

Daryl stiffened up. "The guy was watchin' over her like a hawk, ain't no way he's killing his own kid," he muttered, but he didn't look convincing.

Nodding to myself I slowly leant forward and rested my head against his arm. "What if this was my fault? What if he thought he wouldn't see his kid because he shot me?"

Daryl nearly growled when I brought up being shot. "Him hurting you wasn't your fault. The guy is a psycho, he shouldn't have been given a second chance after what he did to Sophia," he grunted.

He tugged me off his shoulder and looked me square in the eyes. "Once we find him, he won't live another day for what he's done."

"Promise?" I whispered, voice breaking.

Daryl nodded and lead me over to a car in the centre of the lot where everyone was looking over a map. They had been laying out sectors for us all to search based on where we know Shane wanted to go.