Left Behind (sequel to Not Alone)

Ch. 10 - The Daycare

Daryl

We've just lost T-Dog and Carol to the group of unwanted walkers that managed to get into the part of the prison we're staying in. I felt bad about the last time I talked to Carol, which was when we first got here, I was severely pissed off but she made her opinion quiet clear about Anna. Now Maggie and Carl arrived with a baby in their hands but no sign of Lori. Knowing she's gone, Rick's taking it hard and I know how he feels but I don't think he can even hear any of us anymore right now. I look back to where the others are standing behind me when I hear Hershel talking. "Let me see the baby," he said and I watched as Carl walked over with the baby in his hands. Poor kid, no mother, a younger sibling, and a father who is obviously somewhere else in his mind right now.

"What are we gonna feed it," I asked walking over away from Rick and towards where Hershel and Beth stand as Carl shows him the baby, "we got anything a baby can eat?" "The good news is she looks healthy," Hershel said looking over the infant, "but she needs formula. And soon or she won't survive." I look at him as he looks me dead in the eye while saying that. That struck a nerve with me. I lost my girl and baby, we ain't losing any more people from this group. "Nope," I said shaking my head throwing my crossbow over my shoulders, "no way! Not her! We ain't losing nobody else! I'm goin' for a run!" "I'll back you up," Maggie said. "I'll go too," Glenn said as I looked back at the two of them.

"Okay think where we're going," I said then looked to Beth, "Beth." I motioned for her to follow me and walked away from the group so I could speak to her alone a second. "Kid just lost his mom," I said to her in a whisper, "is dad ain't doin' so hot." "I'll look out for him," she said smiling at me as I nodded my thanks to her then looked at the two prisoners that had been here, "you two get the fence! Too many pile up we got ourselves a problem! Glenn, Maggie, vámonos!" I looked over just as Rick picked up the axe he had been carrying earlier when he found out about Lori. "Rick," Maggie said but he just ignored her, running inside. "Get the gate," I shouted then looked back to see Maggie and Glenn standing still, "c'mon! We're gonna lose the light!"

"There's a Piggly Wiggly on eighty-five," Glenn said as we were running towards the vehicles. "No the baby section's been cleared," Maggie said, "Lori asked me to keep an eye out. I haven't had much luck." "Is there any place that hasn't been completely looted," I asked swinging my crossbow off my shoulders getting ready to get on my bike. "We saw signs for a shopping center just north of here," Glenn said looking at me. "Yeah but there's too much debris on the road," Maggie said by the car, "a car will never get through there." "I can take one of ya," I said looking to them both as I stood by my bike. "I'll go," Maggie said as I watched Glenn turn to her.

"No Maggie," I heard him say, figured I should give them a little space but we didn't have much time to waste for them to talk about this. I placed my poncho over my shoulders and climbed on, starting it up then looking back to see Maggie walking over towards me and climbing on behind me. I pulled off from where we were and headed out of the prison towards where the shopping center was that could hold what we need for the baby. I wouldn't lose this little baby to this world, I wouldn't allow it to happen, not while I'm still alive and kicking.

There wasn't anything of use at the shopping center, but Maggie said she spotted an old daycare as we passed by so we were gonna check it out. "Company's close," I said as we got off the bike and I got my crossbow ready, "stay tight." We walked through the little playground that was at the back of the daycare and I took watch of our surroundings while she broke the glass so we could climb inside. I stayed out a few extra minutes just to make sure no walkers were gonna pop up out of nowhere then went inside to join her. I looked around the room as Maggie was busy putting stuff for the baby into her back pack. I walked out into a hallway, and began looking for any signs of a threat while she continued looking for things that we'd need.

Being in this place was hard, it made me keep thinking back to Anna and her being pregnant and taken from me all too soon. I clicked my flashlight on and went down one end of the hallway while Maggie went to the other end. When I heard a noise from Maggie's end that wasn't her, I quickly turned around and placed my flashlight in my mouth, raising my crossbow up ready for anything. I looked into the room the noise was coming from but didn't see anything. I looked back up at her and nodded slightly before reaching out and pushing the little half door open so we could enter inside. Once inside I stood back into the corner and nodded my head for her to open the door for me.

She pulled the door open and quickly stepped back to reveal an opossum standing in the closet where the noise was coming from. I released my arrow that was loaded in the crossbow and instantly killed it and smiled over at Maggie. "Hello dinner," I said smiling as I heard Maggie groan and I walked over towards it. "I'm not putting that in my bag," she said rolling her eyes and turning away and began digging for more stuff. "You sure ya a country girl," I asked teasing her as she glared at me while finding a few cans of formula. She went to say something when I heard a noise and stopped her. "What's that," I whispered as I tried to figure out the noise. It sounded like, a baby?