Living Like You're Dead

"Lori, I hope you dont mind me asking but-"

"You don't have to ask. I can explain." she said, "Shane got me and Carl out. We became close on the way to Atlanta... and we did sleep together. But I thought Rick was dead, I was attempting to move on when suddenly he's back in my life again. And I've ben faithful ever since."

"I wouldn't even go as far as to say you were unfaithful. But Rick... he doesn't know, does he?"

"No I'm afraid not. But I'd like it to stay that way."

"Then baby... could be Shane's though..."

"Even if it is Shane's there is no law to prove it and Rick is my husband, he is the father of all my kids. No matter what." Lori had tears in her eyes, Addie gently touched her hand to hers.

"Lori I can keep a secret." Addie said. She could see Lori felt guilt for what she had done, that would explain why she waited so long to tell everyone.

Addie and Lori had been working on fixing dinner. Ever since the meal last night Addie seemed to keep cooking, it was what she was good at, and Lori knew how to make all the american desserts everyone liked. Tonight, peach pie.
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The sun had a short period of time before it set. Addie was beginning to worry about the trip when she saw a car pull around the house and into the back. She left the front room and entered the kitchen.

"They're back!" Addie said. Carl ran out the door to greet his father who was exiting the vehicle. Andrea followed, carrying someone in her arms.

The small girl was brought into the kitchen and sat down at the table. She was still crying, Andrea brought her chocolate chip cookies that Carol had been able to concoct. She held it in her hand, but didn't take a bite.

"The doors had a bar in them." she said. "One of them had grabbed my mama and I grabbed the bar from the door to kill it. It died... but my mama did too." The girl sobbed. Obviously her mind was riddled with images of her dead mother. "Then when I turned around they had all come out and I barely got away. But - But - they ate her." She was referring to her mother. Of course she got away, flesh had been the distraction. Andrea held the girl close to her chest

"It's okay, you're safe now."
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Andrea screamed into the shop, "WALKERS! LOTS OF 'EM!"

Daryl looked at her, and then back at the group - they had maybe ten seconds to act. Andrea headed for the car carrying the little girl, and Rick was coming up fast. Daryl and Shane looked at each other, they were the only ones downstairs, Glenn and T were upstairs.

Shit.

Daryl knew climbing two flights of stairs and back would take too much time. Instead Daryl took a heavy jagged peice of metal off the floor and held it under the handle of the door to the stairs. He hit it several times with his crossbow driving it deep within the frame of the door, the knob would turn but would catch on the metal, allowing it to stay shut.

"Let's go!" Daryl yelled, then he noticed Shane was already in the drivers seat to the car. The engine reved when he saw the car jolt foreword, away from him.