Tiptoe Through the Tulips

I knocked gently on the bathroom door, flinching as I could hear the sound of retching.

“Lori...” I called quietly, turning the handle and opening the door slightly, “Can I come in?” she didn’t reply, resting her cheek on the seat of the toilet. I stepped in, shutting the door behind me and crouched next to her, hand on her upper back.

“At least you’re not as bad as my sister in law was,” I told her, eager to get her talking “She had that condition, the one where you have like morning sickness all the time.” I shuddered, “It wasn’t pretty.”

She lifted her head up, eyes watching my face, “The baby’s Shane’s.” she whispered and I nodded, of course it was, she was too far along for it to be Ricks.

“Rick loves you,” she nodded, eyes filling with tears, “He will love you both and he will treat this baby as his.” She sniffed, wiping her hand against her mouth and pulling herself so she was sitting up.

“I’m sorry for what he did to you.” Her eyes were focused on my neck, “It’s my fault, I came between them. I put them against each other, Dale told me about Otis and I told Rick Shane was dangerous. It’s all my fault!” There was a moment of silence and I could feel my lips willing to move.

“I met a man in the drug store” I blurted out, my eyes widening as I did. She cut off, her face clouding with confusion. “Who?”

“He said we need to leave before they find out we’re here.”

Her brow furrowed, I don’t know who they are,” I continued, letting out a deep breath. “There no-one here, it’s too kept, too normal. There’s hardly any Walkers. Something is seriously fucked up.”

“Who should we be running from?” I shrugged, “ Why are you telling me this and not Rick or Daryl?”

I opened and closed my mouth, I just needed to tell someone, get it out. “I know how they would react. I need someone with a level head. He didn’t hurt me, whatever is up he put himself at risk to tell me.”

She stumbled as she dragged herself up, leaving the room. I heard a muffled call of “Rick” and knew soon everyone be aware of the stranger in the pharmacy.

And the fact I had said nothing.

I just wanted to find out what was wrong here.
Actually, I just wanted to get the fuck out of here.

I don’t want anyone else to die. The list was so long now, of people I had lost that were important to me, I wanted to do all I could to avoid anymore names being added to it.
_____________________________________________________________________

I pulled myself up, pushing the lid down and sitting on the toilet, head on my hands as I could hear the arguments building outside.
Why hadn’t I said anything?
Who was he?
Why was it so quiet here?
Was he to be trusted?

Carol even asked if I was to be trusted.
A roar silenced the group and I heard the sound of footsteps.

The door swung open and an agitated Rick marched in, slamming the door behind him and locking it.
His jaw was tense as he spoke, voice unusual as he struggled to keep it calm, “What the fuck happened?”

I didn’t answer straight away and I heard a growl before he had his hands tightly around my wrists roughly pulling me onto my feet as I let out a call of shock. There was a loud bang on the door and I glanced at it, hearing Glenn desperately calling Rick.

One hand moved, loosening off my wrist and grabbing my chin, turning my face towards him, he looked demented. His face was red, eyes bloodshot, a muscle jumping in his cheek. “What the hell are you playing at” His grip tightened and I whimpered, biting my lip as I forced myself to answer.

“He was in the drug store, I don’t know who he was, he just said we need to get out of here before they find us!”

He let go of me, shoving me back so I almost lost my footing. “Who the fuck are they?” he demanded, swinging around in a motion that instantly made me think of Shane. “Who was this guy!!” He stormed over as I moved, my back against the bathroom worktop,

“I don’t know,” I cried desperately, “But, you said yourself, this place it too quiet. Something’s wrong here!” His fists clenched as he took a step closer to me, I flinched, waiting for the oncoming hit.

Instead his hand once again clenched around my arm, pulling me towards the door, swinging it open and revealing a bewildered Glenn, who tried to grab me before Rick continued dragging me of out the room.

I didn’t struggle against him. There was no point, he was too angry, he had flipped out.
Lost it.

Glenn followed, trying to speak to Rick who each time shook him off. As we continued down the stairs I noticed it was growing dark and a sense of dread filled me. He had said to leave before tonight.

“Rick!” I whined, tugging slightly against him. He ignored me, “Rick,” I said louder, “Stop it, you’re hurting me!”

He paused as we reached the lobby, seemingly becoming aware of what he was doing, as soon as he let go of my arm I pulled it back to my chest as Glenn tugged me towards his own, comfortingly.

“Rick?” I called softly, I wanted to tell him it was okay, he was okay. He wasn’t himself just then.

The noise of a struggle stopped me and we all turned, watching as Daryl and T-dog returned from their watch, a man held between then, his rifle in T-Dogs grip.
It was a man I recognised. His eye caught my own and he frowned, lifting his head higher,

“I thought I told you to be out of here already”.