It's Over When It's Over

I put my arm around Carol as she prayed. “Father, forgive me. I don’t deserve your mercy. I prayed for safe passage from Atlanta and you provided. I prayed for Ed to be punished for laying his hands on me and for looking at his own daughter with whatever sickness was growing in his soul. I prayed you’d put a stop to it, give me a chance to raise her right, help her not make my mistakes.” Carol continued to pray. I had known Ed had hurt Carol but not looked at Sophia in that manner. If I stayed, I would have begun crying, so I got up and joined Daryl.
“How’s Carol?” Daryl asked.
“She’s prayin.” I softly said as we walked to a tree. Soon the rest of the group joined us.
Shane walked towards us, ruffling his hair. “Y’all gonna follow the creek bed back. Okay, Daryl, Lora, you’re in charge.” I saw Andrew glance over me and roll her eyes. I laughed to myself shaking my head. “Me and Rick, we’re just gonna hang back, search this area another hour or so just to be thorough.”
“You’re splitting us up. You sure?” I asked Shane.
Shane sighed, “Yeah. We’ll catch up to you.” Carl said he wanted to stay too. Lori gave Carl the okay. Rick walked up to Lori handing her his gun. Lori turned it down, not wanting Rick to be unarmed so Daryl gave her the gun he had took from the yellow tent a while ago. Andrea grunted and stormed off behind Daryl and I.
“Never thought someone would be so pissed off over a god damn gun.” Daryl whispered to me.
“I know.” We quietly laughed to ourselves. I looked back at Andrea watching her pout around.
“So this is it?” Carol asked sitting down on a log. “This the whole plan?”
“I guess the plan is to whittle us down in smaller and smaller groups.” Daryl said.
“Carrying knives and pointy sticks. I now see you have a gun.” Andrew said rudely to Lori.
“Why, you want it?” Lori asked. “Here, take it.” Clearly Lori was also annoyed with Andrea’s complaining. “I’m sick of the looks you’re giving Lora and I!” Andrea sighed and took the gun with her mouth opened. Lori sat beside Carol and told her to stop blaming Rick. Finally someone said it. I would have but I didn’t really feel it was my place. After Lori went on about how everyone needs to stop blaming Rick, Andrea handed her the gun back. Andrea looked at me and pressed her lips together and slightly smiles. I guess that was her way of saying sorry. Lori walked in front of all us. I stood beside Daryl. We were all quite. Few minutes went by and we heard a gunshot go off. We didn’t really point it out though besides Lori. Awhile later I looked back at Lori. She looked worried, probably about the shot again.
“You still worried about it?” I asked Lori.
“It was a gunshot.”
“We all heard it.” Daryl stated.
“Why one? Why just one gunshot?” Lori snapped.
“Maybe they took down a walker.”
“Please don’t patronize me!” Lori continued. “You know Rick wouldn’t risk a gunshot to put down one walker. Or Shane. They’d do it quietly.”
“Shouldn’t they have caught up with us by now?” Carol asked.
“There’s nothing we can do about it anyways. Can’t run around these woods chasing echoes.” Daryl said, followed by another question from Lori asking what we should do. “Same as we’ve been. Beat the bush for Sophia, work our way back to the highway.”
“I’m sure they’ll hook up with us back at the RV.” I said. Lori nodded and we all started walking again. I looked back and saw Andrea and Carol had not. Andrea apologized to Carol for what she is going through.
“The thought of her out here by herself… it’s the not knowing that’s killing me.” Carol cried. “I just keep hoping and praying she doesn’t wind up like Amy.” I couldn’t believe Carol had just said that to Andrea’s face. “Oh, God. That’s the worst thing I ever said.”
Andrew shock her head. “We’re all hoping and praying with you, for what it’s worth.”
“I’ll tell you want it’ worth—not a damn thing!” Daryl said, walking up to Andrea and Carol. “It’s a waste of time all this hoping a praying. ‘Cause we’re gonna locate that little girl, she’s gonna be just fine. Am I the only one Zen around here? Good Lord!” Daryl said walking ahead of us. I looked at him and smiled so did Lori.
“Nice one back there.” I whispered to Daryl. Daryl looked at me and slightly smiled and walked into me a bit.
“Lora, why don’t you and Jack talk much?” Daryl asked.
“You know. He and I aren’t that close like I was with Mark or Billy. He bein in and out of jail and all.” Daryl didn’t respond. Made me realize that I really don’t talk to him much. I’m always with Daryl, never much Daniel or Jack. It made me feel bad because you never know when our time is up.
Daryl suggest we all head back to camp. Everyone agreed so we all turned back around. We walked some ways, before we heard Andrea screaming and saw a young lady knock the walker off of her with a bat. The young lady was on a horse next to a boy on the other horse.
“Lori Grimes? Lora Dixon?” The girl asked. I guess I’m a Dixon now. Lori and I ran to her saying that was us. “Rick sent us. You’ve got to come now!” We were confused. “There’s been an accident. Carl’s been shot. He’s still alive but you’ve got to come now.” The girl looked at me. “Rick says you’re a doctor. We can use your help.” I nodded and ran to the girls horse as Lori ran to the boys.
“Whoa, Lora we don’t know this girl. You can’t get on that horse!” Daryl yelled. He grabbed my arm, but I pulled away ignoring him. I knew he’d be mad about it later but one of our own is hurt. I have to go help.
“Rick said you had others on the highway, that big traffic snarl?” The girl asked. Glenn nodded. “Backtrack to Fairburn Road. Two miles down is our farm. You’ll see the mailbox. The name is Greene.” We then road off. The horse was running as fast as it could through the woods. We finally made it out and I saw a farm. When we got there I jumped off and ran inside. “I’m Lora.”
An old man looked at me “Good. We need you.”
“Where’s, Where’s Lori?” Rick asked me, putting both his hands on my shoulders looking so lost and sad.
“She should be right outside.” I said. “How bad is it?” I asked the old man.
“He’s fine for now, but he won’t be soon.” I walked to Carl’s side as the old man left the room. I lifted the bandage to look at where he got shot. Lori ran in crying with Rick. I stood back as she cried on the bed next to Carl. She mumbled my baby boy over and over again to him telling him he’ll be okay. Lori grabbed Rick’s hand. I left the room to give them space.