Shy

Only Kid in a group of adults Chapter 27

" So this is it? The whole plan? " Carol sits down on a fallen tree as she talks. 

" I guess the plan is to whittle us down inta smaller and smaller groups. " Glenn looks back at everyone. 

" Carrying knives and pointy sticks. " I feel my pocket knife in my short pocket. " I see you have a gun. " 

Oh great. Don't start anything Andrea. We all saw you eyeing Lori's gun earlier. Don't get her angry. 

" Why you want is? Here, " Lori hands it to Andrea. " take it. I'm sick of the looks you're giving me. " 

And I'm sick of the ones you're giving me Lori. I guess we both have problems. Glenn looks away from the two women, and you can see he wishes he was somewhere else. 

Andrea reaches for the gun and Lori hands it to her. " All of you. " 

I haven't given you any looks Grimes. I've been minding my own dang business. You're the one looking at me as if I ruined everything for you. 

" Honey, I can't imagine what you're going through. And I would do anything I could to change it. But you've got to stop blaming Rick. It's in your expression every time you look at him. When Sophia ran, he didn't hesitate. Not for a second. " Lori looks at everyone. " I don't know if any of us would've gone after her the way he did. Or made the hard decisions he made. Or that anybody could've done it any differently. " 

Boy, I hate being the only kid here with a bunch of adults. I usually don't mind adults, but right now I feel like I'm getting a lecture. I wish Carl and Sophia were here right now. I'd feel a little bit better. I guess having Daryl here comforts me a bit. 

" Anybody? " Lori looks around. " Y'all look to him and then ya blame him when he's not perfect. If ya think you can do this with out him, then go right ahead. Nobody is stopping you. " She says louder. 

Rick's trying his best. I know that. He ain't perfect. No one is. No one will ever be. He's trying to do what's right.  

Lori takes a sip of water from her bottle ans zips up her bag. Andrea hands the gun back to Lori. " We should keep going. 

I stand out of Lori's way as she walks by. Daryl makes a head gesture for me to move in front of him. I nod and walk behind Andrea. 

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 A gunshot makes me jump and drop the bag in my hands. We all turn to the direction of the sound. 

We keep moving but Lori lags behind. She finally stops and turns around. " You still worrying about it? " Andrea asks. 

" That was a gunshot. " Lori says a little worried. 

" We all heard it. " Glenn looks over at Daryl who's scanning the area. 

" Why one? Why just one gunshot? " 

" Maybe they got a walker. " Daryl shrugs. 

" Please don't partonize me. Why would Rick shoot one walker? Or Shane? " Why would Shane do any of the things he does. " They'd do it quietly. "

" Shouldn't they have caught up with us by now? " Carol asks looking at the only two guys in our group. Daryl and Glenn. 

" There's nothin' we can do about it anyway. " Daryl points his bow towards the ground. I kick the floor and Lori looks at me with disgust for a moment. 

I smell no better than you Lori Grimes. Don't even give me that look. 

" Can't run around these woods chasin' echos. " 

" So what do we do? " Lori asks. 

" Same as we've been. " Daryl nods towards the direction of the highway. " Beat the bush for Sophia, and make our way back to the high way. " 

" I'm sure they'll hook up with us back at the RV. " Andrea tries to reassure Lori. 

We all start walking back towards the RV, but we stop as Andrea talks to Carol. " I'm sorry for what you're going through. " I shift the weight on my feet. " I know how you feel. " 

" I suppose you do. " Carol smiles weakly at Andrea. " Thank you. She turns out to the woods. " The thought of her, out there by herself. It's the not knowing that's killing me. " Carol chokes up a bit. " I just keep hoping and praying she doesn't end up like Amy. " 

My eyes widen as do Carol's as she slaps a hand over her mouth. Andrea tenses a bit. " Oh my gosh! That's the worse thing I've ever said. I'm sorry. " Carol apologizes grabbing Andrea's hands. 

" We're all hoping and praying with you, for what it's worth. " Andrea smiles weakly.

" I'll tell you what it's worth. Nothin'. " Daryl says looking at Carol. " It's a waste of time, all this hopin' and prayin'. We're gonna locate that little girl and she's gonna be just fine. " I look at my feet as Daryl talks. " Am I the only one Zen around here? Good Lord. " I follow Daryl with a small smile.