𝓗𝓮𝔂 𝓐𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓵 | 𝓓𝓪𝓻𝔂𝓵 𝓓𝓲𝔁𝓸𝓷

Chapter 42: No Choice

Lori came beside and we all fired our weapons in the mass of walkers.

"Beth get Hershel out now!" I called aiming at another walker and shooting it right between the eyes. Hershel and Beth made a break for it and I hoped they got away to safety as Lori, Carl and I continued to shoot. I could hear the panicked voice of Rick in the background yelling though he was so far away I couldn't make out what he was saying through the tangle of shouts and gunfire.

"Lori, Carl, Lillith this way!" The southern voice of Maggie shouted over the racket. I glanced around to check where the others were but barely got a chance as Carl and Lori dragged me along with them. As much as I wanted to stay I wasn't going to much help to anyone dead. We raced up the stairs and back into the cellblock. I stayed back with worry acutely aware of her current condition.

She was strong and could certainly take care of herself but it was harder for her to move quickly now not to mention all the stress of the situation would not be good for the baby.

Sudden growls and groans flooded into the air as another pack of walkers lurched around the corner.

"Other way!"

My eyes widened and we charged back in the other direction diving through another door. I brought up the rear shutting the gate behind us. I attempted to fumble with the keys to lock the door but Carl grabbed me by the arm.

"Come on there's no time!"

With that, we were running again through the maze of corridors that I had already found myself lost in once before. Maggie continued to lead us through maze of dim corridors; I kept at the back making sure no walkers crept up from behind.

Things were only made worse when a blaring alarm came rattling through the walls.

"Fan fucking tactic," I growled under my breath as we pushed on slowing to a walk as we finally lost our fumbling, growling, bloodthirsty pursuers. For now at least. I hoped we were perhaps in the clear for now but clearly, I was just jinxing things. Lori hissed in pain and leaned against the wall.

"We've got to keep going," Maggie encouraged as we both rushed to the pregnant woman's side.

"Something's not right," She replied her hands balled into tight fists. Now I really was beginning to worry.

"Are you bit?" Carl asked his voice rising an octave clearly worried for his mother. I felt a pang of relief when Lori said she wasn't but what she said next wasn't good either.

"I think the baby's coming."

As if on cue, to make things far far worse, more walkers came around the corner.

"Turn back now," Maggie urged as she wrapped Lori's arm around her shoulder. Carl took point and I stayed behind the two women keeping Lori in the middle. We weaved through more and more corridors until finally, Carl found a storage room for us to hide out in.

I went in first dipping down the steps and around the corner, knife raised in my hand as I checked the area for any start walkers.

"We're all clear for now," I declared returning to the others. Lori was in more pain than ever and was trying to keep as quiet as possible.

"What are those alarms?" Lori questioned between deep slightly strained breath.

"They're used by the prison for prison wide alerts. Escaped convicts, riots, lockdowns and the like," I explained approaching Lori and trying to think of any way to help her. I wished I had paid more attention to Carol when she was learning how to deliver a baby just in case.