𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬

𝟏𝟑 | 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝.

'Reasonable doubt' is what the book cover read as Lori glanced at the rec rooms collection. Her body jumping at the sound of the slamming door behind her. As she turned she was faced with an irritable and drunk Shane.

"Now's not the time." She claimed while striking an attitude as he stepped closer saying, "When is it ever the time?"

She walked by him on her way to the door hoping to end the conversation before it started. Shane reached out grabbed her by the arm to stop her just inches from himself. "How can you treat me like this?"

"You're kidding right? 'Cause you told me my brother-in-law and husband were dead."

"I didn't lie to you at the time." He stalks behind her as she walked off. Before she reaches the door he slams it shut and blocks it with his weight leaned against it.

"Things were falling apart. Nate called from Atlanta saying that I needed to get you guys somewhere safe.
I tried to get him to leave the fight, I wanted to go get him myself. I tried..." He took a deep breath to calm down before he continued reliving the moment. "There was nothing but gunfire and screaming on his end. He told me he wasn't gonna make it. He said it so confidently. When the call dropped he was trying to tell me to tell you and Carl that he loved you. I thought he was gone in that moment."

Lori stood shaking her head in disbelief. Her widened eyes were full of grief.

"Then I did what he asked me to do. I went for Rick but... Things were already shit when I got there. They were slaughtering people in the hallways. It was a massacre, and there were walkers everywhere."

"So you left him there." She says finding her backbone.

"Everyone else ran. There were no doctors. He was hooked up to machines and I didn't know what to do. I put my ear on his chest and listened for a heartbeat and I did not hear one."

"I can't do this." She said. "Move."

He stepped closer and continued to try grabbing her even when she backed herself up against the arcade game in attempt to get away from him. "I had ya'll to think about. If you thought for one second Rick was still alive would you have come? I did this for you and for Carl. I saved you."

"Get your hands off me." She cried as he groped her.
"I love you, Lori. I love you." Shane pleads.

He continued to step over the line till Lori felt in danger by his actions. No amount of begging made him stop but she continued to fight against him. Wishing Nate was still with her she tried to think of how he'd tell her to defend herself. Her nails digging into his flesh leaving bright bloody scratches down his neck, she pushed with her other hand. She finally was free of him after that. She let her tears flow while heading back to her room.