like real people do | c.g [#wattys2019]

G O N E

"THEY SHOULD'VE BEEN BACK BY NOW." Andrea says, walking into the house with Shane as Carl and I help set the table.

"Probably got held up somewhere. We'll head out first thing in the morning. Carl, I want you to keep your head up, okay? Your old man, he's a tough son of a-" Patricia cuts Shane off as he's about to swear.

"No cussing in the house." He apologizes.

Carol calls out for Lori to come eat but Maggie tells us that she's not in the room. "Where is she?" Dale asks. All she does is look at him with wide eyes and shake her head slightly.

"Carl, when was the last time you saw your mom?" Shane asks.

"This afternoon." He says, worry present on his face.

"She was worried about Rick. Asked me to look in on Carl and Casey." Andrea says. Dale asks if she went after them. "She didn't say that."

"Nobody panic. She's gotta be around here somewhere." Carl does the exact opposite, standing up and following Shane out of the house, me right behind him.

Andrea makes us both wait with her as Shane and T-Dog search for her. Carl tries to protest, but she promised Lori she'd take care of us. "She's not by the barn. I checked the surroundings." T-Dog informs.

"Where is she?!" Carl asks. Poor kid, he watched his best friend turn, his dad's gone and now Lori disappeared, too.

"She asked Daryl to go into town. Must of gone herself..." Carol tells us. Carl whimpers a bit, before running out. I look at everyone for a second and I nod, running towards him.

"Are you okay?" I ask him. "I know it's dumb, and it's not what you wanna hear, but are you okay?"

"I said I wouldn't be weak. I can't run out and cry whenever stuff like this happens." He looks at Shane, who's driving off in his car to go search for her. "I should be going with him."

"Look, you're not being weak. You're being normal, what you're doing is normal after something like this. Emotion isn't weakness." I tell him. "She's gonna be fine." He doesn't answer after that, but there are no tears on his face anymore.

We hear the car come back in and two people walk out. Lori. Carl dashes toward it, me following and we catch what they're saying half way.

"-I gotta make sure you're alright. I gotta make sure the baby's alright." Shane says. My eyes widen in shock. She's having a baby? I'm not really sure if this is a blessing or a curse.

"You're having a baby?" Carl asks, voicing everyone's thoughts. "Why didn't you tell me?" She stutters a bit, not saying anything. Dale's the one to break the awkward silence.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up." Andrea and him take her to the house to check out the small gash she has on her forehead, Carl and I following. They both sit down on the couch, and I stay up next to Andrea to give them space.