calamity → the walking dead ¹

[ 019 ] randall.

CALAMITY.

chapter nineteen, randall.
[ season two, episode nine ]

AIDEN SITS ON THE PORCH OF THE FARMHOUSE. While everyone else crowds inside the farmhouse enjoying dinner and Daryl remains at his distant camp, she perches alone in a weathered rocking chair. The cool evening air nips at her exposed skin, but she barely notices.

She worries sick about Glenn, Rick, and Hershel. Her eyes never leave the flickering campfire in the distance, its orange glow a lone beacon in the growing darkness. The rhythmic creak of the rocking chair beneath her matches her anxious heartbeat as she contemplates how far she and Daryl Dixon have come. From hurling insults and threatening glances to something resembling trust, to a friendship.

If you could call it that.

Her mind drifts to their first encounter months ago outside Atlanta. How he'd nearly put an bolt through her skull when she'd called him and Merle "redneck scumbags who don't deserve shit" after she found out their original plan was to rob the camp.

Suddenly, the farmhouse door bursts open. Bodies rush out onto the porch, voices overlapping in urgent tones. Aiden stands quickly, her hand instinctively moving to the gun at her hip.

"What's goin' on?" She quizzes, noting the panic etched across everyone's faces.

Carl pushes forward, his young face twisted with worry. "Mom's gone," he says, voice cracking. "We can't find her anywhere."

"Lori's missin'," Shane confirms, pacing the wooden boards like a caged animal. His eyes meet Aiden's with an intensity that makes her uncomfortable. "She ain't in the house."

Aiden's heart tightens. The woman is pregnant, with Shane's baby, though everyone pretends it's Rick's. The complex web of relationships in their group sometimes feels more dangerous than the walkers themselves.

"Let's split up and search," Aiden commands, taking charge naturally. "Carl, you stay here with Patricia in case she comes back."

"No way," Carl protests, stepping forward. "I want to help find her."

Aiden kneels to his level, placing her hands firmly on his shoulders. "I know you do. But someone needs to stay here, just in case. Can you do that for me?"

Carl reluctantly nods, though the determination never leaves his young face.

"I'll check the barn," Shane announces, already stomping down the porch steps.

"I'll take the perimeter of the house," Aiden responds.

T-Dog nods. "I'll check the yards."

As everyone disperses, Aiden methodically searches around the farmhouse, checking every shadow and corner. Her thoughts race with possibilities, none of them good. A pregnant woman alone outside the safety of the farm is prey waiting to be found.

Twenty minutes later, they reconvene at their camp. Night has fully descended now, and the chill in the air has deepened.

"She's not at the barn," Shane reports, running an agitated hand over his head.

"I checked the yards," T-Dog states. "Nothing."

"Well, where is she?" Carl asks frantically, having disobeyed orders to stay behind. His small voice carries across the camp, silencing everyone.

Carol appears from the shadows, wringing her hands. "She asked Daryl to go into town," she informs them quietly. "Must've gone after them. After Rick and the others."