THICK SKULL , twd [ 1 ]

6. goodnight, loves

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PRISON LIFE IS IRONICALLY—pretty nice. They got vehicles and food. A bed.

        "I think Maggie and Glenn snuck into the guard tower again," Koa whispers as she sits down next to Lori, "Like rabbits," She shakes her head disapprovingly. Lori laughs at her, shoving her shoulder, "Hey, now. Don't be gross. Besides, we're all finally safe. Let them have that." Koa scrunches her nose, waving her hand dismissively, "I refuse to discuss that—anymore. How's the baby?" Koa sets her hand on the woman's large bump.

        Lori smiles, holding the teen's hand on top of her bump, "She's a kicker." Koa's eyes light up at the use of she. Another girl? A little baby girl? "She?" Koa loudly questions, kicking her feet around in excitement, "Oh, finally! A little baby girl!"

       "Alright, alright. It's just a theory now. So, calm down. We gotta focus on Hershel and those damn crutches," Lori settles Koa down with a comforting smile. She stands up, throwing her hands up with a teasing smile, "Right, right. Okay, let's go show him the surprise, yeah?" Koa happily skips away, Lori right behind her.

          After showing Hershel the crutches, the man insisted he go for a stroll no matter how much they all insisted for him to just chill.

     Now, Hershel is navigating getting down the stairs, the air outside hitting them in the face. Lori, Beth and Carl guide him down while Koa stands behind Lori, ready for him to fall. There's a big smile across her face. Ever since Hershel woke up, Koa has had a bit more hope every time she's woken up on that mattress.

     He makes it down the stairs, "You cleared all those bodies out? It's starting to look like a place we could really live in."

   "Hey, you watch your step. Last thing we need is you falling," Lori gently says. Koa giggles excitedly the more steps Hershel takes. "He's doing better than me when I had that softball accident," Koa says, wincing at the remembrance of the pain that had rolled through her ankle that day. Crutches were her enemy rather than her friends for weeks after that.

      "Alright, Hershel!" Glenn happily shouts from the other side of the fence. Koa beams, jumping up and down, waving at the others excitedly.

   She runs to the fence, fingers slipping through the holes of the wired fence. Rick stands on the opposite side, hope written across his face just like on hers when she wakes up.

       "Walkers!" Carl shouts. Koa spins around. A bunch of walkers are making their way towards them. How the hell did they get in? Doesn't matter. They have a disabled old man and a pregnant lady in trouble. Koa runs forward, blade in hand, "Get Hershel and Lori to safety!" She shouts.