"Okay mom and dad, you look right here with big smiles. Don't move, don't move, okay big girl give me a smile," Charlotte Grimes instructed holding up a rattle and shaking it till the seven month old finally took notice and smiled. Pressing the shutter release Charlotte moved to her monitor as the image appeared.
"Perfect," she declared, "Mom. Dad. Would you like to see this one?" she questioned inviting the young couple to give their approval on the photo.
Hearing her phone buzzing from her back pocket Charlotte pulled it out and glanced at it. Seeing her sister in law's name she rolled her eyes and jammed it back into her pocket.
"Oh, I love it. You're so good," Mom exclaimed, clapping her hands.
Smiling, Charlotte nodded, "Alright, well the family photo was our last one so I'll get these printed and you can pick them up by end of day," she instructed as she guided the couple and their child out of her studio and back into the shop.
Waving as they left Charlotte sighed.
"I didn't think you'd ever get that kid to smile," Cammie Edwards commented as she idly filed her nails behind the counter.
"Tell me about it," Charlotte agreed, rolling her eyes as she pulled her buzzing phone out again, "Freaking Lori. She's called like a hundred fucking times. Like obviously I'm working, and I can't discuss my brother's sex life at this time."
Laughing Cammie shook her head, "Why does she call you anytime they fight? Which by the way she's been calling you an awful damn lot lately."
"I don't know. I'll call her back after I'm wine drunk tonight," she responded, slipping her phone back into her pocket, "So, I see we've been busy," she laughed indicating the bottle of nail polish sitting on the counter in front of her best friend.
"I took a few calls," Cammie retorted, "Besides if I don't do this now, I'll never get it done with Annabelle running around."
Smiling at the thought of Cammie's three-year-old daughter Charlotte asked how preschool was going for the little girl.
"It's going so well. She's gotta little boyfriend named Jason," Cammie gushed, "They're seriously the cutest thing ever," she told her as she began applying her nail polish.
"A boyfriend already?" Charlotte laughed.
"What can I say, she's got game like her mama," Cammie replied with a wink.
Snorting, Charlotte shook her head, "If I remember correctly, you were dateless last Saturday night," she teased.
"Well considering you were right next to me on my couch binge watching Friends you have no room to talk," Cammie retorted.
"I know. We're pathetic. We need to go out, meet some guys, and have drunk bathroom sex," Charlotte declared.
Wrinkling her nose, Cammie rolled her eyes, "I'm pretty sure that's how I got my daughter," she reminded her friend.
"Which is why we're on birth control, duh," Charlotte responded, "Come on," she begged, "I've hit a dry spell; it's been like two months. I'm literally paying for birth control for no reason," she laughed, before giving Cammie her best pouty face.
"Fine. I'll text Mindy from downstairs to see if she'll watch Belle this Saturday," Cammie relented.
Squealing, Charlotte clapped her hands just as the shop phone began to ring.
"Could you?" Cammie questioned, wiggling her wet fingernails at her.
Scoffing, Charlotte went to answer the phone, "I'm not sure why I pay you," she stated picking up the shop phone, "Thanks for calling Pictures by Charlie. How may I help you?"
"Well, you could start by picking up your fucking cell phone," came a harsh voice over the phone.
Recognizing the voice of her brother's best friend Charlotte narrowed her eyes, "And fuck you too Shane. If this has to do with Lori calling me a thousand times today, I'd figure she'd get the hint I was busy working," she snapped back.
"Yeah, well while you're off taking pictures of dandelions your brother was shot today and is in the hospital. I suggest you get your ass down here," he responded harshly.
Heart stopping Charlotte felt her breath catch, "What?" she breathed out as she dropped the phone.
"Charlie? Charlie, what's going on?" Cammie questioned as she rushed around to her friend. When Charlotte didn't answer Cammie picked up the phone, "Shane, it's Cammie. What's going on? Charlotte just went white and I'm not sure, but she looks like she may faint."
"Rick's been shot. He's in the hospital down here and it doesn't look good," Shane explained, "She needs to get down here."
"I'll take care of it," Cammie told him before hanging up and turning to her friend, "Charlotte are you with me?" she asked, snapping her fingers.
Blinking, Charlotte slowly nodded, "Yeah, I um I have to go. Can you take care of things here? Cancel my appointments?"
Nodding, Cammie pulled her into a hug, "Of course. I know what needs to be done. You just worry about your family. Do you want me to drive you? I can get Belle out of school," she offered.
Shaking her head, Charlotte took a step back, "No, no I'm okay. I'm gonna pack a bag and get down there and see what's happening. I mean its Shane, right? He was always a drama queen so maybe it's not that serious. I'll text you," she told her friend as she grabbed her bag from behind the counter.
"Okay, don't worry about anything here. I've got the shop," Cammie told her, giving her an encouraging smile. Nodding Charlotte hurried outside to her car.
Within a half an hour Charlotte had gotten back to her apartment, packed a bag, and was on her way to her brother's house in King County Georgia, a little suburb about an hour outside of where she lived in Atlanta.
The drive was a complete blur and before she knew it, she was turning onto the main street of the town. Debating between going directly to the house or the hospital she decided to head to the hospital first. Pulling into the parking lot she found a spot and parked before rushing into the hospital.
"Hi, I'm looking for information about an officer that was shot," Charlotte told the receptionist in the lobby, "His name is Rick Grimes."
"Are you family?"
Before she could answer Charlotte heard her name being called. Turning, she found Shane barreling towards her, "It's okay, Nancy. She's family," he told the receptionist, "Lori and Carl are upstairs. Ricks in surgery," he told Charlotte, guiding her to the elevator.
"What happened?" she questioned as they stepped inside the small box.
"We only thought there was two. No one saw the third guy," he responded shortly, running his hand through his hair.
"He's gonna be okay though, right?" she asked quietly.
Raising his head, Shane just stared at her. Swallowing harshly, she felt the tears in her eyes begin to spill over. Punching the button to stop the elevator Shane shook his head, "You can't do that. You can't fall apart. We need to be there for them."
Taking a deep breath, she nodded as she wiped her face with her shirt, "Have I ever told you how much I fucking hate you?"
Scoffing, he rolled his eyes, "Every fucking day since we were kids," he responded with a faint smile, "You look good Charlotte," he complimented.
Snorting, she reached around and hit the button for the elevator to begin moving again, "You know I'm immune to your charm Shane," she retorted, rolling her eyes.
"You'll always be the one that got away, Coco," he said with a smirk.
Giving him a look, she shook her head, "I wouldn't sleep with you in high school, I ain't sleeping with you now," she told him as the elevator doors opened and she hurried into the hallway.
Catching sight of Lori and her nephew, Carl, she took off down the hall leaving Shane to follow after her.
It had been two weeks since her brother was shot. Every day Charlotte would sit by his bedside hoping and praying he'd wake up from the coma he seemed to be in. The doctors claimed his body just needed time.
After deciding she'd stay to help Lori with Carl, she'd had Cammie shut her shop down informing her clients of a family emergency. Within the first week Lori had returned to work at the elementary school and after a lot of kicking and screaming from Carl he'd gone back to the classroom as well.
That left all day for Charlotte to keep the house tidy and sit by her brother's bedside.
Their parents had died a few years back and at the time she thought receiving that news and having to bury them was the worst few days of her life. Then she got that phone call from Shane about her brother. She didn't think anything else could top that as the worst day ever.
She was wrong.
It started out like any other day. Lori dropped her off at the hospital on her way to school with Carl. The plan was for the two to visit after school in which Charlotte would then head home with them.
Walking into the hospital, she greeted Nancy at the reception area before heading to Rick's floor. Spotting her favorite nurse, Haley, as the elevator doors opened, she stepped out and headed for the nurse's station.
"Fancy meeting you here," Charlotte greeted. Turning Haley attempted a smile, "I feel like I'm always here," she joked. Furrowing her brow Charlotte asked if she was okay.
"Yeah, I'm just tired. I don't know if you've seen the reports on tv, but there's some sort of super bug going around and people have been sick and going like crazy, so we've had a lot of call outs," Haley replied.
"Shane mentioned something last night about reports coming from Atlanta that people have been going crazy and like biting other people," Charlotte told her, "My best friend Cammie and her daughter are in the city. She said the army has been coming through setting up shelters and fema camps."
Nodding, Haley looked around before leaning across the counter, "You didn't hear it from me, but we have two people upstairs in psych who went nuts and literally bit a chunk out of one of the doctors on five. Like a chunk. He'll need plastic surgery," she whispered, "We're supposed to notify the army so apparently they're on their way this afternoon."
Eyes wide Charlotte shook her head, "Fucking Christ."
"Exactly," Haley responded, "I think tomorrow I'm calling in sick."
Laughing, Charlotte nodded, "I wouldn't blame you. So, any change on my brother?" she questioned.
Shaking her head, Haley's smile disappeared, "Unfortunately no."
Taking a breath, Charlotte attempted to smile at the nurse, "Alright, well I'll be in there talking to him," she said before heading down the corridor to his room.
"Hey, big brother," she greeted, stepping inside the room where her brother lay motionless on his hospital bed. After going through the usual updates on what was happening with Lori and Carl, Charlotte laid her head down on Rick's bed and gave into a good cry before falling asleep.
She didn't know how long she was asleep before Shane was shaking her awake and yelling at her to get up. Jolting Charlotte shot up and shoved him, "What is your problem?" she questioned.
"We need to get out of here," he told her frantically, "Lori's on the way back to the house with Carl and I told her I'd get you and Rick."
Blinking, Charlotte shook her head, "What is happening?" she asked before the noise from the hallway caught her attention, "What is that?"
"Don't go out there!" Shane yelled at her jumping in front of her when she went for the door, "It's bad. The army is evacuating."
Hearing people screaming from the hallway she gripped Shane's arm, "We have to get out of here. We have to get Rick out of here," she told him urgently.
"Okay, I'm gonna get a stretcher and find a nurse. Don't move," he told her before disappearing out the door.
"What the hell is happening?" she mumbled pulling down the blankets, "Okay, big brother now would be a really good time to wake the fuck up," she said, shaking his shoulders. At the sound of gunfire from the hallway Charlotte's heart stopped.
Backing away from the hospital bed she looked around for a weapon, "Yeah, like I'm gonna find anything to defend against a gun in here," she muttered.
Screeching when Shane came bursting back through the door, he told her to shut up before attempting to pull Rick off the bed, "I have a stretcher," he told her.
"He's hooked up. Did you find Haley? She can unhook him," she told him frantically looking at the machine Rick was hooked to.
Coming around the bed, Shane shoved her aside to look at the machine, "I didn't see her. The army. They're killing people. I don't know," he whispered before his head shot around hearing a sound at the door.
Yanking her down he held his hand over her mouth as they hid on the other side of Rick's bed. From her vantage point Charlotte could see a pair of heavy dark army boots at the door of her brother's room from under the bed.
As soon as the soldier left and the door shut again Shane went back to trying to unhook Rick from the machine, "Come on, man, I need you to wake up," he muttered.
"Shane, we can just roll the damn thing with us," she suggested just as something loud hit the hospital causing the entire building to shake with plaster falling from the ceiling as the machine turned off, "The machine is off, Shane, just pull the shit out of his arm and let's go."
Leaning over Rick, Shane shook his head, "He's not breathing, Charlotte."
Wide eyed she attempted to pull Shane out of the way, "No, no, he's breathing, Shane. Get the fuck out of my way," she told him angrily, but he wouldn't move.
"He's gone, Charlotte. Rick is dead. We need to go," he told her, shoving her towards the door.
"No!" she cried trying to get back to her brother as Shane kept a hold of her.
"Charlotte! For fucks sake I need you to focus!" he hissed at her, gripping her arms and shaking her, "He's gone. Our priority now is Lori and Carl. We need to get to them."
"I can't leave him!" she cried, struggling to get out of Shane's grip.
"Jesus Christ, Coco, I'm not leaving you here," he told her sternly, "He would want me to get you out of here." Taking a deep breath in she exhaled as his words penetrated her mind before she nodded.
Pulling his gun from his holster he gripped her hand before turning towards the door. Pulling the door open he aimed the gun into the hallway, "Stay low," he hissed before tugging her into the corridor.
Keeping a grip on her he noted soldiers moving swiftly towards the other end of the hall, "They were killing innocent people. We can't go that way," he told her before they began to head down the other way.
Stopping short at a group of people staggering around the corner growling Shane stumbled back pushing her back towards Rick's room, "Why are they growling?" she whispered.
"I don't know. Whatever this is, it's making people crazy," he replied, shoving the stretcher in front of Rick's door before grabbing her hand again and deciding to take his chance the other way.
Finding the door for the stairs he pulled it open aiming his gun into the stairwell ensuring it was clear before they headed down the steps. Reaching the lobby doors, he did the same thing before cautiously stepping into the dark lobby.
Stepping over bodies, Shane passed her his gun before yanking a machine gun off a dead soldier, "Get his handgun too," she whispered.
"Something shoots at us. You shoot back," he instructed as they made their way out of the building.
"What if it growls at us?"
"You fucking shoot it," he responded pushing the doors open and stepping into the sun.
Chaos.
That's the only word for what was happening outside. People were screaming and running through the streets and the parking lot. Armed soldiers were firing on random people while others were walking around with large chunks missing from their bodies. There was blood everywhere. Dead bodies littered the ground.
Charlotte had to hold back the nausea at the sight of Nancy laying on the ground outside of the doors missing half her arm.
"I had to park up the road. Stick to the side of the building till we can make a run for it," Shane instructed, pulling her attention from the elderly woman lying dead in front of her.
They were doing well until they had to move away from the building. Once out in the open they ran for Shane's jeep. Charlotte could see the jeep however there were three growling people with blood-stained faces and dead eyes standing in their way.
"Shane?"
"Shoot them."
Using his police issue service weapon Charlotte raised the gun and fired hitting one directly in the chest. Stumbling back the person didn't fall instead they kept coming. The same happened with the two that Shane shot with his stolen army gun.
"What the hell? Why are they still coming?" she freaked.
"I don't know," he answered before firing again, this time hitting them directly between the eyes. Immediately the body dropped to the ground.
Sharing a look, the two took aim and landed their bullets in the heads of the other two coming towards them.
"Whatever this is, it has to be the head," he realized before they took off running for the jeep again.