Chapter 16

~Past~

I led Shane, Rick, T, Daryl, Glenn, and Isis towards the green VW Bug. I froze.

Shane walked into my back, "Woah. What's wrong?"

I pointed to the car, "I shut the trunk door." The others gathered around, finally noticing the open hatch. "I made sure to shut it." I walked up, glancing into the trunk. I gasped and stepped back.

Glenn came up and wrapped his arms around my waist. He peaked over my shoulder. Once he saw what I did, he tightened his grip on my waist.

"What the hell?"

~Present~

"What the hell?" Glenn whispers in my ear. I pull away from him, trying to lean into the open trunk, "Stop, you don't know if it is a Walker or not." He tried to grab my hand, I turned back for a second to hit him.

"I know the difference between someone who is alive and dead, Rhee." He stepped back, allowing me to check on the little surprise someone left for us.

A baby. Who leaves a baby in an open trunk with dead people walking around killing living people? I bent down and picked up the small child. The baby cooed as I nestled it into the crook of my arm. I turned to face the rest of my little group, a look of shock was clear on all their faces.

Shane stepped up and looked down at the small child in my arms, "What the hell is that?" He pointed at it.

I shot him an annoyed look, "It is a baby, Shane. Haven't you ever seen a baby before?" I pushed passed him and the others, taking the baby to the RV. I heard a chuckle then a smack. I smirked, opening the RV door.

Once I was inside the RV, I laid the baby down on the little bed in the back and undid its onesie. The baby wiggled around a little bit, giggling as I lightly tickled its stomach. I smiled softly, feeling a few tears to fall down my cheek. I jumped as the RV door slammed open. Glenn and Isis came in, carrying a couple of bags. I did notice that one of the bags that they were carrying was a diaper bag.

Isis sat down opposite of me, "I found this diaper bag in the back of the car, I think that the people who left the baby left this too."

I nodded, taking the bag from her, "I think the baby needs a diaper change." She opened the diaper bag and pulled out the things that I need to change the baby.

She went to hand me a diaper and the wipes, when a note fell out from in between them. We both looked at it, I sighed and picked it up. I opened it and began to read it out loud:

Dear Redheaded Survivor,

I saw you. I saw you protect that little girl, when the dead surrounded you and your group.

You don't know me, and you never will.

I am afraid that my little girl won't either.

You see,

I've been bitten.

I am gonna die and I don't want to harm my daughter.

I don't ask for much,

I shouldn't be asking for anything,

but I need you to teach her to be brave and moral.

She needs a strong role model, and I know that will be you.

Thank you,

I owe you.

Thea

P.S. Her name is Lilah. But you can change it, she is yours now.

I choked back a sob as I finished reading the letter. My sister and Glenn were tearing up as well. I picked up the little girl and cradled her against me. She rubbed her tiny hand against my shoulder.

"Well, that was intense." Shane's husky voice broke the thick silence that had fallen between us after I finished the letter. I turned to face him, a glare prominent on my face.

"Of course, it was! The woman gave up her baby." My sister butts in.

Shane stepped into the tiny bedroom, making me slightly uncomfortable, "We can't keep her, you know that right. She'd lead the Walkers right to us with all her crying, plus she's just another mouth to feed. A mouth, we can't feed."

I handed Lilah to Glenn and walked up to Shane, "We ARE keeping her. We ARE gonna take care of her. We ARE gonna protect her. You AREN'T in charge. You DON'T get to make these kinds of decisions." I poked him in the chest.

He grabbed my wrist and leaned towards me, "You don't get to tell me what to do."

"She might not, but I do. And we don't leave people, especially babies, to die." Rick said, opening the RV door.

Shane glared at us, "You just signed our death warrants." He pushed passed Rick, leaving the RV.

I sighed and turned back to Lilah. My sister had laid her back down on the bed. She was looking around, curious as to where she was. I sat back down on the bed, moving her so that she was facing me.

Rick rested a hand on my shoulder, "Is she okay?"

"Don't you mean, is she gonna turn into a baby walker?" He chuckled, "And no, she's not. She is healthy. She does need a diaper change though, which was what I was gonna do before dickface walked in."

Rick, Isis, and Glenn choked back a laugh at my new nickname for Shane, "What's her name?"

"Lilah."