Boone organized the storage area neatly, sorting the items by category and even arranging them by expiration date and importance. Even Patricia, who was in charge of logistics, quietly nodded in approval.
Under T-Dog and Glenn's "supervision," he also began setting up non-lethal warning traps and snares for small animals around the Prison's perimeter, clearly showing plenty of outdoor experience.
Boone worked hard and never complained about the tasks assigned to him, gradually earning a basic level of acceptance from some of the residents.
Encouraged by the success of that search, Rick organized several more small-scale scouting missions in different directions. They were lucky again, finding a few desperate survivors who had been hiding and bringing them in.
The Prison's population was slowly growing, bringing more manpower with it.
Everything seemed to be moving in a good direction.
Lori's pregnant belly was already noticeably rounded, but there was no joy on her face. Instead, she seemed wrapped in a gloom she could not shake.
She sat on a bed in the Prison infirmary, both hands protecting her abdomen.
Hershel sat in the chair across from her, taking the stethoscope out of his ears as he gently reassured her.
"The baby's heartbeat is strong, Lori. From the signs I can check, everything looks normal."
"Normal?" Lori raised her head, her eyes full of fear. "But I often can't feel it move. What if it's already stopped growing?"
She took a deep breath. "Rick told us. What Calista said. All of us have that thing inside us... after we die, we'll all turn into those monsters!"
Ever since Rick had shared that terrifying truth with everyone after his call with Calista, it had weighed on Lori's heart like a stone.
Pregnancy had already magnified her emotions and insecurity, and that knowledge had made it even harder for her to sleep at night.
"I'm scared, Hershel," Lori said, breaking down as she spoke. "I'm scared I won't make it!
I'm scared I'll die on the delivery table, and then, then I'll turn into one of those things and hurt my baby, hurt Carl..."
Her hands gripped the bedsheet tightly. "I'm begging you, Hershel. If, if I really don't make it, or if I die...
You have to make sure I can't get back up. Before I turn into one of those things, kill me. Promise me!"
Hershel looked at the almost desperate plea in her eyes and felt helplessness fill his chest.
He reached out and patted Lori's arm. "Lori, don't talk like that. We won't let that happen. We'll do everything we can to keep you and the baby safe."
Just then, Dale pushed the door open with a cheerful smile, holding a small can of fruit.
"Hershel, look what I found. Maybe this can give Lori a little extra..."
Dale's words stopped abruptly when he saw the tear tracks on Lori's face and the heaviness in Hershel's expression.
The atmosphere instantly turned awkward.
"Uh... am I interrupting?" Dale asked hesitantly.
"No, Dale, come in." Hershel sighed. "Lori is just... worried."
Dale set the can down, pulled over a stool, and sat. He spoke with concern. "Lori, it's normal to be worried. Every mother worries.
But you need to trust Hershel, and trust all of us. We have medicine here, and we have Hershel. You'll be all right."
Lori shook her head, and the tears finally slipped down her face. "Dale, you don't understand. Carl, Carl was born by C-section. With my body... I'll probably need surgery again.
But what do we have now? No sterile operating room, no professional obstetrician, not enough anesthetics or blood supply...
Hershel is a good doctor, but he's a veterinarian!"
Her words were not an accusation, only the statement of a cruel fact.
"I don't know if I can survive it..."
Hershel silently lowered his head. He could not refute her.
As a veterinarian, he had handled countless animal births, but when it came to a high-risk human C-section, especially under such crude and unsanitary conditions, he truly had no full confidence.
If complications appeared, the consequences would be unthinkable.
The smile also disappeared from Dale's face. He realized how serious the problem was.
He looked at Lori's despairing expression, then at Hershel's tightly furrowed brow. His mind raced, trying to find a way out of the hopelessness.
Suddenly, as if he had remembered something, Dale's eyes lit up slightly.
"Wait... maybe, maybe we still have another option."
He looked at Lori and Hershel. "We're not completely on our own, remember? Rock Fortress."
At the name, Lori and Hershel both raised their heads.
"Calista's side," Dale continued. "She built such a large base, and before, she took a lot of research equipment from some Sentinel Station...
Their medical conditions have to be much better than ours. They might have real surgeons, better medical equipment!"
Hershel grew thoughtful. "Dale has a point. If they have a professional medical team and proper facilities, Lori's risk would be greatly reduced."
A faint spark of hope appeared in Lori's eyes, but it soon dimmed again. "But... would they help? It's so far away, and in my condition..."
"We have to try," Dale said firmly. "Next time Rick and Calista have their regular call, he can bring it up and ask.
They don't necessarily have to come here. We could take you there.
Even if they can't take you in, maybe they can give professional advice, or... some medicine and equipment we desperately need."
The suggestion was like a lifeline suddenly thrown out.
Hershel's eyes brightened, and he took over. "Dale is right. And we're not without something to offer.
When Calista left last time, she took half the livestock with her, but she's clearly interested in more resources and agricultural production.
We can trade. Use our surplus supplies, or the next batch of mature crops, or even a few more animals, in exchange for medical help for Lori.
Besides, Calista is a kind child. I think she'll agree."
Lori's tense shoulders loosened slightly. "Can we really do that?"
"It's worth trying," Hershel said with certainty. "On the next call, we'll have Rick bring it up."
...
Almost at the same time, inside Rock Fortress Command Center, Calista was presiding over the first operational meeting for the East Knoxville Industrial Park clearing operation.
"...In summary, our current production capacity, whether it's the agriculture at Blackberry Ranch or the simple repairs in the workshop area,
is not enough to support our long-term, rapid development, much less deal with the larger challenges that may appear in the future."
She was pointing at the map and laying things out clearly when, without warning, she turned her head and let out a crisp sneeze.
"Achoo!"
Leah, Rickson, Mike, Carver, and the others around the meeting table all looked at her.
Calista rubbed her nose and muttered in confusion, "Who's talking about me?"
She immediately shook her head, threw off that strange feeling, and her gaze sharpened again as she swept her eyes over everyone present.
"All right, never mind that. Let's continue. Where were we? The East Knoxville Industrial Park has everything we need..."