Tommy was running through a dark hallway with Merton close behind him. He could hear zombies moaning all around them. Due to his incredible wolf sight, Tommy could see the zombies and was able to kick them out of the way. They had only found this shelter a week ago and it had already been ransacked by the dead. He should have known nothing was really safe anymore. He finally reached the door to one of the main exits of the shelter but, he realized Merton wasn't behind him anymore. He started to panic and ran back down the hallway. He found Merton a couple steps back trying to run as fast as he could. He had hurt his leg and it was causing him to limp. Tommy slid under Merton's arm, supporting him with his shoulders and helped him walk to the exit. They opened the door and saw that the sun was starting to go down. Not a good time to be outside, without weapons. Tommy continued to help Merton walk to the outside of the camp and into the edge of the woods.
"I have to stop," Merton said after a deep breath.
"Merton, we can't stop here. We need to find someplace to stay tonight. It's not good to just be out here in the open at night."
"Tommy, I can't go anymore." Tommy started to pick Merton up. "Don't, Tommy. Prop me up against this car." Tommy did as his friend asked and sat him down by the silver car. Tommy nervously paced back and forth in front of him, constantly looking out for any zombies. "Tommy, just sit down. Just for a minute."
Tommy scanned the area over one more time and plopped down next to Merton. "We can't sit here long."
"You won't."
Tommy looked at Merton, confused.
"Tommy, you're my best friend."
"Dude you're my best friend, too," Tommy said looking at him, curiously. "But we really don't have time to sit here and make friendship bracelets!"
Merton grabbed Tommy's arm. "I can't walk any farther."
"Your leg isn't that bad. Once we settle somewhere we can bandage it up and you'll be just fine."
"That's not the problem," Merton said and lifted the right side of his shirt, revealing a bite mark. Tommy's ears started to ring and everything seemed to blur around him. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. It had to be a dream. A nightmare. He shook his head, trying to wake himself up but, he couldn't. This wasn't a dream. His best friend had been bit.
"Merton-"
"Tommy, its okay. I'm not made for this world. Honestly, I'm surprised I made it this far. I was hardly surviving before the apocalypse. The only reason I've ever made it as far as I have is because of you."
Tommy's eyes started to well up. "Merton, I can't do this without you."
"Yes you can. The minute I started helping you with being a werewolf, I knew you were put here for something big. This is it. I think you're going to save the world, Tommy."
"I'm just one guy. Look around you! The world has already ended. I can't save it. No one can."
"You aren't just one guy. You're a werewolf, Tommy. If anyone on this planet can do it, it's you. You may not do it alone but, it's up to you." Merton was getting paler by the minute. He grunted and held his side.
Tommy looked at him, his forehead all crinkled up and worried. He had seen a handful of other people turn since all of this had happened and watched their slow progression from dying to living dead. It was painful to watch even if it was someone you hardly knew but, this was Merton. His best friend and the only person he had anymore. He thought if he could just close his eyes, everything would be okay again. He had lost too many people. He couldn't lose Merton too.
"It feels like my rib is on fire and it's slowly running through the rest of my body. Like shards of glass in my veins."
"I'm sorry, Merton. I wish there was something I could do."
Merton reached into his coffin backpack and pulled out a large knife and placed it in Tommy's paw.
"Merton, I can't."
"Do it for me. I don't want to become one of those things."
"You can't ask me to do this."
"You either do it now or you do it when I'm chomping on someone's brains."
Tommy stared at Merton, taking those words in and shook his head. He knew that he had to do it before Merton turned so he took the knife and placed it in his lap.
They sat side by side reminiscing about all the good times they had in high school. When the dead started rising, they had only just graduated college. They thought they had the whole rest of their lives ahead of them. They were both in relationships with beautiful, smart amazing women and they had plans of buying houses next door to each other. They were going to live the perfect American life, saving the world from monsters and living happily ever after. The monsters, apparently had other plans.
Merton's breathing started to get heavy and his words were getting farther and farther apart. He looked at Tommy and smiled. "I love you, Tommy. You'll always be my best friend."
"I love you, little buddy."
"Save the world…for me," he said and his eyes slowly closed and his body fell limp.
"Merton? Merton?" Tommy started shaking his best friend. His lip began to quiver and tears poured down his face into his fur. "No, Merton. No. This isn't how it's supposed to happen. No. Please don't leave me." Tommy bent over, sobbing into his paws. He remembered that Merton had given him the knife. His body felt so weak with sadness but, he gripped the knife as tight as he could in his paw. He stared at it for the longest time, trying to gather up his strength. He took a deep breath, kissed his best friend on the head. He removed the coffin backpack and Merton's over-sized trench coat and put them on the hood of the car. "Sorry, buddy," he said and drove the knife through Merton's head. He fell back against the car, holding his best friend. His shoulders began to shake with the sobs that erupted from his body. The sun had finally gone all the way down. Tommy looked up at the moon and let out a sad, deep howl.
Rick Grimes and his group were currently camping out in a large log cabin in the woods. Daryl was sitting outside on the porch, cleaning his crossbow when he heard a howl in the distance.