Decomposition
A Walking Dead Fanfiction by Sassy Lil Scorpio
Disclaimer: Shane Walsh, Rick Grimes, and all other characters from The Walking Dead are from the creative imagination of Robert Kirkman. This author makes no claim of ownership. No monetary gain is being made from this work.
Summary: Decomposition starts right after death. Depending on factors in the surrounding environment, the process will occur slower or faster. Shane Walsh died a painful and agonizing death. His soul rotted away from the inside out until all that was left were the skeletal remains of who he once was.
Rating: T
Author's Notes: 10x100 is a form of fanfiction, in which there are ten drabbles, each one 100 words, connected by a common theme. The general stages of decomposition are fresh, bloat, active decay, advanced decay, and dry decay/remains. Some other terms are used interchangeably depending on the stage: rigor mortis, algor mortis, livor mortis, putrefaction, black putrefaction, and skeletonization. I used a combination of some of the terms for this story.
Dedication: For my friend, Tiara known as Digital Tempest on FanFictionNet (FFN) . Our friendship started on FFN and has spanned over fifteen years. For my friend, Dana. Our friendship started in college and has lasted over fifteen years. Both of you live far from me, and yet, you are both close to my heart. For Patty, thank you for everything you've done for me in the past ten years. Tiara and Dana, you love The Walking Dead and understand the complex character of Shane Walsh. Patty, you are a new fan like me and we had a great discussion about Shane Walsh. This story is for all of you.
"The physicality of a human corpse is undeniable. It is a carcass, with a predisposition to decay, to become noisome, obnoxious to the senses, and harrowing to the emotions."
-Ruth Richardson, Sociologist
oOo
I. The Dying Process
Shane Walsh didn't die immediately.
Dying was cruel and robbed from Shane's life. It started when Rick was shot right in front of him. Then the dead began to rise. The world that Shane knew collapsed forever.
He tried getting Rick out of the hospital and witnessed unbelievable horror. Walkers overran the halls. The military killed the living. Death laughed; tightening its grip on Shane.
Rick returned and Lori cornered Shane with her accusations. She didn't know how awful it was that day, although he tried telling her. She cut him off from her and Carl.
Shane started shutting down.
oOo
II. The Death of Shane Walsh
Shane wasn't ready to die.
He had learned that a person's body could be ready to stop, but unfinished matters sometimes made it difficult for a person to let go. Or emotional concerns were resolved, but the body hadn't completely shut down.
Shane's death certificate identified the cause of his demise: the betrayal and murder of Otis. From the instant he saw the man's confused expression, to the moment he shot him, Shane's heart stopped forever.
He hadn't settled his conflict with Lori or Rick. He would never conquer his demons that stemmed from killing Otis.
Shane Walsh was dead.
oOo
III. To Embalm or Not To Embalm
Embalming his soul and restoring the man he used to be was impossible. His horrific action was unforgivable. It could never be undone or redeemed.
Gone was the man who tried to save his best friend in the hospital, who fell in love with his best friend's wife, and who treated his best friend's son like his own.
Shane shaved off his hair, reflecting the new man born from his death. Living in a kill-or-be-killed world meant destroying who he once was. Preservation wasn't an option.
The man staring back at Shane Walsh in the bathroom mirror was a murderer.
oOo
IV. Rigor Mortis
Outside, Shane appeared to be Shane. Inside, he had changed into a hardened survivor.
Split-second decisions had to be made. Act first, think later.
He tried explaining his thinking to Andrea and Rick. They didn't understand or listen. Emotions influenced their decisions. Shane had turned off the switch. Staying alive meant burying fear, anger, and sympathy. To others, he was cold and harsh; but Shane accepted and lived this new reality as the only way.
He would teach those who understood: Carl wanted to learn how to shoot a gun; Andrea came around.
His new outlook on survival remained steadfast.
oOo
V. Bacterial Bloat
Lori pulled him close and pushed him away.
"You don't love her." Rick had no idea what Shane felt. He already claimed Lori's baby as his.
Patricia wanted to know about Otis' final moments. Hershel asked him to speak at Otis' memorial.
"I know what kind of man you are." Dale knew nothing about the constant terrifying nightmares Shane experienced.
The pressure inside Shane expanded exponentially. Frustration festered in his soul from Lori's and Rick's treatment. Immense guilt consumed him whenever Patricia and Hershel asked about Otis. Dale's judgmental attitude infuriated him.
Shane's psyche was on the verge of exploding.
oOo
VI. Black Putrefaction
Rick…
Treated him like an underling as though they were never best friends or partners. Made poor decisions that risked everyone's lives. Didn't listen to reason because he wanted to be The Good Guy.
Lori…
Refused to let him be involved in the baby's life, regardless of the child's paternity. Manipulated him and Rick against each other. Displaced her guilt for the affair onto him. Didn't accept any responsibility for her actions until it was too late.
Shane's soul blackened as he broke down. The rotten stench of his mangled emotions erupted when he fought against Rick, almost killing him.
oOo
VII. Advanced Decay
Shane's mind and soul disintegrated further. Terrifying thoughts swarmed in his mind. What frightened him most was that he allowed them to take root so that ideas grew into plans and intentions.
Killing Randall would be easy. No one would miss him.
Well…one person might…
He wasn't fit to lead the group…he couldn't protect Lori or Carl…he was better off dead.
Shane could lure him out…just the two of them…force him to fight for his life… if he pulled the trigger first…then he would finally learn that when you killed a man…you essentially killed yourself…
Shane grinned in the darkness.
oOo
VIII. Skeletonization
Shane Walsh was unrecognizable.
The man in the field looked like Shane, but didn't act or sound anything like the man Rick Grimes had called "brother" for so many years. Shane had severely deteriorated over the past weeks. Who was he now? This wasn't the same man who had wiped the blood off Rick's face and reassured him that Carl would be okay.
Nothing remained of Shane now—except murderous rage and rancid hatred that emanated from him with every word he spoke and every step he took.
He circled Rick as he held his once best friend at gunpoint.
oOo
IX. The Second Death of Shane Walsh
Rick talked him down and the emotions Shane had killed off resurrected. He couldn't bring himself to murder the man he had known as his "best friend".
Sheer pain rushed through his chest. He heard Rick screaming above him. Shane accepted it because he couldn't live like this anymore. He wasn't even angry at Rick. Peace shrouded him as his life ended.
Minutes later, his body reanimated. The disease with no cure took control of his body. Shane had turned into a walking rotting corpse.
Carl's hands were sweaty, but he pulled the trigger.
Shane fell for the last time.
oOo
X. All That Remains
They were unable to give Shane a proper burial.
Over time, Rick came to fully understand and appreciate Shane's perspective: "The right choice is the one that keeps us alive!"
Carl and Rick found refuge in an abandoned house. Rick pushed a sofa towards the door just as Carl finished tying a clove hitch knot.
"Shane taught me. Remember him?"
"Yeah, I remember him." Memories of him and Shane during better times overpowered him. "I remember him everyday."
And so Rick Grimes never forgets whom he met in high school.
His best friend and police partner.
His brother.
Shane Walsh.
(Never) The End