Chapter 9
Notes: Thank you all again for all the wonderful reviews and favorites, I know this story is quite a long read, thanks to all who took it on ^_^
"Oh … Christ!" Charlotte said as they rolled up onto the small tourist town, overrun wasn't the word for it, there were too many walkers to count … thousands upon thousands of them. The ones near enough to hear the car were already turning toward them, their teeth clicking hungrily.
"Well, let's lead out as many as we can, and deal with any stragglers." Charlotte said as she got out of the car.
"HEY! Looky here! Fresh meat, come and get it!" she said as she put her fingers to her mouth and blew a long, shrill whistle, trying to get as many to follow their car as possible.
"Alright, let's take it slow, keep just out of their reach. This is gonna take a while, with a herd this big, we're gonna have to take them at least twenty miles out." She said as she slid back into the back seat.
"Geeze, this whole town must have been turned, then just never left!" Aaron said as he eyed the huge herd in his rear view mirror.
"It only takes one, things go to shit quick after that, trust me." Charlotte said as she looked out the dingy rear window at the huge herd.
"Aww geeze! Some are starting to break off into the woods!" Aaron said.
"That can't be helped, the goal is to keep as many of them following us as possible." Glenn said as he reached across and honked the horn a couple of times.
"This is going to be a long, stressful trip." Aaron said as he rubbed his hand over his face.
"Yep. So … anyone want to play I Spy, or twenty questions?" Charlotte quipped.
Suddenly, Daryl heard a shout from one of the men.
"Walkers! Tons of em! Let's get the hell out of here!" One of them said, his voice colored with panic.
"What about that asshole?" Another voice said.
"Screw him! If he's still around, the walkers'll take care of him!" Came the other man's reply.
Daryl could hear the shuffling gates and the hungry growls getting closer to his hiding place, a thicket of brush would offer no protection from walkers, he had no choice but to move, he just hoped like hell those assholes were out of the area by now.
His injured side protested the decision to move and he gritted his teeth against the searing pain; it hurt like hell, even for someone as tough as him.
He knew the walkers would be preoccupied with consuming the bodies of the two men he had killed, and he wanted to put as much distance between them and him before it lost their interest.
"Come on, Gavin, let's go." He said as he took hold of the dog's collar and let the dog take the lead. As dusk approached, they came out of the woods and almost ran headlong into a fence. They followed it and found it to be some kind of tourist attraction, probably fenced to protect camping patrons from bears back in the day, complete with a gate, but it had been automatic, which means he would have to fashion something quick, because he was losing light … and strength … and fast.
"Okay, that makes twenty miles, I think that's far enough." Charlotte said.
"Take that one up ahead, the map says it wraps around back to the highway." Glenn said.
"We're not gonna make it back there before dark, do you think we should just leave it and go home?" Charlotte said.
"We'll see what it looks like when we get there, if it looks too sketchy or if there are still some walkers in there, then we'll close the gate and come back and clear it tomorrow." Glenn said, Charlotte nodded at him in agreement as they all fell into a comfortable silence.
"So … what did you two do before all this happened?" Aaron said as they approached the highway.
"Believe it or not, I delivered pizzas." Glenn said with a grin.
"I was an aspiring model." Charlotte said, Aaron looked at her in shock for a split second before quickly hiding it.
"I know, hard to believe it by looking at me now, isn't it?" She said, as if she had read his mind.
"No … that's not … I'm sorry … I didn't mean to be rude." Aaron stammered, his face reddening in embarrassment.
"Don't worry, I am not offended." She said as she dug into her pocket and pulled out a small picture.
"Here is proof." She said as she showed it to both Glenn and Aaron.
"Wow!" Aaron said as his eyes grew wide in the dim light of the dark car.
"Damn!" Glenn said with a sheepish grin. It looked like the same person, they could tell it was, but … then again … it didn't.
"That was my audition photo I used to hand out when I was looking for work." Charlotte said as she looked at the picture with a nostalgic look on her face.
Glenn looked at her sadly, this woman, who was an incredible person inside AND out had lost so much, and while he didn't claim to be any kind of expert on women, he did know enough to understand that thinking they had lost their beauty was a tough pill for any woman to swallow, no matter how down to earth or simple she was.
"You're an incredible person, Charlotte, don't you ever forget that. I mean, you lassoed Daryl, that's quite an accomplishment right there." Glenn said, and Charlotte laughed in spite of herself.
The plastic casing around the motor that had once operated the gate have way with one kick from Daryl. The motor was so rusted and corroded, that it wouldn't take much to dislodge it.
Daryl steeled himself against the pain the action of dislodging the motor would likely cause, but he had no other choice, the area was crawling with walkers … and living people.
"Alright, buddy … here goes nothin' …" he said as he wedged his crowbar under the motor and pushed down with all his might. A roar escaped him as searing pain ripped through his body, but the old motor gave way.
With hands trembling from the pain, he pushed the gate closed, he lifted up his shirt and saw fresh blood staining the sweatshirt he was using as a compress and he cursed. The act, although necessary had cost him, his wound had opened up and was now bleeding profusely again, he just prayed he had the strength left to make more yarrow poultice.
"C'mon bud, let … let's find some place to sleep for the night." He told the dog as he took hold of his collar.
They chose what Daryl assumed used to be a gift shop; there were old, rotted remains of various knickknacks still left on the shelves, neatly arranged, forgotten by time and people alike.
He made some yarrow paste and coated both his and Gavin's wounds with it, then, he fashioned himself a bed out of some novelty pillows he found, with a tablecloth as a blanket. Luckily for them, spring was upon them and the nights were no longer bitterly cold.
"What the …?!" Glenn said as they pulled up to the gate to find it closed.
"What do you think?" Aaron said, looking to Glenn and Charlotte.
"I say we get in there, and flush the sumbitch out, we didn't go to all this trouble clearing this place out only to have someone else swoop in and take it, fuck that!" She said as she drew her desert eagles.
In the darkness, Gavin's head shot up and a quiet growl rumbled deep in his throat, Daryl groaned, sure enough, outside, he heard voices. He grabbed his crossbow, drew his handgun and crept forward, despite the agony he was in a huge, relieved grin crossed his face as he saw just who it was.
"Look, Gavin, it's your momma." He said as he sent the dog forward.
Charlotte heard a scuffling sound in the darkness, it wasn't walkers or people, it sounded like an animal. Before she could react, a huge, furry figure launched himself out of the darkness and tackled her to the ground.
"Gavin?! You bastard, I almost shot you!" She said as the dog grabbed her shirt sleeve and pulled her toward the first line of buildings. A wave of dread and panic washed over her as she remembered that Gavin had gone with Daryl this morning.
"Show me." She said as she motioned for the others to follow her.
"Oh, god, Daryl what the hell happened?" She said as dropped to her knees next to him, a grimace crossed her face as she peeled back the sweatshirt he had been using as a compress.
"Came across some assholes in the woods, they jumped us, Gavin's hurt, too." He said through gritted teeth.
"Get the first aid kit out of the car!" Charlotte said to Aaron.
"See, I knew I should have gone with you." She said as she took her jacket off and balled it up into a makeshift pillow for him to lie back on as Aaron came back with the first aid kit.
"H-help Gavin, he got hurt too." Daryl said through gritted teeth as he tried to sit up.
"First thing's first." Charlotte said as she pushed him back against her coat and prepared to clean and dress the wound.
"Aww, geez." Charlotte said before she could stop herself. The cut was deep, she was sure it had broken at least one of his ribs, she glanced up at Glenn, who shared her look of worry.
"I know, it's bad. Jus … do what you can for it, til we can get back, I'll live." Daryl said.
"He's right, I don't see any other choice." Glenn agreed.
Charlotte blew out a frustrated breath, she had to fight the overwhelming urge to throw Daryl into the back seat of the car and motor back to Alexandria with the petal to the floor.
"Okay … we'll do what we can here." She said, albeit with a scowl.
"I'll take first watch, then Aaron." Glenn said as he gave her a knowing smile.
"That'll work." She said as she smiled back, silently thinking him.
The night, thank god, had been uneventful, and at first light, they prepared to leave. Glenn helped Charlotte get Daryl into the back seat, and she slid in next to him, her gun drawn, just in case. Glenn drove, Aaron rode shotgun.
"Close the gate back, we're gonna need to come back here, and I don't want any more walkers to get in." Glenn called after Aaron as he got out.
"Now Glenn, be nice. Remember they've been nestled away in that town of theirs since all this began, they haven't had it rough like we had." Charlotte said with a wink as she caught his exasperated expression in the mirror.
"Bunch of pansies, every last one of em'… don't even know how to use a gun." Daryl interjected.
"Now you be nice, both of you!" Charlotte scolded them, though her face harbored a grin as Aaron got back in the car and they were off once more.
"My god, what happened?" Denise said as Charlotte and Glenn helped Daryl lie down on one of the gurneys.
"Ran into some trouble." Daryl said as Denise peeled back the bandage.
"Oh geez … I can't treat this … I … I'm not qualified to …" She trailed off.
"Please, Denise, you have to, you're our only choice." Charlotte pleaded.
"If you just let me fetch Pete … I …"
"You bring that no good sumbitch in here and I'll kill em! You hear me?!" Daryl interjected, seething as he vaulted up off the bed, Glenn and Aaron restrained him.
"I am sure you heard what happened between him and me." Charlotte said, the two women held each other's gaze for a moment before Denise's hardened and she rolled up her sleeves.
"Do you have any kind of medical training at all?" She asked Charlotte.
"Well … my sister was a nurse, but …"
"Good, I'm gonna need your help, suit up." She said as she handed her a box of surgical gloves.
"You two are going to have to hold him down, have him bite this." Denise said as she handed them a piece of wood.
"It looks like the knife broke one of his ribs, I'll do what I can, but most of this is just going to take time." She said as she began cleaning and stitching the wound.
Daryl growled against the pain as he writhed under Aaron and Glenn's hold; he was tough, but this pain was terrible, and almost to the end of what even he could tolerate.
"Hold him still! There is a fragment of bone lodged in the wound from his broken rib, I have to get it out, if I don't, it could puncture his lung, or sever an artery!" Denise bellowed at Glenn and Aaron.
"I can do this myself, just help them keep him still!" She yelled at Charlotte, who ripped her gloves of f and grabbed his legs. Then, suddenly, Daryl went limp.
"Wait … what happened?!" Charlotte said as she ran to him, Denise checked on him.
"He just passed out from the pain." She said as she went back and continued working.
"There! I got it!" Denise said as she pulled out the shard of bone with a horrid sucking sound.
"Now we can stitch this up!" She said triumphantly as she plopped the piece of bone along with the forceps into a metal tray next to the gurney.
"Thanks guys." Charlotte said to Glenn and Aaron, they nodded to her in response, offering weary smiles as they made their exit.
"See? You are an amazing surgeon, more than you give yourself credit for." Charlotte said as she put her hand on Denise's shoulder.
"I was almost a year into my residency, when I had a nervous breakdown, I just … couldn't take the pressure … then all this happened. Pete and I were called into the hospital, when things started to get really bad, they called everyone in, because they needed all the help they could get. But it was no use, it all went to shit anyway." Denise said.
"Didn't it, though?" Charlotte said as she offered her a smile.
"I hope you don't think me rude, but I have to say, that was quite a horrific injury there." She said, referring to her missing eye.
Charlotte nodded as she lifted up the patch for her to see, she didn't mind medical professionals looking at it. To be honest, she had, for the most part, moved past her shame of it, and had begun to wear it almost with a since of pride. A testament to what she had been through … and what didn't … or rather couldn't kill her.
"Son of a bitch!" Denise said, almost in awe before she could stop herself. "Oh god! I'm sorry! That was so rude!" She said as she clapped a hand over her mouth.
Charlotte wordlessly waved her embarrassment off.
"It too your eye and everything! What did this, a bullet?" Denise asked.
"Some bastard with a hunting knife." Charlotte said as she pulled her patch back down. Just then, Daryl began to stir.
"I can take care of him, you get yourself some rest." Charlotte said.
Denise smiled thankfully and left her to it, it was then Daryl decided to awake with start, he bolted upright in the bed, ranting incoherently about Pete and something about killing him.
"Whoa! Whoa! Easy there, cowboy! You've just had surgery!" Charlotte said as she restrained him.
"Where is the sumbitch, I'll kill em!" Daryl raged as he strained against her.
"Pete? But why …?" Charlotte questioned, more to herself than him and she suddenly remembered that was the last thing they had discussed before he passed out, and in his delusional, disoriented state hopped up on antibiotics and painkillers, he might hallucinate about what had transpired.
"Easy, Daryl easy! There is no Pete! Denise operated on you, I swear, I was here the entire time, you'd think I'd let that bastard touch you?" Charlotte said as she stroked, his cold, clammy forehead.
Daryl ceased all movement and looked at her as the feral look in is bright blue eyes began to dissipate and he allowed her to push him back against the pillow.
"What time s'it?" He asked groggily as she covered him with a blanket.
"I don't know, I don't ever know anymore, why?" She replied as she tucked the blanket around him and fetched one to make a bed for Gavin, who had chosen to sleep under Daryl's hospital bed.
"Have you even been to sleep? You look like hell." He pointed out.
"Well thank you, honey. I love you, too." She said dryly
"Charlotte I mean it, I want you to get your ass home and get some rest."
"Oh, I am gonna get some rest, but I'm not going home. If you're sleeping here, so am I." She said as she pointed to another bed in the corner.
Daryl's disapproval of her sleeping choice came out in the form of a low growl as he allowed his head to fall back against the pillow. He hated it, he wished she would just go home to sleep and stop treating him like some little kid that needed watching over, but he knew better than to argue with her once she mad made up that mind of hers.
"Night!" She called to him from across the room.
He grunted in reply as pulled the blanket up around his chin, his eyelids were so heavy, he could feel the long, spidery tentacles of drug-induced unconsciousness reaching up to claim him and he had no choice but to let it, he didn't have the strength to fight it.
Charlotte's eye snapped open and she momentarily panicked in the inky darkness of the infirmary. Then she awakened fully and her senses returned to her, and she remembered where she was, and what had happened, she must have slept through the rest of the day and into the night.
Then, her keen ears suddenly picked up the sound of keys jingling, the lock clicking open, and the door slowly opening with an unsettling creaking sound.
She heard Gavin get up and come and join her, his large feet padding softly on the hardwood floor. Her heart came to reside in her throat as she watched Pete creep in like the rat he was.
She knew it, she didn't want to tell this to Daryl, but she had a terrible feeling something like this might happen. She went for her gun as Pete crept toward Daryl's bed, but it would make too much noise, so she opted for her knife instead.
She motioned for Gavin to lie down and stay, as she, with her knife drawn eased off the bed and crept forward to come at him from behind just as Pete raised his knife, aiming to plunge it into Daryl's forehead.
I am sorry for the delay in updating, I have been very ill recently, and have had to catch up on a few other things before I had time to work on this. Hope you all enjoy it ^_^
