Hey everybody! New Chapter! Enjoy! I do not own any of The Walking Dead
CHAPTER 29
They had been cut-off. It was the last thing they had needed. They had to double-back and go around the other side of the nursing home. Things went downhill from there…and there was no going back.
The car was silent. The tension so thick Kris thought he was suffocating. Shane's hands were tight on the steering wheel, his eyes constantly glancing at the doctor. He loosened his grip on the wheel, knowing he needed to cover this up…and fast.
"Kris," he said, his voice cracking a little making himself cringe. The young man continued to look ahead as if he could see through the pitch black tunnel, the only light being from the car's headlights. The moon wasn't even out tonight.
"Kris" Shane said more sternly. Kris finally snapped his eyes over to the bulky officer, his eyes now ablaze with anger. Shane was taken by surprised but he recovered quickly.
"We had no choice," Shane spoke, repeating it to himself in a way to assure his jumbled thoughts, "We had no choice,"
Kris knew the sacrifice saved his life, Shane's and hopefully Carl and Blake's. He was still reeling over the change of the world. He was one of the first to know it was coming… but living in an underground shelter during Atlanta's downfall didn't do him many favors, besides keeping him alive, of course. The new world didn't hit him until the highway herd. He was a coward, didn't even know how to defend himself. He was strong, stayed in shape, but that was only going to get him so far.
Shane saw the conflict in his eyes. This was someone he could help now that Lori and Carl were on Rick's heels. "That's what had to be done, to help the people waiting for us at the house - the women - the kids…" he trailed. The doctor remained silent, a shell of the man they met at the CDC a week ago.
"I can help you," Shane said confidently. "Teach you to defend yourself and others, help you make the right choices - and the hard ones too," he said. The car remained eerily silent as the car bumped over the dirt and gravel of the road. They were only ten minutes outside of the property.
"We were overrun, he sacrificed himself. We wouldn't be here - Carl wouldn't be here - if it wasn't for Otis," Shane spoke. A moment passed. "Understand?"
Kris knew what Shane was asking of him. To keep his mouth shut. If being silent was what he needed to do to keep himself and his group alive, he would do it.
Daryl had taken up watch on the RV. He scanned the tree line, pacing back and forth on the roof. Several hours had passed since Glenn had sped off in the station wagon. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on at that cowgirl's house, the Greene property. His thoughts were going through the same topics over and over. Merle, Sophia, Carl…and Blake. Daryl sighed roughly. He was angry with Rick and Shane for splitting the group up again. He was angry some of the group was hurt. He was angry with himself for letting her go with them. He continued to pace back and forth.
"You're gonna leave a dent in the roof if you keep pacing back and forth like that," Dale said as he climbed the ladder to the top of the RV. Daryl rolled his eyes knowing his peace and quiet was over. The older man pushed his way to his feet and adjusted his fishing cap before occupying the lawn chair Daryl abandoned.
"You can get some sleep, son. I can take watch for the next few hours. Everyone could use the rest," Dale said as he laid his shotgun across his lap.
"I'm fine," was all Daryl said. Dale watched the redneck walk back on forth along the roof of the RV. The younger man bit at the skin of his thumb and continued to the scan the same trees every few seconds. Daryl was agitated; maybe even anxious in Dale's opinion. "I think in the morning we need to consider going to that farm," Dale said.
Daryl snapped his head at the old man, "…and what? Leave that little girl out there?"
"Absolutely not, Daryl. Geez. Sophia deserves to have us out there looking for her. She's just a child," Dale said, a little flabbergasted that anyone would assume he thought Sophia's life was worth giving up on. "I just think the group needs to stay together. We're safer in numbers and we are so spread out. We need to stick together, get a plan. We need to check on our people," he finished, hoping maybe his last sentence would influence Daryl's opinion on the topic. Daryl stopped pacing and looked out toward where Atlanta would be. The moon wasn't even out tonight. It was so hard to see.
"Talk to Carol. We'll leave some food….a sign...we'll come back every day," Daryl said, leaving it at that. Dale smiled at him and got to his feet knowing the redneck dreaded small talk. He was happy with that answer and bid Daryl a good night. When Dale was gone Daryl fished out his Marlboro's. He opened the crinkled box. He only had 4 cigarettes left. He sighed and put the box away, knowing he would want to save his last few. Dale was right; they needed to check on the group.
Patricia had crumpled to her feet at the news that her husband had not made it home. The sight was heartbreaking to say the least. But with the death of Otis came a stable Carl. Upon arrival Herschel and Maggie set up the equipment for Carl's surgery and Kris was immediately escorted into Blake's room. With Patricia's mind being elsewhere they needed all hands on deck. Blake's wounds were harsh and raw but her bleeding had definitely slowed.
"She's beyond lucky she didn't have any major organs pierced," Kris said as he slowly worked on the exit wound. Tanyon was sitting in a chair next to Glenn, looking quite sickly but staying alert as Kris stitched her up. Tanyon rubbed his face, his eyes welling with unshed tears as he stared at his sister's body which was barely clinging to life just an hour or so before. He hates to think what could've happened if Glenn wasn't here to give her blood.
Tanyon rubbed at his eyes as Kris handled the last stitch, preparing to bandage the wound. "Thank you…both of you," Tanyon said sincerely. "She wouldn't be here now".
"Hey," Glenn said, smiling at Tanyon, "it's what we do", a cotton ball taped where the needle penetrated his skin. Kris didn't respond as flashes of Otis' demise wrecked his thoughts. He focused on the last few pieces of tape and then rolled Blake onto her back.
"From here on out we just watch her wounds, keep them clean. Make sure she takes her antibiotics, anti-inflammatory's, pain killers and then rest should do most of the work. We really do not want these type of stitches pulling or tearing," Kris said as he removed his gloves. "You too, Tanyon. Rest up, take your meds as well. You're fighting an infection".
"Will do. Thanks again, Doc," Tanyon said, scooting close to his sister's side and resting his head on the side of the bed. Glenn went to stand up, still feeling a little woozy from giving blood. He wanted to give the siblings some space so he and Kris stepped out quietly. The door was still closed to Carl's operating room as he walked through the foyer. Kris gave him a tight nod and walked up the stairs, probably taking up Maggie's offer on that shower. As Glenn approached the door a young blonde girl came to his side.
"You shouldn't be walkin' all over the place, ya know?" she said, grabbing his attention.
"I know…wanted to give them some privacy," Glenn said, not knowing who this girl was. He saw her helping Patricia and Herschel. She didn't look much like Maggie.
"I understand. I'll bring you a glass of juice. I'm Beth, by the way. I'm Herschel's other daughter," she turned and pointed to a young man sitting on what would have been an ugly couch if it were in any other home. "That's my boyfriend, Jimmy. He stays with us. If ya'll need anythin' you can talk to him too," she said with a smile.
Glenn responded, "Uh, thanks. I appreciate it. I'm Glenn," he said as Beth walked off toward the kitchen. She spoke over her shoulder as she made her way down the hall, "I know!"
Glenn turned and made his way onto the porch, the fresh air feeling amazing on his skin. His lungs were filling with clean, Georgia oxygen. He sighed in relief as a he saw a porch swing sitting abandoned. He took a seat and looked over the property, wondering when the rest of his group was planning on leaving the highway. He looked down at the little cotton ball taped to his arm, a tiny bit of blood showing through the white mesh. He definitely had a soft spot for Blake, he was so happy he made it here just in time to help her. Whether he had a soft spot for her or not wouldn't have changed his mind. She deserved to live as much as he did.
"Hey," a voice pulled him from his thoughts as he glanced toward the screen door.
"H-hey," he said, cringing in his head as he stuttered for the millionth time in front of the pretty farm girl.
"Beth said she was bringing you some juice but I offered to bring it out for you," she said as she gave him the glass. Instead of sitting next to him on the swing she popped a squat on the porch rail.
"Thanks, Maggie," he said, looking at her lean face, the orange lights coming from the windows of the house illuminating her profile. "I'm sorry about Otis" he said, not sure if he was overstepping any boundaries. Maggie gave him a tight smile and a nod in response. The two fell silent, the crickets chirping into the night. The house was dead silent as well, with so many different shitty scenarios happening in a every room.
"You still have people out there?" Maggie asked.
"Yeah, just a few. One of the kids got lost in the woods the other day, her mother is still up there with a couple others," Glenn spoke sadly, so many things were falling apart. It all happened so quickly. It's been almost two days since they lost Sophia.
"Poor 'lil thing," Maggie said. "Well, we'll try to do what we can to help you people," she said.
"You guys have done enough already," Glenn said, astonished that this young woman was still willing to help after one of her own already lost their life.
"It's the Christian thing to do. We should be helping each other in times like this," she spoke as she hopped off the railing. "Let me see your bandage," she said as she sat next to Glenn on the swing.
Glenn's heart started to beat a tad faster as their thighs touched. She grabbed his arm and laid it across her lap; her soft, cool, fingers almost burning his skin as she examined his cotton ball. "We'll change this when you decide to come back in. It's not urgent," she said as she secured the tape back onto his skin.
"T-thanks," Glenn said, rolling his eyes at himself. Are you serious, Rhee? Maggie missed his eye roll as she stood up. "See you inside, Glenn," she said with a sweet smile as she opened the screen door to the house, leaving the porch.
Glenn let out a breath. He couldn't wait for Blake to wake up; he needed to talk to his friend.
