Red River Blue
Chapter 59
Beth's hands were sweaty. She wiped them off on her pants and slid the top drawer of Dawn's filing cabinet open. Once she had the key card in her hand, Beth let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding. She shoved the card inside the pocket of her jeans. It was Harley's idea to put their street clothes back on. She didn't want to make a run for it in baggy hospital scrubs.
"What're ya doing in here?"
Beth didn't hear anyone come in behind her. The man's voice startled her and she jumped. She turned, her body going rigid when she realized the worst possible person she could have a confrontation with was now inside Dawn's small office with her.
"Just getting something for Dawn," Beth lied.
"Where are your scrubs?," the man asked, his eyes raking up and down the length of her body.
"Getting washed," Beth lied again. She stepped to the side, hoping to skirt around the man and escape the office. But he moved quickly to block her path. Gorman moved towards her, backing her up until the edge of the desk bumping into her thighs. Beth was struggling to keep the panic at bay. The man was a disgusting pig. And a known rapist. And she had the key card in her pocket. Beth cringed back when grabbed at her waist, shoving one hand up inside her shirt. His hand closed down over her small breast. He pinched down on her nipple, making her wince.
The man had a predatory look on his face. But suddenly his facial features contorted in pain. He coughed, spitting blood down the front of his uniform. Then his body dropped to the floor at Beth's feet. Harley was standing behind him, a small bloody knife in her hands.
"You got the key?," she asked. Beth nodded. Harley bent down and pulled the man's weapons from his belt as he choked and gagged on his own blood.
"Take this," she said, pushing a knife at Beth. Beth took it. Harley took the man's billy club for herself, getting a firm grip on it before they stepped out into the hallway. Noah was outside the door. He had Carol in a wheelchair. Beth smiled. The woman might not be able to run. But she was finally awake and had a gun in her hands.
Aside from them, the hallway was empty. They made it down to the junction of the hallway that would lead them to the stairwell when Dawn stepped out from one of the treatment rooms. The woman stared at them in shock, fumbling for her gun. Harley had the billy club up, already barreling full speed at the other woman. She swung the club, slamming it directly into Dawn's face. When she made contact, Dawn squeezed the gun, firing off a shot. Harley heard Beth screaming as she brought the club down a second time, caving in the woman's face.
She turned. Beth was on the floor, her hands pressing down over the wound in Noah's chest. But Harley could tell the other girl's efforts were useless. The puddle of blood spreading out under Noah's body was already too big. He was still conscious, but he was as good as dead.
"It's too late," Harley said. She grabbed for Beth, trying to force the shorter girl up onto her feet. Beth was sobbing and clinging to Noah. "We got to go now," Harley urged. Dawn fired a gun down a tiled hallway. There's no way everyone in the place didn't hear it. They had to move now. Before these fuckers were on them. They couldn't fight their way out. Not with Carol hurt and barely able to walk.
Two guards came rushing around the corner. Harley forcefully yanked Beth to her feet, her body tensed to fight. But Carol was faster. She lifted the gun in her hands and fired twice, dropping both guards before they even had a chance to draw their guns.
"Time to go girls," Carol hissed. Harley grabbed for the handles on the wheelchair, her boots slipping against the tile in Noah's blood. She caught traction and pushed off, sending her and Carol flying down the hall. Carol gripped the armrests of the chair, swearing at Harley and telling the girl that she was going to send them both into a fucking wall. Beth still had a wide eyed look of shock on her face but her survival instincts had finally kicked in and she was running with them.
Beth pushed the door to the stairwell, slamming her body into it in her hurried attempt to get the door open. Carol used the guard rail at the top of the steps to pull herself into an upright position. Harley collapsed the chair, stomping down hard on it with her boot. Then she jammed it up under the door handle. It wouldn't hold forever but it would slow down anyone that was coming behind them. And they were going to need the extra few seconds. Because Carol wasn't looking so good. Harley grabbed the woman around her waist and started half helping half dragging her down the steps.
"Goddamn you Harley," the woman cursed, "slow down before you kill us both."
Beth moved to shoulder in on Carol's other side but Harley waved her off.
"Run down and open the door!," Harley ordered. It wouldn't be long before those guards were on them. Harley would rather her uncle and dad were inside when that happened. Beth nodded and took off down the steps, moving as fast as she could without falling on her face. Harley wanted to run but she could hear Carol's labored breathing. And Harley's ribs were still sore from the beating she took back at the prison. Having Carol clinging to her side wasn't helping. They made it down the first flight of stairs when the emergency lights in the stairwell flickered out.
The darkness was total. Harley couldn't even see her hand in front of her face. She tried her best to use her ears, listening for the sound of walkers. But all she could hear was the sound of Carol's heavy breathing mixed with her own. Her heart was beating hard in her chest. And she had to move slower because she couldn't see where the landings or turns in the staircase were.
"Motherfucker," Harley swore. She could hear loud banging noises coming from above them now. It could only be the sound of the guards trying to force the stairwell open. They had to know by now that Dawn was dead. And Harley guessed they weren't too happy about it. The door above them crashed open and a loud racket echoed off the cement walls. Harley wasn't sure but she guessed it was the wheelchair tumbling down the steps. Then they could hear loud footsteps clattering down the steps after them, moving much faster than Carol and Harley were moving. The beams of their flashlights were bouncing off the walls, shaking with their hurried movements. From the number of beams Harley could see jumping around, she guessed there were three guards after them.
"Leave me and run," Carol hissed.
"Shut the hell up Carol," Harley hissed back. If it was someone she didn't know or didn't like, Harley might have thought about taking off on them. But she wasn't going to leave Carol. Carol was family. Harley wasn't going to leave her.
Harley was moving as fast as she could. But the guards behind her were gaining on them. She also wasn't totally sure what floor they had started on and how many flights of stairs they had left to go. She could see below her to know. It was too dark.
Just when she was considering setting Carol down and turning to make a stand, Harley heard noises echoing up from below them. There were so many people thundering up the stairs at once, they sounded like one big stampeding herd of buffalo. Harley hit the next landing area and pulled Carol into the corner. That way the woman could use the walls to brace herself and keep her body upright. Harley could hear the footsteps above and below, both sets coming at her as fast as possible like two freight trains on a collision course.
The guards hit the landing first. But Michonne rounded the corner of the stairs only moments after. Harley wasn't surprised the woman made it up the stairs the fastest. She was in the best shape out of everyone. She darted in front of Harley and Carol, her sword drawn and held in an offensive position. The guards hesitated, not sure what to do now that they were faced with an unexpected ninja in their stairwell.
"Back off now," Michonne suggested, "and you don't have to die."
The rest of the group was right behind Michonne. Harley was surprised to see more people were here than the group from the parking garage. She spotted Abraham's bright hair easily even with just the light from the flashlights. Within moments the small landing area was packed with heavily armed men and women, all of them ready for a fight.
The female guard was the first to surrender. She tucked her gun away and put her hands up. Harley felt her dad's hand come down on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze before he pushed to the front of the crowd. Daryl ducked in behind her, lifting Carol up into his arms.
"Who's that coming down the stairs?," Merle asked the guards. All three of them turned their heads, scared of whatever new threat might be approaching. Merle shot the one closest to him through the head. Abraham shot the other man. Only the woman was left. She was backing away up the steps, her pants wet with her sudden loss of bladder control. She backed up another step before she turned and ran. Harley saw her dad lift his gun but MIchonne put her hand on top of it, lowering it until it pointed at the ground.
"Just let her go," she told him, "she's not worth it." Merle shrugged. He stuffed his gun back in the holster and moved back through the group until he was next to Harley again.
"I got it," she grouched, waving him away when he moved to help her down the steps. But after only a few steps she had to stop again. She could feel the terrible burn in her ribs. Abraham ignored Harley's loud protests, lifting the girl up into his arms and carrying her not only down the steps but outside and all the way onto the bus. By the time he set her down in the seat, she was cursing up a storm and kicking her feet. Her dad was behind him, laughing at both of them. Harley's mother and sister darted in, taking turns hugging her. She stomached their affections without complaint. Being hugged by her mother was preferred to being manhandled by a large asshole ginger. When they were finally done she leaned forward and glanced around the bus.
"Well?," she asked, "...what are we gonna do now?"