The wind blowing in my hair as we drove down the road, following the caravan to get to the CDC. We were last in line, and we were right behind Daryl's truck. His brother's motorcycle was in the back of the truck.
"Do you think we did the right thing letting Morales and his family to leave?" I asked Shane. "No. But that's their choice," He replied, looking at me before looking back at the road.
Suddenly, I could see the RV slowing down and smoke coming out of the front. Shane and I climbed out of the Jeep and walked over to see. Daryl got out of his truck, grabbing his crossbow out of the back of the truck. Everyone soon got out of their cars and went over to the RV, except for Lori and Carol who were watching Carl and Sophia.
"I told you we'd never get far on that hose. I said I needed the one from the cube van," Dale told Rick. "Can you jury-rig it?" Rick asked. "That's all it's been so far. It's more duct tape than hose. And I'm out of duct tape," Dale said. "I see something up ahead. A gas station if we're lucky," Shane said.
Jacqui came running out of the RV, with a panic look on her face. "Y'all, Jim . . . It's bad. I don't think he can take anymore," She said. While Shane talk, I went in the RV. I walked up to the back where Jim was laying down. He looked so fragile, like if you touched him, he would just break like glass.
"Hey. How you holding up?" I asked softly as I sat down next to him. "I can't take it anymore. My bones . . . My bones are like glass. Every little bump . . . God, this ride is killing me," He said in near enough a whisper. "Leave me here. I'm done."
"No Jim, I can't do that," I said, shaking my head. "You have too. I'm only going to get worse . . . I want to be with my family," He said as he looked at me. I stared at him for a moment before nodding my head and I went out the RV.
"How is he?" Daryl asked me and I shook my head. "He says he wants us to leave him here," I said. "And he's lucid?" Carol asked me. "I tried to talk him out, but he insists. So yes," I said.
"Back in the camp when I said Daryl might be right and you shut me down, you misunderstood. I would never go along with callously killing a man. I was just gonna suggest that we ask Jim what he wants. And I think we have an answer," Dale said to me and I nodded sadly before looking down.
"We just leave him here? We take off? Man, I'm not sure I could live with that," Shane said. "It's not your call, either one of you," Lori said, wrapping her arm around my shoulder. Rick and Shane looked at each other and nodded before they went inside the RV.
They careful carry Jim up the hill and place him under a tree. The rest of us followed. "Hey, another damn tree," Jim said, chuckling. "Hey, Jim . . . I mean, you know it doesn't need to be this," Shane said, trying to reason with him.
"No. It's good. The breeze feels nice," Jim said. Shane nodded and backed away. Jacqui walked up to Jim. "Just close your eyes, sweetie. Don't fight," She said, before kissing his cheek.
It was Rick's turn now, he pulled out a little hand gun. "Jim, do you want this?" Rick asked him. "No. You'll need it. I'm okay. I'm okay," Jim replied. "Thanks for, uh, for fighting for us," Dale said to Jim and he nodded.
Then Jim looked at me with a smile, "Thank you for looking after me, kid," He said. I gave him a little sad smile as a tear fell down to my cheek.
Everyone soon went down the hill. I looked back and see Daryl still standing there, looking at Jim and crossbow firmly in his hands. He took a step forward. He turned his body around and gave Jim a simple nod, and walked down the hill. I looked back to see Jim's body getting smaller and smaller as we drove.
... ...
It was getting dark when we've finally made it to the CDC. It was still standing! But, what caught my attention was the military tanks, and the corpses. We got out and a awful smell hit the air.
"All right, everybody. Keep moving. Go on. Stay quiet. Let's go," Shane ordered in a hush tone. "Keep moving. Stay together. Keep moving. Come on," Rick ordered for us to stay close together, as we move closer to the CDC, walking around the dead bodies.
We got closer and the door were blocked by shutters. Rick and Shane tried to look for something to lift the shutters. "There's nobody here," T-Dog said. "Then why are these shutters down?" Rick asked. "Walkers!" I heard Daryl screamed. I looked behind me and see a walker dressed in military uniform, slowly making it's way over to us. Daryl shoots an arrow in the walker's head. "You led us into a grave!" Daryl shouted at Rick as he marched over to him.
"He made a call," Dale said to Daryl. "It was the wrong damn call!" Daryl shouted. Shane pushed Daryl back. "Just shut up. You hear? Shut up. Shut up! Rick, this is a dead end," Shane said.
"We can't be here, this close to the city after dark," Lori said as she hugged Carl close to her. "Fort Benning, Rick- Still an option," Shane said. "On what? No food, no fuel. That's 100 miles," Andrea said, wrapping her arm around my shoulder.
"125. I checked the map," Glenn corrected. "Forget Fort Benning. We need answers tonight, now," Lori said. "We'll think of something," Rick said. Everyone was screaming at one another to go back to the cars.
"The camera . . . It moved," Rick said. "Rick, you imagine it, let's go, we have to leave!" I told him and grabbed his arm but he was quick pulled away and walked to the camera. Shane comes to him and they exchanged words before Shane tried to get Rick back.
Rick moved and knocking the door, "Rick! Stop! You attract more walkers!" I shouted. "I know you're in there. I know you can hear me!" Rick yelled to the camera. Lori handed Carl to me and he hugged me as he cried and Lori wanted to Rick, dragging him away with Shane while Rick still keep shouting at the camera. Suddenly the big door open for us.
