Push and Pull || Maggie Greene

Surgery

About an hour had gone by after we had arrived, and in that time I had learned that the kind man who had been helping Carl was named Hershel, along with his family as well.

I learned that the girl who had saved Andrea, and who had the pretty eyes, was named Maggie, She was Hershel's oldest, she had a younger sister named Beth who is pretty nice. Jimmy is Beth's boyfriend and he seems like a good enough guy though I haven't talked to him much.

Patricia is a friend of the family and she is helping to treat Carl and for that I am grateful. Her husband, Otis, was the one who shot my nephew. Though, from what I hear, it was an accident. So Im trying my best not to hold any negative feelings towards him, after all, I learned he is out with Shane trying to get supplies to help save Carl as my nephew isn't entirely in the clear yet.

I had confidence that Carl would make it through this, just like his father had done so when he was shot. My grip on my nephew's hand tightened a bit at the thought, my thumb tracing the back of his knuckles as I tried not to think about how deathly pale his skin was.

I also tried to keep my eyes from looking at his side where the bandage was. It was stained red from the blood that must have been seeping out of his wound and I just couldn't bare to look at it.

This was really the world we live in? This is what it's come to? Sure, bad things happened to kids before all of this, but it's different now, maybe it's because there are flesh-hungry monsters everywhere or maybe it's because it's my nephew it happened to, but it's just different.

I reached up to wipe away the stray tear that had escaped and let out a long, heavy breath, 'This world sucks', I thought bitterly to myself.

I glanced up when I heard footsteps though I figured It was Rick and Lori coming back. The two had stepped out to get some fresh air, they definitely needed it. I haven't left Carl's side since I got here, I was too scared that if I left his side he would stop breathing, and that thought alone was enough to make my blood run cold.

I clenched my jaw briefly, I couldn't be thinking like that, he would be just fine. I heard the door open and Hershel stepped in, sending me a small smile as he made his way to the bed. "Ellie, right?" He asked and I nodded, "Yeah..." I trailed off, reaching over to smooth Carl's hair away from his forehead.

"I just want to thank you, for helping him." I told the older man watching as he checked on my nephew, "Don't thank me yet, thank me when your nephew is up and moving around." He told me and I let out a small laugh. It was silent after that, Hershel was still checking over Carl and I was still watching over my nephew.

I patted the little boy's hand though I paused briefly when it started to move. My eyes darted towards his face and my forest green eyes met his baby blue ones.

"Carl" I breathed in shock as he started to cough. This brought his parents into the room as they rushed to greet their son, Hershel and I moving out of the way as they did so.

Carl was breathing heavily as he woke up, his eyes darting all around in confusion as he tried to figure out what was happening. "Where are we?" He asked, gasping for breath.

Lori was running her hand through his hair as she tried to soothe him and Rick was right next to her, sending his boy a comforting smile. "Hey, little man," he said, his voice coming out quiet so he didn't startle his son. "That's Hershel," he motioned to the man, "We're in his house, you had an accident." He told Carl and the little boy looked down at his stomach and he gripped the blankets. "It hurts, a lot," He told them, the words coming out slightly strangled as the pain was becoming more apparent.