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xvii
"𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐨𝐫!" 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥 and I hear. We scramble to our feet and rush to the gate. "It's Hershel!" Carl unlocks it and the group that went out came into view, he was laid out on a metal table with one leg, he must have been bitten! "In there!" Rick orders and the wheel him into a cell, we follow and they lift him onto the bottom bunk. "Oh, God! I need bandages!" Carol yells.
"We used everything we had!" Glenn informs. "Well, get more. Anything." Carol demands. "Carl, go get the towels from the back, right by my bed!" Lori orders Carl. He nods and rushes off to get the towels. "Is he gonna die?" Beth sobs. "No, Beth. Don't say that. He'll be okay." I reassure her, going into a hug. "You think you can stabilise him?" Rick asks Carol.
"I need to keep his leg elevated. Get some pillows!" she explains. "He's already bled through the sheets." Maggie frets. "We can burn the wound to clot the blood. I can start a fire." Glenn suggests. "Oh, God no please." Beth sobs. "No, the shock could kill him." Carol says, as Carl comes back in with the towels. "It's not gonna stop the arteries from bleeding. We need to just keep it dressed and let it heal on it's own."
Glenn checks Hershel's pulse, hopefully it's still there. After a while, be begin hearing arguing from the other room. "What was that?" Sam asks. "Prisoners, survivors." Rick explains. "It's all right, everybody stay put." Rick walks out and Carl follows to lock the gate after him. "Letty, what if- what if he doesn't make it." Kiki sobs. "No, don't think like that, Kiks!" Letty pulls her into a hug.
"God, the bleeding won't stop!" Carol yells. "I'll get some more towels!" I announce before jetting to my Ma's cell. I pick them up and start leaving, but when I turn, I am greeted by Carl, I nearly shriek, but he covers my mouth. "Don't. React." he whispers. "'The hell do you think you're doing, sneaking up on me like that?!" I hiss. "Sorry, I just- I just wanted to know if- if you think he'll live." he stammers.
"W- why would you ask that, Carl?" I frown. "We've seen enough death already to know the world doesn't have any mercy." he sighs. "I know, but- Hershel's strong, he'll get through this, I know he will." I breathe. I begin to try leaving again, until I was grabbed at the arm. "Can I ask one more question?" he asks. I sigh, but nod.
"How was that kiss?" "Carl, I need to get these towels back, its not exactly the right time." I rush. He looks down and lets go of my arm. I step outside the cell, I felt bad, I couldn't just leave him thinking it was crap, because... it felt nice... I felt the most human I had in months. "But... if you really want to know... it was beautiful." I leave him with a big smile on his face.
"I've got them!" I run back in. "What took you so long?" Carol asks snatching the towels from my grasp. "I got sidetracked... sorry" I reply, as she places a towel over the cut off limb. Carl eventually rejoins us and we blush at the presence of each other.
