Finding Abigail (Daryl Dixon)

1

Abigail

I sat in the cube van unable to speak. What we did was unspeakable, it was barbaric and cold. In a desperate last attempt to escape the city, we ended up leaving Merle behind. He was handcuffed to the roof, and T-Dog dropped the key down a drain. My job before the world ended was to save lives, and I just left a man out in the open to die. I couldn't describe what I was feeling, maybe a big part of it was guilt, I wasn't sure. "We would have died if we didn't leave him." Rick tried to comfort me, but it wasn't enough. I should have walked away when I had the chance, I should never have got involved with these people. It was easier that way. "Once we get to their camp, I'm leaving. I'm much better off on my own." Jacqui's face dropped. "You would have made an excellent addition to the group, are you sure you won't consider staying?" I shook my head. "It's better this way, I'm better on my own." The first time I had been around people since the world went to shit and one got left behind as a snack. Merle was a scumbag, but I wouldn't leave an animal up there to be eaten alive by the dead.

"You're an EMT, how is it better to be alone when you could give people proper medical care? We have women and children." Morales said. "I don't have an ambulance I'm afraid, I can't perform open heart surgery, I'm not a surgeon or even a doctor, I'm trained in emergency medicine, if anyone today had injuries that needed my attention, they probably wouldn't survive it in this world." I know it was a harsh thing to say, but it was true. I was used to GSW's and RTC's, heart attacks and seizures, sometimes I was lucky enough to get a mother in labour who would deliver before we reached hospital. If a child got a GSW nowadays, then they would definitely die without a doctor, they probably would have before the dead began to walk. Just like the doctors said at the hospital, Spencer and I were just the glorified taxi drivers.

"Please?" Andrea even said. "If my sister got sick and died, I wouldn't be able to carry on." I exhaled. These people didn't even know me, I could be dangerous for all they knew. They only wanted me around for my medical training, not because they actually wanted me there, which was smart I suppose. "I'm sorry Andrea, but if your sister got sick, I wouldn't be able to treat her." She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Some paramedic you are." She mumbled. I ignored her comment and focused my attention out of the window. I hoped to slip away before anyone noticed me. I didn't belong in a group, the only person I had ever worked well with was Spencer, and she was gone. She left town with no weapons, food or water. The thought of her being torn apart made me feel sick to my stomach. I wondered where she was, if she was alive or if she was mindlessly wandering around looking for her next meal. I hoped she was alive and well, I knew I would never see her again, all I had was hope that she was out there somewhere.

~

"Spence!" I yelled to her. Could you drive a little faster please?" My hand was pressed against a gaping hole in a mans abdomen. "I'm going as fast as I can Abi! There's cars everywhere." She honked the horn and weaved through the vehicles. People all over the city were getting sick, it was like rabies they were attacking others and spreading the disease. Spencer and I were yet to treat anyone with the mystery illness and I was glad of it. Many of Atlanta's residents were fleeing and trying to escape the chaos and get to the countryside. Part of me wished I could join them, but I was needed here. If there were no EMTs then the residents of Atlanta were screwed. The man's vitals began to drop and the crimson liquid seeped through the gauze and my gloves were covered. "Okay Abigail you've got a bleeder." I spoke to myself. "What's our ETA?" I called through the cab. "3 minutes!" Spencer called back. I could do this, as I had many times before. "Don't you dare die." I muttered to the unknown man. The back of our rig felt like it was a hundred degrees, the sweat beaded on my forehead. I wiped it away with my sleeve and carried on applying pressure. The alarm on my machines flatlined, he had no heartbeat.