Dead Man Walking

ii.

Hunter hated waiting and always has. He's always been an impatient person. But sitting there watching Carl, waiting for Otis and Shane to come back with supplies to save Carl's life was horrible. He wanted to see Carl awake and laughing and annoying him. The Grimes family sat at Carl's bedside. Lori was holding Carl's hand, and Hunter sat on the ground in front of Rick.

"Did you–I mean it was legendary. Did you guys ever hear about the time Shane stole Kingsley's car?" Rick asks. Lori nodded while Hunter tilted his head back, looking at his brother intrigued. He has yet to hear this story. "The Principal's car right out of the teacher's lot in the middle of a school day. Shane steps out of lunch and makes a beeline to Kingsley's Hyundai. Wires the ignition, peels out, drives down Dylan drive to that chicken farm out there."

"So he pulls it into one of the big holding pens. Kingsley, he waxed that thing every month; had the auto shop vacuum it out every week. Shane, he parks it in this huge pen with a couple of hundred Rhode Island reds. He busts open bags of seed in the back seat, rolls down all the windows, and then starts sprinting back to school. It's three miles away easy. He's back in time to finish his sandwich before the bell. And then the bell rings. Shane gets up and when he runs into Kingsley in the hallway he looks out the window and says, "Principal Kingsley, your coupe's gone." Coupe, like chicken coop."

"I get it."

"Of course you do. You've heard this story 1000 times," Rick placed his hands on Hunter's shoulders, "What you said before, you're right. Shane's gonna make it back with what the doctor needs. He'll make it back."

"Hershel said you need to eat," Lori told her husband. Hunter looked between them. They both looked wrecked, and Hunter is going to do everything he can to take the load off them.

"Carl's gonna be alright."

"Please, for me. You've got to keep your strength up."

Hershel had come in to check Carl's temperature and blood pressure. With every passing moment, each of the Grimes was worried. Worried that Shane wouldn't make it back in time and Carl would die. Hunter didn't know what he'd do if Carl died.

"Hey."

Hunter glances up to see Glenn and T-dog standing at the opening of the door. He was glad they were here. "Hey."

"Um, we're here, okay?" Glenn tells them softly,

"Whatever you need."

"Thank you," Lori mumbles biting anxiously on her fingernails. Hunter stood behind Lori and his brother and put a comforting hand on both their shoulders.

Hershel removed the blanket that covered Carl's body. Hunter took in a deep breath as he saw Carl's gunshot wound. "They don't get back soon, we're gonna have a decision to make."

"And that is?" Rick asks.

"Whether to operate on your boy without the respirator," Hershel says looking between the two parents.

"You said that wouldn't work," Lori spoke up.

"I know," Hershel glances down at the boy, "It's extremely unlikely. But we can't wait much longer.

Lori abruptly stands from her chair and walks away. Rick looks up at his brother before following after his wife. Hunter pats his brother's shoulder as Rick walks past him.

"Do you think he'll make it? Carl? If you do it, do you think he'll be okay?" Hunter asks.

Hershel looks up at the young man. He didn't know how to answer the question. He didn't know if Carl was going to be okay. But he didn't want to hurt Hunter anymore. "I'm going to do everything I can to make sure he lives."