In The Bird Song | TWD

chapter 7 - rise and shine

Pov carl

Harlow takes a breath, after being dead for about two minutes she comes back and not as a walker thank God. She's still in an unstable condition and needs immediate medical attention, we need Hershel but he's the only one still up at the prison because he couldn't run here with one leg.

Michonne takes Harlow in her arms as gently as possible trying not to cause more damage. We all start running back to the prison to Hershel as fast as possible.

Deep down I know the chances of Harlow pulling through are slim, when I was shot, I nearly died even with immediate medical attention and Harlow's been bleeding untreated for nearly an hour and a half. However, that doesn't stop me from hoping that she will make it, I don't want to lose another friend the way I did with Sophia.

When we get her to cell block c Hershel gets to work after a while he says "she won't make it without a blood donation." Luckily me and Harlow found the stuff required for the procedure in the infirmary the day I met her but we still don't know her blood type.

Daryl steps forward "I'll do it I'm a universal doner." Hershel turns to him relived but apprehensive "are you sure she could die if you're wrong." Daryl nods saying "I'm sure, my brother merle used to make me sell blood for drug money."

Daryl gives his blood and after about an hour of Hershel working, he says "she's stabilised, I've got the bullet shards out of her stomach but the wound will need to repair itself, all we can do is keep it clean to avoid infection She still might die if the wound becomes septic or if her body rejects the blood but I would say she has a good chance of pulling through now."

I sigh in relief and Hershel begins to put his supplies away when I remember "wait Hershel she was shot in the shoulder as well but the bullet only grazed her, but I think it will still need stitches." Hershel nods saying "okay ill stitch it up and then we can leave her to rest if she pulls through, she should wake up in a couple of days."

"We need to handcuff her to the bed; you know just in case she turns in her sleep it will stop her from biting anyone." Dad says as he handcuffs Harlow to the bed.

It only then occurs to me that Daryl left with his brother the other day and now has just suddenly appeared again I'm about to ask where he came from and what happened to merle but I don't need to because I suddenly notice that merle is also here locked in a prison cell. Daryl must have come back with his brother just before the battle. I grimace I'm glad Daryl is back especially since he just saved Harlow's life by giving his blood but I'm not thrilled by merle's presence. Its common knowledge to anyone that was with the group at the start of the outbreak that merl is a racist bigoted piece of shit.

Eventually when Hershel is finished stitching Harlow, he turns to dad telling him "Once Harlow can be moved, we need to leave, the governor will be back and we can't be here when he returns."

dad stares at him incredulously "were not leaving." "We can't stay here rick" Hershel argues and I kind of agree, Harlow nearly died and still could die and I'm not keen on waiting around for someone else to get hurt. Beth points out "we can't even go outside" and Maggie and carol agree. Glenn comes to my dad's aid saying "if rick says were not running, were not running."

Merle finally makes himself known to the others saying "no, better to live like rats." "You got a better idea" dad asks and merl says "yeah you should have slid out of here last night, live to fight another day but you lost that window, didn't you? I'm sure he's got scouts on every road out of this place by now."

Daryl grunts "we aint scared of that prick" and merl sneers "y'all should be. That truck through the fence thing, that was just him ringing the doorbell. We might have some thick walls to hide behind but he's got the guns and the numbers, and if he takes the high ground around this place shoot. He could just starve us out if he wanted to."