Daryl Dixon

A Pair of Eyes

~Dakota's POV.~

"Pressure's dropping again." It had now been dark and Otis and Shane had still not returned. My father rises from his seat and puts his hand on my shoulder firmly. "You know we can't wait much longer." Rick hurries over to my father and I and puts out his arm. "Take some more. Whatever he needs. Then I'm gonna go." I shake my head and Lori looks over at me. Her voice breaking as she's talking. "Go? Go where?" He turns around to look at his wife, but keeping his arm towards me. "He said five miles. They should be long back by now. Something's gone wrong." I watch as Lori's eyes go wide. "Are you insane? You're not going after them." My father chimes in behind me. "Rick, listen to your wife."

I push Ricks arm down gently and try to help the situation in anyway. "You're in no condition to do such a thing. You've given far too much blood. You're barely on your feet, Rick. You wouldn't make it across the yard." Instead of helping, it only caused him to snap at me. "If something happened, I have to go!" Lori tries to talk some sense again. "No, your place is here. If Shane said he'll be back, he'll be back. He's like you in that way." Again, it didn't calm him. "I can't just sit here!"

Lori snaps back at him, realizing this was the only way to get him to hear her. "That's exactly what you do! If you need to pray or cry or tell God he's cruel, you go right ahead, but you're not leaving, Rick. Carl needs you, here." She holds back a sob and talks in a genteler tone. "And I can't do this by myself. Not this one. I can't."

My father and I had left Lori and Rick alone to be with Carl. There was nothing we could do as of right now. Just wait and pray. The front door opens up, and draws  my attention from my prayers. It was Maggie, but behind her were two other men. I big black man, and an Asian guy. I stand up and walk over to them. "This Rick's people?" I look past her and stare the other two guys in the eyes sternly.

"I'm Glenn. And this is T-dog." I nod at the nervous asian kid, Glenn. I look down at T-dog to see him bleeding and catch a glimpse of his wound. "It's a cut. He's gonna need stitches." Maggie draws my attention away and I have them follow me to the bedroom with the others. "I'll have Patricia do em'. I need to talk to Lori and Rick about Carl's state." I hear Glenn's voice again from behind me. "You're the doctor?" I give a small airly chuckle. "Shocking?" He starts studdering out no's, but I ignore him and bring them into the room.

Daddy was still taking his blood pressure and Patricia was sitting in the corner of the room. I know Otis not being back yet was killing her. Rick and Glenn share a small hey, letting them know they were here for them. I turn to Patricia and call her name. "You mind doing stitches for Mr. T-dog over here?" She shines me her sweet smile and gets the rest of them out of the room. I figured she could use the distraction.

I closed the door and look over at my daddy and he nods. I walk over and pull down the sheet that lyed over Carls abdomen. It was extremely swelled and starting to bruise over. I look up at Lori and Rick and sigh. Giving them the bad news. "If Otis and Shane don't get back soon. We're gonna have to make a decision." Rick puts his hand on his head and leans forward. "And that is?" I look back to my father and then to the couple again. "Whether to operate on your son without the respirator." Lori now leans forward and rubs her hands across her lap. "You said that wouldn't work." I nod my head slightly and explain the situation. "It's extremely unlikely. But he can't wait much longer."

God had been so kind and gentle to us. Leaving our land untouched and beautiful. But now, here we are. A dying child in our guest bed. Why would he do this, and to a child? I liked to believe that he spared this boys innocences and let him live an eternal life in heaven. Where he would never have to see the horrors of this world, but rather see and feel forever joy.

I look up from the chair I sat on when I heard Carl groaning out in pain. "Where am I?" He starts freaking out, but in seconds Lori and Rick are by his side. Rick shushes him and speaks in a soft tone. "That's Hershal. We're in his house. And that's Dakota. Your nurse. You had an accident." My daddy and I smile down at him warmly. "It hurts, a lot." Lori rest her arm on his head, comforting him. "Oh baby, I know, I know." His breathing slows down a bit and he looks over at his mama. "You should've seen it. The deer. It was so pretty mom. It was so close. I have never been-" He stops talking and his face drops. And the mother's once hopeful face falls hopeless. Rick's face whitenes in fear.