Daring To Feel: A Walking Dead Fan Fiction

Chapter 5: Guillermo

As I look down below me at the street an hour or so later I hear a scuffle come from behind me. I turn quickly and find a teenager and an older gentlemen staring at me, one with a bat at the ready, "what are you doing up here?" the man asks me in an accent. I don't respond, too nervous to say anything back to him.

"You deaf or somethin' punta?" The teenager asks me with obvious attitude.

"I'm looking for a way out" I say flatly now, trying not to show any fear.

"Well you found one" The man replies to me. I shake my head no and move back a little, almost at the edge, "don't worry, we won't bite" he replies.

"well he won't" the teenager mocks but the man smacks him across the head, "go find your cousin, help them out. I'll get her back to the hospital" he explains quickly. The young man nods and retreats back into the door I assume they came from.

I shake my head no some more, "I'm not going. I'm waiting for someone" I try and say, stuttering out what I can.

"Darling, there's no one coming here. Look at it down there" he steps closer to gesture down towards the ground. I eye him as he steps closer towards me but he stays far enough away to get a glimpse. I look back down and again, see the walkers that took over the city. "I'm José" he extends his hand towards me. I nod to let him know I hear him but do not divulge my own name in return "You'll be safe at the hospital. There's a lot of people there. My mother, son. It's a nice place" he says.

I look again below me, and deep down I know I'd never make it on my own. I'm not willing to kill, not even the dead. "Fine" I say back with a slight nod.

"If you don't like it there, you can leave whenever you'd like" he adds on as I step closer. I nod again, and follow him down the stairs of the apartment building, following his lead hiding and crouching behind walls and cars until we get to an alley way with 2 parked cars. "Encontrado un sobreviviente . Va a regresar al hospital . Quédate aquí."

2 men in one of the cars nod in response and one of them replies."Sí , José." Jose then opens the passenger door for me to get in and I do so quickly, wanting to get away from curious eyes. He pulls out quickly and drives a few blocks away to what once appeared to be a facility of some sort for medical care.

He walks in slowly, and after the door opens more eyes are on me, "we have to go see Guillermo" he tells me after a few people stepped closer to get a better view of me. I keep my head down, feeling more vulnerable than I did on the roof when I was all alone. We find our way in a side room, one that was probably a break room at one point. A younger man sits in a chair, a cross necklace hangs down his chest.

He turns his head up when we walk in and he spots me instantly, "what have we here, José?" he asks.

"Found her on a roof. No weapons or anything" he explains to him. Guillermo looks me over and asks my name. I don't respond with it to him either and he turns his eyes to the one who brought me here "sin nombre" he says to him. I can see from the corner of my eye Jose shake his head. "That's fine. You don't know us, all in good time. Why don't you follow me and I'll show you around" he smiles at me. His smile feels sincere and I step from around José and towards Guillermo, this could be my new temporary home.

As we leave that room and walk towards another I notice all of the rooms in the hallway are occupied with older people, "was this a senior living hospital?" I question, stopping outside the hall of a patient whose coughing.

"You know a thing or two about a place like this?" He questions with his eyebrows raised and maybe a small grin.

I shrug, "I was recently a temp at a hospital. I learned some things. Is he okay?" I ask pointing to the man coughing.