the deceased ❀ glenn rhee

sixteen

THE DECEASED
sixteen | ❝maybe you were dreaming❞

❀

AURORA STOOD BY GLENN, HER arm touching his. She was terrified. Not because of the new people, but because of what happened to Carl. Sweet, innocent Carl. It was probably an accident - that's what makes the most sense. But for such a young not to have survived this long and be taken out by a gunshot? It didn't seem fair. And that prospect made Aurora feel sick.

Maggie led T-Dog, Glenn, and Aurora to where Carl was. He was lying in a bed, his tiny body pale from blood loss. Sweat had plastered his hair across his forehead. Lori was holding Carl's hand, her eyes unmoving. She hadn't noticed their presence - not that Aurora could blame her.

The white sheets surrounding Carl were soaked in a rich red. It was insane, just how much blood had come out of such a tiny boy. Aurora brushed her fingers against Glenn's hand, and she felt him lean into her slightly.

"Hey," Glenn said, quietly to Rick, who was stood just behind Lori. Aurora hadn't seen him like this. His eyes were glazed over, and his mouth slightly ajar. He was still in shock.

"Hey," Rick replied. Like Lori, he didn't look up. His eyes remained locked on the small body.

"We're here for you," Aurora whispered, gulping, "okay?"

"Thank you," Lori said, her eyes unmoving.

"Whatever you need," T-Dog added. Aurora tugged on Glenn's arm as Maggie showed them out of the room, giving Rick and Lori space to find peace as they awaited for Carl to wake up.

❀

"You got here right in time," Patricia said, stitching up T-Dog's cut. She was the wife of Otis, the idiot who shot Carl. Aurora held onto T-Dog's other hand as he winced in pain. "This couldn't go untreated much longer."

Patricia's eyes fell upon one of the medicine bottles, and she read the name, "Merle Dixon," which was written on it. "Is that your friend with the antibiotics?" she asked.

Aurora scoffed, making everyone turn to her. "I wouldn't use the term friend," she grinned.

"Merle isn't with us anymore," Glenn explained, "Daryl gave us those - Merle's brother."

"Like Aurora said, not really a friend," T-Dog added, before practically crushing Aurora's hand as Patricia dug the needle into his arm again. There was a smell of infection from T-Dog's cut that burnt Aurora's nose.

"He is today," Patrica tutted, and Aurora couldn't help but wonder if she'd still say that after meeting Merle, "this Doxycycline might have just saved your life. You know what Merle was taking it for?"

Glenn and Aurora exchanged looks, before Glenn said, "the clap," but at a glare from Maggie, he quickly said, "um, venereal disease. That's what Daryl said."

"I'd say Merle Dixon's clap was the best thing to ever happen to you," Patricia said to T-Dog, who was attempting a weak smile.

"I'm really trying not to think about that," T-Dog muttered, still crushing Aurora's hand.

"Same here," Aurora groaned, scrunching her eyebrows as T-Dog continuously squeezed her hand. Aurora smiled up at Glenn, but it fell almost instantly. Glenn was gone, and at the sound of the door to the porch shutting.