Comatose ➢ Daryl Dixon

Part III. Special Barn

"Poppa I'm gonna head out." I finally muttered out after putting a new bandage on the young boy's wound. We had finally stabilized him and the need for surgery was hopefully dwindling, but that didn't change my feelings towards the situation at hand. Deep down this was on me.

"Emily, don't wander off too far. I'll need you here if something happens, this boy. He is not your fault." My dad explained as I placed a much-needed kiss on his temple and slipped out of the room. The rest of the house was pretty much silent except for some whispers coming from the living room; it was the two men who showed up with Otis and I knew they were most likely talking about our patient.

I couldn't help, but prop myself up against the archway to the living room and listen in on the two males. They both equally sounded broken and I could tell the kid meant a lot to both.

"I should have sent him with Lori." Rick choked out and began to vigorously shake his head, but his friend wasn't having this. Shane, Rick's pal, knew that blaming wouldn't get them anywhere.

"You know, you start that, you'll never get that monkey off your back." He whispered out, still keeping a firm tone. His hands were fiddling with different things, but his eyes remained locked onto the heartbroken dad.

"H-hi, I don't mean to interrupt this little pow-wow and I know I don't know this little boy, but his name is Carl right?" I started off with as their heads almost instantly shot up. I felt a sense of pressure, but it started to fade when they both shook their head 'yes'.

"Well, Carl, he'll be just fine. My daddy, he'll do everything to make sure he is. If not I will. You ain't gonna lose your little boy, that I promise." I remarked with a faint smile on my face and mouthed a goodbye to them.

I slipped out of the back door and grabbed one of the industrial flashlights on the porch. I knew I would be out for a while and the sun would most likely set before I embarked on my journey back home. I needed to do this, though. The quiet outdoors eased my nerves and I needed some time to think to myself.

The quiet in this new world, however, was eerie and it wasn't the same. It took me walking ten minutes in the woods to realize this; what once used to be a serene, fairytale-like forest was now a haunted, ghost filled, disease-bearing nightmare. I didn't want to be out here anymore, but something caused me to stay. It was a soft squeak and some quiet footsteps, it almost sounded like a young girl and my mind was correct.

Behind some of the forest brush was a little blonde girl. Her pale ghost-like skin was caked with dirt and her hair was matted in the back. The expression on her face caused my heart to shatter and the last thing I wanted to do was spook the young thing.

Gently and tentatively I neared closer to her, I put on an inviting smile and brushed some of my hair behind my ear. She was trembling and wiping away a few tears from her red sore eyes.

"Are you going to hurt me?" She sobbed out and sunk further back into the prickly brush. My eyes instantly softened as I crouched down and threw out a hand for her.

"No, of course not. What are you doing out here all alone?" I inquired as she slowly brought herself out of the brush and grabbed onto my hand. Her lanky body was a good few inches from me now and I could tell she had been through hell and back, but I couldn't understand how someone could leave such a sweet girl.

"I got scared, ran off from my momma--" She started off with, but stopped to wince in pain; her head hung in disappointment as my eyes caught onto something red. Underneath the girl's hair was a bite, it was almost right on the shoulder and it was fresh by the looks of it. In my mind I knew what had to be done, I knew she'd get sick just like everyone else and the barn was her only reasonable option. From there she could get sick, she could go through the stages and then she could get better. After that, I could help her find her momma.

"I have an idea, why don't we go to my papa's special barn. You'll be alright in there, I promise and then after I'll help you find your mom." I suggested as she swiftly shook her head 'yes'. I could tell she wanted out of the forest. She wanted out and she wanted to be safe, even if that meant she had to stay in some unknown family's barn.

"Alright, just follow me, sweetie. Stay right beside me and we'll get there in no time." I chimed and lead the youngling out of the maze that was the woods. We took a detour to avoid the eyes of others and were eventually at the creaky, worn out barn. The smell coming from the place was foul and I could tell it didn't sit well with her.

"You're gonna go up that ladder, unhook that latch and crawl in. I promise you'll be safe and I'll be right behind." I assured her as she clung to the sides of the makeshift ladder and slowly pulled herself up. Her eyes were scanning the area as if she were committing a crime and she wanted no one to see.

"What's that noise? It sounds like those things out there." The young girl whispered out before shooting me a worried look. She thought those things were monsters, but she was wrong. They were people just like her. They were confused and angry, but they were still people.

I was unsure, my mind couldn't make words so I did the only thing I could do.

I did the right thing.

I sucked in a deep breath and unhooked the small latch, my hands motioned for the girl to crawl in which she reluctantly did. Once her lanky form was fully in I slammed the minuscule door shut and latched it back up. I knew she'd be terrified, but she'd overcome it. She'd realize we're all the same and her cries for her help would stop.

And they did.

A/N

It's not a GalacticZombae/VenusRey story without the OC doing something others don't agree with lol.

And do you think Emily will realize those "sick people" are bad and won't change?

Please comment your opinions and vote! <3