Unexpected || Daryl Dixon

[14]: Bloodletting

~Day 67~

Rick is running relentlessly through a field, Carl unresponsive in his arms. Shane and Rebecca followed behind with an overweight hunter, who's struggling to keep up. The man shot Carl, and Shane is abusing him for it. 

"Come on," Rick muttered as he adjusted Carl in his arms and continued running. "Hey, you move, shithead. Come on, get I said," Shane yelled. "How far? How far?!" Rick yelled at the man. "Another half mile that way. Hershel. Talk to Hershel. He'll help your boy," the man said as he gasped for breath.

"Rebecca! Run ahead and warn Hershel we're coming!" Rick ordered as he took off running again. Rebecca nodded before running past him and sprinted full speed ahead.

Rebecca spotted the farmhouse in a distance and quickened her pace. A young woman with a brunette bob sees her running across the field with a man behind her carrying a boy through a pair of binoculars, "Dad!" she shouted from the front porch.

Rebecca finally reached the farmhouse and leaned against the railing of the steps as she looked up and saw five people standing on the porch. She studied them carefully and guessed that the man in the middle was Hershel. 

"Are you Hershel?"

The man nodded, "Yes."

"Help us please," she panted as Rick finally reached Rebecca.

"Was he bit?"

"Shot," Rebecca told him.

"By your man," Rick spat. 

"Otis?" A woman asked. "He said find Hershel. Is that you?" Rick asked him. Rebecca nodded, "It's him. Whew, I need to sit down," she breathed out as she sat down on the steps of the porch and tried to catch her breath.

"Help me. Help my boy," Rick pleaded. "Get him inside," Hershel ordered as his family ran inside. Rick ran up the steps with Carl in his arms as Rebecca followed after him.

"Patricia, I need my full kit. Maggie," "Yeah?" she answered. "Painkillers, coagulates, grab everything. Clean towels, sheets, alcohol. In here," Hershel ordered as Rick laid Carl down on a bed. "Pillowcase," Hershel said. "Is he alive?" Rick asked. "Pillowcase, quick!" "Is he alive?" Rick asked again as he grabbed the pillowcase.

"Fold it. Make a pad. Put pressure on the wound," Hershel instructed as Rick folded the pillowcase and placed pressure on the wound. Rebecca stood back and watched the scene. She waited for Hershel to say something.

"I've got a heartbeat."

Rebecca breathed out a sigh of relief. "It's faint," he continued. "I got it, step back," Patricia softly said to Rick. "Maggie, IV," Hershel ordered. "We need some space," Maggie said to Rick. "Your name?" Hershel asked him. 

"Rick."

"Rick?"

"I'm-I'm Rick."

"Rick, we're gonna do everything we can, okay? You need to give us some room. Now," Hershel said.

Rick was still in shock and couldn't move. Hershel looked behind Rick and saw Rebecca standing by the doorway. "You," he pointed at her. "Your name?" 

"Rebecca."

"Rebecca, please move Rick out of the way so we can have some room." 

Rebecca walked up to Rick and placed her hand on his arm, snapping his attention to her. "Rick, we need to move now so they can save Carl. Okay?" Rick nodded slowly as she guided him away from the bed, giving Maggie, Patricia and Hershel the space they needed as they quickly worked on saving Carl's life.