When The World Ends

Doctor?

*Edited*

Rick's POV

It took me by surprise one second; my girl was standing there looking at that deer. The next, I'm over top of her, putting pressure on her shot wound.

A man had appeared from out of the woods saying he was sorry and didn't see Jade. Carl was asking through tears if she would be alright, and I couldn't answer him. The man told me there was a farm, his family farm, 1 mile from here. I scooped up Jade carrying her bridal style in my arms with Carl by my side, Shane and the other following behind.

I broke through the trees into a large open field. Running faster, stopping for a short second to adjust her then back to running. In the distance, I could see a large white house. I saw someone on the porch run back inside the house, bringing out more people. Hershel, I have to find Hershel.

As I got closer, an older man, I'm guessing Hershel speaks up. "Was she bit?" I continue slowing into a walk.

"Shot by your man." I correct.

"Otis?!" A lady asked the man walking down the steps.

"He said to find Hershel, is that you?" I make sure.

"Alright, let's get her inside." We walk up the stairs, and I follow him into a bedroom right in the front of the house. I set Jade on the bed, and Carl comes in. Patricia and Maggie came back in with a bunch of medical things.

"Carl goes outside," I say while Hershel cuts Jade's tank top off, leaving her in her bra.

"Dad, what are-?" Carl wonders.

"Carl, I said go outside." This time he leaves.

"Is she alive," I ask all over the place.

"Pillowcase!" Hershel says.

"Is she alive?" I ask again, thinking I might not have made it in time.

"Fold it, make it into a pad. Put pressure on the wound." I do as he says. He grabs a stethoscope and puts it on her chest. "I've got a heartbeat, it's faint, but it's there." I let out a shaking breath. "I got it; step back." The older woman tells me. "Your name?".

It was like I couldn't answer it as I had forgotten it. "Rick? Rick. I'm-I'm...I'm Rick." I respond, the name sounding foreign.

"Rick, we're gonna do whatever it takes to save your girl," Hershel tells me, trying to keep my hope alive. I give them room and meet Shane and Otis outside the house. I wipe my hand across my forehead while Otis asks if Jade is okay. I just stayed quiet as Shane came up and wiped my face. I lead them into her and saw Carl sitting beside her. Hershel was still sitting there, putting pressure on her wound. It was on the right middle side of her stomach.

"Do you know her blood type?" I didn't respond; I don't think she ever said anything about it. I look around for her bag. I didn't have enough time to grab it. I look over to see Shane going through the front part of her bag. He pulls out a plastic bag with a wallet, an old phone, and 2 pairs of dog tags. She never spoke to me about it before, but I wasn't gonna bug. I take the bag and pull out her wallet, looking for her ID. It said AB+, a tiny slip of paper that had DNR, and that she was an organ donor.

"AB+" She's universal, I think.

"That's fortunate. Don't wander far. I'm gonna need you." Carl looks a Hershel.

"Can I give blood to her?" He takes her hand.

"I'm sorry, Carl. No. I'm gonna need it from him or anyone else willing. What happened?" He turns to Otis.

"I was tracking a buck. The bullet went through it. It went clean through." Hershel nods then lifts the pad looking at the wound.

"The deer slowed the bullet down, which certainly saved her life. But it did not go through clean. It broke into pieces. If I can get the bullet fragments out, I'm counting six," Otis walks over to Patricia, whispering about not seeing her over and over again.