We walk for a bit, scanning the woods for any sign of Sophia. Without Daryl's tracking skills, it's pretty useless.
We hear a crackling sound. I raise my knife, just in case it's a walker. Out of the trees steps a beautiful stag, and I lower my weapon slowly.
Shane raises his gun, preparing to shoot. Rick touches his arm, lowering it.
Carl smiles, moving towards the deer slowly. He grabs my wrist and pulls me with him. The deer looks up. We stare at him and he stares at us.
I smile. Rick smiles. Shane smiles. Carl smiles.
A gunshot rings out and a blinding pain rips through my side. For a second, I feel weightless as I collapse to the ground. I hear Carl scream my name before everything goes black.
Rick's POV
A blossom of blood appears through Hope's shirt as she and the deer collapse to the ground.
"HOPE!" Carl screams, kneeling down next to her. "Hope! Don't die! Stay with me!"
Shane runs ahead, looking for the shooter. I kneel beside Carl, checking her pulse and trying to keep myself from looking frantic. She's breathing, thank God.
"No, no, no, no, no..." I mutter under my breath.
"Dad...what would she do?" Carl asks, his voice trembling.
I take a deep breath, my mind racing for something to do. "We need to cut of some of the blood supply so she doesn't bleed out. It won't be a tourniquet, but maybe it'll slow down the blood flow and give her a chance; a sliver of time long enough to get help."
"Could your belt work?"
I nod and take off my belt, handing it to Carl. I lift Hope gingerly and he wraps the belt around her middle, fastening it securely.
Shane comes out of the forest with an overweight man dressed in camo.
"This guy's got a farm. He'll show us where it is," Shane yells.
I pick up Hope, cradling her carefully against my chest.
"Which way?" I ask angrily.
The hunter points and I take off running. Carl follows just as fast. We run over a hill and into a field. I can feel myself near crying, adjusting my hold on her as I run.
"Come on shit head!" Shane yells to the hunter, who's panting hard and struggling to keep up.
"Keep running that way," he pants.
"How far?!" I yell desperately.
"A little ways north. Talk to Hershel. He'll help her," the hunter gasps, trying to catch his breath.
Carl and I continue sprinting until a small farm comes into view. I can see a girl with short brunette hair standing on the porch. She yells something and four more people come out.
An elderly man at the front of the group yells to us once we're in earshot. "Was she bit?"
"Shot...by your man," I pant.
"Otis?" A woman with curly blonde hair moves forward, as does the rest of their group.
"He said to find Hershel. Is that you? Help me, please!" I beg, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.
Hershel nods and leads me inside.
"Patricia! I need my full kit!" he says. "Maggie! Painkillers. Grab everything. Sheets, alcohol..."
"Is...is she alive?" I ask, laying her down on a bed.
Carl stands nearby, crying softly. I wrap an arm around his shoulders and hug him, and he grips me tightly.
YOU ARE READING
Daryl's Angel (Book One in the Apocalypse Angel Trilogy)
Fanfiction"Why're you bein' so nice to me?" "I would want the same if I were you." Hope Starling was alone when the dead started rising. She had always been alone, with parents that had disowned her and no friends to help her. Inside the department store in...
