Angel in the Apocalypse

11

"So, you saved my best friend." Shane stated even though it sounded more like a question. "Said you wouldn't leave him behind."

I nodded my head.

"You some kinda stalker or something?" He said with a small chuckle. "You just happened to know where he was and waited for him to come out of his coma?"

"I was in the hospital." I told him.

"Oh... I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

"It is fine. I, too, was in a coma. I happened to wake up before Rick." I told him. "I could not have left him alone like that. I knew that he was alive, so I would not leave him."

Shane nodded his head an understanding. With that, the conversation stopped and the car grew silent.

"I still do not know what it means to 'bump some uglies'." I spoke.

Shane let out a laugh and turned his head towards me.

"If you really want to know, I wouldn't mind teaching you." Shane said.

My eyes lit up in fascination.

"Really? You would help me?" I asked.

No one else would tell me what it was. Shane was the only human willing to help me learn.

"Yeah. As long as you're fine with it." Shane said.

Before I could say anything else, Shane noticed the RV stop. Shane stopped the car and we both got out.

"I told you we'd never get far on that hose. I said I needed the one from the cube van." Dale said.

"Can you jury-rig it?" Rick asked him.

"That's all it's been so far. It's more duct tape than hose." Dale said. "And I'm out of duct tape."

"I see something up ahead." Shane spoke up. "A gas station if we're lucky."

The RV door opened and revealed Jacqui.

"Y'all. Jim... it's bad." She told us. "I don't think he can take anymore."

With that, she went back to Jim's side.

"Hey, Rick, you want to hold down the fort?" Shane asked. "I'll drive ahead, see what I can bring back."

"Yeah, I'll come along too and I'll back you up." T-Dog offered.

"Y'all keep your eyes open now." Shane ordered. "We'll be right back."

As Shane and T-Dog left, I followed Rick into the RV to see Jim. His facial expressions showed that he was in pure agony.

"We'll be back on the road soon." Rick told Jim.

"Oh no. Christ, my bones... my bones are like glass. Every little bump. God, this ride is killing me." Jim said. "Leave me here. I'm done. Just leave me. I want to be with my family."

I felt bad for the poor man.

Can't you do something to help him?

'I am afraid all I can do is help with the pain. I cannot fight the disease.'

You can't fight the disease? So does that mean that you can get sick?

'No.' I answered. 'But my vessel can.'

"They're all dead." I heard Rick say. "I don't think you know what you're asking. The fever... you've been delirious more often than not."

"I know. Don't you think I know?" Jim snapped.