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The last thing Keeley Salazar could remember was her parents arguing in the car before they crashed. Now three years have passed and a lot has changed. She's no longer seventeen, but now on the verge of turning twenty years old. Oh, and...
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Rick ran as fast as he could carrying the barely alive body of the girl he considered a daughter. Shane was running with Carl and the man that was causing Rick so much pain. "Hey, you move, shithead! Come on, get up I said!" Shane yelled at the man. "How far? How far?!" Rick yelled, turning around to face him.
"Another half mile, that way," The man said, out of breath. "Hershel, talk to Hershel -- He'll help your girl."
Rick ran in that direction, checking to see if Keeley was still breathing every 5 seconds, paranoid that the girl in his arms will stop breathing any minute now. Rick saw the farmhouse and that made him run faster than ever, as he was approaching he saw a figure standing on the porch, and then more people came out. Once Rick was within earshot the elderly man spoke.
"Was she bit?" He asked. "Shot, by your man," Rick said. "Otis?" An older woman with blonde hair asked. "He said find Hershel. Is that you?" Rick asked and the man nodded, "Help me -- Help my girl!" Rick choked out.
"Get her inside," Hershel ordered, "Patricia, I need my full kit. Maggie -- Painkillers, coagulates -- Grab everything. Clean towels, sheets, alcohol. Here," Hershel gave orders to everyone as Rick followed him to a bedroom. Rick carefully laid Keeley down on the bed. "Pillowcase," Hershel ordered. "Is -- is she alive?" Rick asked. "Pillowcase, quick," Hershel said again. "Is - is she alive?" Rick repeated, grabbing a pillowcase and waiting for further instructions.
"Fold it, make a pad," Hershel said and Rick did exactly as he was told. "Put pressure on the wound," Herschel ordered as he put his stethoscope against Keeley's chest, listening for a heartbeat. "I've got a heartbeat -- It's faint," Hershel announced, and Rick felt a little bit relieved. "I got it -- Step back," The blonde woman said, and took Rick's spot next to Hershel. "Maggie, IV!" Hershel yelled. "We need some space," A woman with short brown hair said to Rick.
"Your name?" Hershel asked. "R-Rick," He stuttered. "Rick?" Hershel asked. "I'm -- I'm --I'm Rick," Rick said repeatedly. "Rick, we're gonna do everything we can, okay? You need to give us some room," Hershel said. Rick looked at him and then at Keeley. "Now."
Rick turned his head out the window and saw Carl, Shane, and the man Otis running towards the house. He stepped out of the house, taking his hat off.
"She's alive?" Otis asked concerned that he took the life of a young girl. "She's still alive?" Rick tried to wipe the sweat off his forehead but instead wiped Keeley's blood all over his face.
"Hey..." Shane said quietly and took out a rag. "It's okay." He said as he wiped the blood off his face. "You got blood, man," Shane informed Rick. "I'll take it from you. Where is she? Where is she?" Shane asked, "Is she okay?"
Rick didn't answer but instead turned around and lead them inside the house. They walked in to complete silence until Hershel broke it.
"You know her blood type?" Hershel asked Rick. He thought back to the day on the highway in Atlanta. "She's A-positive, same as me." Rick clarified. "That's fortunate. Don't wander far, I'm gonna need you." Hershel informed then looked at Otis, "What happened?"
