𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒆 | 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘹𝘰𝘯 ¹

𝑵𝒊𝒏𝒆

Chapter Nine,
C.D.C

THE RIDE to the C.D.C proved to be longer than intended. Chloe was in Shane's jeep just behind Rick who drove with Lori, Carl, Carol, and Sophia. Dale drove his beloved RV along with Glenn, Jacqui, and Jim. Jacqui surprisingly had volunteered to look after Jim who seemed to get worse by each passing minute as this whole fever had taken a toll on him.

They all knew it by this point, they had to get him to the C.D.C otherwise, he'd more likely meet the fate of poor Amy. Andrea who was still trying her best to recover from her shock, but failing was with T-Dog, Daryl right behind them as he drove a truck with Merle's motorcycle in the trunk.

"Chloe? I didn't get your family name," Shane said trying to start a conversation after about thirty minutes of silence.

"Simpson," Chloe replied.

"Where are you originally from?"

"Australia."

"Oh you're far away from home," he said glancing at the now better-looking girl.

"Yeah, I was living in Spain before all this," Chloe said not bothering to look at him. She wasn't in the mood for conversations; when was she ever, anyway?

"Not here in Georgia?" Shane asked again.

"No, we were on vacation."

"Now I get it," he said with a smile. Perhaps he was trying to lighten up the mood it something. "You look better now."

"Yeah, thanks to Lori and Carol," she said right before pausing. "Well, and Jacqui."

"Look, Daryl is handful I know and I'm sorry about his attitude."

"Not your place to apologize," she said as she finally glanced his way. "Thank you for standing up for me...Well twice."

"No, thanks needed."

An anticipated horn was suddenly heard as the caravan stopped. Shane parked right behind Rick before getting out of the car, Chloe following, her heartbeat racing violently. She was expecting the worst. Maybe, it was game over for Jim.

"I told you we'd never get far on that hose. I said I needed the one from the cube van," Dale said causing Chloe to let out a sigh. She's been expecting to see Jim, well a dead Jim?

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

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

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

"Y'all, Jim..." Jacqui said as she exited the RV with that kind of look that says it all. "It's bad. I don't think he can take anymore."

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

"Yeah, I'll come along too and I'll back you up," T-Dog said and Rick nodded his head at both of them.

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

As Shane and T-Dog drove ahead to find a replacement, Rick made it his mission to check on Jim. From what Chloe had heard, Jim was in real agony and she didn't dare to take a look at him. She couldn't. So instead, she decided to join Glenn who was next to Dale trying to fix the RV.

"Can you hold this please," Glenn said glancing up the moment he saw her. At least she had something to distract her mind with for the few minutes that followed.