Sightless

Jim

~ Today ~

I jerked awake as the truck slammed to a stop, and my head bounced off the cold window I had been leaning on. 

"What's going on?" I grumbled, putting my hand on the side of my head to try and stem the throbbing that had started. 

"Dunno. They stopped, I'll go see what's happenin'. Stay here." Daryl grumbled, before that horrible sound of steel on steel rang out again and I had to hold in my flinch as the door slammed shut behind him. 

"How long was I asleep?" I asked, turning my head slightly to look at where Max and Hendrix were supposed to be sitting. I heard a little bit of shuffling and then Max's cute little voice came out into the small space. 

"Maybe about an hour or so I guess. Not too long, we haven't gone very far, just up onto the highway, it kinda looks like we are headed home." I nodded and turned back to the front, turning my head a little so that it was resting back up against the window. 

"It looks like they're bringing Jim out of the RV, and taking him up this hill." I clenched my teeth, knowing what was probably happening. Jim was done, and they were giving up on him. I nodded my head, and didn't say anything else, choosing to try and ignore what was happening outside. 

"I'm sorry for what I said Mom." Max whispered, and I froze, my shoulders tensing as the words echoed in the air. 

"What do you mean baby?" I asked, turning my body towards him so he would know he had my full attention. 

"I'm sorry I said you couldn't take care of me." Max said, stronger this time, and it felt like my body had turned to stone. 

"You were right." I whispered, and I felt his tiny hand touch my cheek, and the tears welled in my eyes, just waiting for the right moment to fall. 

"No I wasn't. You do your best, you raised me by yourself, and you've kept me alive so far." I chuckled, a tear escaping and making a track down my face, before I could say anything else that metal grating sound rang out again, and the truck shook as Daryl climbed into the car. Max's hand fell off my face and I turned back to the front of the car, trying to wipe my face off before he could see what was going on. 

"Oh... what's goin' on in here?" Daryl's raspy voice asked, sounding very uncomfortable, and I shook my head. 

"Nothing, so what happened?"  I asked, wiping the last tear off my face. There was a long silence, where I'm sure Max and Daryl were having a stare off, and finally Daryl broke the silence. 

"Jim wanted to stay behind. We're gonna keep going to the C.D.C. Got a couple more hours left so you might as well get some more rest since we don't know what we're gonna be walking into." I nodded and turned my body a bit so I was leaning up against the door and closed my eyes again, hoping that nothing would happen at the C.D.C.