Highway To Hell

Chapter 8

   I wake up to an intense pain in my back. My eyes pop open and I let out a moan. I try to twist away and feel someone's arms go across the top of my back to hold me down.

   "Son of a bitch!" I shout. I look over my shoulder to see the doctor digging into my back with a pair of tweezers. 

   "I know it hurts, but I will not tolerate that kind of language under my roof," Hershel mutters. "Now stay still." I let my head fall back onto the pillow and try not to squirm. My mind goes back to Bela. What's she doing here? She's supposed to be dead! A sharp pain races up my back and I tense as the tweezers are finally pulled out of my body. Worst game of Operation ever. 

   "Please tell me that's it and you can stitch me up." I look back over my shoulder at Hershel. I realize that I have a shirt on again. It's just pushed up to right under my boobs so that he can work.

   "I'm afraid not. That was the shallowest piece. There are five more deeper in." Another groan escapes my lips. "We're not taking them out now. Can't. You can't move at all when I'm taking those pieces out. I need some equipment." I raise an eyebrow. "There's internal bleedin. I need to stitch you up."

   "What kind of equipment?"

   "The kind that I don't have here. You did good not moving while I got that piece out, but it'll be a lot harder with the other five." I nod. "You're gonna need more blood. I'll be right back." He and a guy no older than eighteen walk out of the room. I take a deep breath and brace my hands on either side of me. I grunt as I push up and off the bed. I brace myself against the bedside table and take a few unsteady breaths, then slowly make my way towards the door. I open it and see Rick, Shane, Carl and some of Hershel's people sitting outside. Carl is the first to notice me as he had been staring at the door.

   "Ivy!" He gets up and runs at me. I hold a hand up and he stops right before plowing into me.

   "Whoa, whoa, whoa, squirt. Can't come barreling into me at a time like this. Might knock me over like a bowling pin." He grins and lightly wraps his arms around me. He doesn't squeeze, just lets his arms rest around my waist.

   "Why are you outta bed?" I look up and give Hershel a grin.

   "Hate to break it to you, doc, but I'm one of the impatient patients." He shakes his head with a sigh. 

   "Back to bed. You need rest." I groan and not in pain. "Now." 

   "Fine." I pat Carl's head and push his arms down so that he lets me go. "Why don't you come keep my company?" He nods and we go back into the room. I lay down on my stomach and he sits in a chair by the bed.

   "Does it hurt?" he asks, staring at the bandage covered wound. 

   "Lil' bit." Lot bit, but I'm not telling him that.

   "Ivy?" 

   "Carl." He makes a face at me and I smirk.

   "Can you tell me about them?"

   "About who?" 

   "Your brothers. Sam and Dean right?" My smirk turns into a soft smile and I nod.

   "What do you want to know?"

   "What are they like?"

   "Well Dean is the oldest so we'll start with him." Carl nods. "He loves pie and bacon cheese burgers, for one. Loves them. I think he'd marry them if he could." Carl giggles. "He's always been super protective over Sam and I, but he's a total butt head sometimes. He's the jock in the family. Total ladies man, too. But he's someone who always has your back. Sucks at feelings. He adores Baby. Freaks out when anything bad happens to her."