Falling Down (Rick Grimes Romance)

Chapter 18

The common belief in any dental practice is that your bedside manner is just as important as knowing your skill set. Dental procedure after procedure I would tell my patients, I'm going to give you this needle to help numb the pain. To keep them calm I would always reassure them by saying, this is the worst part. The pain will only get better from here.

Laying beside Shane as I watched him sleeping I couldn't help but think how ironic those words sounded to me now. With a heavy sigh I slowly crawled over Shane careful not to move the bed. It was early morning and all I wanted was some space before the day began.

Slipping past the sheet that hung over the doorway of the cell I paused not entirely sure where to go. Normally if I wanted space I would hide in the lab but that was clearly no longer was an option. Looking up and down the corridor of cell block C the choices were limited to the guard station and two doors. I knew the door leading to the rest of the prison would be locked and with the only other door exiting directly into the courtyard that left the guard station as my only option.

The guard station itself was on the main level located at the far end of the cell block. Octagonal in shape it was built with the same concrete as the rest of the prison to about chest level where bullet proof glass completed the structure. The door was insanity heavy, squeaking  loudly as I tried to open it. Holding my breath I stared back down the long corridor hoping the sound didn't alert anyone.

With a sigh of relief I stepped in pulling the door behind me but not closing it entirely. Looking about the room I felt odd as if I had been misplaced. From all appearances, if one was to judge by this room, the world had just simply been put hold. Two cups of coffee sat on the counter accompanied by a pack of gum and a Aero chocolate bar. A binder laid open with a page entitled emergency procedures.

Thumbing absently through it I smiled sadly  thinking how there was no training for what this prison must have gone through during the original outbreak. Closing the binder I picked up the log book as I sat in a chair that had a prison issued guard jacket slung over the back. On it detailed the names of guards, shifts worked and the prisoners held within the block. You could tell from what had been signed off on that day that breakfast had been delivered, some inmates had been to the infirmary and only a few had received an hour of yard time. Then everything just stopped.

Groaning I tossed the log book back onto the counter and leaned back in the chair. Covering my hands with my face I wanted to flash forward through the day and just be done with it. I wasn't entirely sure how to face anyone let alone say goodbye. In truth I felt resentful of Shane's early arrival even tho it didn't change anything in the long run.

"Hey girl," Doc said as he pushed open the door open to the guard tower. "How's life?"

"You know....life," lifting my hands from my face I turned my head so I could see him. A smile instantly touched my face at the sight of his comical appearance. Pointing at his hair which was plastered straight up like a floppy mohawk I chuckled, "Seriously your hair takes on a life of its own."

"Your telling me. Try being the one that owns it." Reaching up Doc tried without any success to tame it. "So how did things go?"

"Good I guess," Stretching my arms out in front of me I rolled my shoulders trying to work out the kinks in my back. "Got a few people trained and some supplies restocked. I wasn't expecting you guys for another three days or I would have done more."

"Where is the medical here?" Doc completely side stepped my last point. "Is it the prison infirmary?

"The infirmary was on the back portion of the prison that was blown out. They saved what they could and Hershel built a lab just down the main hallway of block B." God how I missed Hershel. "You remind me of a younger version of him you know that."