(I... This hurt... that's all imma say...)
(While editing again, it still hurt...)
When I got back to Jim, Rick was gone. So, I just sat there with Jim, giving him water every few minutes until Rick got back. I left the RV and stood just outside of it if Jim needed me.
"So, I've been uh..." Shane started as he, Rick and Dale got into the main part of camp. "I've been thinking about Rick's plan. Now look, there are no... There are no guarantees either way. I'll be the first one to admit that. I've known this man a long time, I trust his instincts." I scoff, yeah right. He glares at me, and continues, "I say the most important thing here is we need to stay together. So those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning," He finished. Everyone agreed with him and started packing for the trip.
The next morning, we all loaded up our stuff into cars.
"Everybody listen up! Those of you with C.Bs we're gonna be on channel 40. Let's keep the chatter down, okay?" Shane said from his spot next to Rick, with a shotgun in his arms. "Now you got a problem, don't have a C.B, cant's get a signal or anything at all, you're gonna hit your horn one time. That'll stop the caravan. Any questions?" He finished. I looked over at Carl who was sitting on the hood of carols car, he motioned for me to check the knot in his hands, and I nodded, telling him that it looked good.
Carl's been practicing and needed something to do when the adults were talking.
"We're uh... we're not going," Morales said.
"We have family in Birmingham. We want to be with our people," Miranda explained after a moment looking around the group.
"You go on your own, you won't have anyone to watch your back," Shane cautioned.
"We'll take the chance. I got to do what's best for my family," Morales replied, nodding his head.
"You sure?" Rick asked.
"We talked about it. We're sure," Morales said. While Rick and Shane handed them some guns, the kids all said goodbye to each other, I hugged both their kids and Miranda, and waved goodbye to Morales after he thanks everyone.
"Alright, lets head out," Rick exclaims. I grab my bag and take it over to Daryl's truck.
"Any chance I can ride with you? It's you or Shane and I highly prefer you over him," I asked him, he nods and motions to get in. We don't talk for a while, sitting in semi-comfortable silence.
"Why didn' ya ride with Rick?" Daryl broke the silence.
"Wasn't room with bags and Carol and Sophia in there," I told him. He hummed, in reply, and the silence turned awkward. "What happened in Atlanta?" I asked.
"Merle wasn't there," He said simply.
"What do you mean? Like he got out of the handcuffs? And what just walked out of the city?" I asked looking over at him.
"The asshole cut off his hand to get out of the cuffs."
"Oh..." I said. "Well... uhm I didn't expect that... like at all..." I continued. Daryl scoffs, and we slip back into silence.
"Why... uh why don't you like Shane, ain't he your brothers bff or somethin'?" Daryl asked hesitantly.
"Because he's a misogynist dipshit." I start. "We were kinda close when I was younger, but the older I got the more I realized he isn't always the nicest. He doesn't understand situations, especially situations with the kids from the shelter..." Daryl blinked at me, looked back at the road and back at me. "And the fact that he tried to hook up with me my eighteenth birthday... he was twenty-eight... and he said something along like lines of 'Abigale, I love you, I've always loved you, ever since you bloomed into a young lady.' And then proceeded to try and hook up with me, which I put a hard stop to. He's been prissy ever since." I paused. "I also caught him sleeping with a 15-year-old... the fucker got away with it too."
Daryl blinked at me, but I kept my eyes on the car in front of us. "Wha'd you do?"
"Couldn't do anything, the kid's parents wouldn't press charges no matter what I told them. They didn't care that the age of consent is 16." I seethed. "Couldn't give a damn..." I spit out.
"How do you know stuff like that?" He asked.
"What? Age of consent?" He nodded, raising his thumb to his mouth to chew on the nail. "I worked at a homeless at-risk youth shelter; I have to know that stuff, unfortunately." I said softly. "Trust me, if I could forget the things I've had to treat and or see... I would in a heartbeat."
"Then why work there?"
"Because someone has to, and I was an at risk-teen, and no one helped me, so I helped--or at least tried to help kids like me," I said simply, and Daryl didn't reply after that.
A little while after that the RV stops, pulling over to the side of the road, everyone gets out of the RV and starts talking to each other. Daryl and I hop out of the truck and walk over to them.
"I see something up ahead. A gas station if we're lucky." Shane said but before he could move Jacqui steps out of the RV.
"Y'all, Jim... it's bad. I don't think he can take anymore..." She said and walks back into the RV. I hop into the RV right behind her.
"Hiya, Jim... How're you doing?" I asked as I sat down next to him, Rick following behind me.
"Angel," Jim whispers painfully.
"We're gonna get goin' here soon alright?" I mutter comfortingly.
"Oh no... Christ... my bones... they're like glass. Every little bump... God, this ride is killing me. Leave me here, Angel... I'm done... Just leave me. I want to be with my family," Jim said lucidly.
"They're all dead," Rick said. "I don't think you know what you're asking, The fever... You've been delirious more often than not," Rick finished. I shook my head; this is the most lucid he's been since we found out.
"I know. Don't you think I know?" Jim groans as he shifts. "I'm clear now, Abigale can see it and in five minutes I may not be. Rick, I know what I'm asking. I want this. Leave me here. Now that's on me. Okay, Angel?" Jim looked at me for a moment. "My decision. Not your failure, Angel." I let out a small sob and walk out of the RV and head straight for the truck bed, leaning against it facing away from the group hoping no one say the tears streaming down my face.
Jim was dying and I couldn't do anything about it. I never managed patient death well... even if I just escorted them to the ER, or into surgery, I've never coped with it. And especially with a death like this where I can just be there to support them as they slowly slip through my fingers.
When I was calm enough, I walked back to the group, hoping I didn't look like I was crying. Rick and Shane were carrying Jim to a tree on the side of the road.
"Hey, another damn tree," Jim chuckled.
"Hey, Jim... I mean, you know it doesn't need to be like this," Shane told him.
"No. It's good. The breeze feels nice." Jim replied.
"Just close your eyes, sweetie. Don't fight," Jacqui said sweetly and kissed his cheek. A lump grew in my throat, and I tried to swallow it, I didn't want to cry again.
"Jim, do you want this?" Rick asks as he pulls out a gun.
"No. You'll need it. I'm okay. I'm okay."
"Oh. Hey, thanks for fighting for us," Dale says sadly.
"Okay," Jim replied. He looked over to me, where I was still trying not to cry. "Don't cry Angel," I let out a sob. The nickname stuck even when he was lucid. "You did your best, you couldn't have figured it out, it's not your fault." He said gently.
"Goodbye, Jimmy," I whispered,
"Goodbye, Angel..." Hewhispered back. I walked away, not meeting anyone's eyes, getting into the truck,and broke down.
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1387 words
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His Everything
Horror"Stop lookin' at me like that," Daryl whispers, inches away from Abby's face. "Like what?" She asked running her hands through the hair at the nape of his neck. "Like- nevermind," Daryl whispered, and closed the distance between them. Meet Abb...
