Playing With Fire (A Merle Dixon Story)

Chapter Nine

Harlow

When my eyes opened and I saw the white washed walls, I had a quick moment of panic until I remembered where I was. I was in a town. Of all the places I could be right now, somehow I had ended up here. I stifled a yawn before unfolding myself from where I had been curled up on the hard, wooden chair. My limbs felt stiff and achy and I grimaced, rubbing a sore spot on the back of my neck. Still, it definitely wasn’t the worst night’s sleep I’d ever had.

My eye drifted towards the one occupied bed in the room. Merle was still there, his bare chest exposed while a charcoal gray colored blanket kept the rest of him hidden from view. The IV was still plugged into his arm and steadily dripping away. He was still out, but at least he was still breathing.

“You’re up! I’ve been wondering just how you managed to sleep so soundly folded up in that chair like that.” Dr. Waters said as she walked into the room.

I offered her a weak smile. “Guess I was more tired than I thought. How long was I out?” I asked as I stretched my arms over my head.

“Not long, just a few hours. It’s still dark out.” She answered.

It had felt longer than that, but I guess I was used to sleeping as little as possible anymore. It was hard to really get any sort of rest when you had to worry about a walker slaughtering you in your sleep. I turned my eyes on Merle. “How is he?”

I heard her let out a sigh as she leaned up against the doorframe, her eyes on her one and only patient at the moment. “It seems like the antibiotics are doing their work…he’s stable, but not in the clear yet. He’s still got quite a bit of healing to do.” She said quietly. “Wonder how he lost that arm, though. Did he ever tell you?”

“No, I asked once and he gave me some bullshit answer. I didn’t get a chance to ask him again.” I rolled my eyes, remembering the exact words he had said, along with the irritating smirk that almost seemed permanently glued to his face.

“Looks like the kind of man who wouldn’t be willing to give a direct answer to anything.” Dr. Waters commented. “You two been together long?”

I felt my eyes grow wide. “What? No! Hell no.” I sputtered, caught off guard by how casual she sounded. “We’re not together. Not like that. I found him like this, just a few days ago. No, definitely not together.” I said again. I had to stop myself from almost laughing at that. Really? She thought we were a couple?

She raised her eyebrows slightly. “I’m sorry, I guess I shouldn’t have just assumed. It just seems like a lot of trouble to go through for someone you don’t even really know.”

I shrugged my shoulders, remembering the Governor saying something almost exactly identical the day before. Maybe there really was something wrong with me. Why else would all these people be finding it so god damn strange I was trying to save this guy’s life? “Maybe it’s a side-effect from one of my paramedic days. I just have a gut instinct to save people.”

“You were in the medical field before all of this, too?” She asked, sounding surprised.

“Mmhm. For a few years.”

She nodded, looking thoughtful. There was a long moment of silence before I felt her eyes on me. “Why don’t I call up the Governor. There’s nothing more you can do for your friend right now. Go get some real rest, in an actual bed. You can come check on him later and I’ll find a way to get a hold of you if anything changes.” She offered.

I chewed on my lower lip, watching as Merle’s chest slowly moved up and down with each breath he drew in. I wondered for a second what it was like to be unconscious like that. To be drawn under into nothing and not be able to just wake up whenever you wanted to. I’d never been unconscious before, ever. Never fainted or anything so I had no idea what happened. Did you dream? Did you know what was happening? I remembered then, that Dr. Waters was waiting for an answer.