Afraid of Being Alive (Shane Walsh Love Story)

Chapter 16: 194

“Hey, another damn tree!” said Jim with a weak and throaty laugh.

I could see that Shane was trying to keep himself together as he spoke to Jim, “hey Jim. I mean, you know it dun’ need to be this.

“No.” breathed Jim, his fragile chest pumping up and down as he talked, “It’s good. The breeze feels nice.”

Shane squeezed his eyes tightly shut for a moment before giving Jim a gentle pat on the leg, “Okay. Alright.”

Shane wiped the sweat from his upper lip and was then replaced by Jacqui who walked up to Jim with teary eyes. Jacqui kneeled by his side and gave him a one-sided smile before beginning to speak, “Just close your eyes, sweetie. Don’t fight.” Jacqui then leaned in and gave Jim a kiss on the cheek. This proved to be too much for Jacqui to handle as she walked off with a couple of tears rolling down her cheeks.

Rick walked up next to pay his respect for the fallen man who was close to the sanctuary of death by now, “Jim…” started Rick as he pulled out a small handgun from his pocket and held it out to Jim, “do you want this?”

“No.” replied Jim, his voice weaker by the minute, “you’ll need it. I’m okay.”

Rick nodded and then traded places with Dale who strolled up to Jim solemnly, taking his treasured bucket hat off and holding to his chest as he spoke, “Thanks for uh… thanks for fighting for us.”

“Okay.” Nodded Jim, trying his hardest to smile but barely managing.

Nobody else could manage to say a word, as most of us were sad and scared shitless for the broken man. Glenn just gave Jim an appreciative nod, Daryl doing the same before all of us walked off. I walked hand in hand with Shane over to the car, the two of getting in one after the other.

“Are you okay to drive?” I asked Shane, placing my hand on one of his buff shoulders.

“Yeah, I’m good.” He said back to me, nodding and wiping his forehead with his arm to eradicate the sweat that formed in beads at his hairline, “we should get moving.”

As we drove slowly along the road, I kept my eyes focused on Jim who was currently staring up at the tree above, his eyes closing as he did so. I wondered if I was witnessing his death or simply a moment of relaxation, both options very much alike.

Today was the one hundredth and ninety fourth day since the outbreak had been declared. This means that one hundred and ninety four days ago was the day when Lola and I stumbled upon the dead-one in the street. At first I thought it was just a dead body and another murder had occurred around the school. People had been murdered around the area before, why not again? Then I thought it was a crazy old man with rabies having an epileptic seizure. But soon, I realised that whatever was in front of me was neither of the above, but it was indeed, what some called a zombie and what I liked to refer to them as, a dead-one.

~

It was getting dark by now and all of us were still on the road. It got a little chilly in the evenings, but my backpack which had my jacket in it was in the RV and there wasn’t much of a way for me to get it without having to stop all the cars. I refused to do this as it would purely be a waste of time, and at this point of the day, we had zero time to spare.

“How much longer, Shane?” I asked him, wrapping my arms around myself in an attempt to stay warm.