Undead

Cross My Heart. (328)

We stand there in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Even Kara has finally fallen silent.
"So, are you gonna shoot?" I practically mock. This isn't him. He's never been out here by himself. He relied on us to keep him alive.

"I was ordered to shoot on sight."
"But you didn't."
"I still can."
I shake my head. "No, you can't and you won't. Deep down, and I mean, deep, deep down you know we're still family. I know I was a bitch to you in the sanctuary, but I was angry at you. You need to understand that and I know you don't owe me anything but please... think about who's side you're on. We've fought so hard for this."
"They notice me. They acknowledge me." He argues.
"They use you." Kai corrects him.
"Here, you are family. To them, you're a threat, an outsider who they'll never trust because once you were one of us. Once you're no use to them they'll put a bullet in your head. And as much as you wreck my head, I don't want that." I add.

Eugene shakes his head and looks away before quickly turning back and lowering his gun.
"You need to go now. I'm with Negan. There are more saviors in the forest, you should know that and if you go now then... I've never seen you. I didn't come across anybody in part of the woods. Stick west. If I were you, I wouldn't come back." He confirms.

I sigh in frustration. I don't know how to get through to him. We were never close but we survived together once, that has to stand for something. Doesn't it?

I take Kara from Judith and unwrap the scarf swaddle and quickly make a sling for Kai's shoulder. He uses his good arm to carry Judith. Now, we're both vulnerable but what else can we do. We've got Eugene's advice to stick west away from the saviors.

Just as we're about to leave I turn back.
"Eugene?"
He looks at me curiously.
"...Rosita's dead. I just thought you should know. Help us, don't let her die in vain."
His eyes become glossy and I notice his shoulders stop moving, as if holding in a breath. I know the feeling.
He begins to look up at the sky and I take this as my queue to leave.

We move as fast as we can, not quite a sprint but not walking either. I hear Kai's groan as his shoulder continues to pump blood. It even manages to get into Judith's clothes which makes me sick to even look at, I can't imagine her hurt like that.

We travel far enough into the forest that the shooting becomes less and less audible and the sky begins to darken.
"We need to find somewhere safe for the night. We won't make it back to Alexandria tonight. We need to looks after your shoulder too." I explain and when I look back at Kai his face has paled to a shade I've never seen on him. His tanned completion is nowhere to be seen as beads of sweat gather on his forehead and neck and his eyes begin to droop.

Judith sleep in his arms as is Kara in my own. I sigh.
"Okay, okay, let's sit down."
Kai shakes his head. "It's not safe." He breathes.
"And you're hurt. Let me take care of you and then we can keep moving."
"Mads, we have no idea where we are, it's dark and the dead are out, so are the saviors..."

"Shh." I kneel next to him and use one hand to remove the blood soaked sling from his arm. He winces and gasps.
"I'm sorry." I ignore the dampness and odor of blood from the scarf and strap Kara to me again, like a swaddle.
This way my hands are free.

Judith remains snuggled up against Kai who's now perched up against a large tree.
I take the bag that Carl gave me off my back and hope for the best.
"Please Carl, give us something to work with." I pray as I unzip the bag.
I feel around the bag, unable to see I. The darkness until I feel something long and cylinder like. I press a switch and light explodes around us. A flashlight. Thank god.

Using it to peer inside the bag I find bottles of water, canned food, baby formula, diapers, knives, a blanket and a small first aid kit. I sigh in relief.
I reach for the first aid kit first and open it up. I have anti-biotic, pain killers, stitching equipment, numbing cream, plasters, disinfectant spray and other things inside that I don't understand. I have what I need and that's all that matters.