two days later...
nothing interesting has happened yet, i was starting to become less worried about what kaden said and less paranoid. i wasn't completely healed, but i don't ever see that happening. i never was.
"doctor," carson calls, "hey, y/n, you there?"
"yea, sorry."
"am i really that boring?" he chuckles.
"no, i'm just a little off but what were you saying?"
"karina, she needs to get this medication, but," he trails off.
"what?"
"she hasn't done enough work around here to have enough points for these, but she needs these. her blood sugar is going to bottom out."
"what do you mean points?"
"it's the currency around here, work equals points and points pay for everything."
"what does karina do?"
"she's a trainer, but she hasn't been showing up from what i hear. she was supposed to get these a two days ago."
"we need to talk to her, something's gotta be wrong, how about we go after work?"
"sure."
a couple of hours later
shutting the door behind me, carson and i head to see karina. "here we are," he says walking into what looks like an empty gym, mattresses lining the walls, few with blankets. people lingered by, some elderly, some children. they all looked like they needed a bath, some food, water, and a doctor.
i spot one boy who looks deathly sick as his mother holds him, brushing his hair behind his ears.
"that's her," carson says pointing to the woman i had just seen.
"holy shit, carson, is that her kid?"
"yea, that's luke."
i jog over, "are you okay? is he okay?"
"who are you?" the woman asks.
"i'm a doctor, what's wrong with him?"
"we don't have enough points for a doctor."
"i don't care, i'll deal with negan. we need to take care of you two first, follow me okay?"
she picks the boy's limp body up, "thank you," she mumbles.
"of course, let's go." we swiftly make our way to the door but carson stops me.
he grabs my shoulder, "y/n, we can't. she doesn't have any points, negan won't allow this."
"negan can kiss my ass. we don't let the living die, not where i come from. or do you not remember your vows?" i spit before ripping my arm out of his grasp, "let's go."
we sneak our way to the clinic, carson on our trails, "doctor l/n, this is- you can't do this!"
"put him on the table," i instruct her and then turn to carson, "look at him, carson. look at him! then you tell his mother we're going to let him die because you're too scared of what might happen. didn't think you could, now, this boy will die without our attention. are you gonna be a doctor and help or be a little bitch?"
"i-i can't," he says before rushing out. i turn back to the patient, i don't need carson, i can do this.
"how long has he been like this?"
"two days. he complained about his stomach hurting and today he just - he blacked out. i tried to bring him in but they denied him. i- please don't let me lose my little boy."
"it sounds like appendicitis, he needs surgery. but we don't have the stuff here."
"what are we going to do? i-i can't lose him, please doctor," she cries.
"hey, i need you to calm down. i think i have a plan but i can't do it if they figure out you're in here. we need to leave."
"how? how would we leave if-"
"i know. i'm thinking, please calm down, i can't save him if you're passed out too. please, just let me think."
she looks down, tears spilling out of her eyes.
"do you know of any back way out of here?" i ask as thoughts run through my head at incredible speed.
"there's an alleyway behind my building. if the guards aren't on duty we can sneak out, but where are we going?"
"somewhere better than this, i promise. we need to wait until tonight. is there any way you two can just stay in my room until i figure the rest of this out?"
"they don't do a headcount in that area, i'm pretty sure we'd be fine."
"alright, well i'm going to need you to act as if you know me and we're picking our kids up together, okay?"
"okay, i can do that," she says as she wipes her face, composing herself.
"we got this."
"we got this," she repeats.
after thirty minutes, we head out, chatting like old friends.
once i have mason and mila in my hands we continue our act until we're at my door, looking both ways, i see no one. "come on."
"why he sweep, aunt n/n?" mason asks pointing at luke.
"he's just tired sweetie, can you put your dinosaurs in your bag for me?"
"uhuh," he nods his head as he puts his toys up.
after we have all the kids distracted and luke on my bed, karina and i go to the bathroom to talk. "we're bringing them?" karina asks.
"yes, we are. i can't leave them, i know it's going to be hard but we have to try."
"what's the plan?"
"they have a shift change at about midnight," i relay the information i'd overheard from a guard, "that's when we'll leave, there's one truck that runs out there. but if we crank it, they're gonna be on our asses. we're just going to have to eyeball it, he can't wait."
"where are we going?"
"alexandria, they'll take care of you there. they don't make you work for points, you and you're son will be in good hands."
"what about you?"
"don't worry about me, let's focus on luke."
she smiles slightly before heading back to her son. i pack my pictures and enough stuff to get mia and mason through the night and the next day.
after a bit, we go to dinner but karina says they can't come. not enough points.
god, i hate these rules. they just aren't fair, he shouldn't have to suffer like this. he really doesn't have much time until infection sets in.
"i'm sorry i couldn't bring you anything back, i was being watched the entire time, but i promise you'll get some food when we get to alexandria."
"thank you, doctor, i know this is a very big risk. what's your name by the way?"
"call me y/n."
"thank you, y/n."
"of course, let's get stuff ready."
two hours later...
karina holds luke and a backpack while i hold mila's carrier and a sleeping mason on my shoulder.
"i'm going to leave mila with you and check out the hallways and clearings every time we get to one, i need you to stay silent and only come when i motion for you. when we get outside and i motion for you, run as fast as you can behind me," i whisper after shoving the knife in my jacket pocket.
"got it," she whispers back.
we make our way through two hallways before we're out of the building, i wait for the guards to go off duty before i signal for her. we sprint towards the gate, our footsteps only illuminated by the moonlight. luckily, no walkers are in our path and the truck is hidden behind some bushes. i'm almost hidden when i hear, "y/n? is that you?"
shit, it's a guard.
"i'm not going to hurt you, it's brandon. what's going on?"
i climb out from behind the bushes, "i have to save him, brandon. negan won't let me so we're leaving. please don't stop us," i plead.
"i won't, of course i won't. here, punch me so i'll have an excuse for letting you get away. hurry they'll be here soon."
"brandon i don't want to hurt you-"
"just do it. hurry y/n."
"i'm sorry," i say as i punch him, he ought to have a nice black eye coming in soon. "run, now!" i duck back behind the bushes, she reaches me, "that way," i point.
we pull the branches back and get into the truck, mila starts crying. "i'm sorry mila, i can't get you right now," i say as karina and i put the boys on both sides of her and strap them in. i climb in the drivers' seat and karina gets in beside me, "hey, could you get her pacifier out of the bag?"
"sure, here you go lovebug," she says as she puts the pacifier in her mouth, quieting mila.
i fumble for the knife and i carefully maneuver it inside of the ignition. the truck fires to life and i get us out of there as quickly as possible.
"holy shit, we did it," karina whispers.
"we did it, alexandria here we come."