Adelaide’s heartbeat skipped for a second as she heard the gunshot coming out of nowhere. Everything happened really quickly. For a moment, they were just admiring the stag, and in a blink of an eye, Rick is now carrying his unconscious son in his arms.
Shane and the man who shot Carl are a few meters away from them. They are heading to the farm he lived in.
“Hey, you move, shithead! Come on, get us there!” Shane shouted at the guy who shot Carl. Adelaide stopped running as she saw Rick turn around to them.
“How far? How far?” Rick urged, his voice rising.
Adelaide glimpsed at the man with pity as he was being treated harshly by Shane. “Shane,” The elder Walsh glared at the man and removed his hands off him after hearing his sister called him out.
“Another half mile, that way!” The anonymous man answers back to Rick. He gasps for air as he points his finger to a house. “Hey. Hershel, talk to Hershel. He’ll help your boy.”
Rick darted to the house as Adelaide was worried about what would happen if she left him with her brother. After being commanded to follow Rick by her brother, she listened to Shane. The man is already a few meters away from her—Adelaide had many paces to keep up. Adelaide went on the full force of running as she noticed people coming out of the white-painted house, and Rick entered their premises.
As she arrived, Adelaide waltzed inside the residence without anyone’s permission. She ushered herself into a room where everyone was huddled around the bed where Carl was unconsciously lying. Rick was also there.
“Is he alive?” Adelaide inquires to Rick, who comes of like he is about to lose himself. Carl is still unconscious, and there is a lot of blood coming out of his wound.
The old man perks up to her, “Are you the child’s mother?” Adelaide peers around the room. There are two blonde women and one brunette woman supporting the older man.
Adelaide vigorously shook her head, “No, no. I’m a family friend. I am guessing that you are Mr Hershel?” She asked the supposed doctor.
The old man gave her a soft smile and nodded his head. “Yes, Ma’am. The child is still alive, his heartbeat is faint, but he’s still here. We’ll do everything we can.”
“Just, please do everything you can do to save him.” She begged. Hershel tapped Adelaide's shoulder and went back to patching up Carl’s wound.
Adelaide swallowed greedily as she stood next to Rick. She caresses the back of the man beside her with her hand. “Lori has to be here.” He murmured.
“I can get her for you and Carl. Just say the word, and I’ll go back to the highway.” Adelaide offered. She is ready to go, but then, she wouldn’t just leave without talking to Rick and Shane first.
The former cop shakes his head, “No, your brother wouldn’t let you go alone.” Rick answered back. He turned his head to the window and saw Shane alongside the man who shot Carl outside. He hurries to the porch and is followed by Adelaide. A little scared of what Rick will do with the man who shot his kid.
“He’s alive? He’s still alive?”
Adelaide waits for Rick to answer his question. Rick let out a tear and ran his bloodied hand on his face, making his face tainted with blood too. “He’s alive. Barely. But Carl is still alive.” Adelaide answered the guilty man’s question. A sigh of relief escaped from his mouth.
Adelaide strode closer to a rocking chair and slumped on it. She watches Shane wiping out the blood on Rick’s face while he’s on the verge of breaking down. Shane asks where Carl is, and Rick moves back inside with Shane and the other man.
Adelaide discards her bag off her back, and she carefully places her backpack on the ground as she lifts her legs and wraps her long arms around the chair rocks.
She remained there, alone. Fresh air coming into her lungs. Peace. Silence. There are no walkers that are endangering her family. Everything seemed to be perfect, and she was so close to forgetting what had happened to Carl. His life is at risk. Adelaide swore to Lori that she would take care of Carl, yet she failed. Carl was shot, and now he is unconscious. And Lori doesn’t know a thing about all of it.
Adelaide couldn’t let herself enter the house again. Not after she listened to Carl crying, calling out his father, mother, and even her name. Adelaide is devastated. Being shot is simply hard. But being shot at a young age in a time like where they are currently in makes it more complicated.
Then, the lady with the bob cut left the house as she saw her sitting on the chair; the bob-cut hair lady flickered at her. “Where are you going?”
She halts walking and turns her head around. “High way. I’m fetching Rick’s wife.”
Adelaide puckered her eyebrows, “On foot?”
The lady chuckled, “No. I will be riding a horse.” She said with an accent.
Adelaide walks closer to the lady, “What is your name?”
“Maggie,” Maggie stretches her arms, and so does Adelaide. They shake each other’s hands.
“Pleasure to meet you, I’m Adelaide. Well, I hope you have a safe trip.” Maggie smiled and marched towards the barn, where Adelaide assumed the horses were gathered.
She went back to her seat and she continued spacing out. Adelaide didn’t even notice Maggie fleeing the farm. She is only staring at oblivion. She cannot help inside; medicine is very far from what she studied in college. Staying inside is not an option. Her heart breaks whenever she has a glimpse of Carl’s body. Not only that but, there is a lot of blood.
She doesn’t mind the walker’s blood, but an alive human being’s blood creeps the hell out of her.
Ten minutes later, the next one to depart the house was Otis and Shane. They have bags on their backs and guns on their hands. Adelaide stood up close to Shane, confused about where her brother was.
“Shane. Where are you going?”
Shane veered around to his sister and wrapped up his arms around her, and he lets go quickly before Adelaide could acknowledge. “We’re heading to the school. Gather all the equipment Hershel needs to perform the surgery on Carl.” He explained briefly.
“Do you want me to go with you?”
Shane disagrees, “No. Just stay here. Carl needs you. Rick also needs you. And when Lori arrives, she will need you too.” Shane ruffles her hair as Adelaide cringed at his action.
“Why don’t you go inside? Be with Rick. He badly needs someone.” Shane suggested.
Adelaide breathed, “What Rick needs is his wife. I cannot go in there, and blood freaking terrifies me.” Shane did not want to argue with Adelaide, so he only nodded his head.
“Be safe, Shane.” Adelaide peeks over Shane’s shoulder, “You too, Otis.” Otis let out a tiny smile on his face before he started to walk away. Shane pulls the bag on the ground and comes after Otis to his vehicle, and heads to the school.
It didn’t last long when another person exited the house, and it was Hershel and Rick. They just stood there on the porch’s wood railings, having a deep conversation. She has been eavesdropping on their exchange of words, and from the looks of it: Hershel is a man of beliefs, values, and opinions. He appears to be the kind of person who sees the beauty in this chaotic world they live in.
Adelaide couldn’t blame him. Hershel lived in a safe environment where they had nothing to worry about what they were going to eat or a place where they could stay for the night. They have a stable home. And Adelaide envied it. But then again, it was only a matter of time before it crumbled.
There is no such thing as permanent in the world they lived in. Even humans turn into flesh-eating corpses.
Adelaide stands behind Hershel as Maggie arrives with Lori and is embraced by her husband. She made way for the couple as the two entered the house to check on Carl. Lori did not even bother to look at Adelaide. She just went straight to Carl’s room.
“O negative can donate to everyone, right?”
Adelaide saw Hershel bob his head, “Yes, Ma’am. O negative is known as the universal donor.”
“Please call me, Adelaide. Oh, and can you please inform me if Rick is losing a lot of blood? I can give Carl some of my blood. Please tell him that and Lori also.” She politely requested and went back to her seat.
Hershel is a bit skeptical about the young lady he just met, “Will do, Ma—”
Adelaide cuts the old man quickly, “Please. Adelaide. Just Adelaide. I feel much older when you call me ma’am.” She pursed her lips into a smile, and a few seconds later, Hershel reciprocated the smile. He then went back inside the house as Adelaide returned to her seat.
/
The night came. Shane and Otis still haven’t come back. Carl is unconscious. Adelaide still sits at the rocking chair on the porch, taking a nap. Until she hears noises from the inside of the house, Adelaide marches into the house. She saw Rick having a hard time standing on his feet.
Lori assists her husband in sitting on a chair.
“What happened?” Adelaide whispered, letting them know about her existence in the room. The three adults turned their attention towards her.
“Carl needs more blood, and Rick here is being hard-headed,” Lori answers as she taps Rick's back.
Adelaide furrowed her brows in confusion and turned to Hershel. “Rick is losing a lot more blood than his body is producing. He can’t give Carl his blood anymore, or else he’ll pass out.”
Adelaide folded her arms and sighed heavily. Her lips were shaking a little. "I can give my blood to Carl.”
Lori and Rick quickly turn their head towards the brunette-haired young woman in front of them. They were surprised by her statement. “How? Do—do you share the same blood type as Carl?” Lori questions.
The hopeful look on Lori’s face dropped as Adelaide shook her head. “No. But, I’m O negative. Hershel said I can donate some of my blood to every other blood type.”
Lori hurriedly threw her arms on Adelaide, hugging her. Caressing Lori’s back was the only thing she could do. “Oh, God. Thank you, Adelaide. Thank you.”
Adelaide gleams solemnly, “It’s the least I can do. I broke my promise to you and myself.” Lori patted Adelaide’s back before pulling herself away from Adelaide and sitting beside Rick's chair.
“Adelaide, are you ready now?” Hershel asks as the room becomes quiet. Adelaide nods her head quickly, “Yeah.” She turns to Rick and Lori, smiling. “Gotta go,” She said.
Rick, who is weak, grabs Adelaide’s wrist. “Thank you, Adelaide.”
Adelaide smiled, toothless, “You’re welcome.”
Adelaide managed to give an estimated one pint of blood for Carl. She told Hershel to make it two, but he disapproved. Adelaide didn’t even argue because Lori and Rick said the same thing. She left the house and went back outside and decided to sit on the rocking chair, and surprisingly, someone was occupying it.
It was Maggie. Of course, the host’s daughter heard the door screeching, making her turn around. Maggie automatically stands up and looks at Adelaide.
Adelaide’s knees almost failed her to stand, so she supported herself by holding on to the wall. “Oh, I am so sorry. You can sit here, and I’ll just sit on the floor.” Maggie offered, which Adelaide accepted.
The lady with an accent assisted Adelaide to crouch on the chair. “I am sorry. I just felt fragile, and I am hating every second of it.” Adelaide apologized.
“Your body lost one pint of blood, it’s totally understandable.”
Adelaide chortles, “Right. And also the fact that I haven’t eaten a decent meal for a few days.” Maggie hummed as she sat down on the floor beside Adelaide.
Adelaide sat in silence. She does want to befriend Maggie but, as an introvert herself, she is having trouble socializing with other people, which leads to awkward silences.
As if Maggie heard Adelaide’s thoughts, she clears up her throat, “How was your life before all of this?”
“Typical. I just got out of my university. I spent my entire life with my grandparents, but after they died, I lived with my best friend. I have an older brother, I don’t think you have met him earlier, but he is with Otis as of this moment.”
“And what about your parents?”
“Mom died on giving birth to me, and Dad died a few years back. Even though I wasn’t my Dad’s biological kid, he still treated me like his own. He was the best father I could ask for. And, uh, Mom’s sperm donor already has his new family, not sure if he is still alive, though.”
Maggie gave Adelaide her sympathetic look before apologizing for the latter’s family member’s passing. She knew how painful it is to lose your mother. What more about losing all the people who you dearly loved the most?
Adelaide shakes her head, “Eh, they were already dead before I met you, so no need to be sorry. To be honest, I wouldn’t want them to live in a place like this. To a world like this.”
“Right. I don’t want my mum to live too if this is the place she’s going to live in.” Maggie agrees, smiling out of pain.
“Do you know those men?” Maggie lets out a sigh. A familiar car stops at the front of the house then two figures of men walk out of it and approaches the house. Maggie stands and leans on the porch railings. Her arms are crossed.
Adelaide nods her head, “They are a part of our small group.” It was T-Dog and Glenn. A smile appeared on her face, as did on Glenn, but it faded as he stared at Maggie.
The smile turns into a smirk, and then Adelaide notices the bondages on T-Dog’s arm. “That looks terrible.” She commented.
“It sure damn terribly hurts too,”
T-dog replies. As Adelaide stands, she almost stumbles. Thanks to Glenn’s fast reflexes, he was able to catch her. “Are you alright?” His voice was laced with concern.
“Compared to T-Dog and Carl’s injuries, I am doing great,” Adelaide replies as Glenn assists her to sit down. Glenn wasn’t convinced by her response and looked at Maggie.
“She gave Carl almost half of her blood. The kid is still unconscious, and I heard my Dad earlier that Carl needs to be operated on.” Glenn nods his head, absorbing the information. “Did you close the gate up the road when you drove in?” Maggie questions, changing the topic. She saw how uncomfortable Adelaide was just by mentioning Carl’s name.
“Hi. Yes, we closed it. Did the latch and everything.” Glenn replies, a little startled and scared. Adelaide can read it on his face. She knows he is attracted to Maggie.
Who isn’t?
“Nice to see you again. We met before briefly.” The South Korean man mentioned it as if he was reminding Maggie about their short meeting.
“Look, we came here to help,” T-Dog said, looking pale and sweaty. “There anything we can do?”
Maggie lays her eyes on T-Dog’s arm. “It’s not a bite. I cut myself pretty bad, though.” She gradually bobs her head, “We’ll have it looked at. I’ll tell them you’re here.” She commented.
Glenn offers painkillers and antibiotics just in case Carl needs them too, and in exchange, Maggie lets them in as she offers to cook for them to help their body gain energy.
Adelaide, feeling much better than earlier, went along with them. Like a gentleman, Glenn holds up her bag as they walk into the Greene property.
The newcomers, Glenn and T-Dog, said hi to the Grimes. The couple, along with Hershel, was in the room. They were waiting for Carl to wake up and Shane to get back from school.
Adelaide was in the kitchen, waiting for Maggie to turn up to offer to help. “Hi,”
A blonde young lady greeted the exhausted and hungry Adelaide. “Hello,”
“Why aren’t you in there?” She asks pertaining to her group which is with the Grimes now.
“Small room and too crowded.” Adelaide reasoned out.
“Claustrophobic? I’m Beth by the way.”
“Adelaide, and no,”
“Are you waiting for my sister Maggie?”
Adelaide nods, “Yeah. She offered us something to eat.” Beth nods, and she turns away and opens the fridge. Shortly after, Adelaide heard the clinking of the plates. The young woman carefully placed the plate with a sandwich on it.
“Here, eat this.”
Adelaide asked Beth to accompany her to the porch. Surprisingly, there was another chair where she sat earlier. They just talk. About their lives before. About music. About their favourite actors and actresses.
For the second time, Adelaide forgot what they experienced in Atlanta. She forgot about the walkers. And Carl getting shot.
“Would you mind if I go back inside? Dad might need me.”
Adelaide shook her head and let out soft chuckles, “No, no. You can leave me here. I’ll wait for Shane to come back.”
Beth grins before she enters the house again.
/
As Adelaide was about to doze off, she heard the door slam shut. It reveals Rick looking like he holds the entire world on his shoulders.
“How’s Carl?”
Adelaide whispered, loud enough for Rick to hear. Rick looked over his shoulder before talking, “Lori thinks that Jenner was right.” He revealed, making the young maiden raise from her seat and standing next to him.
“She said maybe it’s best for Carl to...”
“Die?” Adelaide felt a lump in her throat after that word came out of her mouth. Rick then nodded his head, “She’s scared, Rick. For Carl, for you, and for herself. A vet is Carl’s doctor, we lack equipment, and Shane is away to get that equipment. We’re in the apocalypse, and you must face the truth that if Carl survives this, he’ll be living in this cruel world that we created. You have to give her some time.”
“Carl will get through this. Shane and Otis will arrive with the respirator. He’ll survive, he’ll live, and he will fight. Just like the rest of us, just like you.” Adelaide raises her palm, thinking she should pat his back or just stand there in silence. Seconds later, she did the former.
She patted Rick’s back, and as she went back to her seat, Rick grabbed her wrist and threw his arms around her.
Rick is hugging Adelaide.
Weird. That’s all Adelaide can say, but she’ll allow it. The man has been through so much for a couple of days. Maybe this hug could ease his pain or anything.
“Thank you, Adelaide.”
As a response, Adelaide taps her hand on his shoulder before the man leaves and goes back inside the house, and Adelaide sits on the chair again.
“Okay, but what are you doing here?”
It was Glenn. She knew that voice too well. “Waiting for Shane.”
“Then wait inside. It’s freezing here.”
Adelaide asked about T-Dog and his arm which Glenn responded that Maggie had already given what was needed for it. Then he went back to pursuing Adelaide to enter the house.
If only Glenn’s arms were not powerful enough, he wouldn’t be able to drag Adelaide back inside along with her bag. With Beth’s permission, Adelaide stayed in her room for a few minutes.
That’s when Glenn had a tray of food and watched her devour every bit of it. When Adelaide asked for a towel from Beth, that’s when Glenn knew it was time to leave the room because Adelaide kept on telling him that she had already gained strength and was no need of assistance anymore.
Especially if she’s about to take a shower.
The water was chilly. She hated taking a bath at night and thought this was close to a cold shower. Adelaide’s college self must be proud. God, she had almost forgotten how it felt great to take a shower. It has been a while since Adelaide had a decent one. She turned off the faucet and began to rub every inch of her skin as the aroma of lavender started to corrupt her sense of smell.
It took Adelaide exactly thirty-six minutes, and seventeen seconds later, she got out of the bathroom. As of the moment, she only has the bathrobe and towel covering her body. As Adelaide glanced at the bed a few inches away from her, she noticed a pair of clothes lying on it. Adelaide uttered her gratefulness to whoever prepared the clothes for her and wore the pyjama pants and shirt. She got out of Beth’s room and went to where Carl was.
The kid was still there, unconscious, while his father, Rick, who was having a hard time getting up on his own feet, was giving his blood to his son again.
Adelaide furrowed her eyebrows as she crossed her arms on her chest, “Can he still stand?” She whispered as she stood behind Lori.
Lori shook her head and did not utter a word, “What kind of a father I am if I let you give your blood to Carl again?” Rick looked at Adelaide, giving her a faint smile.
“A great one, Rick, but it’s your choice and this is your last. If Carl ever needs a transfusion again, I’ll do it and I won’t take no for an answer..” Rick and Lori shared a look before looking back to Adelaide. “Look, I’m doing this for Carl, not for the both of you. It’s just, I think, my body can still take another transfusion, but I don’t think I can say the same to Rick, though.” Adelaide added a thrifty smile that appeared on her face after the Grimes couple sighed in defeat. They both know that no one cannot stop Adelaide.
•─────⋅☾ 𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔢𝔫𝔶𝔵𝔳𝔦 ☽⋅─────•
hello, everyone! sorry for the looooong wait—writer’s block is a bitch. somehow, i keep having ideas for new books but not on my ongoing book it is making me really frustrated!!
anyway, don’t want to bore you with my personal issues and problems...
this is half shorter than the previous chapters and so will be the next chapters. it’s kinda hard for my oc to be included in every scene and to keep up with five to six thousand words.
have a nice day!