Chapter Text
A little dazed and light headed Rick stared ahead at the empty hospital room. With no idea how he had got there, he panicked almost immediately.
“Nurse? Nurse!” He called through a thick cough.
In an attempt to sit at the edge of his bed he fell to the floor, leaving him a little winded.
“Nurse!” He spluttered.
But no one came.
Confused and a little irritated, he slowly stood up and headed to the door of his room, after quickly ripping off the sticky heart monitors that were clinging to the hair on his chest.
His hair was thick with sweat and he wasn't smelling too fresh either. He'd assumed the nurses would have cleaned him if he was in a coma and unable to take showers. Knowing they had left him such a state angered him.
Pushing the door open slowly he peaked out into the hall, the sight taking him by surprise.
Not a single person in sight. A silence that was almost deadly.
The halls were dark and smelled disgusting making Rick gag.
He knew instantly that something wasn't right and walked calmly down the halls.
“Nurse? Hello? Is there anybody here?” He tried to shout, feeling weak.
Straight ahead a door, which was bolted shut, shook loudly, taking him by surprise.
“Oh thank God.” He sighed and headed towards it.
"What's going on? I've been calling for a nurse. Could I possibly call my wife i-" He stopped dead in his tracks as he stared at the door in front of him. Sprayed across the bolted door in bright red paint read 'DEAD INSIDE. DO NOT ENTER"
“What the fuck?” He growled.
Thump.
“What the-”
Thump.
A little startled he stepped back.
Four bony fingers pushed their way through the cracks in the door.
“Hello? Do you need help? Can you help me?” Rick started.
Thump.
Peaking through the crack of the door, his heart stopped.
Stood in front of him was a nurse. But it wasn't one he had imagined. Not a sexy blonde in a tight blue dress.
Instead, stood a skinny woman who's hair had started to thin. With blood smeared all over her uniform and to Ricks horror, her jaw hanging off. behind her, a lifeless body lay with it's limbs hanging out.
“Shit!” He shouted, terrified.
“What the fuck is going on?” he cursed as he ran clumsily towards the hospital exit.
Outside, the deadly silence carried on through the city. Not a soul in site, Rick had never felt more alone.
“I have to get home. I have to get to Lori and Carl.” He sobbed.
“To Shane.” He whimpered.
Before he could finish his thought the darkness was back and he was unconscious.
After what felt like a life time, his eyes slowly opened and he chuckled.
“That was some nightmare.” He grumbled.
"Shane?" He whispered.
“Daddy! Daddy he's alive! He's awake Daddy!” Shouted a kid, taking him by surprise.
“Stand away from him Duane.” Warned a tall black man, with an angry expression on his face.
“How did you get that wound?” He growled.
“Excuse me? Is it not obvious?” Huffed Rick.
“Don't be a smart ass and answer the damn question. Or I will not hesitate to put a bullet in your head.” Warned the man, pressing a gun to his head aggressively.
“One bullet's enough for me. But thank you” Rick responded quickly, pointing with his eyes towards the womb. Arms tied to a bed post.
“You were shot? Nothing else?” he asked, cautious.
“Isn't being shot enough? No, nothing else.” he answered, raising an eyebrow irritated.
“Listen I don't know what you're after, but I need to be back at the hospital.”
“There's no one left, did you not see?” the man looked concerned.
“That...that wasn't a dream?” fear pulsed through his veins, making him feel sick.
“Then what happened? Where is everybody?”
“They're all dead.” he whispered.
“The name's Morgan, this is my son Duane.” he announced as we ate in the dark a while later.
“Rick.” He replied sharply.
“How did you survive Rick?”
“I was in a coma, I don't know what happened or how I managed to stay alive, but I have to know if my family and best friend are OK” he murmured.
“You'll be lucky if they're still alive. We lost Duane's mother the day it all started. There were riots, the dead coming back to life, eating the flesh of the living.” He said as he buried his head into his hands.
Ricks thoughts went back to his family but he couldn't stop thinking about Shane. Had he gotten out? Was he alone out there? He knew Lori would have Carl, but Shane had no family to run to.
The rest of the night went on in silence. Neither of the men spoke as the boy slept peacefully and Morgan kept guard.
"You should sleep" He advised Rick.
"Months of sleeping and you think i want to sleep now? It's good to be awake. Given the circumstances of course." he huffed.
The morning came around quickly. It was time to find them.
“You and Duane take this gun” offered Rick as he packed up his car with weapons from the station.
“Thank you Rick. Remember though, sound draws them in. Only use these if you're in a situation you can't seem to get out of. Kill those that are alone with this” He advised, handing him a blade.
“Good luck Morgan. Look after your old man Duane” Rick winked, rustling his hair. Then, the journey to find his family and best friend begun.
The drive-even without traffic, seemed endless. Leaving Rick feeling exhausted after staying awake all night. But he had to carry on to Atlanta in search of survivors.
It was fast growing dark and Morgan had earlier warned him of the dangers.
“More of them seem to come out at night” He'd said
“When they're in a group, they're harder to fight off.”
Staring at his watch he frowned, another hour had passed and he seemed nowhere near his destination. Realising he had no choice, he headed a little further into the town in search of somewhere to sleep for the night.
As he drove round the corner, he gasped.
Hundreds of the living dead had swarmed the streets. Bumping into each other as they groaned and stared ahead.
“shit shit shit!” cursed Rick, turning the car as quickly as possible. He had to get away from them before they realised and it was too late.
Trying to be as silent as possible, he reversed the car slowly. He would have to find another route, one that was safe. If, of course there was another.
Then before he could turn the car around, the unthinkable happened. Glass shattered around the car, making him jump as his head crashed into the airbag. A little dopey he sat back.
"Shit!" he growled through gritted teeth.
As he took a deep breath, the moans he'd been hearing became louder.
Looking out of the car window his heart stopped as hundreds of walking corpses stumbled towards his car.