as the world caves in // twd

FOUR - the day, the music died

      
     .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

When Odessa turned her face towards the screech in the air, she felt her world flip upside down. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. One of those things took a bite out of sisters shoulder, causing blood to splatter everywhere. Odessa stood frozen in place as everything around her blurred.

Suddenly, she was snapped out of her daydream by her father's loud words. "Bug, let's go! We have to get her to the hospital. Come on, get in the front seat!" Glenn urgently started the car, and Odessa rushed to the front seat. Their destination was the hospital, or so they thought.

Xiomara, with a big open wound in her shoulder, was in Javier's arms. He used his jacket to stem the bleeding. "You're going to be okay, baby. We'll get you to the hospital and get you all fixed up," Javier reassured her. Xiomara looked at him and asked, "You promise?" Javier replied, "I promise, okay?"

A silence fell upon the car as Glenn drove through the crowded streets of downtown Atlanta, desperately trying to reach the hospital. The traffic was terrible, and it seemed unlikely they would arrive on time. Javier's jacket was already soaked with Xiomara's crimson blood. Odessa, filled with worry, exclaimed, "We need to take a shortcut or something, or we won't make it!"

"I'm trying, okay? There are a lot of people in the street," Glenn responded, his voice strained. Odessa couldn't help but look back at her sister. Xiomara hadn't said a word and looked pale as a ghost. "I'm going to be okay, Des. I promise," Xiomara weakly stated. Odessa replied with tears streaming down her face, "I know."

But deep down, Odessa knew the truth. She knew she was about to lose her sister. Trying to hold back her sadness, she said, "Hey, Bug, it's okay. We're going to be fine. We'll go to the hospital, let them patch you up, and we'll be out of here." Javier, his voice uncertain.

Xiomara whispered, "I need to rest my eyes." Panicking, Odessa pleaded, "No, no! You have to stay awake, okay?" Tears continued to flow down Odessa's face as she desperately tried to keep her sister conscious. "I can't do it," Xiomara admitted. "Yes, you can," Odessa replied. "Remember, you're the strong one—the one who wipes my tears."

"We need to split up," Javier suddenly suggested. Glenn, who hadn't spoken in a while, protested, "What? We're just five minutes away!" he interjected, "Yes, but Xiomara isn't getting any better. If we sit here in traffic, time will slip away. I'll walk Xiomara to the hospital; it's not that far. I'll find a ride, and we'll meet up somewhere."

Silence enveloped the car for a few moments. "We can meet up by the diner off the exit to enter the city. Then, we'll turn around and get the hell out of here," Glenn proposed. "Okay, that sounds good," Javier agreed. "I'll call you if anything changes. If we're not back by 8 o'clock, leave and find somewhere safe, okay?"

"What? No, we can't leave you!" Odessa protested. Javier reassured her, saying, "I know, baby, I know. But we'll find each other, I promise." Odessa reluctantly said, "Okay." Xiomara, mustering her strength, said, "Dessa, I love you. Be good for me, okay?" Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, "Me and you until the end, right?"

"Yeah," Odessa replied, her voice cracking through her tears. "I love you, and please don't kill Glenn," she added, trying to lighten the mood. Everyone chuckled. "I promise," Xiomara said, smiling. Then, Javier spoke up, "Bug, I love you, and I'll see you later, okay? You too, Glenn." He kissed Odessa's forehead.

"And please don't pretend like you don't know English if you meet someone," Javier joked. Odessa replied, "No promises," and laughed. "Okay," he said, opening the car door and helping Xiomara out. He held her upright as they started walking, their figures gradually shrinking into the distance until they were nothing but a dot on the horizon.

Odessa and Glenn watched in silence as Javier and Xiomara disappeared from sight.

"Ok so once we get though the traffic we wait by diner" Glenn said

"Okay," Odessa said quietly, her gaze fixed on the window as thoughts of her sister consumed her. Deep down, she knew that Xiomara's chances of survival were slim, but she refused to accept it.

     .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

After hours of sitting in traffic, they still hadn't reached the diner, and the clock was ticking closer to 8. They were trapped in a traffic jam, and people were starting to abandon their cars and gather around something.

"Wait in the car, Odessa. I'm going to see what's going on," Glenn said.

"Okay, please be safe," Odessa replied.

"I promise," he assured her, opening the car door. Odessa watched nervously as he approached a woman with short grey hair who was standing on her toes, trying to get a better view of the commotion.

Odessa strained to see what everyone was panicking about. All she could make out were dark, smoky clouds rising from the tall buildings of Atlanta. As she squinted to get a better look while still obeying Glenn's request to stay in the car, a sudden knock shattered the silence, startling her.

      .・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

authors note:
🌚.

hope u enjoyed! please comment and vote

xoxo,
cay