The New World | The Walking Dead x Male Reader, OC

Save The Last One

Otis and Shane left for some supplies at a nearby school. Maggie was out looking for my mom. Dad and Hershel were in the room with Carl. And I haven't moved from this step. I felt useless. I can't save Carl, I can't give him blood. There's nothing I can do.

But after a while, Dad walked outside and stood beside me, Hershel too.

"This place is beautiful." I said.
"Been in my family a hundred sixty years." Hershel said.
"I can't believe how serene it is. How untouched. You're lucky." Dad said.
"We weren't completely unscathed. We lost friends, neighbors. The epidemic took my wife, my stepson." Hershel said.
"I'm sorry." Dad said.
"My daughters were spared. I'm grateful to god for that. These people here, all we have is each other. Just hoping we can ride it out in peace until there's a cure." Hershel said. I stood up.
"We already went to the C.D.C. It's nothing but a pile of rubble now. There is no cure." I said in a tone that hopefully wouldn't upset him.
"I don't believe it. When AIDS came along, everyone panicked. One boy in town came down with it and some parents pulled them out of school so they didn't have to sit in the same room." Hershel said with hope in his voice.
"This is a whole other thing." Dad said.
"That's what we always say -- This one's different." Hershel said.
"Well, this one is." Dad said.
"Mankind's been fighting plagues from the start. We get our behinds kicked for a while, then we bounce back. It's nature correcting herself, restoring some balance." Hershel said but I didn't believe it.
"I wish I could believe that." I said.

In the distance, we heard galloping. Maggie brought Mom.

Dad and I walked off the patio and towards the horse. When mom saw us and our blood stains, she started to sob. She hugged the both of us before demanding that we took her to see Carl, which we did. She immediately laid down beside him

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Dad gave some more blood. His face started to look gray and he could barely walk on his own.  Mom and I walked him over to the kitchen to talk to Hershel and to drink some orange juice.

"Okay, so I understand, when Shane gets back with this other man —" Mom said.
"Otis." Hershel said.
"Otis. The idiot who shot my son." Mom said.
"Ma'am, it was an accident." Hershel said.
"I'll take that under advisement later. For now he's the idiot who shot our son." Mom said.
"Mom, they're doing what they can to help Carl." I said.
"Okay, as soon as they get back you can perform this surgery?" Mom said.
"I'll certainly do my best." Hershel said.
"Okay. I mean, you've done this procedure before?" Mom said.
"Well, yes, in a sense." Hershel said.
"In a sense?" Mom said.
"Honey, we don't have the luxury of shopping for a surgeon." Dad said.
"No, I understand that, but I mean, you're a doctor, right?" Mom said to Hershel.
"Yes, ma'am. Of course. A vet." Hershel said.
"A veteran? A combat medic?" Mom said.
"A veterinarian." Hershel said which left Mom and Dad speechless.
"With animals?" I said, also surprised.
"And you've done this surgery before on what? Cows? Pigs?" Mom said.
"I.. I have to sit." Dad said as he tumbled onto a chair. Mom and I caught him before he could fall over.
"Completely in over your head, aren't you?" Mom said.
"Ma'am, aren't we all?" Hershel said.
"Yeah. I guess we are." I said.

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We're back to checking on Carl.

"Pressures dropping again. We can't wait much longer." Hershel said.
"Take some more. Whatever he needs. Then I'm gonna go." Dad said.
"Go? Go where?" Mom said.
"He said five miles. They should be long back by now. Somethings gone wrong." Dad said.
"Are you insane? You're not going after them." Mom said.
"If they got into trouble-" Dad said.
"I'll go." I said.
"No, Mason. You're staying here." Mom said.
"Dad's right. They should be back by now." I said.
"I'm already worried about one of my boys, I can't be worried about you too." Mom said.
"I have to go! Carl needs that equipment! And I'm tired of sitting around, not being able to help him." I said.
"You're not going anywhere. I need both of you here. I can't do this without you." Mom said as she looked at Dad and I.