Norman Reedus Imagines

Can't Let Go (2)

It took all of my efforts to not swerve off the road and drive my car into the nearest lamp post. The tears that threatened to spill kept coming, and they wouldn't stop. I blinked them back as best as I could but it was no use.

Not even knowing what happened or if anything was wrong, just the way Rodriguez said those few words made my paranoid thinking get the best of me.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when an abrupt horn shocked me back into reality. Nearly ramming the car in front of me, I slammed on the break and gripped the steering wheel as the entire car jolted to a stop. Without even blinking, the tears that rimmed my eyes streamed down my cheeks. The car in front started to go while my foot barely rested on the pedal, I let the car roll along the road, petrified of getting into another close call like the one that just happened.

I studied the signs and landmarks, searching for the place Rodriguez said they were at. Bright lights and fluorescent road signs distracted me from time to time, but ultimately my mind was only focused on finding them.

- - - - -

"Hey how's he look?" Rodriguez said, making his way over to the car.

I looked down to see Russell hanging on by a thread, so weak he couldn't even find the energy to lift his head or form basic words. "It ain't good man." I said. Rodriguez looked down and nodded slightly, accepting the facts.

"Dammit let me go!" Gabe said, panicking and getting frustrated behind me. Marcus held him against the wall, keeping him in place. No one should have to see a friend suffer like this, especially a brother. "Please, just let me go." He said, tearing up, he choked up while struggling to get the rest of his sentence out.
Rodriguez and I made direct eye contact, not sure of how to handle this.

Russell kept trying to say something, but the more he tried, the more pain he caused himself. "Hey man, don't. Take it easy." I said, hoping he'd listen.

It took me a moment, but I weighed all the pros and cons. Deciding that it was time to let him go. I took one last glance, wishing this wasn't how he had to go. How we had to remember him in his final moments.
Taking the plastic bag that confined him, I put it back over his head, making the aftermath more bearable.

Stepping back, I took a deep breath and raised my gun. Eye level to get a clear shot. Hesitating for a moment, I started to lower my gun.

"What do we tell Y/N?" Rodriguez said, leaning against the car. The thought of her caused me to completely drop my gun to my side. I ran my hand over my head, trying to think of something.

"We tell her what we know, it'll be hard. But she'll get through it." I said before lining up the shot yet again, ready to fire.

"Michael!" I heard my name echo and bounce off of the concrete walls. In unison, we all turned our heads to see another car at the entrance of the lot, headlights blinding our vision.

- - - - -

I put the car in park and peered through the windshield to see Michael and Rodriguez talking next to what seemed to be Russell's car. Gabe was pinned up against the wall by Marcus off to the side. I hesitated, but stepped out of the car, my fingers grasped onto the door as I stood in place, trying to see what it is they were doing. Michael turned back to the car and raised his gun. Panic started to set in, before he could do anything my mind told me not to, but everything else caused me to practically scream his name out. As if it was a last attempt to reach someone.