The Walking Dead

~Seven~

They were only on the road for an hour or so before the rv stopped. "Dad?"

"It's the damn hose." He says as they all pile out of the cars to look at the rv. "I told you we'd never get far on that hose." Dale says as Rick tries to get the smoke all out. "I said I needed the one from the cube van."

"Can you jury-rig it?" Rick asks.

"That's all it's been so far. It's more duct tape than hose. And I'm out of duct tape."

"I see something up ahead." Shane calls back. "A gas station if we're lucky."

"Y'all, Jim- It's bad. I don't think he can take anymore." Jacqui says, causing Amy to look at her sister.

"Hey, Rick, you want to hold down the fort?" Shane asks. "I'll drive ahead, see what I can bring back."

"Yeah, I'll come along too and I'll back you up." T-Dog says.

"Y'all keep your eyes open now." Shane warns them. "We'll be right back." Cricket frowns before walking over to where Daryl was.

"Hey." Daryl glances over and frowns.

"Taking Jim is not a good idea. We should have just put down back at camp."

"I know." Daryl looks at Cricket in surprise. "There's no cure, if there was then there wouldn't be these walkers anymore. All we're doing is giving Jim false hope."

"So, you agree with me?"

"There's not much else we can do." Cricket says with a shrug. "Bring him with us does nothing, but prolong it. It's not a cold he has. It's much much worst."

"We could-

"Even if I agree with you Daryl, it's still not our call, it's not Rick's either. It's Jim that's dying he should decide what he wants to do." Daryl frowns and looks over at her.

"What do you think Jim wants?" Cricket frowns.

"I'm not sure." She says as Rick walks out of the rv.

"Jim... he wants us to leave him here." Everyone stares at him for a long moment, as if thinking he's kidding and waiting for him to start laughing and smiling. "It's what he says he wants." Rick says.

"And he's lucid?" Carol asks, surprise and doubt in her voice.

"He seems to be. I would say yes."

"Back in the camp when I said Daryl might be right and you shut me down," Dale begins, causing them to look at him. "You misunderstood. I would never go along with callously killing a man. I was just gonna suggest that we ask Jim what he wants. And I think we have an answer." 

"We just leave him here?" Shane asks. "We take off? Man, I'm not sure I could live with that."

"He says it's what he wants." Cricket argues.

"It's not your call," Lori agrees with Cricket. "Either one of you." The group falls silent, the answer is now in everyone's minds. They were going to have to leave Jim behind.

Rick and Shane carry Jim out and places him under a nice shady tree. "Yeah. That's it." Rick says as Jim lets out a pained groan. Jim lets out a heavy breath as he smiles and looks up.

"Hey, another damn tree." Cricket smiles, fighting back tears. She had grown to know everyone in the group and to loose any them is hard, but to loose so many in one go is even harder.

"Hey, Jim-" Shane starts, obviously feeling guilty about doing this. "I mean, you know it doesn't need to be this."

"No. It's good. The breeze feels nice." Jim says as he closes his eyes.