Red ~ TWD (Daryl Dixon)

How to Save a Life

Hunkered down in the woods just outside the VA hospital I scanned the perimeter through my binoculars. The place was crawling with walkers. They littered the parking lots, some standing still while others seemed to walk around with no particular direction in mind, listless. They all looked emaciated, clearly starving as they awaited death for a second time, most of their skin gone now leaving behind a hardly recognizable skeletal form that oozed what little bodily fluids they had left. The majority of them were congregated around the front doors and main parking lot so getting in that way was a big no.

The entire property was an improvised cemetery with dead bodies all over the place, scattered on the ground, some lying alone, others grouped together. There were two huge piles stacked like a pyramid, clearly staged for some type of disposal that never transpired. Some were even tightly wrapped in white sheets, lined up in meticulous rows outside the loading dock, having died early in the turn when taking such liberties was still an option.

As awful as the mass grave was the smell was worse. Even from a distance it was almost unbearable, the stench so powerful it was almost visible like a fog surrounding the hospital. It burned my nose, coating my tongue and the back of my throat in a thick layer bitterness that threatened to upend my stomach. I pulled the polyester face shield from around my neck up and over my nose and mouth in an effort to combat the intolerable odor. The thin moisture wick fabric did little to help, but was better than nothing. I used it in the desert to keep the sand out of my mouth and nose during storms. I thought those had been bad. It was nothing compared to this. I would gladly take a sand storm any day of the week if it meant I never had to smell or lay eyes on the sight before me.

Scanning the building I tried to find an approach that didn't mean certain death. The side entrances were less populated than the front, but the amount of dead bodies between me and the doors made it too dangerous. Walking through them would be like trying to traverse a mind field blindfolded, no way to be certain the dead lying on the ground were in fact dead. I may have lied to Rick when I said I had a general outline.

Biting my lip I cursed in frustration, trying to remain calm as each plan I envisioned came crashing down after further scouting. Slow down Alex, work the problem, find a solution. There was always a solution. I just needed to find, but it was a tall order this time. In my mind I heard an imaginary clock ticking away. A man's life was literally in my hands and not just any man, Daryl. I said his name again, reminding myself there was no Plan B so I had man up and figure this out. Technically there wasn't even a Plan A, but I was his only hope so I if I couldn't find a way I would make a way. He wasn't dying on my watch.

Scanning the hospital again my eyes drifted back to the rear of the hospital by far the best option out of a pile of really shitty ones. There were less dead on the ground and fewer walkers lurking around. It wasn't ideal, but considering my other options involved body surfing over a herd it was looking better and better. Studying the approach I noticed a set of industrial drainage pipes at the top of the building, trailing down the side and continuing into an underwater sewage system.

Bingo.

I almost laughed.  Daryl was right if there was a roof in sight I'd find an excuse to be on it. Pulling out my handgun I screwed the silencer onto the barrel, standing up and moving silently towards the back of the hospital. I kept to the woods for as long as I could, using the trees as cover, but eventually I was forced from their relative safety into the open.

If I had more time I would use my knife instead of the gun, keep the noise to an absolute minimum, but time was a luxury I didn't have. The silencer would keep the sound relatively muffled, but it wasn't magical, and unfortunately walkers had excellent hearing. Trading quickness for stealth was a sacrifice I had to make, a bullet to the brain a far more efficient kill than hand-to-hand combat.