Dixon's Baby Girls

Part 24: Hershel's Farm

*Hayley's POV*
*Bam*

A gunshot goes off, and I feel an enormous pain erupt through my stomach. I fall onto my back, as I hear Carl and Rick yell.

I hear someone else yelling too, but can't pinpoint who it is. Then I realize it is in fact me.

I see Rick in my vision, trying to soothe me, and telling me to stay awake. I feel him lift me up into his arms. Before, everything goes black.

*Rick's POV*

We hear a gunshot go off. Then, I see Hayley fall onto the ground, a red spot growing bigger on her shirt.

    "Hayley!" Carl shouts looking down at the girl he had become close to.

"No, no, no!" I shout running up to the small girl. I kneel down beside her, and put pressure on her wound. She starts yelling out in pain, breathing erratically, and cries. She tries to push my hand away.

"I know Hayley, it hurts, but I gotta try and stop the bleeding." I try to soothe her, even though I know I'm unable to. "Shh, shh, you're gonna be okay, shh." I say trying to make her quiet, in fear of the walkers finding us. She eventually stops screaming, and I feel her squeezing my hand that's over her stomach. She is in shock and in pain.

A large man runs out from behind the trees. Holding a hunting rifle. He sees the bleeding girl in front of me, and stops abruptly in his tracks.

"You!" Shane says, walking up to the man quickly. Making the man back up in fear. "Look what you did, you shot a little girl!" Shane shouts livid. I'm still holding her wound, Carl is crying beside us.

I look down on Hayley's face, and see her watery eyes start to flutter shut.

"N-no, Hayley you gotta stay awake hun. Don't close your eyes." I say quickly, but she closes them anyway. "Hayley, wake up. Wake up for me." I say a bit sternly. Her eyes open slightly. I pick her up into my arms, and look at her face to see her eyes closed again. I curse to myself.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shoot her! I-I didn't see her I swear, I'm sor-" the man with the gun starts to apologize, but I cut him off.

"We need help. Do you know anywhere?! Can you help her!" I demand, more than ask. He nods slightly.

"There's a farm, that way. Get her there, and Hershel, he can help your girl." He says, pointing behind him. I nod and start running, Shane grabs the man and them, and Carl follow.

We run for a while, I'm quickly running out of breath, but I keep pushing on. The fact that I have a dying little girl in my arms motivating me. We reach a field, but I don't see a farm.

I hear the man behind me grunting. Shane yells at him.

"Come on. Hey, you move, dickhead! Come on, get us there!" Shane yells.

"How far? How far?!" I turn and shout.

"Another half mile, that way! Hershel, talk to Hershel-- He'll help your little girl." He informs. "I'm sorry."

I groan, and adjust Hayley, in my arms. Then I start running, as fast as I can, leaving the man, along with Shane and Carl behind.

As I keep running through the field, I see a farmhouse come into view.

I hear Hayley make a noise, sounding like a grunt of pain. I look down and see her eyes still closed, but a tear falls out the corner of her closed eye.