While Dr. Macones was getting things ready, I made my rounds through the hospital. Most of the rooms were closed, so I had to proceed cautiously. Most of the rooms had walkers trapped in them and little loot, except for the rare rooms that had small refrigerators that were provided for personal use for drinks and snacks brought by family members. So I grabbed every working adjustable beds, IV poles, and patient monitors I could find. They were gonna be useful later down the road.
Finishing with the last room, I reached the blocked cafeteria at the end of the hall. It was sealed with chains and a thick wooden board. I could tell it was swarming with walkers. I grabbed my bolt cutter from my Inventory and proceeded to cut the chains as quietly as possible. Grabbing the chains before they could hit the ground, I slowly removed the wooden board and grabbed my pistol. Opening the doors, I was greeted with a horde of walkers. Just from a preliminary head count, I could tell there were at least 50 in there. I knew I had to take the initiative, so I began culling them down, reloading every 15 shots. It took about a half an hour and 4 reloads to clear the walkers and continue looting.
Inside the cafeteria, dry stores and refrigerator were stocked. Considering this is a hospital, the food wasn't that great but edible and nutritional nonetheless. There were highly processed meals, frozen meals, as well as crates of therapeutic and modified diets meals for these with special conditions, as well as crates of fruits and vegetables, some looking a little spoiled. I salvaged what I can and moved on to the designated staff area, where I found Dr. Macones focusing on gathering her stuff.
"Hey, could you loot food stuff while you're at it? I took care of the rest. All that's left is the staff's designated area and hospital storage."
Startled, she spun around. "Ah, alright, I'll take care of it," she said, exhaling slightly.
I nodded once and went to finish looting. Operating rooms netted me surgical instruments and some supplies. The hospital pharmacy required access cards. Luckily, I found one on a corpse when I was looting the operation rooms. Thanks, Doc, I murmured to myself. Inside was the jackpot. Inside were labeled boxes, supplies, and medications spanning most of the spectrum: bandages, tourniquets, gloves, hand sanitizers, antipsychotics, respiratory agents, pain medications, high cost specialized cancer drugs, antidiabetics, anticoagulants, etc. as well as crates of oxygen canisters, big and small. I tossed most to my Inventory, save for a few crates and a couple duffle bags that I stuffed full and loaded them on a trolley.
Returning to Rick's hospital room, I found Dr. Macones preparing Rick for transport. I knocked this time before entering. "Ready?" I asked.
"As I'll ever be," she said. There was a softness in her voice that didn't match the tough lines in her face.
We moved through the loading bay. Ghost barked as a dozen walkers stumbled out. I quickly took care of them quietly to prevent more walkers from getting drawn here. I spotted a white box truck that was parked in the loading bay, still in decent condition. Will do for now until I find something better later, I thought to myself.
Settling Rick in the cargo box along with the supplies I set to apart for transport, Gale handed me a small bottle of saline. "Keep his mouth moist," she instructed. "If we don't do the small things, nothing else matters."
I hopped in the driver seat. Gale sat in the passenger seat with her duffle bag in her lap. I eased the truck off the lot. The engine sputtered a bit before it found its voice. Driving through the silent city, "Who are you, really?" she asked quietly at one point, not accusatory, curious.
I looked at her. "Just a man that's been given a second crack at fixing things. I don't have a church or a savior, just a farm and a dog."
She laughed, a small, dry sound.
"You bet," I said. "It's usually measured in nails and cans."
By night fall, I was close to reaching the farm. Headlights cut through the dark as the farmstead drew closer and closer. It wasn't long before we rolled back up the lane. The others were already gathered at the gate: Morgan, Jenny, Duane, Dale, Andrea, Amy, and Jim, their faces a mix of relief and curiosity.
Dale squinted as the truck stopped and I climbed down. "You brought company?"
"Two," I said, mentioning to the back. "One's a doctor, name's Gale Macones. The other's still sleeping."
Morgan's eyes widened as Gale stepped out, exhausted but upright. "A doctor? You're a sight for sore eyes, ma'am."
"And the man?" Dale asked.
"Name's Rick Grimes. A Deputy Sheriff. He got shot during a chase before everything collapsed," I said simply. "He's got a pulse, that's enough for now."
Gale gave a small nod to the group. "I'll need space inside, clean water, and some steady light if possible. He's stable but weak."
"Take the main room. We'll handle the rest."
We settled him gently in a spare bed in the main room. Gale hooked him up IV lines with meticulous care and checked the oxygen canister. Jenny hurried with a basin and clean towels. Morgan stood back, watching the scene like a man seeing a miracle and deciding whether he believed.
"His airways must always stay clear," Gale said, voice clipped. "We can't let the infection take hold. And keep him warm, alright?"
Morgan said, "Anything you need."
Duane pressed his hand into Ghost's fur as Gales checked an IV line. The boy looked up at me with big, honest eyes. "Will he wake up?" he asked.
Gale's answer was measured, honest, the kind only a doctor could be. "Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don't. But we'll give him the best chance."
I stared for a long moment at the pale, sleeping Rick with complex eyes. Ghost trotted beside me. I reached down to scratch behind his ears. "Not bad for a day's work, huh, boy?" He barked once, low and soft. I smiled faintly. The sound of distant moans rolling across the hills. "Welcome to the new world, Rick Grimes," I murmured under my breath. "Let's see if we can make this one worth waking up too."
(To be continued...)