The Hospital

While Wolfe was putting new board for post, he saw Hershel coming towards him.

"How is his leg?", Wolfe inquired. "I've done what I could for now, but he'd need to see a doctor. We'll be taking him with us to the hospital in the next town. Thank you for your help earlier", Hershel thanked Wolfe.

Wolfe shook his head, " No need for thanks, sir. I am indebted to your son. He helped me yesterday. I helped him today". Hershel nodded but didn't say anything further.

"I don't think taking him to a hospital is a wise choice", Wolfe said to which Hershel looked at him for reason.

"The current situation is not good outside. Hospitals are the most vulnerable places where these infected must be brought for treatment. Taking him there could create more problems. Bringing a doctor here would be better, I think", Wolfe recommended looking at Hershel for acknowledgement.

"You are right. The thought didn't cross my mind. I'll send Otis out to bring a doctor here", then he looks at the man and asks, "Would you go with him?". Wolfe nods in reply.

"Where is he? We can leave right after I finish this". Hershel shook his head and said, "No, leave it. We can do it later. Come to the front after changing".

"Umm... I don't have clothes on me", Wolfe said embarrassingly scratching his head. 

"Shawn has some clothes that would fit you. I'll ask Beth to bring it to you", Hershel said and walked away.

Wolfe looked at his back and then at the half work he had done. He stuck the top of the board with a hammer two or three times perfectly preparing the post for the fence. He left the Back and went to freshen up after where Beth brought him some of the oversized clothes of Shawn as Wolfe was bigger in size than Shawn.

"See if this will fit you", Beth said staring at the man.

"It'll do. Thanks", Wolfe acknowledged.

"I am coming with you guys. There is someone I have to meet on the way", Beth said.

"Have your father agreed?", he asked.

"He will. Back me up when you see me sign at you. Otis will also do so". Wolfe didn't say anything and walked away.

Outside the house, when Wolfe reached the people gathered outside, he heard Hershel and Beth arguing.

"I have to see if he's okay. I'll be safe with Otis. Right?", she looked at Otis who affirmed looking at Hershel.

"And he is also helping so, there is no need to worry", Beth said looking at Wolfe who said nothing. Hershel waited for a bit thinking something before saying, "Your mother might need help here. You should be here".

"It's only for some time, dad. I'll come back with them. Patricia would look after her till then.", Beth protested looking at Patricia, Otis' wife who was silent but didn't deny.

Finally, Hershel gave up and the three people sat on Otis' carry truck while Beth and Otis sat in front and Wolfe in the back. 

They were just outside the farm when Wolf saw a car going towards the farm with a girl in driving seat. Beth looked back at the car with excitement before her eyes went on Wolfe who seemed to be looking at her.

"That's my sister, she is back from the city", she said with a relieved smile. Wolfe just nodded and went back to eat the bread he had brought with him.

The journey to the town was very peaceful. Wolfe had brought fruits and bread to eat on the journey. The initial road was going within the forest while after some time the road widened after an intersection and Otis took a turn. Wolfe saw that everything seemed normal on the highway until they reached the town. The roads had become dirty, many cars were abandoned on the side.

"Take a turn there, I have to see someone", Beth asked Otis who did so. When the truck stopped, Beth went out and walked with a quick pace towards a house. After a few knocks the door opened from where a young boy, same age as that of Beth came out. Beth hugged the weeping boy, while Wolfe approached them.

"My mom was sick and started attacking me. I ran towards my room and closed myself there. Then she went outside, and I don't know where she went but she hasn't come back. There were many people walking this road last night. People were screaming. I couldn't look outside. This place is not safe Beth". The boy said while wiping his tears with his wrist.

"Why don't you come to our farm until this all calms down? My father would agree to let you stay for some time", Beth said looking at Wolfe, who understood that she meant if an unknown man is allowed to stay, then her boyfriend will be too.

"Hurry, pack your back and come with us. We have some work to do at the hospital, but we will leave soon afterwards".

"How about we pick him up when we go back?", Otis said from the truck. Beth looked at the boy who nodded. She said alright and the trio began to drive again.

When they reached near the hospital, they saw chaos outside. The local police had barricaded the gate stopping anyone from entering the hospital while from the hospital, gunshots could be heard. Looking at the situation, Wolfe jumped out of the truck and came to the driver side.

"I think this place has been compromised. They are stopping anyone from entering and holding guns. We can't enter the hospital through here. Is there anywhere else where we could find a doctor". Otis and Beth couldn't comprehend the situation but heard him and Otis shook his head.

"Everyone near the area comes here for treatment. There is no other hospital nearby", he said. 

"Situation could be same in other hospitals too", Wolfe said. "But Shawn needs a doctor", he waited for a bit before saying, "I'll go in and bring one out from the back. You guys meet me there. Keep the truck ready to drive when we arrive".

Otis looked at Wolfe and said, "Alright, be safe". Beth looked at him worriedly, he looked at her for a moment before running off along the hospital's fences. Wolfe scanned his surroundings to see if he was being noticed by anyone. When the path was clear, he stepped back a bit before suddenly running towards the fence and using the momentum he built, jumped on the fence reaching the top which was quite high. He pulled himself up and jumped down the fence on the other side as quietly as possible. 'I gotta' get this body to good condition', Wolfe analyzed. He didn't know how long he was in that lab, but he had lost almost all the muscles in his body and felt really weak for the same reason. He scanned his surroundings again and saw an open window in a hospital's room in first floor and a trash dump below it. He figured he could get on the trash dump and jump to reach the window. He did so, but just as he was about to climb up, he heard a man begging someone that made him hold his movement and stay hanging on the wall.

"Please don't shoot me. I am not infected", the man said wailing.

"Sorry, but everyone who is injured is to be shot in the head", the man said and fired the gun spreading silence in the room. Soon, another voice came out and said, "Hey hurry up. We have to gather all the doctors, nurses and other workers in the ground floor".

"Okay let's go", the man said, and they left the room.

Knowing that they left the room, Wolfe climbed up and entered the room. Just as he stood up, he saw a woman coming out of a closet cautiously. The eyes met each other and in surprise, a scream came out of the woman but before it could volume up, Wolfe quickly reached his hand and closed her mouth, putting his index finger on her lips.

"Shhh... they are nearby". The woman calmed down and closed her eyes in relief that it was a normal man not someone that would shoot her. Wolfe had come too close to her that they could feel their breath for a moment. Looking at each other made both of them feel a bit awkward. Wolf removed his hand from her mouth slowly and backed away a bit. 

"Are you a doctor?", Wolfe asked. "Yes, I am a resident in this hospital", the woman replied.

"So, you can treat a person who got in an accident right? My friend got his leg under the wheel of farm tractor and is in pain. Can you help him?", he asked.

"Yes. I can. But where is he?", she asked.

"Obviously not here. It was too dangerous to bring him in the town. We have to go to his house. Anyway, what's going on here? Why are they killing people like that?", Wolfe asked. 

"I also do not know anything. From a few days there have been an increase in cases of very aggressive behavior from some patients. They bite people near them and after some time, the person that was bit also shows same aggression. One such patient bit off the neck of our chief doctor who died due to blood loss. But after some time, he woke up again and started attacking nurses. It's like everyone is getting infected after being bit. And today, some people from army came with police and started shooting anyone they thought could be infected. I hid in that cabinet to save myself", the woman said with sweat dripping from her forehead.

"Don't worry. I'd take you away from here now. Would you require anything to treat my friend?", Wolfe asked.

"Yes. But we have to go to my room to get some things first", woman said. Wolfe nodded and asked her where it was. "It's in this same floor. Right after the room after this", she said.

"Alright. Let's go there quickly and quietly", Wolfe said before grabbing her hand and walking to the door.

He peeked outside. Left and right. Watching that no one was on the corridor, he pulled the doctor with him and paced to the doctor's room. He quickly entered the room with her where she began putting some things in her bag quickly. While she was doing her things, he started to scan the place himself to find somethings that she might need although he didn't know what. The room was built for resident doctors. It was not only hers but a room for three residents. When he moved further, he saw something on the ground in the corner. He moved towards it and saw blood on the floor, moving further he saw a leg and then saw a man in his mid 20s being shot on the head. He heard the sound of something drop and saw that the woman had dropped her stethoscope. She was also in shock to see the man's dead body covering her face with both hands.

"Hey, you don't have to see this. Let's go. They might come back again", Wolfe said hurriedly, trying to distract the woman in shock. "We need to go now", he said.

They quickly passed the other rooms and came back to the room from where he entered from. He looked below and asked her if she could jump down. The woman shook her head. Looking around him, he quickly grabbed the sheets on beds, tied a knot on them, checked if they were loose. After confirming it was good, he tied one end of the sheet to the woman's waist saying he would use it as a rope to help her get down and trust him with her safety. The woman complied after hearing gunshots from inside the hospital. He slowly released the sheet bringing the woman to the ground. As soon as she reached the ground, she started trying to undo the knot. Wolfe in the meantime jumped directly on the ground. The girl almost screamed in surprise thinking he had hurt his leg. But Wolf just landed on the ground and with no further reaction, started helping her undo the knot. Quickly after that they saw the vehicle waiting outside the fence. Wolfe supported the woman, picking her up grabbing her slim waist so she could grab the top rail. She hung precariously from the high fence, struggling to pull herself over. Just as she was about to lose her grip, Wolfe suddenly grabbed her thighs to support her again and gave her the boost she needed to clamber over to the other side. She was a little embarrassed thinking someone who she didn't know had touched her so many times already. On the other side, Otis helped her climb down the fence. While Beth looked at Wolfe. He quickly threw the bag of doctor to other side and like before stepped back a bit but before he could jump, someone from the hospital window called out.

"You there! Where are you going? Come back. You cannot leave this parameter", a man in army uniform commanded loudly.

Ignoring his command, Wolf just jumped up and crossed the fence in one go. The soldier aimed his gun at them but looking at everyone hurriedly getting back in the truck didn't fire. He looked at the group as they disappeared from his sight.

Otis and doctor were sitting in front talking while Beth and Wolfe were on the back. "I didn't think you would come back. I saw you jump down the floor, are you okay?", she asked with concern. "Don't worry. I can jump from even higher places", Wolfe said. He said this but didn't remember his training. He just knew he could do it.

On their way, they picked up her boyfriend Jimmy and continued their journey.