Rick 3rd POV
The first thing was heat. Not the sterile warmth of hospital blankets—no—this was uneven, human, and alive. His throat ached, his lips dry and cracked. Every breath felt like sandpaper scraping against his lungs. Rick Grimes opened his eyes to a ceiling of aged wood, not white tiles. His sluggish gaze moved toward the evening dim light leaking through a window half covered by a board. The air smelt of earth, hay, and smoke, not antiseptic.
For a moment he thought he was dreaming. Then he tried to move. The pain shot through his side like lightning. A groan escaped his throat.
"Easy now," came a calm female voice beside him.
Rick turned his head with effort, squinting. A woman sat at his bedside, her features softened by fatigue and quiet determination. Her white coat was faded, yellow from clear overuse.
"My name is Gale Macones," she said gently. "You're safe here, Rick. You've been asleep for a long time."
Rick blinked. Words stuck in his throat. "H-how long?"
"Long enough that the world outside changed," she murmured.
His mind spun. He remembered the gunfire, Shane shouting, the burning pain in his side, then the endless darkness. He swallowed. "Where—where am I?"
"A farm," Dr. Gale replied. "A few miles outside King County. A man named Zephyr Ward found me still keeping the hospital running, what's left of it at least. He brought you here after I insisted." The name didn't register.
His hand instinctively went to his side, bandaged but healing. "My family," he rasped, his voice cracking. "Lori. Carl. My partner Shane. They'll be worried sick. I need to—" He tried to sit; the room tilted violently.
"Stop!" Gale said firmly, pressing him back with surprising strength. "You're still weak. The infection nearly took you. Slow down. You've been out for weeks. The world… it's not the same anymore." Her tone shifted just enough to make his gut twist.
Before he could speak, a voice came from his side, deep, composed, with an edge that carried authority. "She's telling the truth."
Rick turned his head. A tall man stood there, mid-twenties by the look of it, but with eyes that carried a lifetime of weight. His stance was that of a soldier: disciplined, grounded. A German Shepherd sat at his heel, watching Rick with an intelligent look. The man nodded once. "Name's Zephyr Ward. You've been out a long time, Sheriff."
Rick frowned weakly. "How do you—"
Zephyr crossed his arms, his tone steady. "I've read your medical files." Zephyr pulled a chair closer to Rick's bed. "You need to listen carefully. The world's changed. People started getting sick, dying, then coming back. Cities fell. Power grids collapsed. The government tried to contain it but lost control within days. It's been two weeks since the collapse."
Rick stared at him, shaking his head slowly. "That's… no, that's not—"
"It's real," Zephyr cut in, calm but firm. "And if you want to live, you're going to have to accept that."
Rick's breathing grew uneven. "My wife… Lori. My son… Carl. Are they—"
Zephyr didn't answer right away. His silence said enough. Rick turned away, gripping the sheets until his knuckles whitened. The air left his chest in a strangled sob.
"They could still be out there," Gale said softly. "We don't know for sure."
Rick shut his eyes, tears breaking through. "God… Lori… Carl… no." He whispered, shaking his head. "No. Lori would have taken Carl somewhere safe. Shane wouldn't leave them. I have to find them! They're alive!" He struggled to sit, only to fall back, gasping.
Zephyr stood up, crossing his arms. "Then get strong enough to walk first. You can't save anyone half dead."
Rick glared at him, his chest heaving. "You talk like you've already given up."
Zephyr's eyes hardened. "No. I talk like someone who's buried enough people to know when to fight smart."
The two men stared at each other, one burning with desperation, the other wizened from weary experiences. Finally, Zephyr broke the silence. "You've got people here, survivors, families. You're safe for now. Doctor will see to your recovery. Once you're steady, we'll talk again." He turned to leave. Ghost followed him with silent steps.
Rick's voice cracked up as he called after him. "If it were your family, would you just wait?"
Zephyr paused at the doorway for a second. Something flickered in his expression. "I already did," he said quietly, then left.
The door closed softly behind him. Gale sat in silence, letting Rick's ragged breathing fill the room. He stared at the ceiling, tears spilling quietly down his face. He envied Zephyr's calm, collected control because right now all Rick Grimes felt was the weight of a world that no longer existed. The world had ended, and somehow… he slept right through it.
(To be continued...)