The farmhouse had never been this tense.
Inside the living room, Hershel Greene worked quickly with the few medical tools he had managed to gather over the years.
Carl lay unconscious on the table.
Rick stood nearby, unable to sit still.
Every few seconds he looked toward the door.
Waiting.
Praying.
Hershel spoke without looking up.
"Rick… I need you to stay calm."
Rick ran a hand through his hair.
"My son is bleeding out."
"I know."
Hershel kept working.
"But panic won't help him."
Outside the farmhouse the rest of the group waited in silence.
Carol sat beside Sophia holding her hand.
Lori paced back and forth across the porch.
Glenn leaned against the railing.
Shane stared down the road.
The sound of an engine finally broke the silence.
A truck appeared on the dirt road leading to the farm.
Everyone stood up.
Beth stepped closer to the porch railing.
The truck stopped near the barn.
Shane jumped out first.
Otis followed with the medical bags.
And finally…
Ghost stepped down from the back of the vehicle.
Covered in walker blood.
Beth stared.
The way he moved.
The way he walked without showing any exhaustion.
It didn't look real.
Shane carried the medical supplies inside.
"Got what you needed!"
Hershel grabbed the bag immediately.
"Good."
The operation continued for what felt like hours.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Finally Hershel stepped away from the table.
Rick looked at him immediately.
"Well?"
Hershel removed his gloves slowly.
"The bullet is out."
Rick's voice trembled.
"Is he going to live?"
Hershel nodded.
"He will."
Relief hit the room like a wave.
Lori collapsed into Rick's arms.
Outside the farmhouse Beth looked across the yard again.
Ghost stood near the barn washing blood from his knife.
For a moment their eyes met.
Or at least… she thought they did through the red lenses of the mask.
He looked away first.
But something about him stayed in her thoughts.