Lynn quickly scanned the hospital bed, confirming it was the person he was looking for.
Rick Grimes!
Though still alive, he was extremely weak.
He noticed the almost empty IV bag hanging by the bed, the tube connected to Rick's arm via an IV cannula.
Minshan! Check him! See if he can move!
Lynn's voice was urgent, his gun aimed at the corridor outside the door.
The walkers' growls and footsteps were closing in, thudding against the warped fire door.
Minshan didn't speak, rushing to the bedside, her fingers searching for Rick's carotid artery, then flipping open his eyelids to check his pupils, her movements swift.
His vital signs are weak, he's severely dehydrated, barely hanging on with this IV.
She checked the IV port. He can be moved, but he'll need to be supported; he can't move himself.
Wake him up! Quickly!
Lynn urged, simultaneously firing at a walker that had poked half its body through the doorway.
Bang!
The body fell.
Minshan pulled a syringe—potent adrenaline—from the side pocket of her first-aid kit.
She ripped open Rick's sleeve, plunged the needle directly into his upper arm muscle, and rapidly pushed the drug.
Ugh—!
Rick's body suddenly stiffened, and he gasped.
His tightly closed eyes snapped open, pupils momentarily unfocused, then sharpened, filled with dazed terror.
He coughed violently, a rasping sound from his throat, frantically scanning the dim, bloody hospital room, finally looking at the three strangers before him, covered in blood and holding weapons.
You...you all...?
His voice was hoarse and weak, filled with confusion and fear.
No time to talk, Sheriff!
Lynn spoke rapidly. I'm Lynn! Outside, it's full of flesh-eating dead people, and you've been unconscious for a long time.
We're here to save you. If you want to live, grab a weapon and charge out with us, now!
Lynn's words replaced the daze in Rick's eyes with shock.
The walkers' growls outside the room, the strong smell of blood and decay, and the blood-stained weapons of the three people all confirmed his words.
Weapons...
Rick tried to sit up, his arms trembling.
Davis, pressing his body against the vibrating fire door, roared: Boss! I can't hold it! And there are bombs!
Lynn immediately pulled a backup pistol and two magazines from his lower back, stuffing them into Rick's trembling hands. Hold tight! The safety is here, pull the trigger. Aim for the head!
He quickly instructed, then unclipped a fire axe from his waist and handed it over. Use this up close! Split their heads!
The cold metal and heavy weight made Rick shiver. He gritted his teeth, gripping the gun and axe tightly, his knuckles white.
Minshan, cut the IV line! Davis, prepare to charge!
Lynn commanded, moving to the doorway to observe.
Outside, dark, surging shadows, layers of decaying faces under the emergency lights.
Minshan's scalpel flashed, severing the connecting tube, leaving the IV cannula in place.
She propped up one of Rick's arms: Sheriff, if you want to live, stick close and put all your strength into moving your legs!
Davis took a deep breath, growling: Go!
He abruptly sidestepped, and the unsupported fire door was smashed open by the horde of walkers, rotten bodies surging in.
Boom!!!
Davis's shotgun fired the instant the door opened, blowing apart the upper bodies of the first few walkers, the shattered flesh and filthy blood temporarily blocking the subsequent assault.
His left hand's machete slashed, cutting down the walkers squeezing in.
Charge!
Lynn roared, his pistol firing continuously, burst-firing at targets flutter from the side.
Minshan supported Rick, pressing close to Davis's back.
Rick's steps were unsteady, relying entirely on Minshan to drag him.
His face was pale, looking at the walkers rushing towards him with rotten mouths agape, fear and adrenaline surging.
He instinctively raised the heavy fire axe, using all his strength to bring it down on the head of a walker that lunged at him.
Thwack!
The axe blade split the skull, and viscous, black fluid splattered all over his face.
Rick's stomach churned, he gritted his teeth and pulled back the axe, his gun-holding hand also trembling. The will to survive overwhelmed his fear, and he emulated Lynn, aiming his gun at the head of another approaching walker and pulling the trigger.
Bang!
The recoil numbed his wrist, the bullet grazed the walker's ear and hit the wall.
Aim for the head! Steady!
Lynn's voice rang out from behind and to the side, as he simultaneously shot down a walker that had almost lunged at Rick.
Davis led the way with his shotgun and machete, each roar briefly tearing open the horde; Minshan supported Rick closely, using her scalpel to deal with any stragglers; Lynn brought up the rear, his pistol clearing threats from the rear flanks, while also keeping an eye on Rick's condition.
They trod on sticky, slippery blood and flesh, moving with difficulty through the narrow corridor, walkers constantly pouring out of hospital rooms and flanking them from both ends.
Shotgun roars, pistol blasts, machetes cleaving bone, scalpels stabbing, walkers growling, mixed with gasps and footsteps.
Lynn's peripheral vision caught the fire escape at the end of the corridor—it was also blocked by walkers, and an even larger pile of walkers below was climbing up.
Davis! Stairwell! Clear the way!
Lynn roared, reloading his magazine and shooting down two nurse walkers from the side.
Davis roared, firing his last two shotgun rounds into the stairwell horde, clearing a small gap, then backhanded the empty gun into the face of a lunging walker, the sound of bone cracking distinct.
His left hand's machete slashed, carving out a foothold at the stairwell.
Get down!
Davis roared, blocking the stairwell with his body, using his machete and brute force to hold back the surging horde.
Minshan half-dragged, half-carried Rick towards the stairwell.
Lynn brought up the rear, suppressing the pursuers with bullets.
Buzz... buzz... buzz... The death-knell countdown hum, piercing through the door cracks and growls, drilled into Lynn's ears.
Time was running out!
Quickly!
Lynn's voice was torn, he took his final step onto the downward-sloping, blood-stained iron staircase.
Above, the horde poured down like a black tide, rotten arms reaching for their heads and backs.
Go! Go! Go!
Davis roared from below, his machete hacking at the walkers surging up from around the stairwell corner.
The four of them tumbled and scrambled, fleeing down the steep stairs.
Above, the horde poured down; below, obstacles were constant.
Every step landed on slippery, filthy blood and dismembered limbs.
When they stumbled and rushed onto the second-floor landing—
Boom rumble rumble—!!!!
A dull, deafening roar exploded directly above them—from the fourth floor!
The entire building shook violently, dust and debris fell from the top of the stairs, and a shockwave rushed down the stairwell.
Get down!
Lynn roared, tackling Rick and Minshan beside him to the ground.
Davis crouched, using his back to shield against the direction of the impact.
Boom!!!
A scorching blast of air, carrying broken stone, glass, metal fragments, and walker remains, surged down from the fourth-floor stairwell, flames engulfing the stairs above, thick smoke billowing, and shattered walker bodies were thrown and crashed down.
The deafening roar of the explosion, the searing heat of the blast. The stairs shook violently.
Cough cough cough...
Lynn coughed, pushing away a burning piece of wood.
His ears rang, his vision blurred.
Rick and Minshan were covered in dust and ash, Davis shook his head, dislodging debris.
The explosion had cleared the pursuing horde above—they were either blown apart or thrown away.
But the loud noise, flames, and thick smoke immediately attracted the attention of all the walkers around the hospital.
Denser, louder growls echoed from the streets and ruins on all sides, and the entire hospital area erupted.
Run!
Lynn roared hoarsely, struggling to his feet and pulling Rick up.
He looked down; more walkers were surging from the first-floor stairwell, but the explosion seemed to have temporarily torn open a path to the exit.
There was no choice.
The four of them, covered in blood, dirt, and dust, stumbled down the last flight of stairs, plunging into the hospital's backyard—here, swept by the shockwave, walkers were temporarily sparse, but thick smoke and the stench of death permeated the air.
Behind them was the hospital's main building, now a sea of fire and a magnet for walkers.
Ahead, the horde of walkers was converging from all directions, drawn by the sound.
They had escaped the hospital, but even more walkers were surging towards them.