Louis walked over to him and handed him an unopened bottle of mineral water. "I think you might need this right now."
Rick took the water, said "Thank you," then unscrewed the cap and took a large gulp.
The cool liquid slid down his parched throat, clearing his muddled mind significantly.
"They're telling the truth."
Seeing that he had stabilized, Louis pointed out the window. "If you don't believe it, you can go see for yourself. But don't get too close."
Hearing this, Rick set the water aside, then leaned against the wall and walked skeptically toward the window.
Through two narrow glass panes, he saw a scene he would never forget—
In the hospital parking lot, over a dozen rotting, blackened corpses were scattered, with flies circling above.
In the distance, several staggering figures wandered; one of the Walkers was gnawing on a carcass on the ground.
Rick's brain buzzed, and his mind went blank.
As a police officer, he had dealt with corpses in the past. He was certain that the things outside couldn't be faked with current technology.
Even though he was extremely reluctant, seeing it with his own eyes finally made him believe the absurd reality.
Louis walked up to him and added, "While you were unconscious, the military cleared this place. Most people have already evacuated the city."
"Dr. Gale is a very kind person. She chose to stay behind to take care of patients like you who couldn't leave."
Rick took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, shifting his gaze from the hellish sight back to the child in front of him.
This boy had calm eyes and a mature demeanor, looking nothing like an ordinary eleven-year-old.
"Thanks for the water, child." Rick's voice was still raspy, but his tone was much gentler. "What's your name?"
"My name is Louis Green. You can call me Louis, sir."
"Louis..."
Rick nodded. He remembered the female doctor mentioning something about "your uncle's friend has woken up," which clearly referred to himself and someone the boy knew.
"You know me?" he asked curiously.
"No, I don't know you." Louis shook his head and smiled. "But I know your friend."
"My friend?" Rick was stunned for a moment.
"Yes," Louis's blue eyes seemed exceptionally bright in the dim hallway. "It's Officer Shane."
"Shane!?"
Hearing that familiar name, a startling light instantly erupted in Rick's dull eyes!
He instinctively took a step forward and grabbed Louis's shoulders. His voice trembled with excitement, but he immediately realized his loss of composure, quickly softening his grip and lowering his volume as he asked urgently:
"How... how is he?! Is he okay?!"
Louis looked at this chosen one, having already prepared his script.
"I'm not too sure right now..." He shook his head, a look of lingering fear and disappointment appearing on his face.
"Officer Shane saved me before. We stayed together for a few days, but later... we were accidentally separated."
Then, looking at Rick, he slowly delivered his pre-written explanation: "During those days, he often mentioned you, saying his best brother was still lying in this hospital."
"He felt very guilty because the situation was so urgent that he couldn't take you with him. He could only leave you here... He felt he had left you to die."
Hearing this, Rick simply sighed in silence.
He knew Shane too well and could fully imagine how chaotic the situation must have been. It wasn't his fault.
Louis continued, "After we were separated, I didn't know where to go on my own, so I thought of what Shane said and decided to come to the hospital to try my luck."
"In case you were still alive, I could tell you these things. If I run into Officer Shane again later, I can tell him you're safe..."
Hearing this, a clear logical chain was instantly linked in Rick's mind.
This child had been saved by his best friend, Shane. To repay that kindness, he had actually risked his life to return alone to this danger-filled hospital, all for an uncertain possibility.
An indescribable wave of emotion surged in his heart. Rick looked at the slightly mature boy before him, his heart filled with gratitude.
Louis paused, leaving time for Rick to digest the information, then dropped the most crucial piece of news.
"By the way, Officer, you don't need to worry too much about your family. Officer Shane said before we were separated that he would find your wife and son as soon as possible, protect them, and take them to the safe zone in Atlanta."
"Atlanta..." Rick murmured the name, and the heaviest stone hanging in his heart finally settled.
Shane was alive and had already gone to find Lori and Carl.
This news diluted all the shock and fear he had faced upon waking up.
Rick's heart, which had been panicked and lost due to the apocalyptic scene, seemed to have found a harbor to dock in.
As for Shane's inability to take him away at the time, Rick understood completely and held no resentment.
On the contrary, he was touched that Shane had kept him in mind under those circumstances and even fulfilled a promise to look after his family.
That was enough. Even if their positions were reversed, Rick couldn't guarantee he would have done any better.
"Thank you, child."
Rick calmed his excitement, released his grip, and thanked Louis again. "Truly, thank you."
He wanted to say more, but Dr. Gale had already returned with water and some medicine.
"Alright, Officer Rick," Dr. Gale walked over, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You've just woken up, and your body is still very weak. Go back to your ward and lie down immediately. You need rest."
Under the doctor's insistence, Rick had no choice but to return to his hospital bed.
But he still wasn't quite satisfied.
"Doctor, I want to be discharged for a while," he said, struggling to sit up in bed. "I need to go home and check if my family and friends have really left safely."
"No!" Dr. Gale held him down. "You can barely walk right now. Going out is suicide!"
"But..."
"No more 'buts', Officer."
Just as Rick was about to argue further, Louis, who had been standing by, spoke up.
"I think you should calm down right now."
The boy's voice was calm yet persuasive. "If your family has already evacuated safely as Shane said, then rushing home in a panic will only lead you to an empty house where you won't find them."
He paused and continued, "And if... I mean if, your family was unfortunately met with danger, then going back in such a weak state won't save anyone; it will only put you in danger as well, throwing your life away for nothing."
"So no matter what, your only correct choice right now is to listen to Dr. Gale and recover first. Only by staying alive and having enough strength can you do what you want to do."
This rational analysis, coming from a child about the same age as his son, made Rick freeze for a moment, a sense of absurdity rising in his heart.
However, the words made a lot of sense, and he understood they were both acting for his own good.
"...You're right." Rick gave a bitter smile, feeling as though he had indeed been lying down for too long, as his mind wasn't even as clear as a child's right now.
So he finally gave up the struggle and lay back down on the hospital bed.
Seeing this, Louis stopped disturbing him, nodded to him and Dr. Gale, and turned to leave the room.
"I'll head out now. Get some good rest." He thoughtfully closed the door, leaving the space to Rick and Dr. Gale.
Watching the boy's retreating back, Rick's curiosity was thoroughly piqued.
"Dr. Gale," he asked, "that child... Louis, what's his story? He seems very intelligent and more mature than most children."