I chewed on my bottom lip. Thinking. There was a virus rapidly spreading throughout the prison and I didn't know what it was. Sure there had been flu outbreaks before, but I hadn't experienced this in the old world. We were all sitting in the council meeting.
"Bottom line is we're going to need medicine. Basic penicillin, at least. Something," I stated, everyone got quiet. They had been arguing when none of them really had any medical knowledge. But now that I was talking, they were ready to listen. "We have to go on a run. Raid a hospital or something like that. I know we've cleared out things close to here, but we need antibiotics."
"There's a veterinary college about fifty miles from here," Hershel suggested. "That would be our best bet. People don't think of those like they do for hospitals."
"Okay, we're going to need a group to go," Rick said in an even tone. I saw his eyes meet Daryl's and I cringed. I knew that it wasn't safe, but Daryl was the best man for the job.
"I'll get a group," Daryl said. I felt his eyes land on me, I knew he wanted me to go. I also knew it would be a good idea for me to go. I just didn't want to. Fifty miles equaled fifty miles of possible creeps. But shit. This was my group. May family was at risk. Especially Judith. She was so young. She would easily catch the virus. I knew that I should go. It was important. I had to go. That was it. I had to suck it up and go. In the end, it really didn't matter what happened to me, so long as Judith and Carl were okay. They had to be the people who mattered most in my life.
"The group needs to leave at dawn," Rick said to Daryl, who nodded in response. We all started out of the library and Daryl caught my eye again, so I stayed. However, I kept a good distance from him, knowing that he had been exposed to the virus. I needed to see the kids before I exposed myself to it—I knew it would happen because I was going to be in a car with Daryl tomorrow, and if I did have to go on this run, I wouldn't give up sex tonight.
"We need ya," he said.
"I know," I replied. "I'm going. For Carl and Judith," I added. He nodded in response and we headed back into the rest of the prison.
When I told Carl, that afternoon, he freaked out on me. "Sadie, you can't go," he said.
"I have to, kiddo. I'll be back. I'll be fine," I said, giving him a smile.
"No. I can't have something happen to you too. You're the closest thing to a mom that I've got," he seemed so sad as he hugged me, his face resting on my chest. He was just tall enough to not end up with a face full of boob.
"I know," I said. "And that's why I'll be back. Take your sister and you'll be safe in the offices or wherever the hell Rick is having you guys stay."
"Promise me that you'll come back," he said. I knew that Carl put up a front most of the time. He acted as if he was Mr. Tough Guy, but he was still a kid. And that was easy for most of us to forget.
"I will do whatever it takes to get back here." I couldn't make that promise. I loved that kid to pieces. I couldn't tell him that I would come back, beyond a shadow of a doubt. I knew that there was a chance that I wouldn't be returning.
"Okay," he sighed, pulling away. After telling Carl, I went to retrieve Judith, from Beth. They were all going to sleep in the office areas—in a separate building. I carried Judith across the yard and to the building.
"Mommy will be back, okay?" That sounded so weird. But Rick had started telling Judith that I was her 'mommy' and it was a widely accepted thing, all across the prison.
She smiled at me and cooed. I kissed the top of her head and left her with Beth. I loved that kid. Even though she wasn't related to me—or at least maybe not, I still thought of her as family. She and Carl were my kids. Blood or not, I would protect them over anyone else.
XxX
We wordlessly drove down the long, empty country road. It would take us at least an hour to get there. Without roadblocks. I sat in the front, Michonne and Bob in the back. I looked over as Daryl drove and gripped his hand. I had a bad feeling about what was to come.
What didn't help was that I felt awful. I had been pretty much fine when I got in the car, but I was starting to feel rundown. This couldn't be a good sign.
"Ya good?" Daryl asked, as if feeling the fear around me.
"I don't—" the cough came. I began coughing hysterically. And I knew. Shit. I had it. I had whatever virus this was. When had I been infected? I really—more than anything—hoped that Daryl carried the virus and passed it on to me last night. If I got my kids sick, I wouldn't be able to live with myself—I may not have much of a choice in that matter.
"Shit," Daryl cursed. I thought he was talking to me and I was about to second that, when I looked up to see the herd of walkers surrounding us.
"Shit," I agreed. This was bad. It was so fucking bad. We were fucked. I had no idea how we could make it through these walkers. I really didn't expect to be taken out by a walker. I liked to think that I was much too smart for that.
AN: So there was a lot that happened in this short little chapter. I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions on this. I want to give a big thank you to Elizarocks9902, she helped me with coming up with ideas and helped to cure my writers block a little :) so leave your reviews right below this note :)