Chapter twenty-nine: Heavy choice to make.
"I am exhausted from trying to be stronger than I truly feel I am."
I crossed the field to sit where we'd made camp last night, crossing my arms over my knees before resting my chin on them, staring out at the forest before the prison; I stayed there for a while before hearing feet softened by the grass.
"Are you comin' back inside?" Daryl asked, sitting next to me in the grass as I shrugged. "What happened in there, it wasn't you fault."
"What if I'd lain on the bed? Got bitten and turned, what would have happened? I could've attacked Lori and Carol or you." I retorted and he nodded.
"Ain't your fault, the others're checkin' their cells now." With a sigh, I looked over at Daryl. "Come on inside and get some food, before Little Shane eats it all." That made me crack and I laughed while shaking my head as we got up.
"Really shouldn't say that." Before we moved, he stopped me, gently kissing away the last of my fear. I parted my lips and properly kissed Daryl this time, letting him know I was okay with it. "I'm sorry for bein' a brat and runnin' off, won't happen again." He nodded and took my hand as we walked back to the Cell Block.
"Like I said, ain't your fault." Nibbling the inside of his lip, Daryl glanced at the chained off courtyard. "Rick wants to push on in the mornin', we're takin' Hershel so he can properly sort the infirmary." I nodded as we entered the courtyard.
"I suppose you don't want me to come with you?" He nodded.
"You should stay with the others, help protect them."
"So, who else is goin' with Rick?" We paused outside the Cell Block.
"Just gonna be me, Rick, T-Dog, Glenn, Maggie, Hershel…and Andrea." I frowned and looked at his sheepish expression.
"Andrea and Maggie are goin' but I can't?" I asked softly, but angrily, watching the Redneck nod unashamedly.
"Don't want you in danger and I can't stop those two from taggin' along. You gonna be a pain in the ass about this?" We stared at each other for a few seconds before I caved and shook my head.
"I guess not."
I went to bed in my cell on the top bunk that night, falling asleep almost the second my head hit the pillow; Beth woke me up so I wouldn't miss breakfast and I followed her down in a t-shirt stained with old blood and jeans that desperately needed replacing, leaving any hoodies or jackets in my cell. My sneakers were ruined too; I began to make a mental list of clothing we needed, intending to ask Andrea and Maggie if they were up for a run in the next couple of days.
In the next room, Daryl, T-Dog, Hershel and Rick had spread all of the useful things they found on a table and were going through it.
"Not bad, we got flashbangs and CS Triple-Chasers. Not sure how they'd work on walkers, but we'll take them." Rick said, packing the items in his bag, being careful not to damage anything as Daryl picked up one of the riot helmets, a string of goo and Walker skin sliding out of it as he pulled a face of disgust.
"I ain't wearin' this shit." He announced, putting the helmet down hurriedly as I entered the room and passed him a water bottle.
"We could boil them." T-Dog suggested, pulling the same face as Daryl as he picked up gloves in the same condition, dripping in goo.
"Ain't enough firewood in a whole forest, no, besides, we've made it this far without them right?" I nodded and poked at the helmet as Carol loitered in the doorway.
"Hershel, could I have a second?" The old man turned to her as she beckoned.
"Is everything alright?" Rick asked and she nodded.
"Yeah, it's nothing to worry about." She was lying, I could tell from the shaking of her voice. Observing the Walker goo, I raised an eyebrow at Andrea.
"You puttin' this shit on?" She shook her head.
"Like Daryl said, we've gotten this far without any extra protection." I nodded and moved around the table.
"Y'all stay safe, okay? Don't take dumb risks." I added, looking up at Daryl as he snorted and pointed.
"You're the one always doin' stupid shit Peanut."
"Open the door! It's Hershel!" We all lurched to our feet as Carl hurried towards the door with Rick's keys; Daryl's being on the bed in my cell. "Carl, come on and get the door!"
"Oh my god!" Carol exclaimed, seeing the table being wheeled through by Rick and Glenn, Maggie perched on the top, holding a towel to Hershel's leg, half of which was missing.
"Go, go, go get in there!" Rick chanted, guiding Glenn towards one of the empty cells.
"Turn it, turn it, we'll have to turn it around!"
"Get him on the bed!" Rick said and he sighed when Lori looked at him questioningly. "He got bit." She nodded and got to work aside Carol, who was pressing on the wound.
"Oh, my god, he's gonna turn!" Beth panicked.
"Did you cut it off?" Lori asked and Rick nodded as I frowned and looked around at the group as Rick nodded. "Maybe you got it in time."
"Oh, I need bandages!" Carol demanded with her hands coated in a thick layer of blood as Glenn shook his head.
"We used everything we had!"
"Well, get more, get anything clean!" Lori pointed at Carl, who stood to attention.
"Carl, go get the towels from the back, right next to my bed!" The boy gave one nod and disappeared, coming back a few minutes later with a stack of towels in his arms, folding them into squares and handing them to Carol as she held her hand out.
"Is he gonna die?" Beth asked and at the mention of death, I left them to it, approaching T-Dog, who kept glancing at the door nervously.
"Where's Daryl?" I asked and he jerked his head, stopping me when I tried to go to him.
"I'd stay here if I were you."