We hadn't spoken a word since our group had gone down one member. The silence was deafening between us in stark contrast to the usual comfortable silence, and Daryl finally spoke after having enough of it.
"I heard ya talkin' to Jim."
Tearing my eyes from the scenery, my gaze fixed on Daryl. He glanced at me for a few seconds longer than he probably should have, and much longer than I expected but it's obvious there's something else he has to say. Daryl isn't the type to strike up an unnecessary conversation, especially with someone he knows won't carry one.
"Finally know why ya don't talk" It was almost a mumble when he spoke again but my suspicion loomed over intangibly. I'm not sure what he's getting at.
And I've answered this question at least three times. What is everyone's fascination with my "reason" for not talking. Is it really that unusual?
I gave a small nod to encourage him to go on; let him know I'm listening.
"That the only reason ya don't talk?" he asked, glancing at me again, this time only briefly to view my answer and I nodded. He glanced at me unconvinced but didn't speak again and I allowed my gaze to turn back to the passing scenery.
I really don't understand this fixation. He's not chatty himself but sooner or later, he will want to know the why— rather how, behind my reason.
I'm not fool enough to believe he's given up; this will come up again, be it near future or distant. And I'm not looking forward to it either way.
We reached the CDC just past sundown, the light was fading faster by the second.
The smell hit me like an 18 wheeler as soon as my boots hit the pavement. Coughing was involuntary, not just for me. Even Daryl had trouble keeping his disgust contained.
I forced myself to breath through my nose, no matter if it made me cough or gag. Smell is the weakest sense, and after a minute it wasn't so bad anymore.
I followed Daryl to the others while we made our way towards the CDC building.
Bodies littered the 50 meters between us and the building. You couldn't go 5 feet before another one was in your path. If these bodies weren't dead twice over, not one of us would stand a chance.
Nobody would come out of this alive, not even come back as a walker, there'd be nothing left of any of us.
People kept shushing each other, trying to move quietly but let's face it they're a noisy bunch. The only one here capable of being truly silent is me but I can't hold it against them. I'm a ninja after all.
Ah, Glenn. What have you done to me? You've created a monster.
Well you know what they say: Best way to fight monsters, is with better monsters.
We got to the doors and Rick's fist loudly collided with the metal security shutters.
"There's nobody here." T-Do's distressed statement caused a sweep of panic through the already scared group.
"Then why are these shutters down?" Rick glanced around.
"Walkers!" Daryl's call set me on alert and I spun around as he killed one that was still far from reaching us. Pulling my knife, I scanned for more.
Not letting the others pull me into their panic is difficult when everyone's spiralling. Standing out in the cold, completely exposed is never easy to deal with, even for trained soldiers, let alone civilians such as ourselves.
"You lead us into a graveyard!" Daryl yelled at Rick. Not the smartest move at the moment. Counterproductive shushing came in response but they could hardly be noticed over the sounds of the children's muffled crying.
The atmosphere of fear hung so thick I could almost taste it. The stench of death around me seemed pale in foreboding comparison to what could happen while we stand here like live bait.
"He made a call" Shane defended his partner.
"It was the wrong damn call!" Daryl affirmed furiously.
"Shut up. You hear me? Shut up. Shut up." Shane pushed Daryl back, pointing as threatening as pointing can be at him.
To my surprise, Daryl didn't snap at him. Instead he moved back to watching the rear with me.
I glanced at him to see if he was done or if I would need to remind him what's more important right now. His blue gaze caught mine for a mere second before it returned to the open yard and street before us.
"Where are we gonna go?" Carol questioned through desperate tears. My eyes flicked back and forth between what was going on behind me, and the area surrounding us.
I don't like how quiet it is out here, save for us. Being the only things making noise out here, we might as well be servin' ourselves up on a silver platter.
"She's right. We can't be here— this close to the city after dark." The panic stricken voice of Rick's wife pulled Rick's attention over his shoulder for a moment.
"Fort Benning, Rick. Still an option." Shane prompted
"On what? No food, no fuel— that's 100 miles" Andrea shot it down.
"125, I checked the map" Glenn corrected, hastily glancing in all directions every few seconds.
Come on Rick. I know you can bring this under control, just let this idea go. We've got bigger things to worry about. We'll figure things out somehow. If worse comes to worse, I hope you can get us out of this...or live with where the cards fall.
"Forget Fort Benning we need answers tonight. Now." Lori pressed
"We'll think of something." Rick stated as calmly as the situation permitted; trying to sound reassuring but sorta failing. His calmed tone was enough to convince me, that at the very least, he and I are on the same page.
Finding new peace of mind, my nerves steeled and allowed me to focus solely on my self-assumed role in the group.
"Come on" someone took things into their own hands and the next thing I knew, everyone was headed back towards the cars— near racing.
I hesitated because the proclamation hadn't come from neither Rick, Shane, nor Daryl. It's no secret their voices are the only three with any sort of plan at the moment, and they're the only ones I trust at the moment.
Everyone else's fear will get the better of them.
Daryl may complain and question but he's not stupid enough to bark his own orders at a time like this unless he's absolutely certain.
I grabbed Glenn's backpack as he moved past me, stopping him. We can't just go running off. That's how the last gazelle to move becomes a meal.
"The camera! It moved." Rick called, stopping the others dead in their tracks.
"You imagined it" Dale dismissed the statement after a moment's consideration flicked through his composure.
I don't know what to do.
There are walkers spotting the distance to the cars and we're pretty much trapped against the building. Everyone is panicking and they are damaging my calm.
I don't know whether to grab Rick and drag him with me, or trust him and stay right where we are. My instincts told me to move but also pressing to trust Rick.
For the first time in my life, my gut isn't helping me make a decision.
"You're killing us!" Rick began desperately yelling at the machine.
So many things were going on around me, my mind couldn't focus on anything for more than a few seconds. What little stability Rick's previous calm had brought was gone with his collapsing composure.
I let go of Glenn's backpack but he didn't move like I half expected. Half the eyes in the group turned to me, including Shane, as if I'd be on the move and they were watching for whatever call I made.
I glanced at Daryl but it didn't bring the clarity I'd hoped for.
What do I do? Should I follow my gut? or trust Rick?
My grip tightened on my blade and I looked towards the vehicles, identifying the safest path. If we go now, we can make it before things get ugly, but what then? Where do we go?
Damnit, we can worry about that later.
I started to move, looking back to make sure Daryl at least knew what I was doing. I didn't have to though, as soon as I took a step, the others were already moving.
I didn't get five feet before I glanced back and a bright light blinded me.
The sound of screeching metal rung in my ears, and for a moment I wasn't sure what was happening but as my gaze caught sight of the shutters rising, everything stilled.
The entire group stood stunned —even myself— but everything snapped into alignment within my mind in a single fleeting moment. Having grasped a solid plan with time running out, I was moving before my mind could catch up.
My hand closed around Lori's shoulder and gave her a slight push towards to the doors.
The simple action of one person moving made a ripple effect, just as it had before and everyone snapped out of the confused daze overtaking them.
"Daryl, cover the back." Rick called as he moved forward. I covered the back with Daryl as the others began flowing through the thick glass doors, weapons raised.
"Hello?" Rick's voice echoed off the walls.
"Close those doors." Dale instructed, as the last of us finally slipped inside.
"Watch for walkers." No shit
What else am I gonna watch for? Flying pink marshmallows and a rainbow-powered spaceship piloted by a unicorn spittin' skittles?
"Hello?" Rick's voice echoed through the massive empty space again.
My ears picked up the familiar sound of a gun cocking and a new voice called, "Anyone infected?"
"One of our group was...he didn't make it." Rick answered warily.
I kept my eyes on the outside, glancing over my shoulder every couple of seconds to see what was going on.
"Why are you here? What do you want?" this new voice questioned in a hurry.
"A chance" Rick answered boldly.
"…That's asking an awful lot these days." came their reply.
"I know…" Rick trailed off leaving a moment of silence, disrupted only by fearful and exhausted panting of close to a dozen desperation riddled people.
Finally taking my attention away from the doors for a moment, the man's scrutinizing gaze scanned over each of us until he finally spoke again.
"You all submit to a blood test. That's the price of admission."
"We can do that." Rick agreed on behalf of the group with only a moment's hesitation.
"You got stuff to bring in, you do it now. Once this door closes it stays closed." The man purposefully strode towards us, lowering his gun.
Rick nodded and looked at us.
"Eve, Glenn, Daryl, Shane, you're with me. The rest of you stay here. We'll run for the cars and grab what we need. Eve do you have your goggles?"
I nodded and took point; motioning at Glenn and Daryl to follow while I moved for the doors.