21

- You found them like this?

Rick question drummed in my ears startling me. I looked up and the clouded sky only made it worse to see. I had seen horrible things since the beginning of this living nightmare, or well, since the outbreak. People dying, people being shot, people being eaten alive, dead walking with its guts hanging out, dead crawling without limbs. I had killed people, shot them in the head because for me death should be quick and unexpected. My eyes have been witness of many things that were made for horror movies. Sometimes I just wanted to make myself believe that I have seen everything gruesome in this helpless world.

Oh, but I was so wrong.

The two dead bodies were on the small yard floor, you couldn't tell if they were people or walkers before because they were unrecognizable. The skin burnt out to the bone had turned into black lines of flesh. The faces disfigured by the fire, and a trail of blood covering still the red skin. I had to contain my breath when I first watched it because otherwise I would have vomited in that exact moment. The bile was burning in the back of my throat and my eyes were sore with all the smoke and ashes still floating in the thick air. I never thought how someone was capable of doing something as awful as this.

Tyreese was standing there, looking at the corpses like they were going to disappear in any moment. Carol was near the door looking at us with an impassive face. Daryl kept his eyes on Rick and Tyreese, seemed like the archer was ready if the grieving man loses his control.

- I came to see Karen... and I saw the blood on the floor. Then I smelled them. Somebody dragged them out here and set them on fire. They killed them and set them on fire! — Tyreese shouted, taking two steps and getting in Rick's face — You're a cop. You find out who did this and you bring 'em to me. You understand? You bring 'em to me!

I stepped forward; Tyreese could lose control so I needed to be able to help. But for obvious reasons I forgot the archer was just a few steps from me and he stepped in front of me blocking my way to the two men. Daryl tried to calm down Tyreese but the big man turned around pushing Daryl violently against the fences. I widened my eyes trying to contain myself to not get this situation any worse.

- Ty — My voice came out in a whisper and I got close to them — hey, we're going to find who did this and whoever, he or she won't get away with it.

- No, I ain't going nowhere till I find out who did this! — Daryl glanced at me for a mere second and I knew I had to step back.

- We're on the same side, man. — Daryl said quietly.

- Hey, look, I know what you're going through — Rick said — We've all lost someone. We know what you're going through right now, but you've got to calm down. — Rick stepped closer and Tyreese snapped.

- You need to step the hell back!

- She wouldn't want you being like this. — The sheriff replied in a low voice.

I saw from the corner of my eye how Rick approached us and the next I saw was Tyreese letting go Daryl and punching the sheriff in the face. I stepped back immediately, seeing the fight in front of us. Rick grabbed Tyreese by the shirt and pushed him to the ground hitting the man in the face.

- Rick! — Daryl tried to stop them and took Rick by an arm so he got to stop him from keeping punching Tyreese.

Daryl dragged Rick away from Tyreese, the other man remained on the floor his face bruised and he seemed to be dizzy. I walked to them; Rick had his hands bloodied and his knuckles red and swollen. I rapidly grabbed Rick by the wrist and pulled him out of there. I glanced briefly to Carol; she was still expressionless as if all this mess happening was just a little bit of a problem. I kept walking until we reached the infirmary, Rick remained silent and when I freed his hand and started to take bandages and some other things for his wound he still kept the same lack of emotion in his eyes. Rick wasn't a problematic person, in fact he was the reason we were here in the first place, he had saved us multiple times and I was thankful for it. But this little issue we were going through, I knew we were going to find out who the heck thought it was a good idea to cold blooded kill two innocent people here.

Hershel entered the infirmary not long after I sat to clean Rick's hand. The old man gave me a look and I knew I had to leave, certainly I knew too that he was aware of what happened to Karen and David. He was going to talk with the sheriff so I put the things down and I stood out to leave. In the entrance when I was about to go out, Hershel stopped me.

- Is almost dusk, take some rest, we'll have a council meeting tomorrow. — I just nodded and stepped out to the hallway.

The corridor was empty but my mind wasn't, and the horrid images I saw were rushing in my head like I could see them again in front of me. I tried to contain the sob that was growing in my throat but I could not, I walked again to nowhere in particular. I felt unsteady and unsecured with all this craziness happening around me. And then I felt it, the panic creeping in my chest like an uncomfortable feeling creating a knot in my stomach, twisting inside me as the fear made its way to me.

I stopped my steps immediately panting and heavily breathing, realizing that I had started to run at some point. I turned around hearing some footsteps in the distance but I completely ignored it. I needed to calm myself first but I didn't know if I was able to do it. Alone and freaking out as I was, the only thing I wanted to do was to sit. So I did, I sat down on the cold floor and I waited for my pulse to become normal again and for the racing thoughts to stop. After a moment I heard the footsteps again and when I looked up the archer was there.

- Mary? — He crouched in front of me and lifted my chin delicately with his rough fingers — ya good? Why ya'd run?

- I just freaked out, I wasn't prepared to see... — I breathed out — God, that was unbearable to see. — Daryl nodded, he understood obviously.

- Hey — He took his hand from my chin and in a second, hesitant and slowly his hand made way to my face again and he stroked my cheek tenderly — I know this is gettin' nuts, but we ain't dead, we ain't sick, we're here, we'll help. — My eyes widened at his words, his gaze captured mine and I knew he meant it.

- I know — He nodded keeping his eyes on me, icy blue orbs shining even though the gloom and I leaned forward without even thinking about it, he didn't even know what was going on until my lips were pressed to his cheek. I felt his breath stopped, I caught him out of guard but I tried to capture the moment in my memory for a couple of seconds more. When I looked at him again he did not say a thing so I just grinned at him and stood up. — Come on, Dixon, we're not losing any time.

...

I leaned against the door, sitting on the floor as I waited for Effy's reaction to what I just said to her. We had been talking almost an hour in the morning. Since I wasn't able to sleep properly because of the guard duty I had to do, so it was easy for me to wake up again with the first ray of light.

- That's fucked up, first the walkers were the problem, then the flu and now we have a serial killer living with us?

- I think someone was trying to stop it, but now there are more people sick. — I breathed out gulping for what I was about to say — Glenn has it.

- Oh Christ... — she said after a moment — How's Maggie?

- Worried as hell, now Hershel is in there too, but he's just taking care of them.

- Beth told me… — Effy mumbled — …we've got jobs to do. And she's right, well now this group is going out there to look for medicines, right? — I moved uncomfortable, we had the council meeting and Daryl volunteered to go out on a run, Hershel gave them the address to get to a Veterinary University where they surely could find the antibiotics we needed. I didn't even suggest going with them, I knew Daryl would have said no to that. So the run group was going to be Daryl, Michonne and Bob.

- Yeah, they must be leaving right now.

- Mary, there is something I need to tell you — Effy stated and I felt a little nervous, her words seemed too serious. — Carol hasn't talked with Sophia, the girl is angry.

- She's bringing the sick ones to Cellblock A, she's been really busy, although she went on a run with Rick but I'll talk to her. Tell Sophia that everything will be normal again soon, we just need some time.

- Time's a privilege these days — I heard how Effy stood up and grunted — Judith's diaper needs to be changed now. — I smiled softly when I heard little Judith whined.

- Go, we've got jobs to do, don't we?

- Yes — I was walking back to the hallway when Effy spoke again — Mary wait. — My feet stopped and I turned around facing the closed door. — I love you. — She whispered and I felt my eyes sore while smiling to myself.

- I love you too, Eff.

I walked outside to the grounds, the sun touched my skin and I felt a little better than inside the prison. Honestly I was feeling kind of claustrophobic there, with all the silence and lack of noise it was a matter of time before I went paranoid inside those aisles. And since Hershel was inside the cellblock I tried to find what to do, I organized first some gauze and towels for the ones who were sick. I looked for Carol but she was nowhere to be and after a moment I went outside again and I spotted Maggie near the gates, she was killing the walkers on the other side of the fence so I made my way there with my shotgun in my back and I pulled out one of my knives.

Maggie grinned at me when I started killing walkers by her side. She was too concentrated at first that it took a couple of minutes for her to notice me. We did not talk that much, and I was relieved about it because I didn't wanted to be doing small talk. I knew Maggie was really concerned about Glenn being sick and Hershel helping the people. After a couple of hours I felt tired of killing the undead, I asked Maggie if she wanted to go inside so she could rest for a while but she didn't wanted to. I made her promise that she would get some rest as soon as Rick and Carol came back from the town they were in.

She reluctantly said yes.

...

- Have you talked with Bethy?

Hershel stood on the other side of the window. I could see the tiny drops of blood splattered in his shirt. I knew some people had already died inside there but I didn't wanted to ask.

- She's okay, taking care of Judith, Effy is with her. — I countered.

- Merle is with them to, I bet Effy and him are arguing the whole time — The old man chuckled, I grinned because he was just trying to make me feel less worried.

- How's Glenn?

- He's better, helping me with the others. — I nodded, knowing that I wasn't doing my part, Hershel was a capable person, he knew what he was doing but he needed help.

- I can't sit on my hands out here

- You're helping Mary.

- No I'm not, open the door — The old man looked at me with shock and concern, I wasn't kidding. I wanted to help.

- I don't think...

- I do think that you need help in there, Glenn needs to rest, I can take it — Hershel was hesitant he was trying to protect me.

- What if you get sick? You know Daryl respect me, but he will kick my ass if he knows I let you get into quarantine. — I could not find an answer to that. Even my step-dad was okay with my overprotective roommate.

- Have I ever told you that my grandmother was Venezuelan and my grandfather was half Italian and Argentine? — I tilted my head watching as he nodded.

- What about that, Mary?

- We Hispanics have a good immune system, we bear cold weather, hot weather, weird mosquito's illness and plenty of things — Hershel snorted in obvious annoyance shooking his head — now, can you open the door?

My step-dad sighed in exasperation, opening the door.

New chapter here :)

The Governor's attack will be happening soon, and I'd like to know who you prefer Mary to go with? Because I can't decide ;) So leave your choice in the comments.