Thank you for reading!
Daryl followed Tyreese through the warren of passages, out into the courtyard where the two bodies still lay smoking. He'd never seen Tyreese so upset, and when he saw them, he understood why. This was murder. Maybe Karen and David had been sick, but sick enough for this? To take them from their cells and burn them? Who would have done this?
Carol and Rick were with them, staring grimly at the bodies.
"You found them like this?" Rick asked.
"I came to see Karen … and I saw the blood on the floor. Then I smelled them. Somebody dragged 'em out here and set 'em on fire! They killed 'em and set 'em on fire!" When Rick didn't respond, Tyreese turned on him. Daryl hastily placed himself behind Tyreese, in case Rick needed backup. "You're a cop. You find out who did this and you bring 'em to me, you understand? You bring 'em to me!"
Daryl put a hand on Tyreese's shoulder, trying to talk him down, but the hand was flung off. Tyreese never looked away from Rick's face.
"I know what you're feeling," Rick said. "I've been there—you saw me there. It's dangerous."
"Karen didn't deserve this! David didn't deserve it. Nobody does."
Daryl grabbed Tyreese's arm, and Tyreese whirled on him, shoving him back against the wall, screaming in his face. Even as Carol and Rick came after him, Daryl held his hands out, keeping them back, waiting until Tyreese's grip loosened. Once the eyes looking into his were sane again, he said quietly, "We're on the same side, man."
Their attempts to calm him only seemed to rile Tyreese up more. He struck out with his fists, knocking Rick to the ground. Carol tried to get between them, and Daryl flung himself on Tyreese's back, pulling him away from Rick with all his strength. But something in Rick, something he'd been holding back for a while, let loose, and he struck back, kicking and punching Tyreese until Daryl dragged him away.
Rick turned and ran back into the prison even as Tyreese was pushing himself up onto his hands and knees. "I'm gonna put 'em in the ground."
"Let us help you," Carol said gently.
"You done enough."
That was all he would say. Carol and Daryl looked at each other and shrugged and left him to it.
Later, the council met, Hershel wearily letting them know that everyone who had survived the attack in cell block D was down with the sickness.
A chill worked its way through Carol. She had done the unthinkable—had it been for nothing? She couldn't end things for everyone who was sick, not now. If she had left them alone, maybe Karen and David would have recovered.
There was no point in thinking about it, she decided. She had done what she felt she had to do. She would do it again if necessary.
Hershel was recommending a run to a veterinary college that was outside their usual circuit, in hopes it would have the antibiotics needed to fight the illness, since all the pharmacies nearby had been stripped of anything useful long ago.
Daryl got to his feet, ready to go on the run. Michonne offered to go, as well. Carol thought about it, but … her place was here.
The children were put into quarantine, over many of their objections, and Carol went with Rick to get water. The line was buried in mud again, very little coming through, and they debated whether to clear it now or later.
Across the yard, Tyreese was still burying David and Karen. Guilt tugged at Carol again. Should she tell him? Should she tell Rick?
No. She took the water bucket. There was enough to be done right now, enough to worry about, without adding that. Someday, when this was past, if enough of them survived to make it worthwhile … then she might say. If it seemed necessary.
Instead, she started rounding up anyone who seemed sick. A few people tried to claim it was allergies, but … it didn't matter. Carol wasn't taking any risks. These were her people. This was supposed to be their safe space. And she would protect that space with everything she had, no matter what it cost. Compared with what she had already done, the quarantining seemed mild.
She shut the door of the sick ward behind them, locking it, and turned to find the last thing she wanted to see: Lizzie. Coughing. Clearly feverish. Carol went to her and held her close. Was this what it had been for, to lose the girls anyway, the way she had lost Sophia? Because she hadn't protected them well enough?
Looking down at Lizzie, she promised they were going to find the meds to make her better, telling her to go inside the cell block and lie down.
"Will you tuck me in?" Lizzie asked, looking up into Carol's face.
She wanted to. It was the mom in her. She wanted to tuck her in and feed her soup and take her to the doctor, just as she had done for Sophia in that vanished world. But that world was gone, and in this one, Carol had to stay healthy to protect her people. "You know my friend Glenn? He's the best tucker I know."
She pretended she wasn't scared for Glenn, or for Lizzie, or for any of the others, as she led Lizzie to the door. On the verge of entering, Lizzie turned back, throwing herself into Carol's arms. Carol held her, briefly, then urged her inside, shutting the door behind her and walking away quickly before she could go after her.
Carol pulled down the mask she'd worn and let the tears come, the ones she had refused to cry for Karen and David last night.