I spent most of my time in A block helping Hershel with the other people who were sick. My own sickness had gotten worse in less than a day. It was a struggle to breathe properly and I had cold sweats. Although I was burning up, I continuously shivered. Despite this, I did whatever Hershel asked of me. I had it bad but others had it worse. Glenn and Sasha could barely keep themselves up straight

Hershel and I talked about our favorite authors and books during our rounds. We both agreed it was nice to talk to another person who had read all of the classics.

At one point, when we were taking care of the second person to die, Hershel broke down. I hugged him until he regained his composure.

He wiped his tears and told me, "Jolene, I know it might be selfish to say this, but I'm glad you're here with me. The more I've gotten to know you, the more you feel like a third daughter to me. It's a blessing havin' you here helpin' me. Keepin' me going."

I hugged the old man again as my own tears escaped.

Although I did not tell him he felt like a father to me, he knew.

I now helped Hershel load our now third body onto the stretcher. He rolled the man away from everyone else before he put him down.

I started closing the cells of those who we had already checked and were resting. My feet dragged and I had to hold myself up by the bars for a moment as I got light headed. After a moment, my brain fog cleared and I continued on.

Suddenly, someone hit the floor. I rushed over to the sound and saw Sasha passed out on the floor.

I kneeled down by her. "Hershel!" I shouted.

Hershel quickly hobbled over to us. He kneeled down as well and felt her pulse with his wrinkled fingers.

"She's still alive. But she needs an IV," he told me. "Theres one in my bag over there."

I stood as quickly as I could, grabbed the backpack, and brought it back to him. Hershel rifled through it and pulled out a long, clear tube.

"Get a pillow under her head," he said.

I grabbed Sasha's off of her bed and lifted her head gently before placing it under her. I stroked her forehead and hair as Hershel inserted the IV in order to get fluids into her body.

Soon, her eyes fluttered open.

"Welcome back," said Hershel.

"I passed out?" she asked.

Hershel nodded, still holding up the fluid bag. "You were dehydrated. Being a hero takes a lot out of you."

"You should know." Sasha inhaled weakly. "I thought you were an idiot to come in here. I mean, I was sure you were just gonna be a dead foolish man."

I chuckled at her statement.

"I can't tell if that's a compliment," he remarked with a smile.

"I don't know what I'm sayin'. I must have hit my head," she muttered. "I don't believe in magic or luck. I do the math and I don't gamble. But I don't know if I'd be here right now if you weren't so damn stupid."

Hershel laughed, the corners of his eyes exposing his crow's feet. "You know what? I'm gonna take that as a compliment."

"You really should," I said. "You're an angel in here. You don't what it means to everyone just to see you try to save them."

"I don't know about the angel part, but I'm certainly trying my best."

"We know," Sasha added. "We know."

Once the bag was emptied, Hershel took out the IV. The both of us helped Sasha to her feet and into her bed. She fell asleep almost immediately. We left her and closed the cell behind us.

"Let's finish closing up," I suggested.

Hershel agreed.

After closing a couple of cells, I began coughing uncontrollably. I could hardly get a full breath in between each fit. Something came up in my throat and I spit it out on the concrete floor to clear my airway. When I could finally breathe properly, I saw what I coughed up was red. Blood.

"Fuck," I said between clenched teeth.

Blood meant the infection was getting worse. My lungs were filling up with the substance. I still had time based on the small amount, but not a lot of it. But, I couldn't dwell on that now. I had a job to do. I wiped my mouth and closed another cell.

"Hershel!" Lizzie yelled. "Hershel!"

Suddenly, Hershel was tackled by a walker.

"Everyone, stay in your cells," he commanded, trying to hold off the monster from biting him.

Anna rushed out to him before I could get there and kicked the walker. She then pulled it off of Hershel. Charles walked out of his cell, brandishing a small pistol.

I ran to Anna and got my knife out of my pocket. Before I could stab the walker, Charles' gun went off. It went through Anna's torso and into my left arm. I screamed out in pain as Anna fell back onto me. We both hit the ground with a thud. My body went numb from the impact.

The walker crawled toward me. It snapped its teeth and snarled. I had to gather all my strength to push the now dead Anna off of me. My arm throbbed as I heaved her to the side. The walker grabbed my leg. I used my free one to kick it in the head before it could take a bite out of me.

With the help of the stairs I was able to stand. I looked around frantically and found my knife on the floor. I picked it up as the walker advanced toward me. I stabbed it in the head and it fell down.

Faintly, I heard rapid gunfire. From the sound of it, it was coming from outside of the prison. In that moment, I wish I could be in multiple places at once. The only people that could be firing those guns were Rick and Maggie. Everyone else was either in here or gone.

The others in the cellblock were screaming and running from the walker that ate on Charles. His son. I held onto my bleeding arm and advanced toward it. I heard growling above me before looking up. A walker wriggled on the metal fencing with a respirator on its mouth.

"Hershel!" I yelled.

"I'm okay!" he responded as he led two walkers away from the people upstairs.

I continued toward the walker that was now lunging after someone. I grabbed its hair, pulled it back, and put the blade through its skull.

"Get in your cells!" I ordered.

The sound of a shotgun being fired echoed. My instinct was to run to help him, but I knew I was more useful here right now.

Another walker started coming out of a cell. I ran at it and shoved it back inside before closing the door. It reached its arms through the bars, trying to grab me. I avoided its grip and took it down.

There was a crashing sound above me again. Hershel rolled onto the fencing. He was fighting with the walker.

More gunshots fired from outside the cellblock. I turned to see Maggie running in. Just as she entered, Charles reanimated. She swiftly shot it in the head.

"Where's my dad?" she asked desperately.

"Up there," I said, pointing.

She aimed her gun up at the walker.

"No!" Hershel shouted. "You could hit the bag. We need it for Glenn."

My heart began racing even more than it already was. "Shit!"

Maggie continued aiming with squinted eyes then fired. The walker went limp.

"Where is he?" asked Maggie.

"Follow me," I told her, grabbing my arm again.
The two of us ran upstairs. "Cell 100."

While Maggie went to Glenn, I went to Hershel. He got the respirator off the walker. I held out my right arm and helped him get back onto stable land.

"He's turning blue!" Maggie screamed.

"Clear his airway. I'm on the way!" said Hershel.

I jogged behind Hershel on the way to Glenn. Maggie held his head as he choked and wheezed on his blood and spit. The old man kneeled down while I leaned up against the wall. There was nothing I could do so I watched helplessly as they prepped Glenn.

They got him on his back and Hershel told Maggie, "Hold his arms down."

Maggie got on top of her husband and pinned his arms by his side.

"Come on, son. You know how this works," Hershel continued as he stuck the tube in his throat.

Glenn had to survive. He had to. Not for Maggie, or Hershel, or me. But for everyone. He kept us together. He stepped up when no one else would. He wasn't just another person in the prison. He was the glue that held us together. After everything he'd been through he couldn't die from an infection. We needed him. I needed him.

"Just relax."

Hershel's hands shook as he put the respirator together. Maggie watched the action with a terrified expression on her face.

"Stay with us," stammered Hershel. "Stay with us."

"Come on, Glenn," I whispered, holding back tears.

Hershel pumped the bag and Glenn slowly stopped choking. My shoulders relaxed. He was going to be okay.

Maggie leaned down and pecked his cheek.

"I didn't want you here," Hershel said to his daughter.

"I know," she replied. "I had to. Just like you."

Hershel wiped blood off of her face and she kissed his hands.

Lizzie came down the walkway cautiously.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" I asked her, touching her shoulder.

She nodded before looking in on Glenn.

"I told you to stay put," Hershel reminded her.

The girl stared down at the man on the floor. She seemed exhausted. "Is it over?" she asked.

"I hope so, honey," said Maggie.

Since the chaos had died down, Maggie finally had the chance to look up at me. I held on my arm as blood ran between my fingers.

"Were you bit?"

"No," I sighed. "Shot, actually."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Hershel questioned.

"You had to save Glenn first. I could wait."

Hershel handed the bag over to Maggie. "Squeeze this every few seconds." The man stood and turned to me. "Let me see."

I removed my blood-covered hand. Hershel smeared some of the liquid away so he could get a better look.

"It went clean through the side here."

"Is that a good thing?" I wondered.

"Very. You're gonna be okay. Follow me and we'll fix you right up."

"Your work never ends, does it?"

Hershel chuckled. "I'd be worried if it did."

With Hershel's help, my wounds got cleaned, stitched up, and bandaged. As soon we he was done, Tyreese rushed in.

"Did you get the meds?" Hershel asked him.

"They're comin'" the man answered before going to his sister.

Rick really did put him through the wringer. His face was swollen and cut.

Rick.

I stomped over to Tyreese. "Rick. Is he okay? I heard gunfire from outside."

Tyreese rubbed Sasha's arm. "The fences came down. Rick and Carl took care of it. They're fine."

I let out a staggered breath. "Okay. Good."

Bob entered carrying the bag full of medicine and supplies. I had survived the walkers, the gunshot, and now I was going to survive this sickness.

Everything was going to be okay.