𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝟒𝐱𝟎𝟑

I was with Glenn digging graves for the bodies that were scattered all over the prison. We both had bandannas covering our face. Maggie was making more graves in the distance. We had a lot of things to do around the prison. We had to bury the dead, get some meds for the sick, and figure out a way to get rid of this sickness as a whole along with the governor who was still out there probably building an army.

"Are you and Daryl still not talking?" Glenn broke the silence as we both kept grinding the shovel in the dirt.

"Pretty much. This distance, I don't like it and with this flu crap going around, I wanna be around him and see that he's safe. I feel like everything's just all over the place."

"Don't I know it." Glenn agreed as him and Maggie made eye contact before we all got back to it.

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

Glenn and I were making our way over to Hershel, after we had buried a majority of the buddies we brought outside. Let me just say, digging graves all morning, will tire you out. That and having a bandanna cover your mouth and nose was crazy. We were in desperate need of a meeting to discuss what to do moving forward because this flu thing going around, can't go on for any longer than it has.

"We're gonna be okay, right? I mean, Karen and David, they were already sick. So if we were gonna get it, we'd have had it by now." Glenn stated hopefully to Hershel is we all walked to C-block.

"It doesn't happen on a timeline. It's different with everyone."

"We could be alright though, right?" I pressed the question at hand.

"We could be. Everything could be okay." Hershel confirmed looking between my brother and I.

"If it's walkers, if it's people, we can do something. We can fight. But with this, we're just digging graves." Glenn sighed while explaining to Hershel. It was honestly an endless funeral. One that was very exhausting, we've lost so many people, I fear this is only just the beginning to what could happen.

We all heard coughing coming from behind us to find Sasha was the culprit. She'd looked pale and clammy. She was having a coughing fit and Hershel went to help her but she held up her hand in protest.

"Got to see Dr. S. I'm gonna be okay." She said in between her heavy breathing. She'd look like she was in transition to becoming a walker. It was concerning to say the least. Hershel, Glenn, and I all casted worried glances amongst each other before continuing our walk to the cell block we'd have our council meeting. Lucky for me, Daryl's gonna be there.

Quite fun am I right?

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

"It's spread. Everyone who survived the attack in cell block D. Sasha, Caleb, and now others." Hershel informed the rest of us as he sat in between Glenn and Daryl as Carol sat in front of him. I stood up beside Michonne.

"Oh Jesus." Daryl sighed.

"So what do we do?" Carol asked.

"First things first, cell block A is isolation. We keep the sick people there like we tried to do with Karen and David.

"What the hell are we gonna do with that?" Daryl questioned as I briefly looked at him before looking at Glenn who looked sweaty and tired. He was wiping his chin with the bandanna hanging around his neck.

"Ask Rick to look into it. Try to make a timeline, who's where when. But what are we gonna do to stop this?" Carol suggested before asking.

"There is no stopping it. You get it, you have to go through it."

"But it just kills you?" Michonne questioned from beside me, looking directly at Hershel.

"The illness doesn't. The symptoms do. We need antibiotics." Hershel answered as he looked at Michonne.

"We've been through every pharmacy nearby and then some." Daryl told him.

"The veterinary college at West Peachtree Tech, that's one place people may not have thought to raid for medication. The drugs for animals there are the same we need."

"That's 50 miles. Too big a risk before. Ain't now. I'm gonna take a group out. Best not waste any more time." Daryl said as he got up and wrapped his crossbow around his back.

"I'll go." I volunteered. We needed these meds like yesterday. People are getting sick and could be dying, I want to help.

"Nah. You should stay." Daryl advised, not looking at me.

"I can go, it's fine." I denied looking his way. He eyed me quickly before nodding. The others could feel the tension in the room between the two. It was obvious that they had some unresolved issues.

"I'm in." Michonne followed suit as I playfully nudged her.

"You or Ara haven't been exposed. Daryl has. You two get in a car with him..." Hershel reminded us.

"He's already given me fleas." Michonne joked as I playfully glared at her.

"I can lead the way. I know where everything's kept." Hershel told us. I looked behind him to see Glenn unusually quiet and to himself. I walked behind Hershel to check on him.

"You okay, little man?" I questioned, looking his way concerned as he was sweating more than usual and didn't look okay at all.

"I'm fine I promise." He said while fake smiling. I could tell that he was lying straight through his teeth. Before I could press the matter further, Daryl started talking.

"When we're out there, it's always the same. Sooner or later we run."

"I can draw you a map." Hershel suggested as Daryl was about to walk away.

"There are other precautions I feel we should take." Hershel spoke again, stopping Daryl right in his tracks. "Like what?" Carol questioned as we all looked at Hershel expectantly.

"There's no telling how long it'll be before Daryl and his group return. Wouldn't it make sense for us to separate the most vulnerable? We can use the administration building. Separate office. Separate room."

"Who is the most vulnerable?" Glenn asked

"Maybe the kids or the elderly?" I spoke up. That's what made the most sense to me personally. Hershel nodded before we all went our separate ways to do our tasks. Carol went to go talk to Rick, Daryl, Michonne, and I were gonna go load some things in the car and get Bob to tag along, and Glenn was staying at the prison with everyone else keeping everything under control. I just hoped he was okay. Was he sick?

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

I was coming back from the guard tower after getting a few things to put in the trunk. Daryl was to busy checking over the engine and stuff under the hood. I was about to speak until Michonne walked over.

"Son of a bitch is about a quart low." Daryl scoffed.

"You still keep it in the bottom of tower three?"

"Yeah." Daryl confirmed.

"I'll go get one." Michonne announced before nudging me and silently telling me to talk to him while she was out getting the gas needed to make this trip. I shrugged before she nudged to me harder before taking her leave.

"I'm glad you're here." Daryl said stopping what he was doing to look my way.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, I mean where else could I possibly go?"

"Out and about. Keeping a distance."

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" I asked softly, wanting to know his opinion. He looked at me briefly before looking under the hood of the car. The silence was too loud. The tension was too thick. Remind me to get into arguments with him less-well attempt to.

"Daryl. I'm sorry. I just want you to believe in me and to trust me. Right now I feel like you don't."

"I trust you more than anyone on the planet. You know that. I do believe in you. It's what's out there that I don't." He looked at me as he spoke. He looked at me with so much sincerity and honesty. I knew he was afraid to lose me, believe me, so was I. I'd lose my mind if anything ever happened to him.

"I'm sorry too, I hate this distance. I trust you. I just want you to promise you'll be careful." He paused before taking a few steps closer to me. His hand reached out to hold the back of my neck as I held onto his waist.

"I promise."

"I love you." He looked into my eyes wholeheartedly.

"I love you more." I whispered before resting my forehead against his. I felt all warm and giddy inside. Only he had the capability to do that to me. It always felt just like the first time.

"Not possible." He scoffed, finding that entirely hard to believe. He brought his hand over to my cheek and caressed it before leaning in. I did the same before our lips captured one another. It was passionate but gentle, fueled by fire but slow. It was everything all wrapped into one.

"Are you two good now?" A voice announced from behind us as we both looked at the person. It was Michonne.

"Yes we are." I smiled in her direction.

"Thank god. That car ride would've been brutal."

"Yeah whatever." I waved it off as Daryl just cracked a smile before looking down.

"So it's just gonna be the three of us like in the old days?" Michonne smirked at us before I did the same and raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, and Bob. Still, feels like we could use another person." Daryl answered as looked back and forth between the engine and Michonne.

"I mean I guess. Who else doesn't have the nasty cooties?" I questioned out loud.

"We don't ask Rick. He wants to stay with Carl and little ass kicker. Keep them safe. Plus there's plenty of stuff he could do here." Daryl answered.

"Who else we got?" Michonne asked as we all eyed each other. I looked at Daryl and already saw the gears turning in his head.

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

Our best bet was Tyrese. Daryl told Michonne what happened with Rick and Tyrese earlier. They'd exchanged blows and Tyrese wasn't in the best state of mind to do much. He'd just lost Karen, and anyone could tell that they were falling in love with each other.

And him being the first to find Karen, definitely had to be hard on him. So, I'll be personally keeping an eye on him.

Daryl was going to go out and find him so we could all get in the car and get those meds. Let's just hope that he can convince Tyrese to come.

Michonne and I had been waiting for Daryl and Tyrese. We had made sure everything that was supposed to be in the car was in there. We'd double checked everything, even ourselves, to make sure we had all the necessary weapons we needed. We needed this trip to go smoothly because the veterinary college is pretty far. I just want everything to go good and we could get back on time. I wanted to say bye to a few people before we left.

First stop was Glenn and Maggie's cell. I walked into the cell block to see Glenn hunched over. I walked into the room rushing over to him to see him sweaty and shaky. He was fighting to inhale any air at all to breath. He tried to push me away.

"Don't. You'll get sick too." He groaned before coughing.

"I could care less. I wanted to say bye before I left and I wanted to double check on you because I knew you were lying earlier." I told him. As I held him up so he could lay in the bed and not on the floor. I fluffed up the pillow before placing his head down gently. I knew that I was in dire need to get those meds now. I was not going to let my brother, Sasha, or anyone else die from this.

"A few of us are going to get meds for everyone. We'll be back as soon as we can. I'm gonna make sure you don't have to go through this for another day. I love you." I informed him before kissing the top of his hair.

"I love you too. Please be careful." He rasped as he leaned his head back on the pillow. I looked him over before leaving and going to find Maggie and Beth.

I knew that Beth was with Judith so I would be able to see her little chubby cheeks too. I quickly made my way over to see Beth behind a door with Judith in her arms and Maggie outside of it.

"Maggs." I called out before she looked in my direction and smiled at me. We walked up to each other and embraced one another tenderly. I had informed her and Beth that I was going out with Daryl, Michonne, Bob, and maybe Tyrese to go and get some meds for the ones who were sick. She was worried about Glenn because he was sick too. I reassured to the best of my ability that we would get those meds and come back as soon as possible.

After I had visited them I made sure to speed walk back to the front by the car. As I made my way closer and closer, I saw Bob walking towards the car with some things in his hands. Then Daryl had just come back out. However, Tyrese hadn't been behind him. Guess it would just be the four of us.

Daryl was looking under the hood of the car just to double check that everything was good and making sure to look in the car to see if the car had fuel.

"Everything look alright?" Bob asked.

"Yeah. Zach kept this thing running pretty good." Daryl responded before complimenting.

"This is Zach's car?"

"Yeah, fastest one we got." Daryl answered as Bob just stood there silently, staring into space. I walked over to him to wave my hand in front of him. He didn't budge.

"You alright?" Daryl asked Bob, which brought him back to planet Earth.

"You guys really want me coming along?" Bob asked Daryl and I, looking between the two of us. Daryl then patted around his pockets, in search of something until he pulled a piece of paper. He opened it up and pointed to something at the top of it. He looked at Bob, waiting for his answer to the question he was about to ask.

"What's that word?"

"Zanamivir." Bob answered.

"Yup, we need you." Daryl nodded as he looked over the list again. Then we both heard footsteps approaching from behind us to see Tyrese. So he actually made decision. Thank the lord for that because I would've been old and grey by the time he decided he didn't wanna come.

"What's up?" Daryl greeted Tyrese as he stopped right in front of him

"Still got room for one more?"

"Hell, yeah." Daryl answered and nodded as he did so. Did we really have room? I mean really, because we're all going to have to bunch up together in the car. That didn't seem very safe or smart. But hey, what do I know? (A/N not a thing you're FICTIONAL BABE😭let me be quiet🧍)

"Good. Just got to get my gear." Tyrese informed us before he walked away. I looked at Daryl before we both sighed simultaneously and he said alright under his breath. This was going to be quite the field trip wasn't it?

* . °•★|•°∵ ∵°•|☆•° . *

The seating arrangements we're something I tell you. I was in the back in between Tyrese and Bob while Michonne was in the passengers seat. She'd called shotgun first, so I let her have it. A comfortable silence had dawned upon all of us as we had drove outside the gates of the prison, well until Daryl sparked up a conversation with Michonne.

"Hey, I know you weren't running off. The thing is, that trail went cold. You know that, right?" Daryl questioned looking back between Michonne and me through the rear view mirror. So he'd talked to Michonne too about Macon?

Michonne remained quite staring out through the window. Guess Daryl took that as his answer before he started messing with the radio. The radio had went static as Michonne opened the glove box due to Daryl asking her if she could hand him one of the CDs. She pulled out the various CDs and Daryl eyed them and the road until we heard a faint voice on the radio.

"...find sanctuary..."

"Was that a voice?" Bob asked before Daryl shushed him as the radio was spitting out incoherent sentences.

"...determined to survive..."

Daryl was flipping back and forth between the two radio stations as we all tuned in to hear more.

"...keep alive."

Daryl looked at Michonne as Bob, Tyrese, and i all eyed each other. Daryl had been eyeing Michonne and the radio too long seeing as we were in the process of almost crashing. The tires were squealing as Daryl tried to gain control of the car. Once he had, he stopped the car as we all stopped to catch our breath for a minute—mainly him. A crowd of walkers were coming at us from all directions. They were banging on the window and chomping their decayed teeth at us.

Daryl told all of us to grab something as he quickly put the car in reverse—running over multiple walkers at a time as he did so. The car then stopped abruptly. Michonne told Daryl to go to the left before he hit gas as hard as he could only to be met with a sputtering sound. The walkers that he'd run over had piled up underneath the tires, not letting us move at all.

"We're jammed! Make a run for the gaps right there." Daryl ordered Michonne and I before looking at Bob and Tyrese separately. During this time, I was switching seats with Bob so I could jump out first and start slicing and dicing. Kind of like that fruit ninja game.

"You two, you make a run for the woods and don't stop for nothing, you hear me? Now!" Daryl ordered as Michonne and I jumped out of the car at the same time, while Daryl had done the same out of the drivers side. Michonne and I were staring to clear up a bigger pathway for Daryl, Bob, and Tyrese. We needed to get the hell out of there, make it to the veterinary college and get those meds so we could get home asap.

I heard gunshots go off and turned to see Bob popping off rounds. Tyrese just sat in the car staring aimlessly, like he was contemplating whether or not he wanted to live, or even had the will to. I let Daryl and Michonne work there way up front as I made my way to the back to help out Bob, seeing as he kept shouting for Tyrese.

I stabbed three walkers in the heads as I hurriedly made my way to Tyrese as Bob was getting clear of the walkers. I yelled for Tyrese to get the hell out of the car as more and more walkers were heading towards us. He finally got out, and started swinging his axe. Him and I were surrounded as the walkers were crowding around us. Tyrese owes me big time after this crap.

I heard Daryl and Michonne yelling my name. Sorry guys but I'm a little busy here, you know fighting for my life as well as someone else's. It isn't an easy task. I stabbed another walker in the stomach before chopping their head off. I was trying to get Tyrese and I a clear path out of this mess. I felt blood splatter all over me as I killed one after the other. I grabbed Tyrese's hand before I bolted us out of the swarm. He looked just as tired as I did. Killing walkers will do that to you. We made a beeline through the trees trying to keep up with Daryl, Michonne, and Bob who were ahead of us.

We had to kill some walkers on the way but we made it. We were just about to enter another set of bushes towards nothing but open field, when more walkers got in our way. Tyrese sliced one's head in two while I just stabbed the other one. I let out a loud sigh before looking up to be met with the others. Tyrese dropped to the ground, while I did my best to keep upright, seeing as we had long ways to go and there was still a herd behind us. Daryl and Bob hurriedly grabbed Tyrese off the ground while Michonne grabbed my hand and we all made a run for it.

Well that was quite some fun now wasn't it?

* . °•★|•°∵ author's note ∵°•|☆•° . *

hey guyssss it's been so long. how are you guys??! a lot has been going on these past few months for me, right now im sick, so ill be trying to get some chapters to you all because im super bored😭. i hope you guys at least liked this chapter i haven't written in a while if you couldn't tell. but im ready to really dive into this season im excited for what's in store. please let me know what you think, comment and vote🙏🏾. i love you guys 3000 and as always ill see you next time.💗