MAKNAE [twd]

【38】

The day started off fine- fun even, which should have been a red flag.

First, I showed off the new CD to Glenn who then pulled out a picture of Maggie that he'd taken with a camera he'd found. Of course, he found the picture funny as she was sleeping and taken off guard.

Then, it was a journey through the group as we took pictures before breakfast. I kept most, sticking them in the last slot of my CD case to keep safe. Which prompted Glenn to make a joke on how I protected the CD player and discs more than anything- but, it was pretty true.

I almost missed the sounds of gunfire and shouting with my headphones on.

But, after this much time in the world, it was second nature to sense it and throw everything aside to help. Which only led to a hellscape of screaming, walkers, and fighting.

Sticking close to Sasha- an axe in her hand and my bat in mine, we fought through the security breech. I'd caught a glance of Glenn also being there, but everyone else was hard to identify within the chaos.

Once the fight was over, the questions arose as to what it was. But, it was Daryl, Rick, and Glenn who found a possible answer. Then, Hershel, Bob, and Doctor S confirmed and gave more details to it.

A flu. In the torture of the world already, a flu was spreading.

Those of us that went into the block were considered 'exposed'. Meaning, we couldn't be around the others that weren't.

Glenn was in there, so I could be around him- something horrifying and good at the same time. Good: we could be together and stay safe. Horrifying: we were both exposed.

James had also been exposed while Julie wasn't. Tyreese hadn't been exposed while Karen was. Sasha, of course, had been exposed leaving the entire unit of theirs in shambles as they felt at a loss on what to do.

Maggie and Beth hadn't been exposed. Meanwhile, Glenn, Hershel, and I all were. Another unit in shambles.

Taeyang and Carl also hadn't been exposed. Something I was grateful and loathing over. Taeyang had just lost Zack while Carl had just lost Patrick. And I couldn't be there for either of them.

"This is bullshit," Sasha sighs, leaning her head against the wall.

"Dead people walking and murderers around every corner and it's a cough that takes out a third of our people," I muse.

"And possibly more," she scoffs, leading to a cough.

"Sasha?" I worry, resting my hand on her back.

She holds her arm out, trying to keep me to a distance.

"You have to get to Doctor S, he'll-" I try.

I try.

Until I fall into my own coughing spell.

Sasha and I made it to quarantine together. That was where we found that Doctor S himself had come down with the sickness.

And I was okay. I swore I was going to be okay. 

The others were going on a run to get the medications needed. We just had to hold on until then.

And then Glenn stumbled into quarantine.

--

Sasha had just spoken to Tyreese, Julie, and James through the glass window that allowed us that were sick the ability to see the others. Then, she came to me and said I was needed as well. When I made it to the window, only Julie was there- hardly recognizable with the mask on her face.