ᴀɴɢᴜɪsʜ » ᴅᴀʀʏʟ ᴅɪxᴏɴ

{43} Change is Coming

"What?" Daryl took one step further, conflicted by the news. Rick finally broke his silence to speak to the group. Infected, every member in the group held the virus in their bloodstream—everyone except for Willow and Jodie Hunter. Daryl wanted to smack some sense into Rick. The information kept from their ears is necessary, and everyone should have known this fact immediately after the C.D.C.

"At the C.D.C., Jenner told me. Whatever it is, we all carry it," Rick explains, diverting his eyes from the others.

Willow slipped her arm away from Sophia, shaking her head at this news. There is no way that everyone but she and Jodie held immunity to whatever this thing was. It didn't make much sense to her.

Why hadn't Jenner told the sisters before? And what could make them so unique compared to the others? They were human too.

"I don't understand," Willow kept her confused gaze on her equal until her face scrunched up in thought. "No, no, that doesn't make sense."

"It's what he said," Rick pressed on, giving Willow a direct nod.

Willow shook her head, still not believing this. "Why didn't he tell us instead of you? I mean, we have every right to know this."

Jodie took a chance to continue for her sister, for the eldest Hunter becomes overwhelmed by this.

"Was there a way he could have made a cure?"

"You could have told us," Willow blurts out. Frustration overtook her senses.

Rick challenges Willow for only a moment, then, without any argument, he explains everything he could remember from that day.

"Jenner said that immunes are rare. He estimated that 1.5% of the population is resistant. Antibodies in your blood keep the infection from compromising your immune system. Your blood samples were clean, but ours weren't...

....One of his coworkers - was immune but chose suicide over this mess. His blood wasn't good, though; the subject must be alive to make any promising cures. He tried and failed...

...Anyone else like you might be dead from starvation or exposure to the elements. He wanted to make a cure with more simples from you two, but time wasn't on his side. We've gotten this far, so I thought keepin' my mouth shut was the right thing," Rick perched his hand onto his pistol holster while the other waved as if to dismiss the notion.

"You knew this whole time," Glenn grabbed his glare from the Hunter sisters, slightly annoyed.

"How could I have known for sure?" Rick spat. "You saw how crazy that ma--"

"That isn't your call!" Glenn interrupts Rick, not having this. How could someone the group saw as a figurehead keep such a secret? One that does make a difference. "Okay, when I found out about the walkers in the barn, I told, for the good of everyone."

"Well, I thought it best that people didn't know."

Rick kept his blank stare on Glenn, not breaking his decision. He is not afraid, to tell the truth behind his reasons. Rick did not feel guilt, nor did he see why the others felt jaded by his silence. The group wasn't ready for this; how could anyone be prepared for the truth? In Grimes's mind, Jenner's ludicrous logic was correct. They all should have died back at the C.D.C... Their pain and hardships could have ended then and there.

Without another word, Rick spun on his heels and walked away from the others to give himself some space. Lori gently hands Carl over to Hershel, and she trailed behind him.

Willow raked her fingers through her messy hair, contemplating the idea. Sophia turned to face Willow, her bright glint still there despite Carol's passing hours before. Sophia's innocents betray her as she darts between Jodie and Willow. A curious expression is evident.