Sneaky

Chapter 106

You've gotta be grilling my bananas right now.

As if our lives aren't hard enough as is.

"What." Daryl deadpanned, his voice being all the indication needed that he doesn't believe what he just heard.

"At the CDC. Jenner told me." Rick admitted.

"Whatever it is..." Rick shook his head, before all but whispering in a tired gravelly voice, "We all carry it."

Wait so... let me wrap my head around this.

If we all carry it, then it's gotta be a non-lethal pathogen of some sort. It only takes over after death or after direct infection. So that means it's gotta be spread by not just bites or scratches.

"And you never said anything." Carol

"Would it have made a difference?"

Oh my god.

I dipped my head, running a hand through my hair, letting it settle over my mouth.

"That is not your call." I don't think I've ever heard Glenn sound so betrayed.

"Kay, when I found out about he walkers in the barn, I told for the good of everyone." Glenn spoke fast.

Rick looked at him like he's ready to square up. "Well I thought it best if people didn't know."

Glenn stared at him, mouth agape. Like he doesn't recognize the person he's looking at.

I understand why Rick didn't tell us. He's a cop. It's second nature to not share information that could cause panic. Doesn't mean it was the right thing. Or any less shocking.

But everything looks better in the rear-view.

Truthfully if I'd been in his position, I might've done the exact same thing. With one key difference.

I wouldn't have kept it from everybody. I'd have shared my suspicion with at least Rick, Daryl, and probably a few others I know can keep a level head (like Dale, or at the time Shane, maybe even Lori), but I wouldn't have told the whole group until I knew for certain.

I know from experience that not talking to people about the important stuff, is a good way to drive a divide between you and them. That used to mean ending up in isolation, now... it could mean our lives.

This affects everyone's safety. That — no matter if he only did it because he thought it was right — is not something I can let pass unchecked.

"I'm not gonna say it was the right decision,"Rick and the others looked at me. "I understand why you did it, but we're not kids Rick. We don't need to be sheltered from the truth. Keeping this to yourself put all of us —including you and your family — at risk. That was something we needed to know sooner rather than later."

"How was I supposed to know what that crazy son of a bitch said had any truth to it?" he almost bore his teeth at me, taking an understandably agitated approach with me.

Daryl stiffened and I grabbed his arm immediately before the signature Dixon attitude can rear its head. The last thing I need right now is to end another fight; at this point I might just let it happen if one breaks out and that won't be good for anyone.

"You don't need to know everything, nobody does or ever did. The whole point of sticking together is to take the pressure on each of our shoulders down to manageable levels."

"I know you didn't know for sure and that's why you were hesitant to say anything, but I need to know you understand that this ignorance could have cost us a lot more than it did. I don't know about you, but I'd rather keep our losses to as few and non-critical as we can manage."