The Woman at The End of The World. (Daryl Dixon)

twentytwo.

"Horribly, too." Dr. S winces, "pleurisy aspiration."

"Choked to death on his own blood. Caused those trails down his face." Hershel translates for those of us without a doctorate.

"I've seen them before on a walker outside the fences." Rick peers up the doctor.

"I saw 'em on Patrick, too." Daryl states.

"They're from the internal lung pressure building up-- like if you shake a soda can and pop the top. Only imagine your eyes, ears, nose, and throat are the top." Dr. S continues to explain the scene in front of me.

"Pop. Not soda." When everyone's eyes find me, I shrug. "What? I'm from Ohio. Anyway, It's a sickness from the walkers?" I question him, chewing on my bottom lip. This is horrible. 

"No, these things happened before they were around. Could be pneumococcal. Most likely an aggressive flu strain."

"Someone locked him in just in time." Hershel glances around. Rick had to open the door to get inside the cell, I realize. He's right. 

"No, man. Charlie used to sleepwalk. Locked himself in. Hell, he was just eatin' barbecue yesterday. How could somebody die in a day just from a cold?" Daryl has grown to care for our extended group. He really is a big softie. It's why I've grown so close with him. Our friendship began when my past with abuse was laid at the groups feet after I killed Sophia. 

Rick looks between us, "I had a sick pig, it died quick. Saw a sick boar in the woods."

"Pigs and birds. That's how these things spread in the past. We need to do something about those hogs." Hershel points out.

"So, like the swine flu?" I stand, remembering when Charlee caught it. It was terrible. Poor thing was absolutely miserable. 

"Maybe we got lucky. Maybe these two cases are it." Dr S words are hopeful.

Bob shakes his head, disagreeing, "haven't seen anybody be lucky in a long time. Bugs like to run through close quarters. Doesn't get any closer than this."

"Bob's right." I cock my head. "When has luck been on our side?"

Hershel drops his head, "all of us in here, we've all been exposed."

"Fuck me. Council meeting in the library. 10 minutes." I bark out orders, running my hand through my hair. Turning, heading to the library without waiting for an answer. "What a fucking mess we seem to always find ourselves in."

I walk by Lizzie and Mica's cell, observing Carol put their father down. "Sorry about your dad. I lost both my parents, too. Come find me if you need to talk" I look at the girls, feeling my face twist in sympathy. They were too young to feel like type of pain. "I called for a meeting, 10 minutes." Carol nods. I spin on my heels, leaving them to sort out their emotions.

I don't know what it's like to have a child in this chaos but becoming an orphan has never occurred to me before. Those poor girls are going to be okay if Carol takes over for them. She's one tough bitch. They will thrive under her wing. 

I smile inwardly. When I met the older woman, she was meek and broken, just as much as I was once upon a time. Now, she's not someone I want to make an enemy out of; she's a force to be reckoned with. But that's what happens when you feel like there's nothing else you could lose that could break you further. 

We are truly two peas in a pod. 

I'm the first to cross into the threshold of the library. I fiddle with my fingers anxiously. Something needs done about this. I don't know what snapped in me to take leadership away from Rick, even temporarily. Though, he seemed both proud and relieved that I'm taking the reins on this nightmare.