Epidemic

Chapter 16

"What do ye mean, I can't touch ye?" I could tell he was hurt just by the tone of his voice.

"I could still be infected Daryl, I just don't want to hurt you." I quietly hushed.

"C'mon Had, ye ain't infected." Gripping onto my arm he turned me so I was facing him. Our eyes meeting for the first time. That's when I saw his face pull up into a weird expression.

His hand coming up and talking my head in his hands, and moving me into the light. I could tell he was thinking, and the lack of communication was starting to worry me.

"What?" I asked, watching him still. "Dare what is it?" I asked again, trying to get his attention.

"You're eyes. They ain't right." He said as he continued to look at them.

"What do you mean?" Pulling away from him, I made my way back to the bed. Kneeling down I reached under the bed grabbing my backpack.

Rummaging through the contents fast, I was looking for my compact mirror. I kept one on me for when I went into the city, it was excellent for peering around corners before running out there that a crazy lunatic.

Shaking my head I refocused my thoughts and continued to look for it. Finally feeling the small plastic circle I pulled it out. Dumping my bag back to the ground, I got to my feet and made my way back to Daryl. He was standing by the cell door, watching me.

Stepping into the light, I fidgeted with the compact opening it. Gazing into the small mirror, I saw how much I changed. I was thinner, paler but I was still me. My skin wasn't grey and I wasn't rotting from the inside out.

But when I looked into my own eyes, I knew something was wrong. My eyes were no longer golden brown, they weren't my eyes anymore. They were now, a light amber color, with red running through out the irises. Almost making it look like a smoldering fire.

Bringing the compact closer, I pulled my eyelid open more. In the corner of my left right eye, it looked like one of my blood vessels burst open, causing blood to flood the corner of my eye.

Pushing the compact away from myself, I gave it to Daryl. He took it in his hands before throwing it onto the mattress. Getting it away from both of us.

"This is not good." Shaking my head I began pacing back and forth. Feeling Daryl's eyes watching my every movement. "I'm mean its good, but not really." I was rambling, as my thoughts were running wild.

I mean it was good I suppose, that what ever this is didn't effect me in the normal sense. But it still means that my blood is infected, meaning I could infect other people. Especially if I'm not careful, one lapse of judgement and I could hurt someone.

"Had, calm down and try explaining it to me." He finally gave up following my scattered sentences. His hands gripping my arms tight as he tried to focus me.

Looking up at him, I closed my eyes and took a calming breath. Puffing out my large breath, I re opened my eyes, finding his blue one staring at me.

"This?" I pointed to my eyes. "This means that my body interacted with the virus. It means that on a molecular level, my cells bonded with it." I said, trying to put in the simplest terms I could. "If they didn't, I'd be a member of the living dead now."

"Ain't that good?" He asked, as his arms wrapped around me.

Sometimes I wish I didn't know as much as I did. It would make things so much more simpler.

"It would have been good, if we found this out before they bombed Atlanta." I sighed, my thoughts going back to Jenner. Remembering what he told me, that I should run and never look back. Maybe he knew back then, that I was immune and that's why he told me to run. But I'd never know now. "There's nothing that we can do now though." I shrugged, running a hand thru my hair thinking about this.

"Daryl?!" Turning around, I jumped hearing the voices behind me.

Their eyes in shock as I stood there, with Daryl's arms around me.

"You got to be shitting me?" Shane muttered, dropping the gun he had aimed at me. "She's alive?"

"This changes things." Rick holstered his gun and walked to the cell door.

"What expected me to be gnawing on Daryl by now?" I asked, stepping closer to the door. Letting my face get illuminated in the morning light. Their eyes widening as they saw my eyes.

"Yes..." Glenn muttered from the background, which made me smile a bit.

"Hadley, your eyes?" Rick pointed out, reaching into my cell with his hand pointing at them.

"Yeah I know." My voice trailed off, as I watched Shane's fist ball together.

"Rick.." He gritted, his anger clearly showing now.

Stepping away from the cell, Rick gently grabbed his shoulder as they walked away. They were heading down the walkway a bit. Getting out of ear shot as the silently argued with each other.

Looking up at Daryl, he pulled me closer to him. He didn't seem to care about this infection. But the sooner I left the better. It was just getting the chance to high tail it out of here without having someone see me.

"We need to talk about this situation with everyone, Had and see what they think." Rick calmly said as he came back into view. His hand reaching into his pocket, pulling out the keys.

With one click, the door was slid open. Giving a silent nod, I slowly left my cell. Leaving Daryl's side as I made my way down the stairs. Shane walking unnervingly close to me.

"I should just kill you now." He glared, shoving a knife against my back. But since he was so close, no one even saw.

"But you won't." I smirked, feeling the old cocky Hadley come out of me. The one that didn't give a flying fuck about any situation she was in.

"Don't try me Had, you ain't in the position." He spat quietly, letting the knife push into my back a bit harder as we hit the concrete floor.

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I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! I added a couple elements from my other favorite zombie movies so you'll have to tell me what you think! AND WHO IS EXCITED FOR WALKING DEAD SUNDAY?!?!?