Didn't See That Coming | The Walking Dead(1)

Part 51 (What If We're Gone?)

To put it simply; CJ felt like actual death.

After talking to Daryl, she planned on checking in with everyone to make sure they were alright, but she could barely stand herself. She couldn't even make it to her cell. She made it halfway up the stairs before settling for sitting on one of the steps and leaning over to rest her head on her knees.

Her entire body glistened with a layer of sweat, despite how cold she was. The white and dark red flannel she had on was wrapped loosely around her as she let her hands disappear into the sleeves. She was shaking and shivering. She truly believed that this is what was going to kill her.

She didn't know how long she'd been sat on the steps when she sensed someone kneeling down in front of her and felt a hand on her shoulder. She slowly moved her head to look up at who it was. Her entire body ached. Both from the sickness and the crouched position she assumed she'd passed out in.

Her vision was blurred again as she looked through her sweaty hair. She saw Hershel in front of her holding a cup in his free hand.

"Here," he held the cup out for her to take. "Drink this. It'll help."

She looked down at the cup and took it, her arm shaking as she brought it up to her mouth and took a sip of the herbal tea. She coughed quietly before drinking a little more.

"You shouldn't be in here." Her voice was so strained and quiet, she was surprised any sound came out at all.

"It's my job," Hershel replied as he took the now empty cup from her. "We've all got jobs to do. Yours is to rest and get better."

"I'm okay," she whispered. "I'm okay." She tried to pull herself up using the banister, but she was too weak to lift herself and she relaxed her body with a defeated sigh. "Th-there are people down here that need more help than I do."

"I've been to see a few people already," he told her. "I'm checking on you now."

"Daryl's group gone out?" she asked.

"A couple hours ago, yes."

"Damn," she muttered. "I've been sat on this step for hours. I must be dying," she mused.

"You aren't going to die, Clara-Jane," Hershel said firmly, shaking his head. "We all need ya here."

CJ ignored him. "This sucks ass. Everything we've been through... I get taken out by a fancy fucking flu."

"Don't talk like that. Don't even think it," Hershel responded. CJ shut her eyes and shook her head. She seemed to be the only one who thought she was done for. "Daryl is gonna be back with those meds and you're gonna get better."

"Hershel," she sighed. "It's a hundred-mile round trip. That's assuming they don't run into any trouble on the road. The place could be cleared out already."

"You gotta have faith," Hershel spoke softly. "They'll come back. I'm sure of it."

Hershel helped CJ up the stairs to her cell. She had to lean pretty much all her weight on him just to stay standing. He left her with some more of the tea he'd made and a cool rag to hold on her forehead and went to check on all the other patients. It didn't take long for her to pass out again. At least this time she was on a bed and not the stairs.

Later, with Daryl's group...

They had run into a large herd on the road, and which delayed their journey. They lost the car and had to fight their way off the road and away from the walkers. They walked for a couple of hours before coming across an abandoned van by an auto-shop. After dealing with a few walkers that had been caught up in the vines around the building, Daryl and Bob went into the store to look for a battery for the van.