Home is You ('Home Is' Book One - Daryl Dixon)

Chapter 91 - Even My Dad Does Sometimes (Ed Sheeran)

NATE

I jolted hearing the gates open, as Glenn let him back in. He's been out hunting until the early hours of this morning.

Once they close? Only then can I truly relax enough to do more than doze. But I still wait until Daryl is in bed with me. His lips on mine then my back welded to his chest.

Before I finally nod off.

I left him sleeping when I woke. Snoring softly into his pillow.

Glenn waved to me as he climbed down from the outer tower. He's just finished guard duties and Maggie is still keeping watch until changeover.

I walked Mich to the gate. She's heading out again to try and find the Governor.

We gave each other a kiss and a long hug goodbye before I opened it. Letting her pass through on her horse. It's one of those we brought back from the Honeymoon Residence.

I'm a very tactile person as you know. Just love giving and receiving hugs....kisses. Everyone submits. And ninety-nine percent of my family do so more than willingly I'm happy to say  😘

Rick and Carl have already said their farewells and are down by the herb garden. Preparing to feed the piglets.

I'm halfway to the cells. It's about six AM by now?

The first shot rang out.

D block!

I whirled around....

"CARL....GATES....MICH...."  I screamed.

He took off. By the third shot? Rick had reached my side.

Daryl wasn't far behind him, loading his bow and yanking a tee over his head at the same time. Sasha and Bob came sprinting around the side of the building.

"We followed protocols....not an incursion. It's coming from inside."

Rick took out the first un-dead one and the rest of us followed suit.

It's one thing to kill walkers. But it's another thing entirely to kill walkers....who were members of your community just the night before.

We went from cell to cell, dispatching them before they rose again. And that's when we found him.

What was a very fit and healthy young man in his mid-twenties not fifteen hours ago? Is now locked behind his own bars and horribly dead. Lying in a pool of his own body fluids.

"Taken by some type of flu"  Dr Subramanian announced after examining him.

'One that makes you look like a pox, plague and Ebola victim all rolled into one?'  I thought crazily, wincing when I caught sight of what once was....his face.

Rick mentioned his pig dying. Other animals in the woods, even walkers he'd seen at the fence line with similar symptoms.

And one other has also succumbed in D block.

Patrick  🥺

Poor sweet Patrick....who made hubby jealous when he admired my pretty dress and legs. Who proudly shook Daryl's hand while thanking him so earnestly for supplying a meal of venison.

Who enjoyed the kid's story time each afternoon. Even though he was a couple of years older than Carl.

"We've been exposed now. All of us in here"  Hershel stated ominously.

The committee decided to quarantine the sick. Of those still alive, David and Karen were the first ones who started showing symptoms. Coughing, runny eyes and fever.