cassette tapes |d. dixon| [1]

53

"This is something we haven't dealt with before. With a walker infection, the only cure is death. With this, we weren't sure how to treat it. Like the flu, with liquids and lots of rest? Or is this something worse?"

EVERYONE WHO HAD BEEN EXPOSED HAD TO BE SEPARATED.

No one knew exactly what it was, or how to treat it, but they did know you could die from it.

And that made it even more dangerous.

Only two people were sick that they the group knew of. They were quickly separated and put into a different cell block.

Caroline glanced over at Daryl, who was burying the dead. She was between the two fences, taking down the hoard that was attracted to the prison by the gunshots from that morning.

She wanted to help him, but didn't know where they left off after their argument earlier.

"He was treating me like a helpless kid again. I thought we were over it but clearly he just repressed his feeling about me helping fight."

"You okay?" Maggie asked, walking over to help,

"You shouldn't be near me, Mags. I was exposed." Caroline sighed,

"Oh, please. No one can keep me away from my best friend." Maggie smirked, 

The blonde smiled, "Well, if you get sick, don't come crying to me."

The two women stepped back and gasped as the fence began to shake. Caroline stepped forward and pushed on the fence, "Go get someone!"

"What about you?!" Maggie asked,

"Just go!" Caroline grunted, trying to keep her fingers from being bitten,

Maggie sprinted from the fences and screamed for Daryl and Rick. The three quickly ran over and grabbed weapons to start taking out the walkers,

"The noise drew them in!" Caroline yelled, "Now it's starting to give!"

More people came to help and Caroline backed away from the fence. Even if they did take out the walkers, the weight would be too much.

They had to spread them out.

Caroline began running back towards the prison, "Care!" Daryl yelled,

"Hold them off! I got an idea!" 

She ran up to the courtyard where her dirt bike was sitting. Caroline grabbed her gun from the container and a radio, stuffing it into the waistband of her jeans. She quickly got on and turned to Carl, who had exited the cell block,

"Carl, come open the gate for me!" Caroline demanded,

"What's going on?!" Carl asked as he ran down to the gate,

"Walkers!" She answered,

Once the gate was opened, she drove out, revving her engine. Caroline stopped on yards away from the gate, continuing to rev her engine to get the attention of the walkers.

"C'mon." She mumbled, shooting any walker that got near her,

"Caroline, what are you doing!?" Daryl yelled over the sound of the dirt bike,

She ignored his yelling and focused on the walkers.

"I knew it would be a risky move, but it was the only solution I could come up with. The noise should draw the walkers away. I just had to lead them far enough away."

Once the group that was pressing on the fence started to approach her, she began slowly driving away.

She had to pause every once in a while to keep the walkers interested. Once she was a few miles away from the prison, Caroline turned down another road and sped off, leaving the walkers in the wind.

She dumped her bike in the woods to not attract any more walkers back to the prison. Caroline trekked back to the prison and took out her radio, "Anyone copy?"

"Caroline, you stupid skank." Maggie sighed into the radio, "Where are you?"

"Almost outside the prison. You mind opened the gate?" She asked,

"I'll be there."

Caroline stabbed any walkers that got near her while she approached the fence. Maggie opened the gate and shut it behind the blonde, "You're so stupid." She smirked, wrapping her arm around Caroline,

"I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Caroline sighed,

Maggie hummed, "I think Daryl is working off his frustrations right now." They turned to see him digging the graves, aggressively shovelling dirt.

"I did what I thought I had to do." Caroline said,

"Yeah, would've been nice if you elaborated before you ran off." Maggie smirked, "He'll forgive you, he always does."

"If he's not gonna give me permission, I'm going to ask for forgiveness."

"Mmm. You better ask for forgiveness pretty quickly then." Maggie nudged her towards Daryl before walking away,

Caroline sighed and walked over to where Daryl was digging, "Hey." She mumbled, watching him,

He glanced up at her for a moment before he continued with his work,

"Look, Daryl, I'm sorry, I shoulda said something-" She stopped

He tossed the shovel and got out of the grave, "Maybe you shoulda stayed inside the fences, Care. God, why you gotta be so reckless all the time?" Daryl growled,

"Reckless? Daryl, I'm trying to help everyone!" Caroline responded,

"How? By throwin' yourself into a dangerous situation? You gonna get yourself killed, girl!"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Then stop actin' like one!"

"Now isn't the time to be fighting. We were all exposed to the illness in Cell Block D. We could all get sick and die in days. Daryl has a right to be mad, but I don't want to fight."

"I'm not fighting with you, Dare." Caroline sighed, "I'm sorry. And you can continue to be mad with me, that's okay." She reached for his hand and he squeezed it, 

"'M sorry."

Caroline reached forward and wrapped her arms around him, "You don't have to be."