Survival Guide: To Surviving the Living Dead 101

Rule #26

Just The Necessities

When you're out on a run for something important like medication or medical equipment then only grab what is needed. Don't go grabbing shit that you don't need. And if you do happen to grab something else like Bob did and you drop it or I don't know a walker grabs a hold of the bag it's in then let it the fuck go. You could get yourself killed or get others killed or injured. Bob is lucky Daryl didn't kill him right on the spot.

The plan was to go to the Veterinary School a couple hours away. Hershel had mentioned it to us when we went back to discuss what our plan would be. We had moved anyone who was sick or showing signs into Block A, Death Row. Daryl and I finished digging and burying the bodies and helping with some other things Daryl, Michonne, Bob, and Tyrese headed out. I sat in the back with Tyrese and Bob right in the middle. It was a very tight squeeze but I volunteered when Michonne had mentioned wanting to come along.

Michonne has been gone for a while. After the governor disappeared she and Daryl went out looking for him. But when the trail went cold Daryl stopped. Michonne kept going though and came back after months of being gone. When she does come back she always has stuff she finds. She brings Carl comic books and brings Judith clothes and toys. She's brought back books for me a few times. We've tried to convince her to give up that he was gone but she refused to.

I braced myself when Daryl had to swerve to miss a walker only to hit another one. When we tried to back up we couldn't because there were walkers under the tires. In front of us was the biggest hoard of walkers we've ever seen. It was even bigger than the one that took over the farm. And it was blocking our path to the school. "We gotta make a break for that clearing in the bushes." Walkers started to surround the car so we had to make quick work of it. When everyone was back together we headed to the school on foot. Daryl walked beside me, "you okay?" I looked over at him and nodded.

The truth is, I was starting to feel sick. I had a slight tickle in the back of my throat, my head was starting to throb, I was becoming nauseous and I think I was starting to run a low grade fever. "Ya sure? You're looking a little pale." I ran my tongue over my bottom lip and cleared my throat. "I'm good. I'm just fuckin' tired. Today has been a long ass day. I can't believe this is happening." He looked me over and nodded.

We came up to an old gas station where we found a van but it would need a new battery. The whole front of the building was covered in vines. Tyrese was going hard at them taking his frustration out. Before we had left he had found David and Karen dead. Someone had killed them then took them outside and burned them. He went after Daryl first then he went after Rick who in return started hitting him. After things settled Rick promised he'd find out who did it.

A walker's arm reached out and grabbed Daryl taking him by surprise then a few more started to break through. When we cleared them we made our way inside. Michonne and Tyrese stayed outside to clear the van of the vines. Bob, Daryl, and I were inside. We were looking around to see if  we could find what we needed when we saw that the walkers that were inside had taken themselves out by drinking antifreeze. We found a new battery and some water before heading back outside. I leaned against the side of the van while Daryl fixed it and talked to Bob. I wasn't paying much attention until he told Bob to try to start the van.

Daryl ushered me around to the other side and stopped me before we got inside. Tyrese and Michonne were already in the back and Bob stayed in the driver's seat. "You're not looking too good." His hand came up to my forehead and sighed. "You're runnin' a fever. You're  coming down with whatever this shit is." I took his hand in mine, "I'll be fine. Let's just get the medications and get back." I got in the back and Daryl got into the front. Then we were headed down the road.

When we got to the school everything was going fine. The place was a mess of course and it was clear people used it as a shelter. Doors were barricaded. Classrooms were used as living spaces but there wasn't a living soul in site. We went to the classrooms and looked in the cabinets, Bob instructing us on which medication to get. And once our bags were full and we were headed out we ran into trouble. There was never a time that we didn't run at some point. Walkers were chasing us until we found a window we could get out of.

When we came out on the roof Bob's bag went off the edge, walkers below grabbing at it. He had pushed me out of the way so he could quickly grab it. And with me not feeling the best and feeling a little light headed I lost my balance. If it wasn't for Tyrese's quick reflexes to grab a hold of me and pull me away from the edge I would have fallen to my death. Daryl was fuming and it only made things worse when a clanging came from Bob's bag after he yanked it away from the walkers. Daryl went over and checked it only to find a bottle of whisky and no meds.

When Daryl went to throw it Bob's hand went over his gun. Daryl got in his face until Tyrese told him to let it go. Michonne had wrapped my arm around her shoulder to help keep me upright. I was getting worse. Sweat was running down my neck, it was hard to breathe and my vision was blurring. Bob told us it was just for when it gets quiet. "If you take one sip before our people get those meds into them, before she gets that medication into her, I will beat you to death," Daryl threatened Bob. He shoved the bottle into his chest before turning and walking over to me and Michonne. His bag and bow were thrown over his back.

He came over and lifted me up into his arms and walked away. He set me in the passenger's seat before throwing his stuff in the very back with the rest of the bags. Then he came back to me, lifted me and got in the van with me in his lap. My head laid on his shoulder, eyes closed. Michonne got in and we headed back to the prison. Daryl was trying to keep me awake, pressing a wet rag that Tyrese handed to him to my forehead. "Just stay awake until we get ya back. You're gonna be fine." A cough would cough up every now and then and my head was pounding. It was getting harder and harder to keep my eyes open that eventually I gave into the darkness.