𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑮𝑶𝑶𝑫 𝑮𝑼𝒀 ❦ Rick Grimes

- ten

— ACT ONE OF THREE —
THE BEGINNING OF THE END

chapter ten | who what when where why
part two

AS Jenner explained the process, a new understanding fell upon them all. It's what happened to Amy. To Jim.

To Carter.

Daryl watched his sister. He noticed her face fall in agony as Jenner described what happened to anyone and everyone who got bit.

He put a hand on her shoulder, causing her to lean into him. This didn't go unnoticed.

"You lost someone?" Jenner asked her.

Sadie scoffed, her voice raspy, "Haven't we all?"

Jenner nodded in understanding. Carl noticed her sad expression, and left Lori's side to hug her. She smiled down at the boy, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

"It's devastating. Losing someone we love." The doctor muttered. He sniffled, "Vi, power down the main screens and work stations."

"You have no idea what it is, do you?" Andrea asked.

"It could be microbial, viral, parasitic, fungal–"
He began to explain.

Jacqui, a woman of God, then said, "Or the wrath of God?"

"There is that." Jenner answered.

Sadie left Daryl and Carl, leaning on a computer. "There's gotta be somebody else that's found a cure." She said to no one in particular.

"There are others, right?" Carol asked, joining in with Sadie's statement.

"There may be some. People like me–"

A frustrated Rick stepped up, "How can you not know? You've got to know."

"Everything went down. Communications, directives – all of it. I've been in the dark for almost a month." Jenner answered honestly.

"This was the dumbest fucking idea ever." Sadie grumbled. "We came here for answers, and you're telling us that there's nothing. Nothing anywhere, am I right?"

They took his silence as their answer.

"Jesus." Andrea scoffed.

"Man, I'm gonna get shitfaced drunk. Again." Daryl chimed in, holding his head in his hands.

Dale, the mediator of them all, walked to where a clock hung on the wall. "Dr. Jenner, I know this has been rather taxing for you, and I hate to ask one more question, but. . . That clock, it's counting down. What happens at zero?"

"The basement generators run out of fuel." He replied shortly, walking away from them.

"And then?" Rick demanded. Once there was no answer, he asked the computer system, Vi.

"When the power runs out, facility-wide decontamination will occur."

With that, the group split into two. Most of them went back to their rooms, while the rest went to the basement with flashlights in tow.