A War On Her World | TWD: D. Dixon

Ch. 40

Many things happened during the night that kept everyone busy during the day. People were either sick or healthy; the healthy people were clearing bodies that had filtered in supposedly when one of the fences had been overpowered, and tending to the farm; the sick people were either being tended to or tending to other sick people.

I was tending to my son.

He had woken up briefly, a couple of hours ago, but he was currently sleeping. Herschel said his vitals were okay and he was now on fourth hourly observations for the next twenty-four hours, which he said was good.

It had been peaceful, all things considered. There was always someone coughing or sneezing, and always someone who needed something, but no one was dying anymore.

"Mama," Benji coughed violently, drawing my attention away from the wall and down to his precious face.

"Mama's here," I said, taking his hand in mine to show him I was still where I had sat when he was last awake. "How're you feeling?"

"My th-throat is scratchy," he croaked, tilting his head to look at me. His movements had no energy in them, showing me just how exhausted he really was.

It broke my heart.

"Here, have a sip of water," I offered, taking my hand from his while grabbing a bottle I had sitting beside me. I placed it between my knees so I could unscrew the cap and help him take a few sips. "Is that better?"

Benji nodded his head slowly in response before laying it back down on the pillow. His eyes drooped once again as he fought off the sleep that threatened to draw him in, "Thank you, mama."

"You're welcome, baby," I said smiling softly at my beautiful, polite, little boy. Brushing his hair out of his face, I couldn't help but notice how it was almost at the length of Daryl's. "You can sleep, I'll be here when you wake up."

●

Sitting in the quiet room with her son, Elizabeth had been unaware of what was going on just outside those walls. She had just finished eating and was settling down again when it happened.

Seemingly out of nowhere, gunshots rang out in the distance. The woman whipped her head in search of the sounds, knowing full well they had come from outside, but having no idea what was transpiring.

Elizabeth's heart began to pound loudly in her ears the way it had done so many times before, and her hand shook in fear as she drew her son in close to her body. The area around her quickly went from peaceful amongst the ill to a blur of noise.

"Birdie," Daryl called, rushing in through the cell door. He made a beeline for the boy on her lap and pulled him into his arms, using one hand to hold him to his chest and the other to usher the woman to follow him. "We have to go."

Neither of the two cared about the situation that occurred earlier that morning. Even if it had been the most important thing in the world, it was no longer their first priority. Not right now.

"What's going on?" she asked, jumping up despite the lightheadedness it caused her to feel.

"We're bein' attacked. We've gotta get you out o' here," he said in haste, leading her through the halls as quickly and quietly as possible. He had let everyone he passed know what was going on while on his way in. They were all aware of the plans in case something happened, leaving his only worry being getting his family to safety. "I've got your things, we're headin' to the bus."

Elizabeth wanted to know more about what was going on but didn't need more information just yet. Despite not fully understanding why they had to leave their home again, she knew it could wait until later when everyone had regrouped and were out of the direct line of danger. In that very second, all she had to focus on was getting her son to the bus.