Sweet and Salty ~ Carl Grimes

Sickness - 054

"What sound does a dog make?" Brooks asked little Judith who was sitting on her lap, looking at the picture book. The two were in Brooks' cell, away from everybody else.

Giggling, Judith answered. "Moo!"

Defeated, but laughing, Brooks shook her head. She tickled Judith's stomach as she spoke. "How is it that you're so bad at this, Judy?"

"No, I not, auntie Books!" Judith laughed, trying to escape the tickles. 

Stopping the tickles, Brooks turned her head away to cough, before she laughed again. "It's still Brooks, but okay."

"Nu uh, it's Books." Judith pouted.

"Sur-" Before Brooks could give in, she had to turn her head away to cough again. This time it was worse though, Brooks had to put Judith on the floor to stabilise herself. Blood ripped from Brooks' mouth and splattered onto her white pillow as her coughs came out more like aggressive gags.

"Auntie Books!" Judith cried, tears filling her eyes and slipping down her plump cheeks in worry.

The curtain seperating the cell from the block was pulled back, and in ran Daryl. He sat on the bed behind Brooks, and began rubbing her back, looking between his niece and crying Judith. "It's alrigh', Brookie. I got you, I got you."

/----------\

What started a small cough, escalated to lying in bed. Then when she was passed out, Glenn was forced to move her into A block with everyone else. It was a bit ironic, being in death row, while everyone was in there because they were isolating. Brooks had fallen asleep in her comfortable, personalised room, and woke up wondering if she was stuck in a nightmare. For a moment, she thought she was remembering her time when she first got to the prison, and that was a time she didn't want to remember. In fact, she chose to forget, though occasionally her dreams would betray her and remind her of those days.

However, when she tried to stand, her legs crumbled beneath her - she was harshly reminded of her circumstance. Marliya had run it, and grabbed Brooks from under her arms, lifting her easily and placing her on the bed. "It's okay, honey. I'm here, I got you."

"Ma?" Brooks asked, feeling horribly cold, but irritatingly warm at the same time.

"You're alright." Marliya whispered, stroking Brooks' hair from her face. Marliya wasn't sick, but the second she found out Brooks was sick? She threw herself into A block (against many protests) to help the sick, help her daughter. Merle's situation was the same, he wasn't sick, but he isolated with the ill so that he could help Hershel and Doctor B. Glenn was sick too, Cam felt a few symptoms so decided to help the doctors while he still could. Sophia, Carl and Beth were isolating with Judith and all of the old people, Carol and Rick had gone out, while Daryl, Bob, Michonne and Tyreese headed out to a university to find medicine. Brooks had been so out of it, she didn't even realise Karen and Craig were dead.

"I don't feel alrigh'." Brooks groaned, putting her hand up to her head and feeling how sweaty she was. "Oh, gross."

"You're still beautiful, don't worry." Marliya smiled.

Merle walked in. "Oh, thank god, you're awake." He sat on the edge of the bed, letting out a deep sigh as he put his hand on Brooks' ankle. "We were missing ya, Bambi. Wasn't the same without your constant yammerin'."

Letting her eyes flickered close, Brooks hummed. "Mhm."

"Get Hershel." Merle demanded, nearly pushing Marliya out of the way to kneel beside Brooks and take her cold, clammy hand. Marliya didn't hesitate to run out of the room to find the professional who was finishing hooking up an IV for Sebastian. "It's Brooks, she was awake but she's out of it again. We need you to come take a look at her."