Daryl's Angel (10th Anniversary Edition)

Chapter 55: Faith and Belief

The council meeting starts early the next morning, with Hershel, Glenn, Daryl, Carol, and I seated around the usual table in the library. Michonne lingers by the door, leaning on one leg with her arms crossed. Sasha is absent, having gone to A block after she started showing symptoms this morning.

"It's spread," Hershel says. "Everyone who survived the attack in cell block D, Sasha, Caleb, and now others."

"Jesus," Daryl mutters. He sits backwards on the chair, arms propped on its back.

"So what do we do?" Carol asks.

"First things first. Cell block A is isolation," Hershel says. "We keep the sick people there like we tried with Karen and David."

"What the hell we gonna do about that?" Daryl asks.

"Ask Rick to look into it. Try to make a timeline—who's where when," Carol says. "But what are we gonna do to stop this?"

"There is no stopping it," Hershel says. "You get it, you have to go through it."

"But it just kills you?" Michonne asks.

"The illness doesn't," Hershel says, shifting to face her. "The symptoms do. We need antibiotics."

"We've been through every pharmacy nearby," Daryl says, "and then some."

"Are there places we haven't checked? FEMA shelters?" I ask.

"There's a veterinary college at West Peachtree Tech," Hershel suggests. "That's one place people may not have thought to raid for medication. The drugs for animals there are the same we need."

"That's fifty miles," Daryl says. He nods a little. "Too big of a risk before. Ain't now." He slaps the top of the chair and pushes himself up, reaching for his crossbow. "I'm gonna take a group out. Best not waste any more time."

"I'm in," Michonne says.

"You haven't been exposed," Hershel says. "Daryl has. You get in a car with him..."

Michonne smirks. "He's already given me fleas."

It gets me to smile, laugh even, as Daryl huffs. Hershel smiles a bit and also stands.

"I can lead the way," he says. "I know where everything's kept."

Daryl glances from Hershel to me, then back to him. "When we're out there, it's always the same. Sooner or later, we run."

Hershel purses his lips, shifting on his prosthetic leg. "I can...draw you a map."

"I could go," I offer. I look to Daryl and Michonne. "I'm not as experienced as Hershel, but I know what we'd be looking for."

"That's not a bad idea," Carol says. "We don't have many people left healthy enough to do runs."

There are a few agreeing nods and everyone starts to stand up. Already, I'm planning to put a list together with Hershel as soon as possible. I'm rusty when it comes to runs. It's been months since I've left the walls of the prison, but my people need me, so I'll go.

"There are other precautions I feel we should take," Hershel says, stopping everyone in their tracks.

"Like what?" Carol asks.

"There's no telling how long it'll be before Daryl and his group return," he says. "Wouldn't it make sense for us to separate the most vulnerable? We can use the administration building. Separate office, separate room."

"Who is the most vulnerable?" Glenn asks.

"The very young."

Glenn's lips purse and he seems to ponder his words before finally saying, "What about the old?"