An Unexpected Turn. (Entered for Wattys 2017)

Chapter 31~~an illness~~ part 2

Daryl and I sat up quickly. Merle was screaming and crying.

"You get him. I'll go see what's going on" Daryl said.

I nodded "be safe. Please"

He kissed me "I always am" and ran off

"Shhhussshhh your alright. Mommy is here" I said rocking him a little.

~a few days later~

I'd learned we all have to keep distance. Especially from the kids. Walkers. Peter turned... he was sick. We have to kill all our pigs. I was quite sad. Since Merle had contact with peter yesterday he got to stay with either Daryl or myself. Daryl and I couldn't stay in the same room.

We also learned someone burned Karen and David because they were sick. Carol is gone. And slowly many are getting sick. Glenn. Sasha. Merle was in quarantine. He got sick. They said he probably won't make it. Hershel and I took care of the sick. I couldn't touch my baby without tempting getting ill. I had to wear a mask. I had to hear him cry in pain. I was suffering. Every couple days I got to bring Merle to a meeting room where we could talk to our loved ones threw some glass, without them getting contaminated

"Hey merle daddy came to see you" I said to him when I walked up to the window

"Hey baby boy. Daddy misses you. I hope you get better" he said threw the glass

"Daryl I'll be right back, he can't be moving around so much." I walked and later him in the crib we had set up for him in those rooms then I walked back "I miss you"

"I miss you too Georgia. Don't worry. He will get better and you won't need to worry"

"No one but Glenn and Sasha are getting better Daryl. People are dying left and right. The other doctor died. I'm so scared" I laid my hand on the glass and he laid his where mine was

"God I miss the feel of your skin" he said.

"I miss you Daryl, we need meds. When I come out there later, after cleaning up, I'm going to give you a list of what we need."

"You want me to go on a run?"

"If you want, I'd prefer you didn't by yourself though. Bring bob, Tyrese, and maybe a few others?"

"Ok" he nodded "I'll see you later?"

"Yea" he walked away and I walked back into the main room.

I heard crying, then none. I watched as Hershel rushed into Merle's room. I rushed after him "what happened Hershel?"

I found Hershel giving Merle cpr, with the air bag thing, and giving him light chest compressions on both his chest and back "he's not breathing Georgia"

I collapsed in tears. Hershel had me continue so he could work with other patients. After many attempts Merle was gone. I saw his blue eyes, become white. And he started snapping at me. I cried more "Hershel! Maggie!"

"Georgia what's-" Maggie stopped "oh god"

"Maggie I need help. I..... I can't do. I can't put him down. He's my son. I can't" she nodded and we walked away, carrying Merle away. He turned in twenty-five minutes, and 48 seconds. My baby, roughly six months, gone. How do I tell Daryl? Is Daryl going to hate me? Questions kept running there amy mind.

"Georgia. I need your knife" I nodded and gave her it "turn away"

I didn't "no. I'm watching"

I watched as she grabbed Merle's neck and stabbed his head. No more suffering for my baby. No more pain. "Georgia. You need to tell Daryl. Fresh clothes are outside this area. Burn these clothes and that bandana. Shower, change, find Daryl"

I nodded and left, doing as told.

~two hours later~

I found Daryl. He turned and looked at me "Darlin, your eyes, they're puffy. Have you been crying?"

"I'm sorry Daryl" I said

"What?"

"I'm so sorry"

"Why?"

"Merle is dead... it's my fault" I looked down "I was afraid to tell you"

"Darlin, its alright. He's in a better place now. Did he turn?"

I stayed silent for a minute and mumbled "yes"

"Hey you two! More space. We ain't need you two sick" Rick said. He's a few feet away

"Sorry Rick" I backed up

"Just some issues" Daryl said "we aren't burning all the bodies of the sick"

"We have to-"

"Rick my son died in there! I'm not burning him" Daryl said. He looked at us.

"Merle? He's?" Rick said.

I nodded crying "I made a list for a run. Daryl now has the list" I handed it to him "so form a group of people to get the meditation back to us. And that group BETTER make sure Daryl comes back"

"Is he stable?" Rick eyed Daryl who looked sad

"I'm stable! I'm doing this" Daryl said.

"I'm going with them" I said. Daryl glared at me, his Icy blue eyes burning into my soul

"I don't think you two are stable. You just lost your only kid" rick replied

"IM GOING" I yelled at him "I.... I can't let others lose loved ones. Especially since Glenn and Sasha are in there"

"Either if you die it's not my fault" rick walked off.

A couple hours later were in the closest town in a school. I ran to the nurses office, no meds.

"FUCK!" I screamed kicking the cage that was supposed to be full of meds. Daryl ran into the room along with bob, and Tyrese. I collapsed in the corner

"Is she alright?" Bob asked

"I'm fine!" I threw an empty bottle at him. Daryl wrapped his arms Around me.

"It's alright" he whispered into my ear "we'll check the pharmacy down the road"

I nodded "okay"

"Man, she needs a drink" Tyrese said

I smiled a little and joked "I can't drink. Everyone thinks I'm a child"

"A child would never be able to put up with Daryl like you do Georgia" Tyrese turned from me to Daryl "and I don't think anyone could put of with Georgia like Daryl does"

"I don't think anyone will be able to put up with you Tyrese, ever" Daryl replied with a glare

"What the hell!" He said

I heard walkers and I jumped up, grabbing the ledge of the window "walkers"

They nodded and followed after me. We ran to the pharmacy, and started to grab anything on the list and some.