[Finished] Living Among the Dead

04. Isolation

<Mason Before and Now>

"Anne, we have to take Aaron to quarantine. He's still very sick."
I shake my head, "I can't... I need to be with him." I tell Hershel, an older man with white hair and only one leg.
"You're no good to either of your boys in there. You need to be here."
I shake my head but Hershel cuts me off, "This isn't his death sentence." He reassures me.
"Okay," I swallow, harshly.
Hershel looks from my boys then back to me, "And Mason needs to go to the administration area, with the other kids. It's in his best interest for him not to be around anyone who could be carrying whatever this is."
I also look at my sweet son, "...Yeah, okay."
"I don't want to go, no way!" Mason yells; interrupting our conversation.
"Mase. You listen to me, you are going to go and stay away from the adults with the rest of those kids. You are going to keep yourself healthy. I will not have you getting this, too." I say, gesturing to Aaron who's skin seems to be glistening with sweat.
He starts crying, "What if you get it?"
"Then I'll fight it." I say with as much conviction as I can.

I walk outside to get some fresh air. With both my babies gone, I don't know what to do with myself. I've been trying to keep my tears at bay; been trying to keep strong for my sons. But with them not by my side I feel all the emotions, the grief, the fear, the feeling of impending doom. My heart feels like it's in my throat as a sob escapes my lungs with excessive force.
The sobs shake my whole body as I lose track of time, loose track of basically everything.
"Hey." A raspy voice says, so I look up, my eyesight blurred from the tears.
I wipe my nose and eyes off on my sleeve before giving a weak, "Hey."
"They'll be okay. Your boys; they're strong." Daryl sounds sure.
I shake my head, "Aaron's sick. I- I don't think I can lose anyone else."
"Don't think like that. He's gonna be jus' fine."
I nod, then notice his crossbow thrown over his shoulder, so I ask, "Where are you going?"
"For a run. We're going to get medicine for the ones who are sick."
"Then I'm coming with." I stand up immediately.
"No, you'd get yourself killed out there, with the state your in."
"No-"
"I'm not takin' ya. I'll bring your boy what he needs. But your not comin'."
I start crying again, against my will. But I nod, I understand why he doesn't want me going with. He doesn't say anything else, just pats my shoulder as though trying to be reassuring, before leaving me to cry in peace.

I head to Tyler's grave and sit down in front of it. I know I should be doing something, helping someone in some way... but the idea seems impossible. The idea of living seems almost laughable. I've lost so much. Way too much. My child, my husband. Now I'm supposed to sit by and watch yet another child die. And after getting him this far. After living this long. I'm just expected to sit by and let some illness take his life.
"What do I do, Tyler?" I ask the wood marking my husbands grave. "The boys are depending on me, and I don't know what to do! The dead? Easy enough to kill. People? Less easy, but still manageable. This? Well... I can't protect him from this... and if he dies, I can't take care of Mason alone, I can't take care of Mason after so much loss, I just can't."