Silent Fighter- ENGLISH VERSION

Sick

1 month later...

Even though the bond between Jodie and Daryl had grown stronger, it was a very difficult time for Jodie.

A strange and dangerous disease seemed to break out in prison and spread at a rapid pace throughout the prison. People were coughing, spitting blood, passing out, bleeding from their eyes and sometimes suffocating in agony. Again and again she had seen Hershel and Glenn pushing a stretcher past her, with someone lying on it under a sheet. Afterwards they took the cell to a single room and Jodie had never asked, but she could guess what was happening to people there.

Daryl and a few others from the prison council wanted to look for medication to help fight the disease. Everyone had their jobs to do. Carol and Rick had to take care of the water supply and the other people in the prison. Glenn and Hershel took care of the people who were sick. Daryl, Michonne, Tyresse and Bob looked for medicine. Maggie helped at the fence. Carl and Beth looked after the kids. And Jodie... Jodie decided to go hunting. It was like Hershel said, everybody here had a job to do. And someone had to make sure they got food again. So she had to take care of it. She didn't tell Daryl about it when she said good-bye to him. He didn't need to know that. She briefly squeezed his forearm to say goodbye and then she went to Rick to make her suggestion.

"I don't know, Jodie, we really need all the help we can get around here. Do you really want to do this alone?" Rick asked.

Jodie nodded firmly.

"What do Daryl and Cole say?"

Jodie remained silent, but not because she couldn't speak this time, but for another reason.

"They don't know, do they?" Rick concluded from her evasive look.

Jodie shrugged.

"Jodie, it's dangerous out there. If you go out there alone, we don't know what will happen to you. Or if anything will happen to you. We can't send anyone out there for you because we don't know where to find you. And if Daryl comes back, you and I are gonna have a problem, you know that, right?" Rick said sternly.

Jodie nodded.

"Have you been out there hunting by yourself?" Rick then asked.

Jodie wrote something on her arm.

"Not for hunting, but I learned to shoot there."

Rick drove himself through the dark hair and then nodded.

"Okay, all right, but no matter how much you catch, by sundown you'll be back here every time, you understand?"

Jodie nodded dutifully.

"Okay, then say goodbye to Cole, but stay behind the door. It's too dangerous, okay?"

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Cole had also caught the disease in the meantime. Pale and coughing, he stood in front of the window as Jodie came to say goodbye.

He smiled weakly at Jodie.

"Don't worry, little one, I'll be fine. It looks worse than it is," he grinned weakly. It almost broke Jodie's heart to see her best friend like that.

Cole, who had always taken such good care of her. She put her hand on the glass and smiled at him.

"I just need to hang on until Daryl and the others get back and then I'll be fine, okay?"

Jodie nodded worried.

"Take care of yourself and don't get infected. Everything's going to be okay," he said and had a violent coughing fit. Jodie watched him worried and when he had calmed down somewhat, he smiled again.