ACT TWO
(strange symptoms)

Veroníca smiled downwards at Glenn. The duo had currently laid in one of the now-ruined guard towers.

After their conversation last night, Glenn insisted the duo should sleep in the guard tower; that way they didn't have to squeeze onto the bottom bunk.

Veroníca obviously complied, which is why the duo were in the guard tower.

Veroníca had woken up moments prior, using her free time to examine a sleeping Glenn. She smiled to herself as she did so, looking very intently at the man.

She stared at his cheekbones, and the few freckles that were dotted under one of his eyes. Glenn Rhee was a beautiful person, and Veroníca was just glad she got to witness that.

Her staring didn't cease when Glenn began slowly opening his eyes, a smile coming to his face as he met eye contact with the woman. "Goodmorning, Vee."

"Goodmorning Glenn."

"Were you just—were you just staring at me?" Glenn asked, his voice coming out a bit raspy as he did.

Veroníca reluctantly nodded, placing a hand onto Glenn's face as she did so. "It's hard not to—Have you seen yourself? You're so pretty, boy scout."

"Boy Scout?" A light pink tint covered the man's cheeks, making Veroníca smile wider to herself.

"Mhm. Seemed fitting with the information you told me yesterday—" Glenn cut the woman off, placing a soft hand over her mouth as he shook his head at her.

Veroníca giggled into the man's hand, making Glenn remove his hand before kissing her arm.

They then fell back into a peaceful silence, Veroníca placing a sweet kiss onto Glenn's cheek before she broke the silence once more. "Aren't you suppose to be on guard duty this morning?"

Glenn sighed at her words, hesitatingly nodding his head. "Yeah, i'd rather stay here, though."

"I'm sure you would but—" Veroníca paused seeing as Glenn had groaned at her words, knowing she was about to get up. "—I'm suppose to help with breakfast again today."

"Does Joshua work with you today?" Veroníca hummed in response, not noticing Glenn's now annoyed look. "I don't like him."

"Why's that?"

Glenn just shrugged at her words. Humming to himself, seeing as his reasoning was a little embarrassing. Atleast to him it was.

Veroníca quickly realized he wasn't going to reply, making her continue. "Well, I'm sure he isn't fond of you, either." the woman teased.

She then went to stand up.

As soon as she did so, Glenn tightened his hold on her. Placing kisses along her tanned cheek in hopes she'd stay beside him.

She smiled at the action, eventually forcing herself to pull away. She then stood up fully, stretching a bit before turning to leave.

Glenn frowned at this, his frown turning upwards when she turned back around. Placing a quick peck on his lips. "Bye, Glenn."

"Bye, Vee." He replied hazily, his eyes filled with adoration as he watched her exit the small room he was in.

-

Veroníca quickly noticed the difference of this morning. A few people that were missing their shift, as well as Carol seeming to be much more quiet.

Joshua had noticed this too, making him run to his cellblock to check why everyone seemed to be sleeping in.

While Veroníca wanted to use this time to check on Carol. When a wave of sudden nausea hit her, she didn't have time to ask her friend why she was upset.

She held back a cough in her throat, feeling as if she wanted to vomit.

Veroníca took this as a sigh of dehydration, immediately making her grab one of the pre-made cups of water. Chugging it as the nausea seemed to temporarily slow down.

She was relieved to feel better once more, her relief stopping when sudden gunfire filled her ears.

Veroníca and Carol shared a quick look at the gunfire, looking away when Lizzie and Mika had ran out of one of the cellblocks. "Help! Help! Somebody, help! Quick!"

"Walkers in D!" Joshua yelled running out of the cellblock as well, right behind the two young girls.

"What about C?" Rick yelled in response, running towards the group as he got further away from the planting section. Where he had left Rory and Carl.

"Clear. We locked the gates to the tombs. Hershel's on guard." Sasha answered, running passed Rick and towards cellblock D.

Veroníca joined in as well. Running a little ways behind Sasha; as the group made their way to where the walkers were.

-

When Veroníca entered the cellblock, her eyes widened at the gunfire that echoed loudly throughout it. She could tell the people were terrified, which wasn't difficult to assume due to their screaming.

Veroníca grabbed a gun that leaned against the opening, immediately aiming it towards one of the walkers that had just exited a cell.

The walker had deep red blood dripping down his chin, his large stomach wound proving he had been eaten on prior to his death.

Veroníca felt a slight pity for the man, and the pain he must've experienced before dying. She then brush it off, shooting twice before sighing.

When the walker she was shooting at suddenly got its head sliced into two, the woman felt a wave of relief wash over her.

Aiden then slung the blood off of his machete, turning just as Veroníca had sent him a thankful smile.

After their brief interaction. Veroníca went to check the next cell for any signs of walkers. Aiden ending up running to stab a walker, that had been eating one of the group members on the ground.

Aiden didn't introduce himself to a-lot of the new people. The man had insisted he had all the family he needed, not wanting to grow attached to any more.

His motive seemed to be proven smart, seeing as his heart didn't feel any pain when seeing the many dead members of the group. Practically strung along the cellblock.

He was just glad it wasn't anyone he grew to like.

"Are you bit?" Rick asked one of the members of the group, earning a head shake in reply. "Then, Go! Get out of here!"

The man immediately complied, running out of the large room as Rick began rushing more people out of the cellblock.

The cellblock was still in utter chaos, everyone far too busy trying to help one another to completely understand how this had happened.

Aiden sliced through another walkers head, pushing Veroníca to go into an empty cell after he did so.

Veroníca didn't bother arguing, realizing due to her new injuries from yesterday; she was in no shape to fight walkers.

Aiden then slammed the cell door shut, jumping back into action afterwards.

He sliced through two more walkers heads, sighing in relief as the snarling had finally completely ceased. At least, from the first floor.

"Are we clear down here?" Rick yelled while Aiden double checked his surroundings. "We're safe?"

"Yeah."

"Up here!" Someone had yelled from the top story, making Glenn, Rick and Daryl run up the stairs. Going to investigate further.

While the trio did so, Aiden went to check on Sasha. He scanned her arms for any cuts, before patting her shoulder in support. "You okay?"

"I'm good. I'm good." Sasha replied, glancing around the cellblock in fear.

Aiden nodded, taking a step back before beginning to tell anyone hiding in the cells that it was safe to come out.

-

    Rick was on the second floor, crouching over a dead body. One of which had blood trailing down its cheeks. It looked as if someone had slit open his eyes

Veroníca currently stood beside Daryl, who also stared down at the sight. The trio was accompanied by both Hershel and Dr. S as well.

While the woman was very desensitized to death, she also never would get use to having her group members die. Especially in bloody ways, such as this.

"No bites. No wounds. I think he just died."

"Horribly, too." Dr. S spoke sadly, further explaining his theory of the man's death. "Pleurisy aspiration. Choked to death on his own blood.. Caused these trails down his face.

"I've seen them before—on a walker outside the fences."

"I saw 'em on Patrick." Daryl also added, Veroníca's head jumping between each new speaker.

"They're from the internal lung pressure building up—like if you shake a soda can and pop the top—Only imagine your eyes, ears, nose and throat are the top."

"So, it's from the walkers?" Veroníca asked the doctor, who shook his head curtly.

"No, these things happened before they were around—Could be pneumococcal. Most likely an aggressive flu strain."

"Great. It's the end of the world and we have to worry about the flu." Veroníca mumbled, stepping a few feet away from Daryl and Hershel. Seeing as earlier today she had felt a little sick.

While she was sure it was nothing, she also didn't want to risk getting her friends sick. "Someone locked him in just in time." Hershel spoke with some relief.

"No, man. Charlie use to sleepwalk. Locked himself in. Hell, he was just eating barbecue yesterday. How could somebody die in a day just from a cold?"

Rick was the one to answer, his eyes seeming a little glossy as he did. "I had a sick pig, it died quick. Saw a sick boar in the woods."

"Pigs and birds. That's how these things spread in the past. We need to do something about those hogs."

"Maybe, we got lucky." Dr. S cut in. "Maybe these two cases are it."

"Luckiness isn't something that happens. Not now, anyway." Veroníca reminded, trying her best to avoid thinking about the sickness she felt earlier. Which was hard due to the current conversation.

"She's right. We've all been exposed." Hershel added as Rick stood up, his eyes much more glossy now.

"I'm going to check on Carl and Rory, I'll tell them what happened, we'll be holding a meeting afterwards. Everyone understand?"

The group around him nodded as Rick exited the cell, making his way out of the cellblock immediately afterwards.

A silence fell over the group still in the cell, watching as Dr. S placed a blanket over Charlie's bloody corpse.

Veroníca pulled her eyes away at the sight, leaving the cell without another word.

-

a/n ! kinda a filler chapter . but not really