Tonight the World Dies

Daryl's POV

The barn is damp and dark on the inside, and the storm rages on without. Lightning flashes through the windowpanes, illuminating the dank interior. Rick paces from one end of the barn to the other, making sure there are no surprises. I watch as Candace is laid on the dirt floor, her skin even paler than it was. She is shivering despite the small fire that is now crackling in the center of the barn. Maggie sits with her head in her lap, brushing her damp hair away from her forehead. Before I’m thinking, my feet carry me over to the pair of them, and I crouch beside them.

“How is she?” I ask just above a whisper. Maggie smiles sadly at me; she’s a smart girl, picks up on more than she lets on. I know my concern and fear is evident on my face. I look away, down at Candace’s face. Her eyes are closed, and every now and then her face contorts in pain.

I don’t miss the way Maggie hesitates. “She needs antibiotics. I’m not really sure how much longer she’s going to last. Her pulse is faint and I’m sure she has tetanus, if not a blood infection for sure…”

My chin quivers and I reach out to softly touch Candace’s forehead. Maggie’s hand grasps mine, squeezing it in comfort. I jerk a nod at her and rise.

“Keep her warm,” I tell the brunette before I take up my post beside one of the windows. My crossbow hangs limply in my hand as I look out at the storm, the sky darkening by the minute. I lift my hand to my mouth and chew on my thumbnail, once again letting my thoughts get away from me. Candace is dying right in front of me and I can’t stop it. Helpless doesn’t begin to describe how I’m feeling.

After my conversation with Carol the day before, a lead weight has found home in my gut. Candace doesn’t talk much, but her unwavering ability to put others before herself pulls me to her. In many ways, we’re too alike, especially in our useless attempts to keep people from getting too close. The people of this group look to her for guidance now, even though she’s only been with us a short while. Though she keeps herself closed off, I can tell she’s strong and she cares for the group. I’m not sure what I’m feeling for her can be called attraction; hell, she ain’t bad on the eyes, not one bit, but the day she simply laid her hand on my shoulder, after Beth, our first official interaction, I’m pulled to her like a magnet to its matching part.

I quickly steal a glance at the unconscious woman; she’s beside the fire, shivering as sweat beads on her forehead. I feel myself frowning deeply; despite only knowing her a short while, I’m scared to lose her before I can figure out what it is I feel for her. I turn back to the window, and my back goes rigid. In between the dark and the flashes of lightning, I can clearly make out the shape of dozens of walkers, and they’re heading for the barn doors.

When they make contact with the door, I rush from the window and throw my weight into the doors, my boots planted firmly in the hard-packed floor of the barn to keep them closed. I throw a fearful glance over to the others, who have slowly started to settle down for the night. Maggie is the first to pick up on what’s happening, and she carefully sets Candace’s head on the ground before joining me at the door. The banging of decaying hands on the doors rouses the others, and soon all of us are fighting to keep the doors closed. The rain seeps through the crack in the doors, soaking all of us as well as the ground, turning it to mud. Our boots slip, but we manage to hold off the walkers through the night.

By morning, the banging on the doors has stopped and the storm has moved on. None of us has slept, except for Carl and Judith, who has started to wriggle and complain at the emptiness of her stomach. Maggie and Sasha volunteer to scope the area, and when they come back, they aren’t alone.

A man is in front of them, and the girls introduce him as Aaron. He holds up his hands and prattles on about a community, complete with walls and people and supposedly a dance troupe. I’m skeptical, but Rick is completely disbelieving. I flinch when he cold-cocks Aaron, sending him to the group in a heap. Aaron is restrained, and I watch intently as Rick paces the barn like an animal. He’s waiting for an attack and attempts to gear everyone up for a supposed war.

Aaron comes to and he smiles. “That’s a mean right-hook you’ve got there, Rick.”

Rick leers at him, pesters him with questions about this group of his. Aaron’s eyes flit around the group, until he notices both Judith and an unconscious Candace beside the fire pit. His demeanor changes to worry, and my instincts tell me it’s sincere.

Then he jerks his head to Maggie. “Check my pack. I have antibiotics in there.” Maggie doesn’t hesitate, and even I am anxious over the prospect of saving Candace. Maggie pulls the pill bottle from the pack, reading the label for Aaron to confirm. Rick, however, is beside himself.

“We don’t know this man!” he cries, gesturing to the stranger with his revolver. “We don’t know if those are even antibiotics!”

“Rick,” Aaron interrupts, “if I was going to hurt you, I would’ve set fire to the barn. You know, trap you all inside and pick you off as you tried to escape through the only exit.” I internally admit he has a point, but I keep silent.

Maggie disregards Rick’s prior suspicions and sits beside Candace, pulling her head into her lap. While she attempts to rouse Candace to get the pill down her throat, Judith starts crying, and Aaron looks at her.

“I have applesauce, in my pack,” he says urgently. I watch as Rick struggles with himself for a moment and then pulls the jar of homemade applesauce from the backpack; Aaron says something about an orchard, but my attention is solely focused on Candace as she regains consciousness long enough to wash the antibiotic pill down with a sip of water.

Then there’s a debate; Michonne and Maggie fight for us to go with Aaron to Alexandria. Rick is still not wholly convinced. I’m with Maggie when she says that Candace needs medical attention, which Alexandria has. Michonne remains firm and pointedly looks at Rick’s children, and it’s decided that we head out with Aaron to his community.