I walked down the hallway shivering as my feet marched on the cold ground. I brought my oversized sweater closer to my chest that kept me warm. I entered the kitchen getting some good morning smiles and returning one back. I sat beside Glenn who was groaning and complaining about his headache ''You okay?'' I asked giggling as Jacqui went behind him giving him a message.

He moaned and groaned in pain again ''I'm never drinking again, like ever''

''Good morning'' Rick entered the room joining us sitting down beside Carl and Lori.

''You're hungover? Mom said you would'' Carl questioned curiously making me chuckle at his question. Learning young.

Rick looked at Lori smiling slightly, giving her a kiss on her forehead ''Your mother was right''

T-dog ruffled up my hair setting a plate of eggs in front of me ''Here you go folks! Here are my eggs, not the same as they used to taste but I cook like a chef!''

He served some for Glenn who's still groaning in pain ''Here, protein is good for hangovers''

I sat there eating quietly as the others continued to talk. Shane stepped in immediately asking for coffee.

''What happened to you?'' T-dog asked making me look up. T-dog pointed over to Shane's neck, and those long scratches grabbed everyone's attention. They were gnarly.

''Must have done it in my sleep'' He mumbled poking the eggs with his fork, making me look at him, sensing that he's lying just by analyzing his body movements. Something definitely happened that he was trying to hide.

''I did not know you had restless sleep'' Rick commented making Shane shrug.

''Me neither. It's not like me'' After that sentence, he looked at Lori who lowered her head and continued to eat her breakfast. Something definitely happened between them but I'm not sure if it's appropriate for me to get involved. It's none of my business

Both Merle and Daryl joined us, following them Doctor Jenner ''Hey doc, I don't mean to attack you with questions in the morning but''

''But that's what you'll do anyway'' Doctor Jenner cut off Dale, pouring himself some coffee that was already made.

''We did not come for eggs''

''Its a brain right?'' Carl asked as we all stared at the scan on the giant screen infant of us getting insight go what was occurring during the brain scan.

''Brain brightest. Although it does not change much. VI enter VIA mode'' Jenner said making a robotic voice echo through the room making us all jump up.

''Advanced internal viewing'' The robotic voice said. The scan changed to reveal a glimpse of activity inside the brain

''What are those lights?'' I said pointing out curiously of what's on the screen.

''That's life of an individual. The experiences he went through. His memories. That's all it is. This tangle of organic cables, these lights waving, is you. This is what makes you unique and human'' He answered making me nod understanding clearly what he was saying.

''You never get to speak clearly?'' Daryl spoke out from beside me, gaining a few looks.

''These are synapses. Electrical impulses in the brain that route messages. They determine each of our thoughts, our words. Each of our actions. From our birth until our death''

''So what we look at is a patient kept under surveillance'' Rick beamed making Jenner agree with what he was observing.

''Yeah. Or more accurately, a former patient under supervision'' I frowned stepping closer to Daryl noticing that he wasn't as umcomfortable with me doing so. I felt safe around him.

''This person is dead? Who was that?'' Andrea questioned making him sigh at her.

''The subject test 19. Someone who was bitten and infected. And who volunteered for that studies the evolution of the disease. VI, advances to the first phase'' Jenner said. A new scan appeared on the screen

''What's going on here?'' Glenn asked staring at the scan pointing to a specific area on the brain.

''It attacks the brain meningitis. It causes bleeding adrenal glands. The brain stops all activity, then it is the turn of the major organs. We see the patient's body taken turmoil and the brain seems to go off. And that is death. Everything you were, what you might have been, is going to disappear forever'' Sophia was pulled closer by Carol into her chest as this was starting to make people feel uneasy. Andrea seemed upset. I mean I could understand what she was going through. Everyone sympathized. Doctor Jenner looked at Andrea in concern as she teared up.

''We were attacked two weeks ago, she lost her sister'' Lori informed him making him shake his head.

''I lost someone too. I know how painful it is, Vi forward the next phase'' He said hoping to try and make her feel better

''Visualization of the second phase. 'The time required for the resurrection varies no apparent logic. There are reports of a duration of only three minutes. The longest recorded is eight hours. In the case of this patient, it took two hours, one minute ...and seven seconds'' The scan then shows a small light coming again in the brain.

''The whole brain reboots?'' Lori asked making Jenner shake his head.

''No, just the brain stem. This allows them basically to get up and move'' He gave us the right explanation making me look at him confused

''But they are no longer alive'' I said my voice barley hearable as I raised my eyebrows towards him.

''To you. It's different from what we just saw. The brain is almost completely off'' Rick said backing me up ''Off. Lifeless. Death. The frontal lobe, the neo-cortex, all these parts will not awaken. And it is these that make you who you are. There is only a shell, guided by animal instinct''. He educated us giving us a better understanding of what was happening. This was beginning to appear to be too much. On the screen the patient is agitated, we see a ball through his head.

''That's not true! What happened there?'' Carol asked confused at what was shown to us.

''He shot him in the head'' Andrea replied and everyone went silent.

''VI extinguishes the main screen and workstations'' And that's when everything turned off.

''If I understand correctly, you have no idea what it is?'' Andrea said making me let out a shaky breath. There's no hope.

''It could be a microbial disease, viral, parasitic, fungal''

''Or divine punishment'' Jacqui suggested to him.

''It is possible'' Jenner confirmed.

I looked around spotting something no one has seen yet ''That clock there. It looks like a count-down. What will happen when it comes to zero?'' I asked staring at it grabbing the other's attention.

''The generator will run out of fuel'' He replied making me confused and a wave of concern started appearing on people's faces.

''And then?'' I questioned Jenner, getting no reply from him, no matter who tried; he wouldn't give us an answer.

''VI what will happen in case of power shortage?'' Rick asked.

''In case of power shortage, the whole building; decontamination will be performed'' I grabbed Daryl's arm clenching into it. That doesn't sound good. Not good at all

I rushed to the room, taking off my sweater feeling the cold air conditioning breeze hit my pale skin. I grabbed the jumpsuit that I had and a striped shirt slipping them on. I grabbed everything that I needed putting them in my backpack getting a sick feeling, something bad was about to occur, I could feel it. Something about that clock and its information doesn't seem right. I laid down on the bed closing my eyes trying to relax for a moment.

My air conditioner suddenly turned off making my eyes flutter. I slugged my backpack over my shoulder, walking towards the door. I stepped out of the room, spotting everyone in the hallway ''What's going on? Why is everything off?'' Daryl asked Doctor Jenner as he brushed past him taking the bottle of alcohol from Daryl's hand.

''Energy is restricted to priority uses'' Doctor Jenner said taking a sip of the alcohol then proceeding to take in gulps after gulps.

''The air is not a priority? Light either?'' Dale asked as we continued to follow him hoping to get clear answers on what was happening.

''It's not my decision. Zone 5 goes out alone'' Jenner said and Daryl pulled me beside him without anyone noticing, almost trying to protect me.

''Hey! But that-what does it mean that? Hey, man, I'm talking to you! What does that mean "it goes out alone?" Since when buildings do what they want?'' Daryl exploded making Rick appear out of separate doors.

''Jenner, what's happening?'' Rick asked as we all stood there waiting for him to reply.

''The system abandons all energy expenses that are not considered necessary. It is designed to turn the computer until the last second. This process begins a little before the last half hour. And is punctual'' There was a moment of silence, Doctor Jenner took a sip of alcohol before handing it back to Daryl.

''The French, to my knowledge, they are the ones who held the longest. While here, everyone opted for the escape or suicide, French continued their research to the end. They were an early explanation'' He explained making me step back, closer to where Rick was.

''What happened to them?'' I asked quietly making him look at me with his tired eyes.

''The same thing happens here. More power grid. They had more juice. That's our problem. Worldwide carbide to fossil fuels, there is no more stupid than that''

''No, but let me tell you'' Shane said coming at him making Rick push him back, not wanting to cause any trouble.

''Forget it, Shane. You know what? I've had it! Lori pack our stuff, the other too. We're leaving'' He demanded and everyone rushed to get their stuff but there was a loud alarm announcing that there was 'Thirty minutes prior to decontamination'

''Doc what the hell? Tell us'' Daryl yelled out in anger trying his best to get answers out of him.

''Come on everybody! You heard Rick, get your things'' Shane yelled at the others making them rush to their rooms before heading out towards the exit.

''Come on! Everybody out! Go! Go! Go!'' T-dog vocalized as we all rushed to the exit metal door, only for it to close shut, just as we were about to leave.

''No! He locked us! He just locked us in!'' Glenn panicked which caused the entire group to panic, trying to figure out a way to open the door.

''Son of a bitch!'' Daryl cursed rushing over to Jenner. Merle held his brother back with the help of Shane, Rick and T-dog ''You better let us out! You lied to us, I'll kill you!'

''Calm down!'' T-dog said pushing him back trying to get everyone to keep calm.

''Jenner, open this door'' Rick demanded calmly ''What will happen in 28 minutes?''

Jenner got up screaming in frustration ''Do you what what the Center for Disease Control is? To protect people like you a whole bunch of crap, which are extremely dangerous! More deadly than nuclear bombs! As strains of Ebola virus, able to destroy half the country! Stuff to not let out, whatever the circumstances! In the event of a power outage, for example in case of terrorist attack, the protocol provides Thit deploy to prevent anybody from spreading out''

'' A Thit?'' Rick questioned Jenner, making him calm down sitting on the closest chair.

'' VI definition'' thịt, arms thermo-baric pressure, consists of explosive charges that produce a shock wave power and greater length than any other known explosives, with the exception of the bomb Nuclear. Detonation in two stages leads to a pressure effect, then depression of the ambient air, due to its rapid compression. This explosive is used to cause the maximum human and material losses'' And that's when I realized; We are all going to die in 28 minutes. The building is going to blow up.

I slide down resting my back of the table letting my tears fall ''Its air caught in fire,. No suffering, no pain, you don't feel a thing. Just let it all go'' He said making more tears fall down my face.

Daryl threw the bottle of alcohol on the door ''Open this fucking door'' He yelled at Doctor Jenner. Merle threw him an axe and they both continued to hit it as hard as they can. And that's when I thought about it

No suffering, no pain, you don't feel a thing. Just let it all go

I drove back to the memory of Jacob dying. I could've saved him. Could've done something about it but I didn't. I wasn't strong enough, nor am I strong enough now to keep on going. I'm useless.

''Annora let's go'' That southern accent said pulling me up, making me look at Daryl, with my eyes glazed over.

''No I'm staying'' I mumbled making him look at me, glaring harshly.

''You can't be serious'' He hissed making me shake my head, pushing his hands away from mine.

''I'm not strong enough Daryl. I can't survive. I'm useless. I give up'' He grabbed my arm as I tried to walk away, only for me to push it away.

''I'm here'' He calmed me down, making me stare into his beautiful baby blue eyes. He was being soft, which is out of character for him. ''This isn't it, don't do this''

I don't know what it was about him or what simple words he was using but it somehow gave me hope that there might be more than me. I hesitated before grabbing his hand, as he dragged me behind him as we left Jacqui and Andrea behind.

We reached the final exit only to be faced with another problem. The window is bulletproof. T-dog tried to break the window with a chair and Shane pulled out his shotgun but the glass hardly shattered.

''Rick! I have something that can help'' Carol said searching through her bag as fast as she could.

''Carol, I'm not sure that a nail file will help us'' Shane said making me roll my eyes. I looked down and I see that Daryl and I's hands were still laced together. Merle looked at me glaring making me remove my hand away from him.

''Do you remember when you came to the camp? I washed your uniform, and I found it in your pocket'' Carol said handing Rick a grenade, completely disregarding Shane's comment.He thanks her and threw the grenade at the window.

''Everybody get down'' Rick yelled and I felt myself being pushed down and Daryl's body was suddenly on top of me, covering me like a shield. The grenade exploded making me hide my face deeper into Daryl's neck groaning in pain as I felt something sharp dig deep into my leg. He got off of me helping me up as I winced at the pain my leg was causing.I felt myself being lifted off the ground and into his arms, as he ran with me out of the building before it could blow up.

I hope I made the right decision.