Chapter 6: [TWDG] - A Man With Nothing To Lose [Reboot]
[Third Person Pov.]
Lee nodded, having made his decision. "I'll take Carley and her dead-eye down to the Motor Inn. If you want, you can come with us," he offered, glancing at Yhwach. "If you're down for it."
Yhwach's eyes narrowed slightly as he considered the proposal. He could see the determination in Lee's expression—a trait he had noticed before. It was a blend of resolve and protectiveness, especially when it came to those he cared about. After a moment of contemplation, Yhwach finally spoke. "Very well. I will accompany you—on one condition."
Lee furrowed his brow, confused. "What condition?"
Yhwach raised a single finger, his gaze intense. "You both will be following my orders as usual."
Lee sighed, thinking to himself, What's with him and commanding people? Does he think of himself as some sort of king? Despite his internal grumbling, Lee knew they needed Yhwach's expertise. Reluctantly, he answered, "Yeah, yeah. We'll listen to your orders, your majesty."
The moment Lee said "Your Majesty," Yhwach froze slightly, his expression faltering for just a fraction of a second before he regained his composure. It was so brief that Lee almost missed it. Carley, who had overheard the conversation from across the aisle, chimed in, "Yeah. I'm in."
Lee turned to face her. "Hey, you ready to head out now? The sooner we get to Glenn, the better."
Carley nodded, her expression resolute. "Yeah, we can go now. I'm not really doing much anyway."
With that settled, Yhwach, Lee, and Carley began to exit the office. They quickly checked their surroundings, making sure the area was clear, before making a beeline for the street near the alleyway opposite the junction box. Lee peeked around the corner, ensuring no walkers were nearby, while Carley reloaded her gun and took the safety off.
Yhwach stopped them, his voice calm but commanding. "We should be clear about moving around the backroads without any of them getting the jump on us. Keep that gun ready to go. Noise attracts these creatures, so we should only use it as a last resort."
Lee nodded. "Alright."
"You got it, boss," replied Carley
Yhwach made sure no walkers were in sight before leading the way under the cover of darkness. Carley and Lee followed, the only sounds being the faint tapping of Yhwach's boots, Lee's shoes, and Carley's heels. The sounds were faint enough to avoid attracting any walkers.
Once they reached the outskirts of the town, Lee visibly relaxed. The town had been a death trap, and he was eager to leave. His thoughts drifted. Funny, Lee. Considering you wanted to come here so badly just to find your family, now you want to abandon ship and run for the promised land.
Carley broke the silence. "I don't know how Glenn got out of that, considering he used his car."
Lee theorized, "The dude seems like a resourceful guy. I'm sure he found a way, considering he's a local here. Or maybe he just drove before the walkers caught up to him."
Carley nodded once more, and the conversation was engulfed in silence much like the darkness that was engulfing the trio. The road they were walking down had a few streetlights that helped them navigate where they were going. It wasn't going to be a short walk to the motor inn, so Lee figured he might as well start a conversation to kill some time.
"So, I never did thank you properly for saving Duck and the rest of us. That was nice of you and Glenn to stick your necks out like that."
"Oh, don't worry about it. I couldn't let you guys die considering you had kids in your group and you were right in front of the drugstore. It wouldn't have been right." replied Carley.
"I'm not sure everyone sees it that way," responded Lee.
"Yeah, about that. Look, Lilly and Larry are fucking assholes. There's no denying that. I mean what kind of monsters just let people die without any remorse?" questioned Carley.
"But…" stated Lee.
"But, if there's anyone who has the knowledge and survival skills to get through a situation like this, it's them. They both have military experience and have probably seen a ton of shit. Right when we first got in the drugstore, Lilly immediately got to work designating roles for people to do. Larry tried fortifying the building with what we had, but there was barely anything to use. I'm surprised he even managed to cover half of the windows. Like it or not, we need them if we want to make it through this." explained Carley.
"I don't think that's completely accurate. You seem like you handle yourself pretty well, all things considered," stated Lee.
"Well, I'm a fucking mess. If it wasn't for Doug, I would have been eaten along with my producer," revealed Carley.
"Really? Doug saved you?" asked Lee. He couldn't quite believe that some plain-looking guy in a T-shirt and shorts had gone into the line of fire and actually managed to save someone from the walkers.
"Yeah. You know, he's kind of cute, in that parent's basement sort of way," mumbled Carley to herself.
"Huh?" asked Lee.
"Oh, nothing." Carley quickly replied.
"So, how did you get so good with a gun? You like hunting in your spare time or something?" inquired Lee.
Carley laughed. Lee found that he liked the sound of it, although he didn't really understand why his previous statement was perceived to be that funny.
"No, you couldn't pay me to go outdoors and sit in a bush for hours. I was primarily a war correspondent before I decided to stay close to home. We went to a lot of war zones and dangerous areas to cover what was going on in the Middle East. Considering things were pretty dangerous, I figured I should learn how to shoot a gun." explained Carley.
"Wait, so WABE didn't sponsor any type of firearms training? Didn't they know they were putting you in dangerous territory?" questioned Lee.
"Yeah, like WABE cares about their reporters. All they see are tools that earn them money. Same like every other business, I suppose." scoffed Carley.
"So, why did you stay with them? If you didn't like their practices, couldn't you have gone somewhere else?" asked Lee.
Carley just shook her head. "I don't really have any skills besides being able to shoot and report a story. Realistically, there's nothing else I could have done, besides work for a smaller news company. And I wasn't about to do that after the amount of effort it took me to get a job in WABE in the first place."
Lee nodded his head in response. He had a newfound respect for Carley. It seemed like she was someone who valued honesty, integrity, and morality above all else. A person like that would be welcome in the new world that had graced humanity with its presence.
She's even hiding the truth about my crime. I can't thank her enough for that.
"I…uh…just wanted to thank you once again for not exposing me back at the drugstore. I know it probably was something you don't really do for everyone, so I appreciate it," said Lee earnestly.
"Sure thing, Lee. Just make sure you don't cause problems and we'll be good. Volunteering to go on this mission to save Glenn definitely says a lot about you, despite the fact that you are a convicted murderer." replied Carley.
"So, you have an opinion on the trial then?" questioned Lee.
Carley just looked at Lee for a few seconds, before choosing to reply with "Well, I don't really know you all that well, so I can't form an opinion about who you really are. The man behind the mask, if you will."
Lee nodded in acceptance and started to focus on the walk to the motor inn before Carley made one last statement.
"Once, we're someplace safe, you can tell me your side of the story. I know what was parroted through the media, and what the news anchor wanted the public to believe. I don't know what the guy who committed the crime believes."
"I wouldn't mind that," said Lee.
At least, someone else was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Most people would probably parrot the opinion of said news channels and refuse to even give him a second chance.
If I can make someone like Carley flip to my side, I could probably change the perception of the whole group. I just need to keep making sure that I'm useful and helpful. Most importantly, do not make enemies.
Yhwach had remained silent for the majority of the conversation between Lee and Carley, his mind focused on the task ahead. But as they reached the motor inn, he finally broke his silence, his voice cutting through the tension in the air.
"Are you done talking?" he asked his tone firm and commanding, signaling the end of their casual exchange. His eyes scanned the area, taking in the surroundings with a sharp, calculating gaze.
The area seemed lit up, but there weren't any walkers in sight. Or at least there weren't initially. it seemed quiet, almost too quiet. But Yhwach's keen senses picked up movement near the wall ahead. A walker, previously hidden from view, began to rise, its dead eyes locking in their direction.
Without a word, Yhwach smoothly drew his pistol and whispered, "Get down," to Lee and Carley. Both immediately obeyed, crouching behind cover as Carley readied her gun, just in case they had to defend themselves.
The walker, fortunately, didn't notice them. It shuffled aimlessly toward the center of the parking lot, its attention diverted elsewhere. Lee exhaled softly, the tension in his body easing slightly. "That was too close," he muttered.
Yhwach didn't respond, his eyes still focused on the walker, but Carley nodded in agreement. Despite the temporary reprieve, her eyes remained alert, scanning their surroundings for any other threats.
Lee cautiously peeked over the wall, taking stock of the situation. Several walkers were scattered throughout the parking lot, while a couple of them were banging on a door on the second floor. The sight was unnerving, but before Lee could fully assess the situation, a noise from nearby caught his attention. The icebox door rattled, and Yhwach quickly aimed his gun in its direction, ready for whatever might emerge.
"Be ready to shoot," Yhwach reminded Carley, his voice low and steady. Carley nodded, her grip on her weapon tightening as she prepared for the worst.
The door creaked open slowly, heightening the tension. Yhwach's finger hovered over the trigger, his eyes narrowing in anticipation. But before the door could fully open, Yhwach swiftly moved, grabbing the figure that emerged and pinning it against the wall.
"Don't shoot! It's me, Glenn!" the familiar voice pleaded, panic evident in his tone.
Recognizing Glenn, Yhwach released him, and Carley, who had nearly fired her weapon, let out a relieved sigh. "Jesus, Glenn," she muttered, her nerves still on edge.
Glenn quickly hopped over the wall, joining the group as they crouched down to avoid detection by the walkers. Lee, trying to lighten the mood, remarked, "Alright, well that wasn't so hard."
Yhwach scoffed softly, not entirely amused by Lee's attempt at humor. Carley, still tense, added, "Can we get out of here before any more of these things show up?"
But Glenn shook his head vehemently. "No way! There's a survivor trapped up there," he said, his eyes darting toward the walkers on the second floor.
Yhwach followed his gaze, noting the walkers' relentless attempts to break through the door. It was clear that someone was inside, which explained the walkers' fixation. But Yhwach's priority was Glenn, not a stranger who might only complicate their mission.
"We only came for you and no one else," Yhwach stated coldly, his voice brooking no argument.
Carley nodded in agreement, her expression mirroring Yhwach's determination. "No way! We gotta go, now!" she insisted, her voice tinged with urgency.
But Glenn, ignoring both of them, pressed on, desperation clear in his voice. "LISTEN, I was out here looking for gas. And then up in the corner room, I heard crying come from inside."
Yhwach's eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. "This is not our concern," he said, his tone final. He wasn't about to risk the lives of his group for a random survivor.
"Who is it?" inquired Lee.
"It's a girl. We talked and she got frightened. I was trying to get in and help her, and she started yelling and said I was bitten. I was trying to convince her I wasn't and that's when all of these guys came out of the forest. A couple almost got me and I ended up hiding in the ice machine." explained Glenn.
"Lucky you! Now, let's go!" said Carley.
"Hey, we can't just leave her." retorted Glenn.
"Damn right, we have to help her!" agreed Lee. He wasn't about to just leave a survivor behind to die. Imagine if Glenn and Carley had just chosen to abandon him and his group.
Yhwach's gaze fixed on Lee with a look of clear disappointment. His voice was cold, cutting through the tension. "You're risking lives for a woman you don't even know? This is reckless."
Lee's mind raced as he weighed the options. The smart move was to leave—Yhwach was right about that. But he couldn't ignore the growing guilt gnawing at him. He'd already taken too many lives, directly or indirectly. If there was a chance to save someone, maybe it would balance the scales just a little.
Lee met Yhwach's stare with unwavering resolve. "You came to my aid when I needed help, didn't you? Think about if this was you in my place."
Yhwach scoffed, his expression growing more dismissive. "That's completely different. I'm not driven by misplaced sentiment."
Carley, sensing the growing tension, sighed in frustration. "Let's just go and save Glenn's damsel in distress," she said, her voice carrying a note of exasperation.
Yhwach's frown deepened, but he remained silent as the group moved stealthily to the other wall, gaining a better view of the situation inside the motor inn. Through the gaps in the wall, they could see several walkers scattered around. One was hunched over some remains between the wall and the RV, while another pounded on wooden planks near a door on the ground floor. In the second story, two walkers continued their relentless assault on the door of the room containing the survivor.
Lee crouched down, focusing on the scene. "Okay, this is the plan. We don't know how hard it's going to be to get her out of that room."
Glenn nodded, his face tense with worry. "Yeah, it's boarded up."
"So, we'll need to take out every walker in here," Lee said.
Yhwach's eyes narrowed, and he pointed out a crucial detail. "Did you forget that I only have two bullets left?"
Lee's expression shifted as he recalled the earlier confrontation with Larry. He nodded in acknowledgment, understanding the implications.
Carley spoke up, regret in her voice. "I have spare bullets in my purse, but it's back in the drugstore. Sorry about that." She reloaded her gun in preparation for the task ahead.
Yhwach raised a finger, his voice firm but quiet. "Quietly! Noise attracts these things."
Lee nodded, scanning the surroundings. He noticed a pillow lying on the ground and an idea began to form. "Let's have a look around," he said, peeking around the wall to grab the pillow.
Carley watched him curiously. "Are you trying to have a sleepover?" she asked, her tone tinged with bemusement.
Yhwach let out a soft chuckle at Carley's comment, though his eyes remained focused on the task. Lee ignored the distraction and held up the pillow, his mind racing with possibilities.
"No, but I have an idea for how we could use this," Lee said.
Yhwach's amusement faded as he assessed Lee's plan. His thoughts were skeptical. That plan of yours wouldn't work. Even with a pillow, it won't suppress the sound enough to make a difference.
Lee noted a pickup truck to the far right of the motel, which was closer to where the survivor seemed to be trapped. He quickly crouch-walked over to the truck, with Carley and Glenn following right behind him. As he was walking, he noticed that there was a walker sitting on the side of another car parked up on a ramp.
We're going to have to be extremely careful. There's probably a lot of walkers in blind spots that we can't see yet. Lee thought.
He crouched down behind the truck and decided to look in the window to see if there was anything salvageable. He saw a screwdriver inside the car, but the window was closed shut.
All Lee had was a pillow, so he looked at Yhwach, Glenn, and Carley.
"You three wouldn't happen to know any tricks for getting into cars, would you?" Lee asked, hoping for a solution.
Yhwach just stared at him, silent and unreadable.
"Not without tools or making a bunch of noise. And none with pillows," Glenn replied, keeping his voice low.
"Figured it was worth asking," Lee muttered.
He looked over at the walker, slumped by the car, and steeled himself. "Carley, get your gun ready," he said, gripping the pillow tightly in his hand.
"But the noise…" Carley hesitated, her concern clear.
"Just follow my lead," Lee replied, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Together, they moved toward the walker, who began to stir, sensing their approach. As the walker started to react, Lee swiftly smothered its face with the pillow. Carley, catching on quickly, aimed her gun and prepared to fire—but before she could pull the trigger, Yhwach's hand moved like a blur, snatching the gun from her grip in a single, swift motion.
Yhwach's actions were swift and decisive. As Lee held the pillow over the walker's face, Yhwach stepped in with a grim efficiency. With a forceful stomp, he crushed the walker's skull beneath his boot, the sickening crack of bone and the shuffling groans of the undead suddenly silenced. He didn't stop there—he continued to stomp until the walker's movements ceased entirely, ensuring it was thoroughly neutralized.
Yhwach's imposing presence loomed even larger as he straightened up, his gaze now fixated on Lee. He tightened his grip around Carley's gun, the weapon trembling slightly in his hand as he glared down at Lee, who stood at 6 feet, significantly shorter than Yhwach's 6'5" frame.
"That plan of yours was flawed from the start," Yhwach said, his voice turned cold. "A pillow can only muffle sound to a certain extent. In a situation like this, where every noise could attract more walkers, relying on such a method is reckless. It's a mere stopgap, not a solution. The noise would still travel, and walkers are not so easily deterred."
Lee's eyes met Yhwach's with a mixture of frustration and disdain. "So what do you suggest then?"
Yhwach's gaze didn't waver. "First, you need to understand that every decision in this new world carries weight. A plan must be both practical and efficient. We need to eliminate threats quietly, using methods that ensure we remain undetected for as long as possible. It's not about improvisation in the heat of the moment—it's about strategic thinking."
"That was intense!" Glenn whispered, his voice tinged with awe.
Lee and the others heard faint cries coming from the upstairs balcony. It seemed like the survivor was still trapped inside. Glenn and Carley joined Lee behind the car as he checked the interior. The door was thankfully open, and Lee noticed the gear shift was in park. He shifted the gears, making the car move, and grabbed an object from the driver's seat before closing the door.
"It's a spark-thingy." said Lee.
"A sparkplug." corrected Glenn. "You should keep that, might come in handy."
Lee put the sparkplug in his pocket and looked at the walker that he had seen earlier near the wooden boards. He pushed the car off the ramp until it started moving in the direction of the walker. Before the walker could react, the car rammed into its body trapping it between the bumper of the car and wall. One of the walkers upstairs turned around but didn't see anything, so it continued trying to break in.
"That was awesome!" encouraged Glenn.
The trio headed back to the truck they were just at. Lee was about to move back to the wall, but Glenn spoke up.
"Can I see the sparkplug?"
"Sure," replied Lee.
Glenn took the sparkplug and inspected it. "The porcelain inside these things turns car windows into tissue paper." Glenn stepped on the sparkplug, breaking it, before he took one of the smashed porcelain pieces and threw it against the glass.
"What? I want a weapon too. Your friend has a unit, and you already have a hammer and Carley has a gun. Spread the wealth."
"I suppose that makes sense," Lee agreed, then paused. "Wait, you came here without a weapon?"
"Yeah. That was pretty stupid, wasn't it?" Glenn admitted.
"Indeed," Yhwach said flatly.
"A little bit," Carley added.
The group resumed their work, having made good progress. Lee decided to deal with the walker in front of the RV. He approached the decaying woman from behind and delivered a solid blow to the back of her head. The walker collapsed, dead. Lee glanced at the remains the walker had been feeding on and fought to keep his stomach in check.
The sooner the government cleans up these damn monsters, the better, Lee thought.
He and Glenn moved to the front of the RV while Carley stayed behind the wall on the opposite side of the motor inn. Lee spotted another walker near the one trapped by the car. He couldn't be seen from the front, so he decided to lure it over and eliminate it.
Lee whistled softly and hid behind the RV. The walker shuffled toward him, and as it came close, Lee sprang out and swung at its head. The blow hit the walker's shoulder instead of the head, and Lee grunted in frustration before adjusting his aim and finishing the walker off. Carley joined him and Glenn as they made their way to the stairs.
"That fire axe would be a good weapon," Glenn observed.
Lee nodded and reached for it, but the trapped walker's arms flailed, trying to grab him. "Shut the fuck up!" Lee yelled, bringing his hammer down on the walker's head with a final, forceful strike. He grabbed the fire axe and returned the hammer to his pocket.
"Wait, you're taking the fire axe?" Glenn asked.
"Yeah, it's more useful than a hammer. Plus, having two weapons is better than one," Lee said.
"But I wanted the fire axe," Glenn pouted.
"You already have the screwdriver," Lee retorted.
"Well, a fire axe is cooler," Glenn argued.
"Finders keepers. I killed the walker guarding it, so I get the weapon," Lee said with a smirk.
"Man, if I'd known that's how it worked, I would have stepped up," Glenn mumbled.
"Are you two done?" Yhwach interrupted.
Both Lee and Glenn fell silent as Lee led the group back to the stairs. With only two walkers left, both banging upstairs, Carley was instructed to stay behind, just in case.
"Carley, stay here. We'll handle this," Lee said.
"Got it. I'll be right behind you," Carley replied.
"Glenn, 'Jugram', you're with me. I'll take one, and you handle the other," Lee ordered.
The trio ascended the stairs and approached the remaining walkers. Finally, the creatures seemed to notice their presence and made a move towards the pair. However, it was all for naught, as Lee quickly dispatched one of the walkers with his axe. Glenn brushed past Lee and grabbed the second walker, before shoving the screwdriver inside the walker's brains. The walker went limp and Glenn pulled out the screwdriver, although it took a little bit of difficulty.
"Seems like it scrambles brains pretty well. It's tough to remove, though," Glenn observed.
"Just don't shove it in too deep, and you'll be fine," Lee advised.
"Yeah, I can't help it. I'm pretty strong," Glenn said, flexing his arms.
"Jesus Christ…" Carley muttered as she joined them.
Lee knocked on the door to announce their presence. "Hello, in there. We're here to help. We've cleared out all the walkers."
"Please, just go away!" shouted the woman.
Yhwach's expression hardened as he listened to the woman's panicked plea. He turned to Lee, his voice calm yet authoritative. "If she's asking us to leave, perhaps we should reconsider. There's no point in risking more lives for someone who doesn't want our help."
Carley, still visibly shaken from the earlier, nodded in agreement. "Let's go, guys. We've done what we can."
"In a minute," said Lee. He wasn't about to give up on this woman. He, Yhwach, Glenn, and Carley had all risked their lives to come to save her. The least they could do was bring her back to the group, so she could be taken care of.
"Listen, if you open up, we can take you somewhere safer. We've got a group in town," stated Lee.
"No, no, no! Please, no..." yelled the woman.
"She's in trouble!" responded Glenn.
Lee looked at the axe in his hands. The door was boarded shut, but he could take care of that problem pretty easily.
I'm not just going to give up on this woman. Too many people have given up already.
Lee still remembered the first house they had scavenged. The dead kids lying peacefully in their beds. The master bedroom was painted with the blood of its occupants. The woman's face was frozen in despair. No, he wasn't going to let someone else die if he had anything to say about it.
Lee cut the wooden plank connecting the door and the wall, before trying the doorknob. Of course, the door was locked, so Lee started breaking the door down with his foot. The woman didn't take too kindly to that.
"Stop, just stop! I'm coming out." stated the woman.
Lee moved back a little bit as the door opened. A Caucasian woman stepped outside. Her skin was pale, almost like a vampire's skin, and her eyes had bags under them likely due to her excessive crying. Lee also noticed that she had a wound on her side that she was clutching.
"Oh god," muttered Carley. She realized what was going on.
"You're hurt." noticed Lee. "You need to get help quickly."
"I...I said, stay away." stated the woman, almost like she was in a trance.
"We can help you. We have a group inside a drugstore, and we're currently trying to get the pharmacy open. We have medical supplies that we can use to help you get back to normal." encouraged Glenn.
"It's too late for that." muttered the woman softly.
Yhwach's gaze fixed on the woman, a cold realization flickering in his eyes. He took a step closer, scrutinizing her with a clinical detachment. "She's been bitten," he stated, his voice devoid of sympathy.
"What?!" shouted Glenn.
"I told you. I said go away, I'm bit. But you wouldn't just leave." said the woman.
"Let's calm down, you could be fine," reassured Lee. He didn't know if he believed that statement, but he had to at least try to show hope. The woman was clearly in a bad place mentally and adding any more negative emotions to her head would probably make her explode.
Larry was clear on what the bites meant, though. This woman is a ticking time bomb and it seems like she's aware of that.
"I won't be fine. My boyfriend was bitten. You get sick and you die and you come back and you kill anything that you can find." shouted the woman in hysteria.
All was silent before Glenn asked, "You have a boyfriend?"
"Glenn!" chastised Carley.
"I don't want that. It's not Christian. Please, just leave me, please go." ordered the woman.
Lee sighed. He couldn't force this woman to come with their group and she seemed pretty convinced that she was going to die. What kind of person would he be if he didn't let her go out on her own terms?
Maybe Larry was bullshitting about the bites, but he seems like he knows what he's talking about when it comes to walkers. I can't take that chance and put the group in danger by bringing her back. I just can't.
"Ok, we'll leave. Just try to take care of yourself, for whatever time you have left." said Lee sadly. He hated giving up on someone, but he couldn't see any other way that this could play out.
The woman had other ideas on how this could play out. She noticed that Yhwach was holding his gun by his side.
As the woman noticed Yhwach's gun, her eyes widened with a mixture of desperation and hope. "You have a gun?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"I do," Yhwach confirmed, his tone impassive.
"Can I borrow it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Carley's face tightened in confusion. "What do you mean, borrow?"
Yhwach's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with the realization of what the woman was implying. In this world, it was clear that people would go to extreme lengths, even taking their own lives, to escape the horror around them. This world was darker and more unforgiving than he had anticipated.
"Give it to me. I can just, you know, end this and then… then there's no problem," the woman said, her voice breaking.
Glenn's eyes went wide with shock. "Whoa! Hold on a minute!"
The woman's voice grew more frantic. "PLEASE! I don't want to be one of them! They're… they're satanic!"
Yhwach sighed deeply, a flicker of emotion crossing his face before he lifted the gun and aimed it directly at the woman's head. Carley and Glenn stared in shock, their breaths catching in their throats.
"Jugram, you're not planning on doing that crazy stunt again, are you?" Carley's voice trembled with disbelief.
Yhwach's right eye locked onto Carley's. "Do I look like I'm messing around?" His tone was steely, showing no sign of hesitation.
Glenn reached out, grabbing Yhwach's hand to lower the gun, but Lee quickly intervened, grabbing Glenn's arm. "Stop. Just let him do it," Lee said, his voice steady.
Carley and Glenn looked at Lee in stunned silence.
"What? You can't be serious," Carley said, her voice filled with incredulity.
Lee met Carley's gaze. "Look at her, Carley. Just look at her and tell me that she isn't suffering right now. Tell me that leaving her to die when she just wants to attain peace is the best solution."
Carley reluctantly looked at the woman who looked back at her in desperation. Carley could see what Lee was talking about. There was no hope in her eyes...absolutely none. Her demeanor marked that of a tired woman, but it wasn't because of the injuries she had suffered. No, she was someone who had come to terms with her fate and just wanted to rest for good. There was no other way that this could go down.
Carley's face softened slightly. "Okay," she said reluctantly.
The woman turned her gaze back to Yhwach, her eyes pleading. "Can I do it instead?"
Yhwach's expression remained impassive as he tossed her the gun. Glenn shook his head in disbelief. "I can't watch this," he said, stepping back.
Lee looked at Yhwach. "You three go on ahead. Someone needs to pick the gun back up once we're done here."
Yhwach gave Lee's shoulder a firm pat. "Lee, you go along with them. It's my pistol; therefore, I am responsible."
With a final nod, Carley shook her head before she walked back to Glenn's car. Lee looked up at the woman who just looked back with a sad smile on her face. Lee then left Yhwach and the woman in a grim, tense silence.
"Thank you." whispered the woman.
"What's your name?" asked Yhwach. He didn't know why, but it was important to know the name of this woman who had given in to death.
"Irene," she replied quietly.
"Irene. I hope you find peace wherever you go," Yhwach said with a sincerity that surprised even him. He wasn't one for religious sentiments, but offering some comfort seemed right, especially when it was long overdue.
"Thank you. I hope you all make it too," Irene said, her voice steady. She aligned the gun with her forehead, took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger. Yhwach watched as Irene collapsed, her life extinguished in an instant.
After a moment of silence, he picked up the gun and gazed at Irene's lifeless body, the weight of the moment settling in.
As he walked back to the car, the weight of the gun in his hand felt heavier than it ever had before. He couldn't deny a certain sense of satisfaction in fulfilling what he saw as a necessary act of mercy, but it was tempered by a deep, unsettling realization about the nature of their world. This world demanded decisions that were cold and practical, but they often came at the cost of one's humanity.
As the echo of Yhwach's conversation and gunshot faded, Lee's thoughts churned with frustration and helplessness. Jesus Christ. This fucking world just makes people do the craziest shit. Somebody needs to figure out a way to stop this madness. When the day would come that things would be relatively normal again, I don't know. He stared out the window, his mind racing. The relentless cycle of violence and despair seemed never-ending, and the thought of how to break it was overwhelming.
Lee and Yhwach returned to Glenn's car, with Yhwach taking the front seat and Lee settling in the back. Glenn started up the car, and they began to drive away from the motor inn.
"I was thinking that we can go back to the drugstore through a different route," Glenn suggested, his tone laced with a mix of practicality and underlying tension. "That should give us more opportunities to siphon any cars for gas. Do you guys have any problem with that?"
"Nah, you're good, man," Lee replied, his voice weary. "I still haven't found the keys to the pharmacy, so we're in no rush. We should try to get full tanks for both of the cars anyway."
Glenn nodded, but the mood in the car shifted as he glanced at Yhwach with a disapproving look. "For the record, I think you were wrong in giving the girl that gun, 'Jugram'. You shouldn't have granted her wish."
Yhwach scoffed, "You remember what Larry said back at the drugstore when he thought Duck was bitten? The bites turn people into walkers. There is no cure for that, no way to prevent it."
Glenn's eyes flashed with anger. "We didn't know shit. We've never actually seen it happen. There will be other people who want to give up, bitten or not. Are you just going to put them out of their misery as well?"
"That's not the same thing. And you know it, Glenn. Even if you don't want to admit it to yourself," Lee said, his voice steady but edged with frustration.
"How is that not the same thing?" Glenn retorted. "Just because someone is bitten, they should be put down like a rabid dog? Or better yet, they should off themselves to spare us the misery of doing the deed for them? Fuck that. Carley, what do you think?"
Carley hesitated, her voice soft. "I…I don't know. I think that woman had no hope that things would get better for her. Initially, I didn't want to, but maybe this was for the best. At least she gets to go out the way she wanted to."
"Whatever. You guys can give up on people all you want. I'm going to keep helping them because I'm not some heartless cynic who thinks humanity's fucked," Glenn declared.
Lee didn't respond immediately, his gaze fixed out the window. He understood the argument Glenn was making but felt the man was being overly optimistic. Lee wrestled with his own thoughts, feeling that what he did was ultimately the right choice, even if it was a difficult one.
Killing has always been my first instinct when faced with conflict. I definitely didn't try to talk the senator down, did I? Lee mused, reflecting on his past actions. Trying to make up for his past was proving to be more challenging than he had anticipated.
Yhwach, who had been silent throughout the conversation, suddenly chuckled, breaking the tension. Glenn's eyes narrowed, and he shot a sharp look at Yhwach. "What's so funny?"
Yhwach's gaze locked onto Glenn's with a chilling calmness. "What you said was funny."
Glenn's face flushed with anger. "You think this is some sick joke? You think not helping people is a laughing matter for you?"
Yhwach sighed, his expression darkening.
"Glenn, you're clinging to a hope that is no longer viable in this world. The harsh truth is that in the face of certain death, people will do anything to escape it. The world we knew is gone, and with it, the notion that everyone deserves saving regardless of their circumstances. The woman chose her own end because she saw no other way out. Sometimes, the most compassionate thing is to respect that choice."
[Scene Break Location: Drugstore]
Kenny watched as Duck and Clementine were talking about or school or comic books or something like that. To be honest, he hadn't paid much attention to the conversation for a while, since Duck could go a million miles a minute.
I wouldn't have It any other way. I know that now. Whatever happens, I need to be there for him.
When that old fuck had suggested throwing his son out to the walkers, it made Kenny go ballistic. How could someone so callously suggest killing a child like that? How could his daughter not even speak up and see that there was anything wrong with that?
If it wasn't for Yhwach's crazy stunt, Larry might have actually done it. The family that Kenny had worked so hard to build up would have been vanquished in an instant. However, he was petty enough to harbor a little bit of dislike that Yhwach and Lee had to be the ones to come to his aid. Of course, he appreciated it, but their actions only served to remind Kenny of their argument back at the supermarket.
Man, how is that guy so good-natured? So willing to help people even if they wronged him?
That thought could apply to two people: Kenny and Larry. Kenny had "wronged" Lee by running away instead of helping him save Shawn, which had almost cost the guy his life. Despite this, he didn't seem to hold it against Kenny's family, as he had immediately stood up to Larry, threatening to beat his ass if Larry got violent.
Kenny was someone who could hold a grudge, so he was confused about why Lee didn't seem to hold any animosity toward him and his family after their little shouting match. Did he get over it, or was he just a nice guy?
I need to look at it from Lee's perspective. Well, I wouldn't blame him if he did the same thing. Would I?
Maybe, Kenny was just being stubborn by placing his own perspective on Lee's perspective, which, in turn, wasn't really giving him any additional perspective, but he did know that he had to make the first move towards reconciliation.
Looking towards his wife, he figured he should have a conversation about what their future plans should be.
"Hey Kat, can we talk for a minute?" asked Kenny.
"Sure, Kenny. Kids, make sure you stay here where we can see you." reminded Katjaa.
Kenny and Katjaa sat down at the other end of the counter, so the kids couldn't hear their conversation.
"So, we've been trying to get back home, back to Fort Lauderdale. We've pretty much exhausted all of our options trying to get back, and now we're stuck in a drugstore, waiting for Glenn to come back with our gas. What do you think about going back home, once we're out of here?" asked Kenny.
Katjaa replied "I…don't know if that's best, Ken. We keep hitting all these roadblocks and now we're in a larger group. Wouldn't it be safer for us if we just stayed with them until the government gets rid of these things?"
"That's what I've been trying to tell myself. You saw how Larry acted though. Our son almost got thrown out to die just based on a hunch. Is that the kind of people that we want to associate ourselves with? To hitch our wagon to?" questioned Kenny.
"You also saw how Lee acted. He stood up for Duck alongside 'Jugram' even if Jugram's methods were cruel and made sure that nobody would touch him. None of the other people in the store were comfortable with throwing our son out, either." reminded Katjaa.
"What about the farm? Lee didn't try to save our son, then. We can't depend on him to look out for us all the damn time. The only people that we can count on are ourselves." stated Kenny.
Katjaa shook her head. "I certainly don't blame Lee for that. He had to make a choice and he assumed that Duck would be saved by his father, correct? Shawn had no one who would look out for him, so Lee had to be the one to do it. You aren't blaming Lee for that, are you?"
"No, but...it's nothing," said Kenny.
"Kenny…" started Katjaa.
Should I really keep this from my wife? What kind of husband would I be if I don't at least ask for my wife's opinion on things?
"Lee and I had a little bit of a pissing match back at the supermarket. He thinks that I left him to die, but I think that I just looked out for Duck when no one else did and saved my son's life. I've been thinking about things from his perspective, and it's just confusing me because I don't really know the guy all that well. I've been meaning to apologize to him, but I don't know where to start or how to start." explained Kenny.
"You will eventually apologize to him, right?" asked Katjaa.
"Yeah, I just said I was going to do it once this whole drugstore business is behind us. Now is not the time with everything going on," replied Kenny.
Katjaa just raised an eyebrow at Kenny. Kenny sighed and continued speaking.
"Also, I don't really know what I'm going to say, so I'm stalling to try and figure it out."
"Kenny, you don't have to make an 11-page document. Just speak with your heart. Tell Lee that you tried to empathize with him and you understand where he is coming from. Make sure you tell Lee why you did what you did and why you felt it had to be done. If you speak with sincerity, he will forgive you." answered Katjaa.
"You think so?" asked Kenny.
"I know so. From what I have seen, Lee is a good man. He will be willing to let bygones be bygones if you put in the effort to make a sincere apology." stated Katjaa.
Kenny visibly relaxed at his wife's soothing words. Hearing reassurance from someone who was close to him made his mind relax.
"I'm just glad you're looking out for your family in times like this. We know that you haven't always been around with us when we needed you," said Katjaa sternly.
Kenny was taken back to a time when he would go on regular fishing expeditions to get away from his family. Almost like the time back home suffocated him and he needed some air. There was no room for that in this new world. He had to be there, no matter how long this event took to fix.
"Yeah. Family's always the Achilles heel, ain't it?"
[Scene Break Location: Drugstore Outside]
Yhwach and Lee got out of the car and walked through the alleyway back to the store. The four of them had actually managed to scrounge up some more gas through the alternate route they had taken to get back to Macon. They had enough for Kenny's truck to fill the tank up to the top. Glenn and Carley were walking ahead of him while Yhwach was next to him, but Lee had started to trail behind, once he remembered Glenn's last words to them.
You guys can give up on people all you want.
Give up? Is that what Lee had done? Or he had assessed the situation correctly and made the right call?
This world gives too many questions and not enough answers.
Lee didn't think about it much further before Yhwach opened the door to the back office. Stepping inside the drugstore, everyone turned their attention towards the four of them.
"Everyone all right?" asked Kenny.
"Yeah. We had some close calls, but Glenn's alright...and yeah, we're okay," explained Lee.
"I've got a few cans of gas for your pickup in the trunk of my car," said Glenn quietly. His eyes were downcast and he didn't speak in a cheerful tone.
"Glad to hear it," said Kenny who looked at Lee with a questioning gaze. Lee just shook his head at Kenny subtly as if to say 'Now is not the time'.
"What about things back here?" asked Carley.
"They've been pretty quiet. Doug made some progress on figuring out a way to safely disable the alarm," said Kenny.
"No shit?" asked Lee.
"Yeah, but I'm going to need you for a quick second. There's something that you should see," explained Kenny.
Lee and Kenny both walked to the front of the drugstore, where Doug was still keeping watch. Lee was amazed that Doug still seemed to be awake enough to keep a lookout, considering he had been keeping watch before Lee's group even made it to the drugstore.
That guy should really take a break.
"Hey, Doug. Kenny and I were planning on going outside to take a look around. You should take a break for a little bit. We'll watch the outside for you while you're gone." said Lee.
"Are you sure? If you're offering, I guess I wouldn't mind taking it. Thanks, guys." said Doug. He decided to go sit down in one of the aisles of the drugstore and close his eyes for a little bit.
Kenny and Lee went outside the drugstore in front of the metal gate. The TVs situated in the store windows were still on, and Lee looked at them with interest.
How the hell did the TVs turn on?
"That was Doug's work," explained Kenny.
As Lee and Kenny stepped outside, Yhwach followed them from behind, his presence imposing and silent. Kenny turned to him, clearly expecting a message. "What's up?"
"Katjaa wants you," Yhwach said, his tone flat but precise.
Kenny nodded. "Alright. I'll be right there." He turned back to Lee, who had been deep in thought since their return to the drugstore. Yhwach, with his usual detached demeanor, approached Lee.
"This is your family's pharmacy, isn't it?" Yhwach asked, his voice cutting through the ambient noise.
Lee looked up, surprise etched on his face. "Yeah. How did you—"
Yhwach's gaze shifted forward, his finger pointing directly in front of them.
Lee followed his hand and saw a walker directly in front of him. The walker was trapped by a telephone phone and had on a pharmaceutical outfit. Lee focused on the nametag and slowly read out the name 'Bud'.
It felt like time slowed down for Lee. His heart dropped in his chest as he realized what he was looking at. The walker version of his brother, trapped underneath his final resting place.
No, no, no , no, no....
"Lee," said Yhwach slowly. "Is that who I think it is?"
"...Yeah. It's my brother, Bud," responded Lee.
Lee closed his eyes. That was that, then. He came here to find his family and he found them. His parents were gone and most likely dead. Considering one of them was bleeding back in the office, he could only assume what happened to them. His brother probably tried to be a hero and help them, but he ended up dooming himself in the end.
Lee could almost laugh at the bitter irony. Being unable to protect his family had actually saved his life. Taking another man's life had saved his own.
Lee pulled out the family photo and looked at it for a few moments. He carefully studied the faces of his mother, father, and brother. All of them near and dear to his heart. All of them were gone.
What did they think of me in their last moments? Did they hate me? Did they love me? I'll never know now.
Lee silently handed the photo to Yhwach, who looked at the picture. He noticed Lee's brother wearing the same uniform as he did in death. It seemed like a pretty good guess that the keys may still be on him.
Yhwach observed Lee with a hint of empathy flickering in his eyes, though his expression remained impassive. "This must be difficult."
"Don't. Just...don't," said Lee. He closed his eyes briefly, before opening them with a sense of purpose. "We need to get these walkers away from him, so we can check if he has the keys on him. I'll only need a few minutes."
Yhwach nodded, respecting Lee's resolve. "If that's what you need, then so be it. I'll provide cover."
If I can't help them in life, maybe I can help them in death.
Would that makeup for what happened? Lee doubted it, but the thought that it would comfort him. Yhwach meant well, but he couldn't possibly know the full extent of Lee's past and how his family had responded to his crime…or lack of response. No, it had to be him. He needed to do this.
With a heavy heart, Lee stood up and readied his axe. He bashed the weapon against the lock and cut it open, before opening the gate a little bit. Thankfully, none of the walkers seemed to notice Lee's presence. He picked up the brick and looked towards the window.
Just like when you used to play baseball as a kid.
Lee winded up and threw the brick in a near-perfect arc. The brick hit the glass, shattering it on impact. As a result, the white noise of the TVs magnified in volume, causing the walkers to crowd around the electronics store. They started growling and mashing away at the televisions as if they were prey that the walkers were trying to eat.
"Before you go, take this," said Yhwach who held the family photo in his outstretched hand. Lee quickly took the photo and pocketed it.
Lee quietly walked over to his brother. As he got closer, his brother noticed him and started reaching for him, but his efforts were futile. Lee could barely keep himself together, but he had to be strong. They didn't have time for him to become a blubbering mess.
"Hey, Bud," said Lee, as he crouched down to get a better look at his brother. He had a bite mark on his right arm, so Lee assumed that he had gotten bit and died. Although, it wouldn't explain why he was trapped under a telephone pole.
"I know you would have died for Mom and Dad, so I'm going to assume that's what happened. I'm sorry that I couldn't be the man you once looked up to. I'm sorry that I couldn't be here to help you protect them. I wish things could have been different. I don't think Mom and Dad made it, so if you see them, tell them that I'm sorry too. I don't expect them to forgive me, but a man can hope, right?" asked Lee.
Hope. Irene didn't have any hope, so she offed herself. Hope is in scarce supply these days.
Lee didn't have anything more to say, so he stood up and raised his axe, before bringing it down on his brother. It hit his neck instead of his head, so Lee kept hacking away trying to kill his brother once and for all. He found that it was more difficult than he thought.
I can't do this. I can't do this.
Concentrating, Lee raised his axe one more time and made sure to directly aim at his brother's head. The axe found a home in his brain, and Bud stopped moving for good. Sadly sighing, Lee rummaged through his brother's front pocket and found the pharmacy keys.
He stood up, looked at his brother's body one final time, and walked back to the gate. Yhwach ushered him inside and closed the gate before asking "Did you find them?"
Lee merely dangled the keys in front of him, Yhwach nodded and both of them walked towards the door. Before opening it, Lee turned to Yhwach and said, "Thanks. For letting me do this. You don't know how much that meant to me."
Yhwach's gaze remained steady as he looked at Lee. "It was your burden to bear, not mine. Sometimes, the only way to find closure is to face these moments yourself."
Lee gave a small nod, understanding the gravity of Yhwach's words. "It's time to leave," he said, pushing open the door and stepping inside with Yhwach beside him. The room was filled with a quiet tension; Glenn leaned against the wall near Lilly and Larry, while the others fidgeted or talked in low voices, waiting for news.
"Hey, everyone!" announced Lee. Everyone turned their head over to Lee as he addressed them. "We managed to find the keys for the pharmacy."
"That's great!" said Lilly. "God, you're a lifesaver!"
"Let's hold off on celebrating," Yhwach interjected, his tone measured. "We still need to disable the alarm tied to the pharmacy. If that goes off, we'll have walkers swarming us like moths to a flame."
"Well, fuck, let's make a plan right now and execute it! My dad doesn't have all day," emphasized Lilly.
"Hang on, everybody," said Kenny, who walked over to join the conversation.
"We still need to fill our cars up with gas, just in case we need to make a quick getaway from this place. If something goes wrong on this little alarm mission, and our cars aren't ready, then we're out of luck."
"What do you propose?" asked Yhwach.
Kenny turned to Glenn.
"You said you had a few cans of gas in your car, right? Why don't I go and fill up our cars with what you got, while you guys make a plan on how to disable this thing?"
"Yeah, sure. Let me give you my keys," said Glenn who threw his keys over to Kenny.
Kenny looked at Lee unsurely. "Hey, Lee. You mind if I borrow that axe just in case I run into any of them on the way to my truck?"
"Sure." shrugged Lee, who threw his axe over to Kenny.
"Thanks, Lee," said Kenny. Kenny then headed for the office, before Katjaa called out, "Be careful, you two."
Kenny just looked back in amusement.
"We'll be fine, Kat. What's the worst that could happen?"
The worst that could happen is you could fucking die, leaving your wife a widow and your son fatherless. Lee thought.
Yhwach watched as Kenny left the drugstore. Lee addressed the group once again. "Alright, now we need someone to go disable the alarm, so we can open the pharmacy safely."
"We need a distraction to get the walkers out of the way of the alarm, right?" asked Carley.
"Yeah, but we might have solved that problem. We found the keys on the body of a walker who had a pharmaceutical outfit in. We…assumed that he had the keys on him considering that his body was in close proximity to this place. In order to check him, we lured the walkers to the electronics store by breaking the glass, so that the sounds of the TVs in the store would be loud enough to attract them." explained Lee.
"So, we have a clear path to the alarm?" asked Glenn.
"We should. As long as we don't attract them back to that area, we should be good to go. Kenny is filling the cars up on the other side of the alleyway, so they won't even be in the area." explained Lee.
"So, what are we doing? Let's get out there and turn that thing off!" yelled Lilly.
"Who wants to go do it?" asked Lee. Glenn looked around the store. Duck and Clementine were clearly off the table, Katjaa had to watch out for Duck, Lee had to watch out for Clementine, and Larry was in no shape to undertake such an arduous task.
That pretty much left Glenn, Yhwach, Lilly, Carley, and Doug. "I'll do it if no one else wants to," said Lee. "I understand if this feels too dangerous for some people."
"Fuck it," said Lilly. Everyone turned to her. "I'll do it. Lee, you've done a lot for everyone today. It's my dad who depends on these pills, so I think it's fair if I'm the one to go."
Glenn was surprised that Lilly actually seemed to be sticking up for Lee. Considering their previous history, Glenn figured that Lilly would gladly let Lee put himself in danger.
Maybe Lilly's a better person than I thought or maybe she and Lee made up while I was gone. Glenn thought.
However, something didn't sit right with Glenn. Mainly the fact that Larry would be all alone in the drugstore with no one to take care of him. If Lilly died, then Larry would go absolutely ballistic, which would present a lot of problems.
"No," replied Glenn. "I'll go."
Lilly turned to look at Glenn in shock. "Really? You would be doing me a huge favor, Glenn. You've already gotten gas for the motor inn, so you don't have to feel obligated to do this."
"I'm the supply guy. I'm quick on my feet and know how to navigate through traffic. This is something that I'm used to doing, so I should be the one to disable the alarm. You also have your father here, who you need to take care of. Plus, I actually have a weapon." stated Glenn, pulling out his screwdriver. "If anything goes wrong, I'll be able to defend myself."
Lilly nodded her head in agreement. "Ok, then. Thank you."
"Be careful, Glenn," said Lee.
Glenn nodded his head and walked through the office to the alleyway behind the drugstore. To the left, he could see a path to the junction box on the opposite end of the street. There were no walkers in sight, likely due to the distraction Lee had mentioned earlier. Glenn quickly crept up to the street and peeked left. All the walkers were still situated in front of the electronics store.
As Glenn crossed over the street, he started thinking about his friends once more. He had been conflicted about whether or not he should leave the group to go find them, but that confusion was gone. He had to make sure they were okay.
Unlike Lee and that asshole 'Jugram', I'm not just going to give up on people. If I stay, I'm giving up on them.
He didn't hate Lee and Yhwach personally, but he simply could not agree with their decision to give the woman the gun. People had to have hope that things would get better, because if they didn't have hope, then what did they have?
A need to put a bullet into their skull if she was any indication.
No, Glenn was going to continue helping people, whether they were strangers or not. Maybe that was the real reason he volunteered to disable the alarm. He wanted to help the group out one last time before he left. It would soften the blow when he told them his intentions to leave.
My last act of service for this group. And then I'm off to Atlanta.
Glenn looked up and noticed there was a fire escape that followed a path toward the alarm. If he hopped over to the balcony near the junction box, he could probably just dangle over the edge and turn it off. It was a risk, but what wasn't risky about this mission? At least the hard part of luring the walkers away was over.
Glenn walked up the fire escape and cringed every time the steps made a creaky noise, but no walkers seemed to hear the noise. Once he was level with the balcony, he eyed it before stepping up on the railing to position himself.
You got this. You got this, pussy.
With a heave, Glenn jumped towards the balcony and managed to grab the side of the railing. Grunting with effort, he managed to pull himself up and onto the balcony. It was a pretty good effort, considering the night was still long and Glenn could barely see. He noticed that there seemed to be metal poles piled up on the balcony.
Maybe this guy was an architect or something.
Either way, Glenn had a job to do. He positioned himself so that his left leg was still placed on the balcony and his right leg was dangling outward. He could barely reach the switch to turn the alarm off, but he kept trying.
"Come on, come on…" muttered Glenn.
Finally, he was able to hook his right hand on the switch. Panting in exertion, he pushed down on it. He didn't know if he managed to turn it off, but the alarm should have shown an indication that it was turned off. Perhaps the light wasn't glowing anymore?
I did it. I fucking did it.
Releasing a sigh, Glenn climbed back onto the balcony. He was about to jump back to the fire escape, but he heard a noise coming from inside. Glenn turned and looked at the glass window facing the balcony. He couldn't see any signs of activity beforehand, but the darkness made it kind of hard to see anything inside.
Suddenly, before he could react, a walker burst out of the glass shattering it on impact. It tried to reach for Glenn and barely had time to put its hands on him before Glenn fought back. Cursing to himself, he had no time to get his screwdriver. The walker kept pushing him closer and closer towards the edge.
"Get off!" yelled Glenn. He pushed with as much force as he could, which helped push the walker off a little. Thinking on his feet, Glenn grabbed one of the metal poles and tried attacking the walker, but he couldn't hit it before it grabbed him again. Suddenly, the balcony started making a creaking noise.
This can't be good.
The balcony gave way and Glenn fell down along with the walker, yelling as he did so. Unfortunately, a bunch of metal poles fell down as well and made a clanging sound once they hit the ground. The noise could be heard for miles. Dazed, Glenn tried to get up and get his bearings, but the walker seemed to be on his case once more. Frustrated, Glenn kicked the walker in the head. That gave him just enough time to pull out his screwdriver and slam it in the walker's head killing it for good.
Breathing heavily, he stood up and looked in horror at what he was seeing. Walkers started to pile down the alleyway, trying to get at their new meal. One was a bit farther ahead than the rest, so Glenn stabbed it with his screwdriver hoping to buy some time. However, the screwdriver seemed to scramble the walker's brains a bit too well, prompting the weapon to get stuck inside the walker's forehead. Glenn tried to pull it out, but he didn't have enough time to do so before the other walkers caught up to their doubly deceased friend.
"Fuck!" shouted Glenn as he ran away from their prying hands out onto the street. All around him, he could see a sea of dead people, with no escape in sight. It seemed like Glenn's antics had attracted them from all sides, and now they were competing to see who could get to him first.
I need a weapon. I need a weapon.
Glenn moved down the street, looking for another he could find, but he couldn't scavenge anything with his eyes. Suddenly, he saw something lying down on the street: a wooden baseball bat. The thing looked like someone tried to trash it, but was too lazy to, so they just threw it on the street. One weapon was better than nothing, though. Glenn picked it up and yelled "Take your best shot!" in challenge.
Finding the closest walker, Glenn winded up and swung destroying the walker's head almost immediately. Once the walker fell down, it seemed like 3 more took its place. Glenn swung his bat at the next walker and landed his target. The bat also seemed to have had enough, splintering into bits and pieces of wood, deeming it effectively useless.
Glenn just ran, avoiding the reaching hands of the walkers until he stopped. He realized that there was no opening in all 4 directions, no escape path, no hope. None of the group had come out to try and rescue him, but realistically, what could they do? He thought he could see Lee's face through one of the drugstore windows, but his vision was quickly blocked by Macon's dead inhabitants. Those who were going to make him part of its ranks.
I'm not getting out of this, am I?
Glenn looked around desperately for anything that would help him win the battle, but he saw nothing save for a dumpster located near one of the buildings. That wasn't going to help him in any way. Glenn wasn't about to give up, so he kept pushing at the walkers, hoping that they would separate enough to give him an opening.
They never did...
Eventually, they became too much for Glenn to bear. As the walkers tore into his flesh, he started to scream.
Meanwhile, Doug shouted, "Guys, we have to help him!" He was looking out the window along with Lee. They had seen the walkers turn away and shamble towards Glenn, but they were unable to do anything about it.
"What can we do?" asked Carley. "There's too many of them."
"We can't do anything," said Lilly coldly. "If we attract them here, then we're all dead. We have to focus on the people here instead of just one man."
You know they're right, Lee. There's nothing you can do. He's as good as dead. Lee thought.
Yhwach caught Glenn's eyes for a split second. He saw the hints of desperation that were starting to creep into them. He kept trying to push the walkers, but eventually, they latched on to him and started digging in.
"AGHHHHHHHHHH!" yelled Glenn.
At that moment, Kenny burst into the drugstore. "Kat, are you ok?" asked Kenny, who rushed over to his family.
"We're fine, Kenny. Glenn went out to go turn off the alarm, but he attracted walkers to his position, and now he's being..." explained Katjaa before she started breaking down into tears. Duck and Clementine were also crying and both of them were being comforted by Katjaa and Lee respectively.
Yhwach looked as he saw Glenn being torn apart limb from limb. His arms and legs were being feasted on by the walkers, and he thought he could even see Glenn's face being torn off.
"MAKE IT STOP!!!!!" cried Glenn, who started making sounds of pain combined with cries of sadness. At that moment, everyone except Yhwach couldn't look anymore and turned away.
"I think I'm going to be sick," stated Doug, who also turned away from the carnage. Carley was slowly backing away from the window in fear as if the walkers would notice their presence. Even Lilly and Larry seemed shaken up, with Larry muttering under his breath and Lilly looking down at the ground emotionally.
"Lord, have mercy…" muttered Kenny.
This was the first time the group had seen someone just ripped apart like that on public display. Sure, Yhwach and Lee from afar had seen Irene shoot herself in the head, but this was different. This was pure, unbridled carnage. This was something out of Lee's worst nightmare.
If the government doesn't fix this shit quickly, I don't know how much more pain we can endure. Irene was right, these things are satanic. Lee thought.
No one had experienced something like this. Not yet.
Eventually, Glenn's cries stopped. Lee hoped that meant he was mercifully dead. The drugstore was completely silent for a few minutes, save for the crying coming from Clementine, Duck, and Katjaa. Carley looked like she wanted to break down, but she was keeping it together for Glenn. Even Lilly seemed like she was softly crying, although she didn't want anyone to hear.
Eventually, Lilly pulled herself together and asked, "Lee. Did he manage to turn the alarm off?"
Lee looked over at the alarm. The light of the alarm was off, so Lee answered "Yeah. I think he did."
Lilly nodded, before asking "Do you want to help me get my dad's pills and any other medical supplies for the group?"
"Sure. I can do that. 'Jugram', do you want to give us a hand? Three's better than two." asked Lee.
"Very well" replied Yhwach.
The three of them walked into the office and headed towards the pharmacy door. Lee took out the keys and unlocked the door with them. All of them waited with bated breath, as Lee stepped inside past the threshold of the alarm.
Nothing rang out, so it seemed that Glenn's sacrifice was not in vain. "We should be good to clear this place," observed Lee.
Unsurprisingly, Lilly went straight for the nitroglycerin pills. Lee and Yhwach started collecting anything that could help them, such as antibiotics, penicillin, oxy, electrolyte powders, and even some aspirin. Once they filled as much as they could, they turned back to Lilly who had taken some items of her own.
"That's probably everything we can fit in our supply bags for now," noted Lee.
"There's still a lot of stuff in this place that we can use," stated Lilly.
"Exactly. We can always come back here and clean it out once we get set up someplace else." replied Lee.
The three of them headed back to the drugstore, supplies in tow. It should have felt better to finally accomplish their mission, but the victory felt hollow for Lee. Glenn's screams would haunt him for a long time.
Did I give up on him? Lee thought.
In his heart, he knew that there was nothing he could have done. Glenn's optimism had started to creep into his brain, however, making him question every decision he thought was correct. In reality, Lee didn't understand that sometimes, there were no right answers.
Lilly walked over to her dad and gave him a couple of tablets to consume, while Darren addressed the rest of the group.
"We managed to get a lot of medical supplies, but the pharmacy is still full of them. If we need to, we can always come back here and clean out this place some more to get extra stuff."
"Sounds like a plan," said Kenny. "Where exactly are we heading though?"
"We should head to the motor inn. There are beds, it's easily defendable from walkers, and there should be sources of water nearby. As a bonus, it's also close to Macon and we cleared the place out, so coming back here will be a breeze." explained Lee.
"Alright, so we have enough room in my truck for 5. Obviously, my family is going to be in it, so that's three people already. We also have... Glenn's car." stated Kenny, as he dangled Glenn's keys in front of him.
"Doug and I can hop in your car, Kenny." volunteered Carley.
"Lee, Clementine, and I will already be in Glenn's car. So, that leaves Lilly and Larry to join us in Glenn's car," stated Yhwach.
Kenny threw Glenn's keys to Yhwach who caught them.
"Alright, Lilly, Kenny, and I, will put the supplies in the trunks of our cars. Once we're done, 'Jugram', you start getting people out of here and navigate them to the cars." ordered Lee.
With that, the three drivers started heading to their cars with the supplies that they had gathered. Lee sat down next to Clementine. Clementine seemed like she had stopped crying, but her eyes were still a bit puffy with tears.
"Are you alright?" asked Lee.
Clementine thought about that for a few seconds, before simply saying "I just want this to be over, I want my parents."
"You and me Clem." agreed Lee.
Kenny came back into the drugstore, and said "Lee, let's get these folks out of here."
"Alright, everybody. Make sure you've grabbed everything you need and let's go," ordered Lee.
"Oh, and, before I forget, here's your walkie-talkie, Clementine," said Lee, as he handed her walkie-talkie over.
"Thanks," said Clementine, who took Lee's hand as she walked out of the drugstore. Lee took point by exiting the office first and into the alleyway. He looked to his left and visibly cringed as he saw a mass of walkers concentrated in the area, where Glenn had been last seen. A few of them had red streaks of blood near their mouths.
"Don't look in this direction. Just keep going right and to the cars. They'll be just past the alleyway." stated Lee. Despite his orders, some of them immediately looked to their left and quickly looked away once they realized the scene in front of them.
Thankfully, there seemed to be no walkers that had hung around in the area containing the vehicles. Lee got in Glenn's car along with Larry, Lilly, Yhwach, and Clementine.
"You ready?" asked Lilly.
"Yeah. Let's get out of this town," said Lee.
[Scene Break Location: Motor Inn]
Eventually, the two vehicles arrived at the motor inn. The bodies of the walkers that had been dispatched earlier were still lying around.
There's also one more body on the balcony.
Everyone got out and looked around at the motor inn. This would be their new home for the foreseeable future. It was nothing special, and Lee would probably have never caught himself renting a room here before. Like he realized before, they didn't have the choice of luxury in this new world.
"I'm going to start piling up all the bodies," stated Lilly.
"There's one more upstairs," said Yhwach. He quickly walked up to the second-story balcony and looked at Irene's dead body. It was about as lifeless as she had been when she was still breathing. Yhwach closed his eyes and remembered arguing with Glenn over the rationale behind his decision.
Now, Glenn has joined her in death.
Sighing, Yhwach dragged Irene's dead body by the arms and dragged her corpse downstairs along with the others.
Clementine also seemed interested in the pile of bodies that Yhwach and Lilly were accumulating, but she simply wrinkled her nose and went to sit on the back bumper of the RV. Duck followed her, while Kenny was messing around with the supplies in his trunk along with Katjaa. Doug and Carley took some of the supplies and seemed to be having a private conversation.
Once Yhwach finished dragging the bodies, Lee told Lilly, "I'm going to go check up on everyone."
Lilly just shrugged her shoulders, as if to say okay, so Lee went to Kenny's truck first.
"Hey, Kenny. Are you and your family doing alright? You know, all things considered?"
Kenny just looked up at Lee, before saying "Yeah. We're a tough family, Lee. Ain't nothing going to break us. Still, I feel bad for Glenn. That's a rough way to go out, I'll tell you that much."
He then looked over at Clementine and said, "You know what you're doing when it comes to kids? There's a lot of stuff that could screw up a precious little girl like her."
"No, but I'll do my best along with 'Jugram'. The two of us will make sure nothing happens to her." answered Lee.
Kenny nodded. Lee started to walk away before Kenny said "Hold on a minute, Lee."
Lee stopped as Kenny continued speaking, "I just wanted to…to apologize about what I did back on the farm. I'll always protect my blood before anyone else, but I know my actions put you in a lot of danger. If you had died, I think I would have…I don't know what I would have done. Looking at it from your perspective, I would be pissed if some asshole ran away and left me to fend for myself. I don't want there to be any bad blood between us, so I hope you'll accept my apology."
Lee pensively thought about it for a few seconds, before smiling.
"Yeah, I accept your apology."
"Thank you, Lee." said Katjaa.
"Yeah, thanks. We'll see you around," said Kenny. He seemed to be relieved at Lee's decision to forgive him. Lee walked over to Yhwach who seemed deep in thought.
"Hey, 'Jugram'. You good?" Lee asked, noticing the pensive look on Yhwach's face.
"Yes, Lee," Yhwach replied, his voice steady. "There's something I need to say."
Lee raised an eyebrow. "What's on your mind?"
Yhwach met Lee's gaze. "I haven't always trusted you, not in the way someone else might have. Your past—killing someone, whether in cold blood or not—made me cautious. I wasn't willing to put my trust, or anyone else's life, in the hands of a man who had taken another."
Lee's expression tightened, but he remained silent, waiting for Yhwach to continue.
"But…" Yhwach paused, his tone softening ever so slightly. "I've come to realize I may have been wrong about you. Despite everything, you've proven yourself time and again. You've saved lives, protected Clementine, stood up for others, and made difficult choices that no one else was willing to make. You've shown more honor and strength than I expected, Lee Everett."
With that, Yhwach reached into his coat and pulled out the gun he had taken from Lee back at the first house. He held it out, his hand steady. "You've earned this. It's yours."
Lee carefully took the gun from Yhwach, almost like it was a holy object, and put it in his back pocket.
"'Jugram'…I, thanks. Thank you for everything, man." replied Lee.
To others, it was just a simple gun. To Lee, it meant something so much more.
A symbol of me earning trust within the group.
"No problem. I'll always have your back, Lee. Just make sure to say the word." said Yhwach.
"I will." smiled Lee, before he walked over to Carley and Doug.
"Hey, you two. How are you guys doing?"
"I think we're doing fine, considering," said Carley.
"I'm just trying to formulate ideas for portion size by cataloging the supplies. If we can hit the sweet spot, we could survive off of this food for at least a solid month, assuming we don't find any more," added Doug.
"I just wish we could have all made it, you know?" asked Carley.
"Yeah, I wish so too," said Lee, as he was reminded of Glenn's fate once again.
"Lee, come here for a second." bellowed Larry.
"Good luck with that," stated Carley, as she shook her head.
Lee walked over to Larry, and asked "What's up?"
"You like my daughter?" asked Larry.
Lee didn't know what Larry's definition of "like" was, but he simply said, "She's fine, I guess."
"Well, stay the hell away from her. Or else, everyone here will know that you, Lee Everett, are a convicted killer. And it was something that you had to do before you stayed alive." revealed Larry.
Ah, so that's why he's so pissed at me. He also knows who I am.
If this was earlier, Lee would be freaking out right now, but he found that he could care less if Larry knew his secret or not. Carley and Yhwach also knew, and both of them had great relationships with him. If this old man thought he was scaring Lee, he was sorely mistaken. He wasn't about to let his secret ruin all the positive progress that he had made today.
"I know who you are. And I don't give a shit about what happens to you! But if anything happens to my daughter, you watch your ass!" stated Larry, before he walked away.
Like clockwork, Lilly decided to address Lee.
"Hey, Lee. You have a second?"
Lee turned towards Larry who was eyeing him disapprovingly, but he answered "Yeah."
Lilly's face was one of gratitude.
"My dad wouldn't have got his pills if it wasn't for you. You really helped us both out by finding the alarm."
"Glenn also is the reason your dad got his pills safely, too." reminded Lee. "He sacrificed himself to turn off the alarm and saved your ass in the process by volunteering."
Lilly shook her head sadly. "Yeah, I guess I just wanted to forget that ever happened. I think that's the first time I've ever seen someone living torn apart. It's just hard to witness, you know?"
"Yeah. I know," responded Lee.
"Anyway, we're lucky to have you." finished Lilly.
Lee smiled before he had distant gunshots and what sounded like…a bomb going off. The noise of a chopper passing by was also evident.
"I hope that's the sound of us winning this thing," said Kenny.
"Me too," said Lilly.
"This motor inn's pretty damn defendable. We block off the entrances with some cars and keep someone on watch, and we could stay here until the military rolls through," stated Kenny.
"I actually agree with that plan," responded Lilly.
As they approached the front of the motor inn, Yhwach joined them, his presence commanding as always. "As Lee mentioned earlier, we have beds, water, and light. It's not much, but there are far worse places to take shelter," Yhwach added, his tone measured and authoritative.
"Yeah, you're right. You know guys, I think it's going to be okay," said Lilly.
As if God was cruelly laughing at them, the streetlights on the road started turning off one by one, until the motor inn was engulfed in darkness.
Can't something just go our way for once?
No. No, it could not.
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Episode 1 Completed.
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Character Fates:
Yhwach: Alive (Determinant)
Lee: Alive (Determinant)
Clementine: Alive (Determinant)
Shawn: Alive (Determinant)
Hershel: Alive (Determinant)
Kenny: Alive (Determinant)
Katjaa: Alive (Determinant)
Duck: Alive (Determinant)
Lilly: Alive (Determinant)
Larry: Alive (Determinant)
Carley: Alive (Determinant)
Doug: Alive (Determinant )
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Author: What are your thoughts on episode 1?