Over the past few days, we had nearly reached the prison. But the already treacherous road had only worsened under the relentless rain pouring since yesterday. The constant drumming against the Humvee heightened the tension.
Despite the conditions, we kept moving, hoping the storm would pass.
Inside the vehicle, Lydia slept peacefully in her mother's arms. Dee stared out the window, lost in thought. Andrea passed the time reading, while the priest quietly wrote in his notebook.
I pulled out the map and studied our position...we were about fifteen miles from the prison.
Just as I traced our route, the Humvee came to a sudden stop.
Lydia stirred, waking with a start. "What happened?"
"Lord, there's a horde of undead ahead...around fifty or sixty," the driver called.
I moved forward and looked outside.
He was right. A mass of undead blocked the road.
"Brother, it's only a few dozen. Why not run them over? Any that get stuck, we can handle with spears," Jerry suggested, glancing at Chicken.
Chicken sighed. "I still wonder how you became a cop with that brain of yours. Why do you always rush in headfirst? Think before you act. We don't know how many are further ahead. If we disturb them, more could gather."
Jerry nodded. "Then I'll go check."
"Or you could use binoculars," I cut in.
Both men froze. "We're sorry, Lord," they said in unison, having forgotten my presence. Jerry quickly pulled out his binoculars.
I raised my rifle and looked through the scope. Beyond the first group, there were more...far more than I could count.
At their pace, it could take a full day for the road to clear.
I didn't have that kind of time.
I needed to reach the prison and my family as soon as possible. Alone, I could make it in a few hours.
Decision made.
I grabbed my rifle, bow, and sword, then turned to the group.
"Stay here until the road clears. Meet me at the prison. I'll go ahead alone."
All eyes turned to me.
"Lord, it's not safe. Let me come with you," Chicken said, concern evident in his voice.
"Lord, we won't leave you alone. We swore to protect you with our lives," Jerry added.
Before the others could speak, I raised a hand.
"Enough. The three of you will protect the group. They need you here. As for me, I can protect myself. That's an order."
"Roger!"
They responded immediately.
Andrea looked like she wanted to argue, but one glance at my expression stopped her.
She could be useful at the prison, but I didn't want to risk her dying. She was far safer here.
As I stepped out of the Humvee, the priest followed.
"Why are you coming with me?" I asked.
"Lord, I will go wherever you go," he replied calmly.
"You could die," I said coldly. "And I won't save you."
He smiled. "I'm fine with that."
I turned and pressed my sword against his neck. "You know I don't like being disobeyed. Stay here."
Everyone inside the vehicle watched in stunned silence.
"Lord, I would be honored to die by your sword...but I will not leave you," he said without hesitation.
For a moment, I considered killing him.
But I stopped.
He was too useful.
I lowered my sword and sighed. "Fine. Follow me...but don't slow me down."
The priest nodded eagerly.
I grabbed a raincoat and stepped out into the storm, the priest close behind.
As I moved through the forest, guided by compass and map, nearly an hour passed. Behind me, the priest was already huffing and gasping for breath.
I slowed to a jog, but even then, he struggled to keep up. Still, he refused to stop. It was almost admirable that he had endured this long, given his age. But from the way he staggered, it was clear he wouldn't last much longer.
Reluctantly, I reduced my pace to a walk.
"I'm terribly sorry, Lord… I'm a burden to you," he said between labored breaths.
Tears mixed with the rain streaming down his face. I might have missed it in the storm...but I didn't.
"Shut up and follow," I ordered, pressing forward through the woods while checking the compass.
The prison was only a few miles away. At our current pace, we would reach it in about an hour, assuming nothing stood in our way.
"Eeeeet!"
A wild boar's shriek echoed through the woods.
I snapped toward the sound and ran. Moments later, I found it...a boar lying in the mud, thrashing and screaming as I approached. On closer inspection, it was a feral pig, its features obscured by mud and rain.
As I stepped closer, its cries grew more frantic. It tried to flee, but its legs gave out, and it collapsed back into the mud.
Blood pooled beneath it, quickly washed away by the heavy rain. A broken arrow shaft protruded from its belly.
Someone had hunted it.
Realizing that, I turned toward the direction the pig had come from, raising my rifle.
A sudden noise to my side...
I spun, aiming instantly.
"Lord, it is me," the priest said, breathless.
I signaled sharply for silence. He obeyed at once.
I turned back, scanning the forest. The pounding rain dulled my hearing...a serious disadvantage.
"Eeeeooheee!"
Before the pig could cry out again, I slipped behind a tree and waited.
Minutes passed.
Then...movement.
Two figures emerged through the rain.
"This is where the scream came from!" a woman called.
"It can't be far. It has to be nearby," a man replied.
As they approached the wounded pig, their shapes became clear.
"Carol, I found it. Over here."
"Daryl...we can finally eat meat," Carol said, excitement breaking through her exhaustion as she pulled out a knife and ran forward.
"This pig will feed us for a few days," Daryl added, drawing his own knife. "I'll put it out of its misery."
"No...let me," Carol interjected.
Daryl studied her. "You sure?"
She nodded, though a flicker of hesitation crossed her face. "I came here to learn how to hunt. I can handle it."
She stepped toward the pig, raising the knife for the final blow...
Daryl suddenly stiffened.
"There are footprints here. Someone's been here."
He raised his crossbow, scanning the area.
Carol reacted instantly, drawing her pistol and aiming in the same direction.
"Whoever's there...Come out!" Daryl ordered.
"Don't shoot...I'm friendly!"
The priest stepped out with both hands raised, showing he was unarmed.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" Carol demanded, her gun trained on him.
"I'm a priest… I'm following my lord."
Both of them stiffened, glancing around.
"Where is your lord?" Daryl asked, scanning the trees.
"I'm up here."
They looked up...startled.
I stood on a branch above them, rifle aimed.
Their eyes widened as they quickly raised their weapons.
"Let's talk like civilized people," I said calmly. "If I wanted you dead, you already would be. Lower your weapons."
I lowered my rifle slightly to show good faith, though I remained ready.
Daryl hesitated, then lowered his crossbow. Carol followed.
I smiled faintly and dropped from the tree.
They flinched as I fell. Carol instinctively reached out, then shut her eyes, unable to watch.
"You can open your eyes. I'm fine," I said lightly.
She stared at me, stunned.
"Kid, what the hell were you thinking?" she snapped, concern slipping into her voice.
Daryl said nothing, studying both me and the priest.
I found it amusing seconds ago; she had a gun pointing at me. Now she is worried.
"Eeeeooheee!"
The pig screamed again...
Then abruptly fell silent.
My blade had already taken its head.
"Quiet."
Carol and Daryl froze, eyes wide. Neither had even seen me move.
Daryl raised his crossbow again.
Carol swung her gun toward the priest.