Unbreakable threads

Chapter Twenty-One: Into the Unknown

For Lori, it was hard to reconcile her mixed feelings. She wanted to protect Carl, to keep his life as stable as possible in this fractured world, but here was Alyssa—his sister, no matter how she felt about it. Lori watched as Carl's face softened, a smile breaking through as he grew more comfortable talking to Alyssa. The sight tugged at her heart in a way she hadn't expected.

Whether she liked it or not, Alyssa was family. And Lori knew that in a world where family had become a rare and precious thing, maybe it was time to accept it—if not for herself, then for Carl. As much as she wanted to hold onto her reservations, a part of her knew that maybe this was something she needed to learn to embrace.

Daryl swung off his motorcycle, dust swirling around his boots as he walked back toward the line of vehicles, his face set in a hard frown. The others climbed out of their cars, gathering around him, their faces etched with exhaustion and apprehension.

"Highway's blocked," Daryl announced, his voice carrying a rough edge of frustration. "No through route. Looks like a mess of wrecked cars, all piled up. We ain't getting through that way."

The group exchanged uneasy glances, each of them feeling the weight of the roadblock. Rick rubbed the back of his neck, glancing down the stretch of highway that now seemed to cut off their path forward. "Did you see any other ways around?"

Daryl shook his head. "Couldn't see much from where I was. Might be some smaller roads if we head back a bit, try another way. But we're not taking these cars through that pileup."

Glenn frowned, squinting toward the blocked-off highway. "We'll have to go on foot if we're checking things out up ahead," he muttered, glancing over his shoulder at the rest of the group. "It'll be slow, but it's probably our only option."

Rick nodded, his face determined as he addressed the group. "Alright. We need to know what's out there and if there's a safe way around. Daryl, Glenn, and I will scout up ahead, see if there's anything passable."

Lori's face tightened as she looked at Rick, worry evident in her eyes. "Are you sure it's safe?"

"We'll be careful," Rick assured her. "Everyone else, stay close to the vehicles, keep a lookout. If we're not back soon, we'll regroup and figure out a different plan."

The group murmured their agreement, settling into their roles as Daryl, Rick, and Glenn prepared to set out. Alyssa watched Daryl closely, noticing the determination in his stance and wondering if he'd even notice if she offered to go along. But something in his expression held her back, as if he'd already decided to keep his distance.

The three men set off down the blocked highway, weaving between the rusted, overturned cars and debris scattered across the road. The rest of the group gathered near the RV, each of them glancing around warily, the uncertainty pressing down on them as they waited, hoping this was just another small setback and not a dead end.

After a few minutes, the group settled in, the tension easing just slightly as they waited for news. But the quiet only reminded them of how alone they were, out on this stretch of road with nowhere clear to go.

Shane stood apart from the group, his posture tense as he scanned the quiet, empty road. His eyes narrowed with frustration, and his jaw clenched as he watched Rick, Daryl, and Glenn disappear down the highway. He'd been silently stewing ever since they left the CDC, growing more and more irritated with every obstacle they faced. In his mind, this was yet another reckless move by Rick, another gamble that risked everyone's safety.

He kept his gaze fixed on the stretch of road ahead, but his mind was on the group behind him. Lori and Carl sat close together, Lori's arm protectively around her son as she whispered reassurances to him. Andrea leaned against the side of the RV, her face distant and weary, while T-Dog and Dale quietly discussed their options, both of them casting occasional glances toward the roadblock. Alyssa lingered near the back, her expression guarded as she kept her distance, her eyes flicking between the group and the direction the men had gone.