Panting hard, Nick slid down with his back to the door. His cap fell over his closed eyes while he tried to center his mind, drowning out the moans of the dead banging at the trailer window and Luke's hushed pleas whisper-yelled at Sarah. He tried to think. They needed some way out, some way to get help, some way to survive, but nothing was coming to mind. His breath hitched as the banging at the trailer became louder. The adrenaline was still rushing violently through his veins making his heart pump furiously. He was pretty sure it was attracting more of them.
A minute passed. He finally managed to slow his breathing to a manageable pace. Even though the dead were still hurling themselves against the very door he was leaning against, he found the strength to adjust his cap calmly and walk over to Sarah and Luke. Luke had only seemed to frustrate himself more. He was shaking her now, albeit gently. Saying her name. Pleading with her. Answerless. Ignored.
"What's the plan?" he asked, already knowing that they were completely fucked. Luke looked up, big eyes starting to get droopy and beaten.
"She won't talk to me, Nick," he said, standing and looking up at him, "I don't know if we can get her outta here without help."
Nick looked down scathingly at the girl lying huddled on the floor, still in shell shock after her father's gruesome death right in front of her eyes. He still couldn't compel himself to give a single shit.
"Look, hear me out," Luke started again after taking a few moments to pace, "If she can see someone else from the group, maybe we can snap her out of it. Like Clementine! That way we can get her up an' movin'."
Nick knew it was bullshit. Another one of Luke's hairbrained schemes. There wasn't a big chance he was gonna get out of the camp alive, much less find wherever the rest of the group was. If anyone had gotten out with their lives. Still, as he considered their other options, which included ditching a defenseless girl, carrying her through a herd, or hiding until their attention was distracted somehow, it somehow sounded like it wasn't so bad.
"Which direction do you reckon I should head?" he asked, exhausted.
"That a way?" Luke suggested almost as a question, then shook his head immediately, "Hell, I don't know, Nick. Your guess is worth about as much as mine. What I do know is that it's a fair sight better than doin' shit an' hopin' for the best."
Nick stared Luke down as he paced, oblivious, thinking of the past.
"Look, I can go if you wanna try your hand with Sarah, I just don't think-"
"I'll go, don't worry," Nick said, ruffling Luke's hair and smiling without really feeling it.
Luke pulled him into a hug. Stiffly, Nick wrapped arms around Luke in response, somehow being reminded of that time that fucktard Kenny had said they made a nice couple or some other stupid shit like that. Holding back his blush, he let himself out of the hug, pulling down the visor of his ball cap. Luke cleared his throat awkwardly.
"If I'm not back soon, don't come lookin' for me," Nick said, walking to the back window and checking it out, "You're no use to Sarah dead."
"Neither are you," Luke muttered as Nick hopped out. He was sure he missed the last part, though. He was already gone.