The group rose early the day of the move. They had a small, quiet breakfast together in the common room while watching the soldiers check and re-check supplies. An air of anxiety surrounded the camp citizens. Whispers of the dangers outside of Fort McPherson had been drifting through the room all week. Although many families were hesitant to leave safety, the whole camp was making the trek. As Jo ate the last scoop of her oatmeal, Major Rice's voice came over the intercom.
"All citizens please report to the front gate with your belongings. We'll be loading up the military vehicles and leaving at zero-seven hundred," he said. As the intercom clicked off, the common room began to clear out.
The group went back to the barracks to check their supplies before heading to the gate. Jo's heart was beating audibly inside her chest. She let out a slow breath and swung her backpack over her shoulder.
"You alright?" Daryl asked.
"Just nervous. Movin' this many people at once… anything could happen. My stomach is swimmin' with butterflies," she said. As Jo bent over to pick up a duffle bag, she was overwhelmed with nausea. "Whoa." She dropped the bag and sat on the edge of the desk.
"Babe, you ok?" Daryl asked as he rushed to her side, placing the back of his hand on her forehead.
"Yeah, just nauseas. I haven't been feelin' myself the past few days. I'm just nervous is all," she said, standing slowly.
"Stay here. I'll take the bags to the front. Drink some water," Daryl said, handing her a bottle of water. He grabbed her bags and made his way to the door, looking back at her before leaving. He hadn't said anything, but he'd noticed how off she'd been the past few days. She was barely eating and always worrying her lip. He hoped this trip wasn't a bad idea.
Daryl made his way out of the barracks with Rick and Glenn. Rick immediately noticed Daryl's furrowed brow. "What's goin' on?" he asked.
The sound of Rick's voice pulled Daryl out of his worried thoughts. "Nothin'. Jo isn't feelin' well. She's worryin' up a storm."
Glenn smirked. "So is Maggie. They'll be fine once we get on the road."
The loading area was busy with citizens. Sergeant Adams was organizing the groups by vehicles, making sure to keep families together.
"Hey Rick," the sergeant said. "We've got your group near the back of the parade, if that's OK. We figured we could use your skills, if necessary, back there."
Rick nodded. "As long as we're all together."
Sergeant Adams pointed to the third to the last vehicle in the procession. It was followed by two smaller, more maneuverable jeeps. Rick, Daryl and Glenn positioned their baggage carefully. Bags with clothing were pushed to the back, while backpacks with food, ammunition and weapons were placed under seats and near the exit off the back of the truck.
The rest of the group joined them as the open area of the camp quickly filled with citizens. Major Rice stepped up into the back of a truck with a megaphone.
"Thank you all for cooperating. I know this is a scary thing to do, but it will be for the best. I was in contact over the walkie talkie with Fort Bragg this morning. They're ready for us. We don't have enough room in all the vehicles for everyone. Please have the children inside the vehicles at all times, as well as any injured or sick. Those of you walking, please be careful. We're allowing you to have weapons, such as knives and bats just in case. I've instructed my men to only fire if absolutely necessary. The noise draws them as most of you know. Fort Bragg is about six hours away from us, but we're guessing it will take almost all day. If you need any help, ask a soldier near you. We'll make frequent bathroom and rest stops. Please be careful. Thank you all for your cooperation."
He jumped off the truck and the soldiers began helping citizens into the vehicles. Major Rice made his way to Rick. "I hope I can trust your group to help keep the procession secure?"
"We'll keep the people near us secure. I don't want to wander from my group," Rick said.
"Of course. Thank you," Major Rice said, nodding and moving to speak with a soldier.
"He cuts us out from the camp and then expects us to protect them?" Daryl asked.
"You need to protect us and that's it," Rick responded. "We know what's out there. Everyone, be alert. We'll take shifts during the move so the same people aren't on their feet all day. If you're getting tired, speak up. Let's make this a safe trip."
Everyone nodded and murmured their understanding. Rick and Daryl helped Hershel into the vehicle, followed by Carol, who was holding Judith. Daryl grabbed Jo by the waist to help her when she protested.
"I can walk," she said, turning around.
"After you almost got sick this morning? I don't think so," Daryl said.
Jo glared at him. "I'm fine. Just nervous."
Daryl sighed. "Don't fight with me on this," he said sternly. "I want you in that truck."
Maggie stepped into the truck with Glenn's help and looked over at Jo. "Just do it. We'll relieve them at the first stop," she said.
Jo reluctantly climbed into the truck as Daryl yelled "Thank you."
"Give them some piece of mind until this trip is at least off and running," Maggie said. "You been feelin' sick?"
Jo nodded. "Just the past week or so. I'm fine. It's just been a couple crazy weeks is all."
Carol looked up from feeding Judith with her brow furrowed. "You sure everything is alright?"
Jo shrugged. "Yeah, I'm alright." She turned to look around the cloth covering of the back of the military vehicle. A soldier opened the gates and the convoy began to move out. "Daryl," she hollered. He jogged over to her, lightly touching her leg. "Be careful, OK?"
He smiled. "Always." He patted her on the leg and began walking alongside the now moving vehicle.
The journey was slow. The route had been scouted and re-scouted before the camp left, but with soldiers and citizens walking alongside through the back roads, it would take them a whole day to get to Fort Bragg. Jo tried to get comfortable, but she felt every bump in the road, which didn't help her stomach.
"You doin' alright, Jo?" Hershel asked as he looked over at her pale face.
"Yeah, I think I'm getting motion sickness though. These trucks are terrible," she responded, taking a drink of water.
Hershel patted her knee. "Hang in there, kid. One hour down, the rest of the day to go," he joked.
Jo folded a jacket behind her head and began to nod off. She awoke when the vehicle stopped. She jumped out of the truck and stretched her arms into the air. She was feeling a bit better, which was a relief. She smiled as Daryl walked up to her.
"How far along are we?" she asked.
"A few hours. You get some sleep?"
"Yeah, a little. When do you think we'll make it to Fort Bragg?"
"At this pace, next week," he said. Jo laughed. "Nah, we'll be there by dinner, I'd guess."
"Nice. I think I might walk a bit. My legs are cramped and that truck gave me motion sickness."
Daryl nodded, a concerned look on his face.
The convoy started back up 10 minutes later. Jo enjoyed the walking much more than sitting in that stuffy truck. She walked next to Carl, joking about the amount of food they were each going to eat when they arrived at Fort Bragg.
"I'm not joking, I'm so hungry. There better be a feast waiting for us," Jo said.
"What if they have hamburgers?!" Carl said excitedly.
"If they have hamburgers, I'll eat like seven. With bacon." They continued walking down the two-lane road surrounded by woods on both sides. Jo looked into the sky, spotting a hawk soaring high above them. She pointed it out to Carl. "Check it ou—"
She was cut off by a scream. Jo whipped her head in the direction it came from and saw commotion ahead of them. Rick and Daryl stood in front of them. "What happened? Is it a walker?" Maggie asked as she jumped out with a gun in her hand, followed by Andrea.
They could hear yelling and then the soldiers relayed a message. "It was just one walker. Stay calm. No one was bit."
"Jesus," Glenn said, "we're a traveling buffet right now."
Soldiers fanned out into the surrounding areas to check for more walkers. Michonne approached from the right side of the convoy with her katana drawn. She walked stealthily into the woods after the soldiers, ignoring Rick's call for her to stay.
The air was filled with panicked whispers. Jo went to the back of the truck to retrieve her gun. She checked the ammo. As she turned back toward the group, gunshots rang out in the woods, followed by screams.
"Fuck," Daryl yelled. "Walkers!"
A herd of walkers emerged from the woods to the left of the convoy. Those on the ground began running, making it difficult to stay together or aim at targets. Jo shoved a pistol into Carl's hand. "Don't shoot civilians. Be careful."
The first few walkers were shot easily, but with the confusion and panic, many of the soldiers and armed civilians couldn't get clean shots off. Jo shot a walker feasting on an elderly woman. Her stomach turned as the walker collapsed into the opened stomach of the screaming woman.
Jo turned just in time to push a walker off her left side. Its eye was dangling out of its socket and it moaned as it came at her again. She gritted her teeth as she stuck the gun under its chin and pulled the trigger. She spit on the ground and wiped the blood and sweat from her face. She could feel the adrenaline rushing through her as more walkers emerged from the woods. Gunshots and screams blended into one as Jo's vision began to blur. She backed up and tripped over a body. People were fleeing all around her as she leaned to her left and puked. A walker fell in front of her. It clawed toward her with one arm, its jaws biting the air. Jo tried to back up, kicking at the decomposed face at her feet. Just as it reached for her leg, a bullet ripped through its head. Jo looked up to see Carl standing behind her. He grabbed her hand and led her behind one of the military vehicles, where other civilians were hiding.
Screams pierced the air as the crew tried to fend off the last of the herd. Jo climbed onto the hood of a truck and pulled Carl up with her. From there, they could see the horror. Dead walkers and humans littered the road. Gun shots popped off from their right. They saw soldiers taking down the last of the walkers in the front of the convoy. Jo aimed at a civilian that had died and reanimated. It was a girl she recognized from helping at the nursery. She shot her between the eyes.
"Oh no," Carl yelled, terror in his voice.
Jo looked to the left where Carl was pointing just in time to see Daryl put an arrow through Allen's head. Daryl pulled the arrow out, cussing to himself. He spotted Jo and Carl on the truck and walked toward them, casually stabbing another walker in the eye.
"You two OK?" he asked.
"Yeah, Jo got sick, but we're alright," Carl responded.
"Just stay there for a minute." Daryl joined Rick, who was speaking with Major Rice and a group of soldiers. The scene was devastating. The scenario everyone was terrified of had happened. The road was littered with bodies, many that Jo recognized from the camp. The cries of children and weeping adults filled Jo's eardrums as she sat on the hood of the truck. She stared at the body of Sergeant Adams just a few feet from them. His throat had been ripped out. She stared at the congealing blood and intestines, feeling the color drain from her face. She leaned over the side of the truck and puked again. Her insides were churning as she wiped her mouth and jumped off the hood of the truck. Daryl approached and grabbed her arm to steady her.
"Did we lose anyone?" Jo asked.
"Allen," Daryl replied. "Major Rice wants to clear the road of the bodies before we leave. He wanted to bury them but we talked him outta it. We don't have time. We need to get outta here now."
Jo looked up at him, finally feeling stable enough to stand on her own. "Carl saved my ass out there. I got dizzy and sick and a walker was clawing its way toward me. I think there's something actually wrong with me," she said.
"You need rest. I need to get you to Fort Bragg."
Jo nodded her head and began to say something when a sharp pain stabbed through her abdomen. She bent over and let out a yell of pain. Daryl grasped her by the arms, worry all over his face. "What's wrong? What's going on?"
Carol rushed over to her side.
"Oh God, it's my stomach. It hurts so bad." Jo gasped in pain.
Carol bent down to help her and gasped. "Oh, Jo…" she said.
Daryl looked from Jo to Carol. "What? What is it?"
Carol pointed to Jo's pants. A dark red stain had formed around Jo's privates.