October 29th - Day 66
Anakin's eyes snap open and he gasps for breath. He looks around, disoriented, and sees that he is lying on the damp forest ground, surrounded by towering trees. The smell of pine needles and earth fills his nose as he tries to remember how he got here.
The last thing he remembered was the moment he gazed into his son's eyes and conveyed his remorse. 'You were right,' were the last words that escaped Anakin Skywalker's lips.
With determination, he rises to his feet and reaches for his belt, desperately seeking his lightsaber. To his surprise, it was not there. However, what truly unsettled him was the fact that he could feel with his own flesh and blood, rather than the mechanical limbs he had grown used to.
A flood of conflicting emotions comes to the surface. Relief could be among the foremost feelings as he would no longer be confined within the suit that symbolized his fall to the dark side. The weight of his mechanical limbs and the constant reminder of his past failures would be lifted, allowing him to once again feel the warmth of flesh and blood.
However, alongside relief, Anakin grapples with a torrent of guilt and remorse. His actions as Darth Vader led to the downfall of the Jedi Order, the rise of the Galactic Empire, and the suffering of countless individuals across the galaxy. Regaining his old body would serve as a stark reminder of the atrocities he committed while under the thrall of the dark side.
Anakin is forced to confront his past, his present, and his uncertain future. Whether he would embrace this second chance with hope and determination or succumb to the weight of his sins would depend on his character and the choices he makes in pivotal moments.
He decides to take a look around only to reach the end of the woods and find something rather interesting. It's a road with many abandoned cars. Anakin doesn't know what to make of this.
Scanning the abandoned vehicles and their blood-stained seats, he notices an eerie silence settling over the desolate road.
Suddenly, a low thudding noise echoes from one of the vehicles. He cautiously approaches, his heart pounding as he reaches for the trunk handle.
As he opens it, a putrid smell wafts out, revealing a gruesome scene - a bloody body contorted in agonizing pain, desperately banging on the interior of the trunk. It appears to be a woman with her hands and knees tied, except there seems to be something wrong with her. Anakin mentally noted that despite the woman wailing around, she appeared lifeless.
He opted to utilize the force in an attempt to detect any presence within her, but to no avail. He could not even perceive the slightest indication of vitality. 'She might as well be a droid,' Anakin mused to himself.
The disturbing groans from the apparent corpse cause him to close the trunk and leave it be.
Remembering his own demise he still needs answers as to what is going on.
Suddenly he hears a scream coming from the forest and dashes into the woods.
As Anakin sprinted with his legs and the wind brushed against his face, he savored the familiar sensation. Drawing closer to the source of the sound, he honed in on the shrieks, which resembled those of a young girl.
When he finally arrives at the source of the sound and finds a little girl cornered by a man seemingly growling at her.
Shouts of "Hey!" ring out from Anakin's voice, echoing through the forest.
The nearby man whirls around at the sound, but Anakin is taken aback as he realizes that the man's appearance is identical to the woman from the trunk; he appears dead.
With determination, Anakin approaches the man cautiously as he begins to snarl and pounce at Anakin. But Anakin is quick on his feet, dodging the attack effortlessly and observing as the man tumbles to the ground and frantically struggles to get back up.
As the man once again rushes towards Anakin, he extends his arm and employs the force to seize the creature, lifting it into the air and keeping it immobilized.
Using the force, Anakin attempted to strangle the creature, but despite feeling like he had executed the move properly, the creature remained unaffected. This piqued his curiosity, causing him to ponder what this man and the woman from before were.
That is when the little girl from behind him speaks up, "you…you have to hit it in the head! It won't die unless you get it's brain!"
Anakin listens to the girl, and slams it head first against the tree, and just like she said, it dropped dead.
"Wow, thank you! Are you a magician?" the little girl asked, amazed at the apparent magic she witnessed Anakin display.
As Anakin draws near the girl, he demands her presence with a strict and authoritative voice, "Come here. What's your name girl?" He was nearly taken aback, his voice bore no resemblance to its former self within that robotic attire.
Anakin sensed through the force that the girl was timid, scared and not very trusting. He ignores this however as he approaches her and asks again, "What's your name?"
"Sophia," she answered, still untrusting but somewhat less timid.
"Well Sophia, mind telling me where I am?" Anakin asked.
While navigating through the forest, Sophia enlightens Anakin about the current epidemic. She elaborates on the dire situation of the infected individuals and what becomes of them.
Anakin gathers that this world was developed enough to have efficient modes of communication and transportation, yet unable to engage in intergalactic travel. It appears to be an entirely independent world beyond the control of the galactic empire, situated in the farthest reaches of the outer rim based on his speculations.
Sophia was baffled and slightly entertained by the man's perplexing inquiries. She couldn't help but wonder how he was unaware of basic knowledge such as the name of the planet, its countries, technology, and the current outbreak. If she were to guess he probably had amnesia.
Sophia shares with Anakin the tale of her companions and their struggles to find a sanctuary amidst chaos. She reveals how they have faced loss along the way and the turmoil of being separated from her mother, the only blood family she has left.
Even though he continued to hold onto his hatred and suffer as Darth Vader, his final moment with Luke convinced him to turn over a new leaf, as if he's been given a second chance, and assists this young girl. He simply couldn't abandon her in such a hostile world.
As they trudged through the dense woods for what felt like an eternity, Sophia's guidance eventually led them to the outskirts of what she referred to as a neighborhood. To Anakin, the rows of houses appeared utterly foreign, their structures an enigma in this unfamiliar landscape.
With nightfall looming, however, the encroaching darkness whispered warnings of heightened peril, urging them to seek refuge before it enveloped them completely.
Standing side by side in front of a nondescript house, Anakin and Sophia exchanged silent glances, a tacit acknowledgment passing between them that this might be their haven for the night.
"Wait here," Anakin asserted, moving to grasp the doorknob, but his motion was halted abruptly as Sophia's hand reached out to intertwine with his own, halting his advance.
Her trembling hand clasping Anakin's tightly wasn't a signal of caution or a veiled warning; it stemmed from a deep-seated fear of abandonment. Memories of similar words haunted her. The echo of a voice instructing her to wait, only to vanish forever, lingered in her mind like a ghostly specter.
Anakin's perceptive gaze softened as he recognized the turmoil in her eyes. "Fine, stay close," he conceded, his words carrying both reassurance and understanding.
Navigating cautiously through the dimly lit interior of the house, Anakin and Sophia meticulously swept through the first floor, relieved to find it deserted.
Before they ascended to the second level, Anakin's fingers brushed against the cold metal of a kitchen knife, a modest yet reassuring find amidst the palpable tension. Clutching it tightly, Anakin found even the smallest weapon of some relief.
A low, guttural growl pierced the silence, drawing Anakin's attention upstairs and to the last room. With calculated steps, he and Sophia approached, pushing the door open, he braced himself for a confrontation, only to be confronted by a chilling sight.
A little boy, his once-innocent features twisted by death, snarled menacingly from the corner. Anakin felt somewhat sorry as he realized the child was one of the undead, a victim of the relentless scourge that had befallen their world.
Swiftly, Anakin shielded Sophia from the gruesome scene unfolding before them, his grip on the kitchen knife firm and resolute. With grim determination, he plunged the blade into the base of the child's skull, mercifully ending its tortured existence with a single, decisive strike.
Descending the stairs, Anakin and Sophia embarked on a scavenging mission in the living room, their eyes scanning the surroundings for anything of use. Anakin, unfamiliar with the nuances of scavenging for sustenance and supplies in this foreign world, deferred to Sophia's expertise.
As Sophia sifted through the remnants of the previous occupants' lives, she deftly selected canned and bagged goods, discerning the difference between edible provisions and useless trinkets. With a sense of accomplishment, she presented their meager yet vital bounty to Anakin, who nodded in silent gratitude for her resourcefulness.
With the house now fortified against the encroaching darkness, Anakin and Sophia set about securing their makeshift sanctuary. They stacked furniture against the doors, fashioning crude barricades to deter any unwanted intruders.
With the night descending upon them like a heavy shroud, they retreated to the comfort of the living room couch, draped in blankets salvaged from upstairs. Though the circumstances were far from ideal, the makeshift bedding provided a semblance of comfort and warmth, just enough to ease the weariness of their bodies and minds.
"Sir, I've never seen clothes like yours before. Are you a priest?" Sophia said, with a genuine curiosity to know the man who saved her.
Anakin's robes consist of several layers, starting with a tunic that is a muted shade of brown. Over this, he wears a tabard or outer robe, which often features darker tones such as charcoal or deep brown, hinting at the inner conflict and darkness brewing within him. The tabard is secured with a belt at his waist, serving both functional and symbolic purposes.
"Not quite. Though I do serve a higher power. If you consider that priest-like," Anakin said.
"Is that why you can use magic?" Sophia asked, her mind buzzing with possibilities since she saw Anakin wield his mystical abilities.
"In a way. Is this 'magic' not something people do here?" Anakin asked, seeking to understand these people's knowledge of the force.
"I've never seen or heard of anyone using magic like you," Sophia replied.
Sophia is unable to sleep and continues asking Anakin more questions, getting to know his name for the first time instead of referring to him as 'sir'.
"So what do you call the creatures out there?" Anakin inquired, curious to know if these monsters had a name.
"I don't know what they're really called, but everyone I was with called them walkers," Sophia answered.
Anakin chuckled to himself, "Walker's huh, not very creative, but it suits them, I suppose, they're awfully slow."
Following some time of back and forth chatter, Sophia dozed off and eventually drifted into slumber.
Anakin remained awake for a while longer, pondering his situation. He was stranded in a world where reconnecting with the wider galaxy seemed like an impossibility. And to add to the bewildering situation, he had miraculously regained his former body, despite still having the cybernetic arm gifted to him by Count Dooku and the scar on his right eye from Asajj Ventress. His past injuries inflicted by his former master were surprisingly absent.
While contemplating the mysterious forces at work he slowly succumbs to sleep, joining Sophia in her peaceful rest.
June 13th - Day 293
In awe of the transformation that has taken place within him, Anakin could find no other phrase to encapsulate the 228 days he had been stranded in this god-forsaken world, other than, 'Look what has become of me.'
Over time Anakin took the opportunity to finally change out of his Jedi robes and into some clothes Sophia had found for him in various houses.
He slips into a fitted black leather jacket, beneath the jacket, he sports a simple, form-fitting black T-shirt. Paired with the T-shirt are a pair of well-worn dark denim jeans. On his feet, he wears sturdy black combat boots, their rugged construction suggesting a readiness for action and adventure. Completing his look are a few simple accessories – his glove adorning his cybernetic right hand, and his Jedi belt wrapped around his left leg. The glove is engineered with intricate details, such as paneling, joints, and tactile surfaces, allowing Anakin to maintain a firm grip and manipulate objects with precision. Its construction enables Anakin to perform intricate tasks with ease, despite the loss of his natural hand.
During the initial days, Anakin and Sophia had smooth sailing as they often ventured out of their peaceful neighborhood and took trips to the nearby town, stumbling upon the highway where Sophia had been separated from her mother.
Anakin had taken it upon himself to reunite the young girl with her loved ones, in order for him to embark on his own mission (whatever that may be).
In Anakin's futile efforts to find a secure place for Sophia, he soon realized that this world was far more treacherous than what the walkers portrayed it to be.
FLASHBACK: November 14th - Day 82
Sophia and Anakin made their way back to their dwelling, or what had become Sophia's definition of home.
During the time they spent together, Sophia had developed a deep level of trust in Anakin. She was impressed not only by his outstanding skills, but also his incredible intelligence.
There were numerous instances when Anakin's perception seemed to go beyond the realm of normal, almost like he had the ability to foresee the future.
However, Sophia was blown away when she saw Anakin disassembling the living room television and transforming it into a small radio. Despite the lack of advanced technology in this world compared to the wider galaxy, Anakin was able to utilize his knowledge and make the most out of what he had. Unfortunately, the radio proved to be of no use as most of the sound waves were empty and the few that did transmit were in a foreign language that neither of them understood.
As Anakin and Sophia returned to the neighborhood, a sense of unease gripped them as they witnessed a group of men, armed and probing the very home they had claimed as their sanctuary.
Anakin instinctively halted their advance, signaling for Sophia to take cover behind a nearby vehicle, her heart pounding with apprehension.
Peering cautiously from their concealed vantage point, Anakin's gaze fixated on the intruders, a mix of curiosity and concern etched upon his features. His hand twitched, eager to confront the trespassers, but Sophia's voice of reason tempered his impulsive urge.
"Are they dangerous?" Anakin inquired, his eyes narrowing as he observed the men brandishing firearms.
"Maybe," Sophia replied, her tone tinged with wariness. "I haven't met many strangers, but I know people can be mean."
Anakin's jaw tightened as he weighed their options, grappling with the conflicting desires to protect their territory and avoid unnecessary conflict.
"I'll be back," he declared, his sly grin portraying a hint of mischief as he ventured forth to confront the unknown threat.
Despite her protests, warning him of the imminent danger posed by the armed men, Anakin's self-assurance remains unshaken.
Approaching the group with measured steps, Anakin's presence immediately put them on edge. Guns trained on him, they demanded his compliance, their hostile demeanor a stark contrast to his attempt at diplomacy.
With hands raised in a gesture of surrender, Anakin attempted to reason with the men, but their circling formation betrayed their intent.
Questions fired at him with an air of suspicion, their aggressive interrogation only serving to stoke the flames of Anakin's growing agitation. Sensing the palpable malevolence emanating from the group, his instincts screamed warnings of impending danger.
Suddenly, amidst the tense standoff, one of the men uncovered Sophia's hiding place, dragging her out into the open with a cruel smirk. Anakin's blood boiled at the sight of the innocent girl being manhandled, his protective instincts kicking into overdrive.
Without needing to tap into the Force, Anakin could feel the vile intentions coursing through the minds of these depraved individuals. Rage coursed through him like fire, his clenched fists trembling with restrained fury as he glared daggers at the man who restrained Sophia.
In the midst of their boisterous laughter, the men are suddenly silenced, their taunts of making Anakin watch their actions fading away. A mysterious, unseen force tightens its grip around their throats, rendering them speechless.
As they collapse onto their knees and grasp at their throats, the men are rendered completely defenseless and unable to make a sound. Despite the fact that one of them had been holding Sophia, all five are affected by an invisible force that snaps their necks with a resounding crack.
Not a single word is spoken by Anakin, his past self as Darth Vader having performed this act countless times. However, even as he strives to change his ways, he can't help but feel that this particular instance was justified.
Approaching an anxious Sophia, he embraces her and inquires, "are you alright?"
"Yes," she answered, visibly unnerved by the man whose clutch had left a bruise on her wrist.
As he approached one of the lifeless bodies, Anakin studied the unfamiliar weapons of this world for the first time. According to Sophia's explanation, the gun fired projectiles with enough force to penetrate through flesh and bone.
Reflecting on this barbaric method of causing death, Anakin silently mused to himself as he grasped the weapon of the deceased man. Unbeknownst to him, it was a Brügger & Thomet APC.
Out of nowhere, Sophia releases another cry as a man whom Anakin had recently slain transforms into a walker and fixes its gaze on her.
From afar, Anakin skillfully shoots two rounds directly into the walker's head, effectively stopping it in its path. He acknowledges that this tool resembles a blaster, but with more roughness, greater recoil, and a limited supply of ammunition.
"What happened? Was he bit?" Anakin inquired, unaware of the reason behind the man's transformation into a walker with none around.
"No he just turned and came at me," Sophia confirmed.
At once, all the remaining men also stand up, having transformed into walkers, and this irritates Anakin. He is not scared of the walkers, rather he is annoyed that he cannot feel their presence in the force. Any one of them could take advantage of him if he were to find himself asleep.
"Come here. Stay close," Anakin beckons for Sophia as he draws her closer to him.
As they hastily ran into the house and packed their essentials, Anakin's mastery of the Force came to the forefront, unleashing a powerful wave that sent the encroaching walkers staggering backward, clearing their path into the safety of the house.
Yet, a sense of foreboding gnawed at Anakin's mind as he surveyed the neighborhood, his instincts whispering warnings of unseen threats lurking amidst the shadows.
Glimpsing a horde of walkers converging in the backyard, Anakin's suspicions were confirmed – this neighborhood was being swarmed by the undead, their presence concealed from his senses. With a sense of urgency, they completed their preparations, knowing that every second wasted increased the peril they faced.
As they ventured back outside, navigating past the stumbling walkers, Anakin's gaze fell upon the vehicles belonging to their would-be assailants. Without hesitation, he seized the opportunity, leaping into one of the cars with a confidence that belied his lack of driving experience.
"Do you even know how to drive?" Sophia's skepticism lingered in the air. Although Anakin was highly intelligent in her eyes, she couldn't overlook the fact that he lacked common sense.
"Trust me I can take one of these things apart and build one twice as good if I wanted to," Anakin's response, brimming with unwavering self-assurance.
With a reassuring smile, Anakin revved the engine to life, his fingers dancing across the controls with practiced ease. As they peeled away from the neighborhood, leaving the encroaching walkers in their wake, Anakin's instincts had been right and the area was overrun.
END FLASHBACK: June 13th - Day 293
One by one, each and every person they encountered on their journey proved to be more troublesome than they were worth. People seemed to have lost their humanity in the midst of this outbreak, leaving only the worst, who resorted to violence, theft, lies, and threats.
Anakin had finally reached his breaking point when he and Sophia joined a group consisting of two men and a woman. They were traveling together, with Anakin squeezed between the man named Jacob in the backseat, while Mike and his girlfriend Ashley sat in the front.
Anakin had met them recently and, upon hearing that they had a small group of about twenty, wanted to verify the truthfulness of their claim.
Anakin seeked a haven where Sophia could potentially reside, even though he had adapted to the presence of the girl, he knew he couldn't outright raise her.
However, upon reaching their supposed campsite, they were met with a newly overrun graveyard of corpses.
Seeing the trio's distress, Anakin offered his condolences and extended his aid.
With nothing left, they accept his offer and agree to give him and Sophia a ride out west, away from the current dangerous area.
And so, here they were, in an uncomfortable and tense atmosphere, as they drove down the road. The trio had asked all the questions they could think of, and now he noticed that they were uncharacteristically silent.
Anakin could see them eyeing the two duffel bags filled with valuable items such as medicine and food, which he had become an expert at scavenging for, thanks to Sophia's explanation of what's worth collecting.
In a heartbeat, the atmosphere is shattered as Jacob's betrayal unfolded with chilling swiftness. He senses it before it happens as Jacob, next to him, suddenly draws a gun and aims it at Anakin, attempting to shoot him. In a split second, Anakin swiftly redirects Jacob's arm towards the driver's seat.
The deafening crack of gunfire reverberated through the vehicle as the bullet found its unintended mark, headshotting Mike, who had been behind the wheel. Panic seized the car as it careened wildly off course, hurtling towards chaos and uncertainty.
With ruthless efficiency, Anakin's mechanical hand closed around Jacob's throat, crushing the traitor's windpipe without hesitation.
Amidst the chaos of the crashing car, Anakin's focus remained unwavering as he shielded Sophia from harm, his every action guided by an instinct to protect.
As the vehicle flipped and tumbled off the road, his mastery of the Force became their salvation, granting him the strength to wrench open the twisted metal and guide Sophia to safety.
With a glance back at the scene of devastation, Sophia's heart weighed heavy with the realization that there would be no redemption for the woman, Ashley, who was choking on her own blood.
Without a word, Anakin and Sophia calmly walked away from the scene, leaving behind the wreckage and the woman to her fate.
Anakin had grown weary of the constant turmoil. The incessant running and continual encounters with treacherous people left him doubting his long-term plans.
As he and Sophia trudged through the forest adjacent to the road, Anakin voiced his concerns to her. "We need to find a more permanent place to stay. It's not safe if we keep running into strangers. Having them come to us would at least favor our position," he expressed, to which Sophia listened intently. Though she had become quite outspoken, she was uncharacteristically quiet, likely due to the recent events that had shaken her.
Anakin's genuine concern for her well-being prompted him to ask, "Are you alright?" It was clear that he did not see himself as an ideal role model, but he was determined to protect her.
"I'm fine, it's just…Ashley. She was kind to me. I don't think she knew what Jacob and Mike were going to do," Sophia disclosed, causing Anakin to contemplate the gravity of her words. It was evident that she was grappling with deep thoughts, far beyond her years.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I think they only wanted to kill me and take our stuff. Probably either ditching you on the road or taking you along. They weren't bad people. They were just desperate," Anakin said.
As they pressed on through the dense woods, Anakin and Sophia forged ahead, their steps resolute amidst the towering sentinels of the forest. The canopy overhead cast dappled shadows upon their path, weaving a tapestry of light and darkness as they journeyed deeper into the heart of the wilderness.
Their progress halted abruptly as they stumbled upon a narrow ravine, its yawning depths beckoning them towards an unexpected sight. Anakin's keen gaze was drawn to the imposing structure looming beyond the ravine – a sprawling prison facility, its imposing walls standing sentinel over the surrounding landscape.
Intrigued by the sight, Anakin turned to Sophia, curiosity dancing in his eyes as he sought answers. "What is that place?" he inquired, his voice tinged with a hint of fascination.
Sophia's response was matter-of-fact, her tone betraying a hint of caution. "That looks like a prison," she replied, her words laden with implications of danger and confinement.
Undeterred by the foreboding atmosphere, Anakin's curiosity propelled him forward, his footsteps leading him down the slope towards the looming fences that encased the prison compound. With Sophia trailing closely behind, he approached the chain-link barriers, a sense of anticipation building within him.
"It's perfect," Anakin declared, his hand coming to rest against the cold metal of the fence, a spark of excitement igniting in his eyes.
Perplexed by his proclamation, Sophia voiced her confusion. "Perfect for what?" she queried, her brow furrowing in puzzlement.
Anakin's response came swift and sure, his conviction unwavering. "A home," he declared.
June 14th - Day 294
Eight months after Rick killed Shane, and the onslaught at the Greene Family Farm, the world continues to grow increasingly more dangerous all the while Lori's pregnancy advances.
Rick, who has now assumed a dictatorial-like leadership over his group of survivors, and company are now in search of a safe haven, as Lori is due to give birth any day.
As they stop the cars in the middle of a road, and get out. Rick and his group keep a look out for walkers.
"Fifteen, you're on point," Rick said to his son Carl as he went to the car where Maggie, Hershel, Daryl and T-Dog were looking at a map.
"We've got no place left to go," T-Dog said.
"When this herd meets up with this one, we'll be cut off, we'll never make it south," Maggie adds.
"What do you say, it's about 150 head?" Daryl asked.
"That was last week, could be twice that now," Glenn responds.
"This river could have delayed them. If we move fast, we might have a shot to tear right through this," Hershel offers an alternative route to avoid the walkers.
"Yeah, but if this group joins with that one, they could spill out this way," T-Dog shoots down Hershel's plan.
"So we're blocked," Maggie concedes.
"Only thing to do is double back at 27th and swing towards Greenville," Rick interjects, after much listening to everyone.
"We picked through that already, it's like we spent the winter going in circles," T-Dog said.
"Yeah, I know. I know. At Newnan we'll push west. Haven't been through the area. We can't keep going house to house," Rick says as he looks off at his pregnant wife in a car. "We need to find some place to hold up for a few weeks," he added.
"Alright. Is it cool if we get to the creek before we head out? It won't take long. We gotta fill up on water, we can boil it later," T-Dog said
"Knock yourself out," Rick confirmed.
With the plan settled everyone goes back into the cars or off on their own task, except for Hershel who stays to have a word with Rick.
"She can't take much more of this moving about," Hershel warns Rick of his wifes impending pregnancy.
"Well, what else can we do, let her give birth on the run?" Rick questioned.
Hershel puts a reassuring hand on Rick's shoulder as he tells him, "You see a way around that?" before leaving Rick to think over his words.
"Hey, while the others wash their panties, let's go hunt. That owl didn't exactly hit the spot," suggests Daryl, trying to offer an activity to distract Rick.
As they trek deep into the woods for hunting, leaving their group behind, Rick and Daryl engage in a conversation about the challenges they are facing as nomadic scavengers. Rick emphasizes the necessity of finding a secure shelter.
Suddenly, the sound of two women's screams and shouts interrupts their discussion. Anxious that it could be someone from their group, they cautiously trace the source of the noise.
They follow a row of tracks and reach their destination, they are astonished to find a vast prison complex. But, their attention is drawn towards two women in between the fences, while two men in the wide-open field fight off the relentless walkers.
One of the men is a relatively short blonde who struggles against barely one walker, while the other, wielding a colossal medieval sword, effortlessly hacks down the walkers as if they were butter.
"Girls must be trying to distract the walkers while those two clear out the field," Daryl lets Rick know what he thinks is going on here.
"Come on, this is the chance we've been looking for, let's get to the others and move on the prison," Rick said.
"You want to just walk up to them. Look at the heat that one's packin'," Daryl warns Rick pointing at the Brügger & Thomet APC the man with the swords had strapped around him.
Rick takes a second look at the group, he is too far to make out any faces but notices that one of the women appears to be a little girl. At the sight of this Rick makes up his mind and declares, "That's a chance I'm willing to take."
Together, the pair return to their group on the road and proceed to inform them of their current predicament.
"Are you sure it's safe?" Lori questions her husband, desperately seeking a place to call home, even with no guarantees.
"There were only four of them," Rick responds with confidence, counting on their numerical advantage if push comes to shove.
"Four that we saw," Daryl interjected.
"Either way this is the best shot we've had in a long time," Rick urges the group to trust his judgment.
"I'm with Rick," Glenn adds, showing his support for the plan.
Without delay, Maggie, Beth, T-Dog, and the others also voice their approval and head towards the prison. With hope in their hearts, they pray that the occupants of the prison will not be a threat.
