After a good night's rest, Calista, Leah, Merle, and Daryl were ready to head out.
They checked their weapons and gear, preparing to return to the nearby town to search for usable vehicles.
This was the most urgent need at the moment. Whether for future relocation or expanding their range of exploration, vehicles were essential.
However, the group was smaller than the day before.
T-Dog and Jacqui had made it clear that the supplies they found yesterday were enough for now. They wanted to stay at the farm to rest and help reinforce the fences around the property.
When Calista heard that, she almost broke down internally.
A deep sense of unease rose from the depths of her soul, the kind that came from a lifelong instinct to hoard for safety.
Enough?
To her, that word sounded absurd.
In a world where survival could fall apart at any moment, how could anything ever be considered enough?
Food, medicine, weapons, fuel. The more, the better.
Calista had stockpiled large amounts of supplies even before the apocalypse. After it began, she had continued organizing search teams to gather more.
Even so, she would never dare say that Rock Fortress had enough.
Maybe they could last a couple of years. But five years? Ten? What about beyond that?
She felt like she would have to empty out the entire city of Knoxville just to feel a little secure.
Looking at T-Dog and Jacqui, who clearly thought today was a chance to relax, she swallowed her complaints and resigned herself to the difference in mindset and survival philosophy.
What surprised her, however, was that Shane volunteered to join them.
He said it was because an extra person meant more strength and that he wanted to familiarize himself with the surroundings. But Calista knew that this former police officer, who had already begun drifting off course in the original storyline, had more on his mind than just gathering supplies.
Was he sizing up their team?
Or looking for a chance to confront them?
A quiet alarm rang in Calista's mind, but she kept her expression calm. She simply exchanged a subtle glance with Leah and Merle, signaling them to stay alert.
"Let's go," Calista said after giving the pistol at her waist one final check, her tone steady.
"Our priority is still vehicles. We're looking for a working pickup or SUV. If we come up empty here, we may have to go farther, or…"
She glanced at her motorcycle and Daryl's, then looked at him meaningfully.
"We'll have to rely on those."
Daryl understood and pressed his lips together.
With him included, four people and two motorcycles would work.
But long-distance travel on motorcycles carried higher risks and limited how much they could carry. Still, it was better than staying stuck in one place.
Shane slung his rifle over his shoulder and grinned, flashing a row of white teeth.
"No problem. I'll go with you. I know this area better than you guys."
Unlike in the original storyline, he hadn't shaved his head or hardened into something darker yet. Right now, he still looked like the charming man he used to be.
And so, a small group with different motives left the relatively peaceful farm and stepped back into the dangerous world outside.
...
Not long after Calista and the others left, the farm seemed to return to its quiet, isolated calm.
Sunlight spread across the grass, and livestock wandered lazily inside their enclosures.
It almost made people forget that the world had already ended.
Carl sat on a pile of hay beside the barn, idly playing with his signature wide-brimmed hat.
He found himself missing the past.
Just then, Maggie came out, leading Beth, whose face was still pale but whose eyes had regained some life. Sophia followed beside them.
"Hey, Carl," Maggie called with a smile. "Beth wants some fresh air. Can you and Sophia keep her company? Just stay near the house. Don't go too far."
She wanted her sister to come out of the darkness as soon as possible.
Carl jumped down from the haystack and nodded.
He looked at Beth, remembering Lori saying she had almost gotten into trouble yesterday. The boy straightened up, trying to appear reliable.
"No problem, Maggie. We'll be careful."
Sophia nodded softly.
After the fear of getting lost, she had become more withdrawn. But seeing someone her own age, she still managed a small, friendly smile.
At first, the three of them were quiet.
Carl was not good at starting conversations, Sophia was shy, and Beth was still weighed down by her thoughts.
Carl glanced toward the fence at the edge of the farm and suddenly remembered a bird call Daryl had once taught him.
He tried to imitate it. It was not very accurate, but it caught Beth and Sophia's attention.
"Is that a North American cardinal?" Beth asked hesitantly.
She used to love music and was sensitive to sounds.
Carl blinked in surprise and nodded.
"Beth, you know that too?"
"Yeah… my music teacher used to play recordings of bird calls," Beth said, her voice gradually growing steadier.
"I used to see them in my backyard too," Sophia added quietly.
A simple topic opened the door to conversation.
They began talking about TV shows they used to watch before everything fell apart, even complaining about vegetables they used to hate.
Children's worlds were simpler. Their conversation eased some of the heaviness in Beth's heart and helped Sophia relax a little.
Carl watched the occasional smile appear on Beth's face and felt relieved, as if he had completed the task Maggie had given him.
Hershel watched from the window, a faint look of comfort appearing on his weathered face.
Maggie stood beside him and said softly, "It'll get better, Dad."
The three of them talked for a long time.
Beth had not fully recovered. Feeling tired, she said to Carl and Sophia, "I'm going back to rest for a while. You two keep playing."
...
Life on the farm might feel peaceful to adults, but for energetic kids, it was honestly a bit boring.
The two of them wandered around nearby for a while longer, and Carl gradually grew restless.
He kicked at a small stone, frowning beneath the brim of his hat.
His dad and the others were reinforcing the fences. Shane and the newcomers like Calista had gone out searching for supplies.
That was what real life in this world should look like, not just hanging around doing nothing.
Sophia walked quietly a few steps behind him.
"We're supposed to stay near the house. Mom said so," she reminded him softly, recalling Carol's warning.
"Your mom's too scared. She doesn't get it," Carl said dismissively.
"Your mom says the same thing," Sophia replied, a little upset.
"Fine, we'll just stay nearby," Carl said, remembering Lori's instructions, his tone carrying a hint of boyish impatience as he kept walking without turning back.
He felt like adults were always overly cautious, especially after Sophia had gotten lost.
After all, he had made it out of Atlanta with Shane.
Carl instinctively reached toward his waist, where an old but well-maintained handgun was tucked.
He had not even told his dad about it.