What Lies Ahead

                                    

                                          
(Three Years ago, Day Five)
                          
With Garrett still asleep in the RV on the couch. Rick has given the order for everyone to pack up, they can't stay here anymore. Not after what has happened. 
                          
As everyone seems to be finishing packing, Mitchel sees Rick climbing a ladder that leads to a roof of the building they were next to. He helps Torri put the rest of her things in he backpack and follows Rick up the ladder
                          
Rick is kneeling down with a Walkie talkie in his hand as he looks at Mitchel and nods as if giving him permission to be there at this moment. "Morgan?" Rick hoarsely says as he presses the button to speak into the walie-talkie. No response is heard and Rick's head sinks down to the floor. 
                          
He presses the button again because Mitchel can hear the white noise through the other end. "Morgan, I hope you and Dwayne are okay...." He pauses as if if gather his thoughts. "We lost another, yesterday morning, it was her choice." Mitchel knew instantly he was talking about Jackie. "We went to the CDC...its gone now....but we went and we met a man there. He told me..." Rick then glances back at Mitchel. "It doesn't matter what he told me.....all that matters is that you and your boy are safe."
                          
The white noise stops, Rick has taken his finger off the button. Rick seemed troubled Mitchel thought. But its nothing new to be troubled now of days, it seemed to be a personal norm. Rick was withdrawn with an uneasy quiet about him. However, this time, it was different. He wandered about aimlessly, lost and confused. Until he finally put his finger back on the button, bringing more white noise into the world.
                          
"One thing is certain." Rick calmly said into the walkie-talkie. "Pittsburgh is done, we are moving on....too Fort Pitt." He pauses again to gather his thoughts but his finger remains on the button. "Listen, I know We are facing a long hard journey, maybe even harder than I can imagine....I don’t know what our chances are.....slim I guess.....but it’s all about slim chances now, and a slim chance is better than none."
                          
Rick stops and looks at Mitchel and smiles, he has hope on his face. "We left behind a map and a few supplies for you by a red car. I hope you and Dwayne are okay, we are moving out, it’s not safe here. So, I hope you guys will come find us…. maybe I will see you at Fort Pitt one day. This is Rick signing off.” He takes his hand off of the button for the finally time and looks at Mitchel, he somewhat smiles. 
                          
"Rick...uhh..." Mitchel muttered as he tried to come up with an excuse. He didn't want to tell Rick he was ease-dropping, even though he was. "Uhh, the others, they have packed up and they are ready."
                          
Rick nods his head to tell he understands, "And Garrett? How is he doing?"
                          
"Carol has changed the bandages...." Mitchel sighed as he looks at the floor. "Whether or not it is infected or not we can't tell. He needs medicine, things we don't have."
                          
"That's why we are going to Fort Pitt." Rick said to a now confused Mitchel. "Before the radio broadcasts stopped, they said Fort Pitt was safe, that was two days ago. They have food, medicine, firepower and manpower."
                          
--Traveling down the Highway--
                          
Mitchel recalled that time when he and Torri stayed at his parents beach house for a week during the summer last year.
                          
He sits in T-Dog's van with T driving. Torri, Rebecca, Connor and Kenny are in the back. They dropped the number of vehicles they were driving to save gas.
                          
This memory in Mitchel's head trickled by slowly as the abandoned cars and a few farm houses go by the window. Now he would give anything to go back and find away to spend that time  over again by Torri's side, savouring those moments.