FALLING APART daryl dixon

NINE - HELICOPTER BOY

As Alycia and Glenn drove the stolen car towards the camp, the blaring alarm still echoing in the distance, they both realized the noise was a terrible idea. They'd essentially invited every walker within earshot to follow them. Shane would lose his mind over it, for sure.

Glenn began to slow the car as the base of the camp came into view. People were gathering, staring at the approaching car with mixed expressions of confusion and concern. Once they were close enough, Glenn stopped the car abruptly, kicking up a cloud of dust around them. A wild grin spread across his face, as if they hadn't just announced their presence to the entire world.

- Holy crap! - Dale's voice pierced through the chaos, yelling from a distance. - Turn that damn thing off!

Alycia stepped out of the car, her eyes scanning the camp as she ignored the noise. Glenn, unbothered, stretched his arms in a casual shrug.

- I don't know how! - He shouted back.

Dale waved his arms in frustration, clearly annoyed by the car alarm, but Alycia was distracted. Her gaze caught Shane's from across the camp. He glared at her for a brief moment before turning his attention to Glenn, just as Amy came running over, throwing her arms around Alycia in a tight hug, bombarding her with questions. Alycia couldn't hear much over the wailing alarm, but she could guess Amy's frantic concerns were about Andrea.

- Pop the hood! - Shane's voice boomed, barely cutting through the noise. Alycia glanced at him, but didn't process what he said until he shouted again, more forcefully. - Pop the damn hood!

Glenn, understanding this time, leaned back into the car and popped the hood.

- Is she okay? Is Andrea all right? - Amy's voice was desperate as she clung tightly to Alycia, her eyes scanning the car's backseat.

- She's okay! She's okay! - Glenn and Alycia both shouted over the alarm.

- Is she coming back? - Amy's voice cracked with hope.

- Yes - Glenn replied, reassuringly.

With a quick jerk, Shane pulled one of the spark plugs from the engine, and the alarm finally cut off. Silence, save for the faint ringing in their ears. The sudden quiet made Amy's next words much clearer.

- Why isn't she with you? - She demanded, glancing anxiously toward the back of the car.

- She's okay, Amy - Glenn replied, making a calming gesture with his hand. He took a small, subtle step back toward the car, trying to give her space. - She'll be back.

- Yeah, everyone's fine - Alycia added.

-Well, Merle not so much! - Glenn chipped in with a half-smirk, but Alycia's mind had already wandered to Atlanta. The memory of what happened there weighed on her, particularly the words from her father, "He's coming... your father is coming back alive." Her eyes scanned the camp again, searching for any sign of her family, but instead, they found Shane once more. A wave of revulsion hit her—he lied. To her. To her family.

- You crazy? - Shane's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. He looked furious, stepping closer to the car. - Driving this wailing thing up here? Are you trying to draw every walker within miles?

Alycia knew it wasn't worth arguing, but she also wasn't going to let him railroad them.

- I think we're okay - Dale chimed in lightly, trying to ease the tension.

- You call this stupid thing okay? - Shane shot back, his hand slamming down on the car's hood, turning a hard glare toward Dale.

- The alarm was echoing through the hills - Alycia said, her voice calm but firm. - The noise would've made it hard for any walkers to pinpoint us. Most of the ones in Atlanta were... occupied.