Unbreakable threads

Chapter thirty-six: Walkers in the barn.

The next morning, a heavy, unsettling tension hung over the farm. The weight of Lori's pregnancy announcement had left everyone on edge, and the fact that Sophia was still missing only added to the sense of hopelessness creeping into the group. People moved about in silence, their expressions wary, avoiding eye contact, as if afraid that one more revelation might shatter what little stability they had left. There was an air of awkwardness, a thick tension that made the close quarters feel stifling, and everyone seemed to be carrying their own private burdens.

Needing a moment away from the fractured atmosphere, Alyssa wandered off toward the barn, her mind racing with thoughts of her father, of Carl, and of the choices they would all have to make. She wanted to support them, to be a solid presence in this world where so much was uncertain. She'd been thrust into a family she didn't know, into roles she wasn't sure she could fill, and yet, she felt a fierce determination to make it work, to be the kind of sister and daughter she had never had the chance to be.

Lost in thought, she rounded the far side of the property, where an old barn stood, its weathered wood worn and cracked from years of sun and rain. She might have passed it by without a second glance, but a strange, low groaning sound caught her attention, pulling her out of her head. Alyssa paused, frowning as she listened closely, the sound unmistakable yet chilling. It was the familiar, haunting groan of walkers, a sound she'd heard too many times since the world had fallen apart.

Curiosity—and a surge of instinctive caution—propelled her forward. She approached the barn slowly, her eyes scanning its walls, noting the worn padlock that held the doors tightly shut. She peered through a narrow gap between the wooden planks, her breath hitching as she caught a glimpse of movement inside. The shadows shifted, revealing gaunt, decaying faces and hollow, unseeing eyes, clawing and shuffling against the walls, their grotesque forms barely contained within.

Alyssa's stomach twisted in horror and confusion. Walkers... in the barn? Her mind raced, trying to piece together what this meant. This wasn't some abandoned structure; it was on Hershel's property, padlocked and secure, as though someone had deliberately placed the walkers there. She took a step back, her pulse quickening as the realization hit her. Hershel... was he keeping walkers in the barn? And if so, why?

Her mind spun with questions, a mixture of disbelief and dread filling her chest. She'd seen Hershel's calm, measured demeanor, the way he tended to the farm, guided his family, and offered refuge to the group. This was completely at odds with the man she thought she'd come to know. Why would he keep walkers locked up on his property, so close to where they all slept and lived?

Alyssa knew she couldn't ignore this. The group was already on edge, and this discovery... it could change everything. She needed to tell someone, but who? Her father? Daryl? This wasn't just a small secret—it was a ticking time bomb, something that could threaten the very safety of everyone on the farm.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped away from the barn, her heart pounding as she considered her options. She knew that whatever decision she made next could unravel everything they'd built on this farm. But she also knew that keeping this a secret would be just as dangerous. She turned back toward the farmhouse, her mind set, knowing she'd have to tell someone—and soon.

Alyssa's feet barely touched the ground as she raced back toward the farmhouse, her heart pounding as she tried to process what she'd just seen. Her mind whirled with the implications, the danger lurking so close, right under their noses. Walkers in the barn, padlocked away, just a stone's throw from where they all ate, slept, and tried to carve out some semblance of normal life. Hershel, the one they had trusted for safety and guidance, was hiding this from them. But how? Why?

She knew she couldn't go to Rick. He was barely holding it together as it was, weighed down by Lori's pregnancy and the responsibility of leading the group. He was already stretched too thin, trying to keep everyone safe while coordinating yet another search for Sophia. She also knew, instinctively, that telling Shane was out of the question. He was volatile, barely a step away from losing control. If he found out Hershel was keeping walkers just yards from where they all slept, it would send him into a frenzy, a rampage that might tear the entire group apart.