Chapter 16: The Pack on the Highway
The days following the fiery destruction of the CDC dragged on in a fog of despair. The group was on the road, without purpose or destination. Although their leader, Rick, tried to offer them hope, it was clear he was crushed under the weight of the terrible secret—the fact that everyone was infected. Jayden could see that weight in Rick's eyes, for he too bore the same burden.
Disaster struck at the most ordinary moment. As the convoy drove along a highway littered with abandoned vehicles, Dale's RV sputtered and stopped again. This time, the breakdown was more serious, leaving them in the middle of the highway, a clear target. As they got out of their vehicles to survey their surroundings, they heard the dreadful sound in the distance: the roar of an approaching wave of death, the dragging of thousands of feet on the asphalt, the groaning of thousands of hungry mouths.
"The Pack!" Daryl shouted. "A big pack!"
There was no time for panic. Rick's leadership instincts kicked in. "Under the cars! Quick, hide! Don't make a sound!"
Everyone dove under the nearest vehicle they could find. Jayden clutched his machete tightly as he slid under a pickup truck. His heart was pounding in his chest, but his mind was sharp. The minimap on the system interface was filled with more red dots than he'd ever seen in his life. The edge of the screen was completely red from the intensity of the approaching threat.
The herd began to flow over them like a river. It was an endless parade of rotting feet, flailing arms, and vacant eyes. The sound of nails dragging on the asphalt, guttural growls—it was the soundtrack to a nightmare. Jayden held his breath, trying not to make a single sound. He could hear the shaky breathing coming from under the cars next to him.
Just then, a scream ripped from where T-Dog lay. A walker reached out from under the car and grabbed his arm. As T-Dog struggled in pain, Daryl intervened immediately, silently taking out the walker. But the damage was done. T-Dog's arm was bleeding, and worse, the noise had attracted the attention of several nearby walkers.
The two walkers raced toward the car where Carol and Sophia were hiding. Panicked, Sophia leaped from her hiding place and began running toward the woods.
"Sophia!" Carol whispered desperately.
Rick reacted instantly. He too jumped out from under the car and ran after Sophia. "Everyone stay put! I'll handle it!" he shouted.
As Jayden watched, an alarm rang within him. He remembered the scene: Rick finding Sophia, hiding her by the creek, then returning to realize he'd lost her. It was the beginning of a desperate search that spanned an entire season. But not this time. This time, Jayden was here.
When the main pack had passed, leaving only a few stray walkers, the group emerged from their hiding place. Rick turned back, out of breath. "I hid her in a creek bed. I chased away the walkers and came back. Now we have to go get her."
But when they left, Sophia wasn't there. Only small footprints and a doll remained. The look on Carol's face was every mother's worst nightmare. Despair descended on the group once more.
"Let's split up and search!" Shane said. "Let's scatter in every direction."
"This madness will only cause more people to get lost," Daryl protested.
Jayden stepped forward. Everyone's eyes turned to him. "I'll go alone," he said, his voice so calm and confident that no one thought to object. "I'm a hunter. I know how to track. I'll be faster and quieter than you. Moving in a group will only disrupt the trail and make more noise. I will find her."
Rick knew this young man's abilities. He nodded helplessly. "Be careful."
Jayden simply said, "I will." He couldn't say what his true advantage was: knowledge of the future and the superhuman abilities the system had granted him.
The moment he entered the forest, Jayden took on a different personality. The city boy was gone, replaced by a primitive hunter. Thanks to his [Perception: 11] stat, the forest was an open book to him. A broken branch, a faint trail in the mud, a startled bird—everything told him a story. Sophia's projected route appeared in a faint blue line on the system interface. It was a blessing from the system, thanks to his watching the series.
Soon, he found the tracks he was looking for: two walker tracks, and the small, bare footprints that ran before them. He remembered the two walker trailing Sophia. He increased his speed. Thanks to [Agility: 12], he moved through the forest like an almost silent ghost.
Soon, he heard moans. And a child's frightened, suppressed sobs. As he moved toward the sound, he saw the scene. Two walkers were about to spot Sophia, hiding in the bushes at the edge of a creek.
Jayden didn't have time. He couldn't draw his bow. He drew his machete and started running. When the first walker took a step toward Sophia, Jayden lunged at him. His machete flashed like lightning, severing the walker's head from his shoulder. Before the second walker had a chance to turn, he was snatched from one of Jayden's throwing knives.
[Mobster killed! +40 EXP]
[Mobster killed! +40 EXP]
[Basic Knife Throwing skill experience gained! 25%]
It all took less than ten seconds. Jayden approached the bush where a trembling Sophia was hiding. "Sophia," he said softly. "It's me, Jayden. You're safe."
The little girl looked up at him, her eyes filled with fear. When she recognized him, all her suppressed fear burst forth in a torrent of sobs, and she ran to Jayden and hugged him. For a moment, Jayden felt the weight of the world on his shoulders as he held the little girl in his arms. He had changed a life. This was the first big step that would set off the butterfly effect.
When they returned to the highway, time seemed to stand still when the group saw him and Sophia in his arms. A moment of silence was followed by a burst of pure joy and relief. Carol ran to them, shouting, "My baby!" and hugged her daughter tightly. Through tears, he turned to Jayden. "Thank you... God, thank you..."
Daryl had stood, watching as he prepared to venture into the woods alone. He walked up to Jayden and simply nodded. But that simple gesture held a respect and gratitude beyond words. From that moment on, Jayden was not only a gifted child but also one of the most trusted members of the group.
Jayden had averted disaster. He had ended the long, dark period of despair that would descend upon the group with Sophia's disappearance. But now, they were forced to face the consequences of this new, altered reality. Their spirits had risen, yes. But they were still on the road, still vulnerable, and still without shelter.