Chapter 20: The Secret in the Barn
A heavy, tense wait settled over the farm with Shane and Otis's departure. Everyone was listening for the sound of a car approaching in the dead of night. Carl lay feverish in his bed, Rick never leaving his side. The interactions between the Greene family and Rick's group were distant and forced. Both groups were wary of each other, an invisible wall separating them even though their fates were intertwined.
Hours later, the anticipated car sounded. But only one person had returned. Shane limped out of the vehicle. His face was scratched and distraught. But in his hand was the bag full of medical supplies that would save Carl's life.
"Where's Otis?" Patricia asked, her voice trembling.
Shane told everyone a tragic story: how they were surrounded by a pack in high school, how they fought back… and how Otis heroically sacrificed himself so Shane could escape. "He saved me," Shane said, his voice thick with regret and weariness. "He was a hero."
The group swallowed the story. Heroic sacrifices were commonplace in this world. Rick clapped Shane on the shoulder in gratitude. Patricia burst into tears. But when Jayden looked into Shane's eyes, he saw the truth. There was no sorrow, no regret. There was the icy, ruthless satisfaction of survival and victory. His High Perception (PER) statistic picked up on the small inconsistencies in Shane's story, the false tremor in his voice, the fleeting look in his eyes. The system's cold, clear message flashed through his mind:
[LIE DETECTED]
Jayden said nothing. But from that moment on, he understood just how dangerous Shane could be. Shane was a man who would do anything for his own goals, not the good of the group. This was a dangerous secret between Jayden and Shane, one that even Shane himself was unaware of.
With the supplies brought, Hershel immediately began the operation and, after hours of effort, saved Carl's life. A profound sense of relief swept through the farm. This event solidified the group's debt to Hershel and secured their stay at the farm, at least for a while.
Life settled into a new routine on the farm. Rick's group began helping with the farmwork, hoping to escape their status as guests. But the cultural differences and tensions between the two groups persisted. Rick's group were hardened men fighting for survival, while the Greenes were farmers still clinging to the rules and beliefs of the old world.
For Jayden, the greatest source of tension was the red barn he had to pass by every day. Now he could hear the sounds coming from there more clearly: muffled groans, the scraping of things against wood… And the faint smell of decay. His mind held images of the walkers locked inside the barn: Hershel's wife, his stepson... and the neighbors he knew of Carol, who was supposed to be Sophia's mother, but was now alive thanks to Jayden. This knowledge was a stone in his stomach.
One afternoon, the expected happened. When Glenn climbed into the barn's hayloft to secretly meet Maggie, he was confronted by the horror below. He found Jayden pale and panicking.
"Jayden! The barn... The barn is full of walkers!" he whispered, his voice trembling. "They've locked them in there! What are we going to do?"
Jayden took a deep breath, prepared for this moment. He feigned surprise, but didn't panic. He calmed Glenn. "Calm down, Glenn. Don't jump to conclusions. They have a reason."
"What reason could there be? This is crazy!"
"I don't know," Jayden said thoughtfully. "But we're guests here. We have to follow their rules. If you run to Rick or Shane right away, things will get messy, and they might kick us out. We need to understand first. Talk to Dale. He's a wise man; he'll tell us what to do."
Jayden had masterfully shed responsibility and steered the series toward its natural course. He'd steered Glenn away from a direct confrontation and toward Dale, the group's moral compass. This would buy him time. But how much?
That evening, Jayden looked out over the barn as the sun set. The sinking sun cast long, ominous shadows across it. He felt like a man watching a burning fuse. He knew the explosion was inevitable. And by keeping this secret, by turning a blind eye to this danger, he felt he was complicit. The moral burden of this knowledge was heavier than any weapon he carried.
He went to a remote corner of the farm to train. He repeatedly struck a tree stump with his machete, trying to release the tension and anger within him. With each blow, the dilemma in his mind grew larger. How much longer could he stand by?
Standing, drenched in sweat, he opened his system profile. The numbers were rising, his strength growing. But he had never felt so powerless.
[System Profile Update - End of Chapter 20]
[Name: Jayden Mendoza]
[Level: 3]
[Hit Points (HP): 120/120]
[Stamina (STA): 120/120]
[STATISTICS]
Strength (STR): 12
Agility (AGI): 12
Stamina (END): 12
Perception (PER): 11
Intelligence (INT): 10
[Assignable Points: 0]
[Skills:]
Basic Cold Weapons (Level 2)
Basic Archery (Level 2)
Basic Parkour (Level 2)
Basic Melee (Level 2)
Basic Hunting (Level 2)
Basic Throwing Knife (Level 2)
Basic Firearms (Level 1)