3 Ch. 3 Forced Change of Plans

Lucas is in his truck behind Shane's car. Lori and Carl are both with Shane since he has more room for people. Lucas has most of their supplies and other things he has collected. A small portion was photo albums and other things Lori took from her home that couldn't be replaced.

Lucas presses the brake and his truck rolls to a stop. He looks out his window and sees the street into Atlanta is in a gridlock. Nobody is moving and it's a sea of red lights.

In the distance Lucas can imagine the buildings of Atlanta. He can't actually see Atlanta from the road, but he is close enough to know that through the trees on the side of the road he would have a view of the city.

It's getting dark fast as the sun retreats into the horizon. He is so close to his family yet he is still so far away. He still can't reach them via phone so he just needs to get into the city and get to their apartment. It's sounds so simple yet it's so complicated in reality.

"There is a camp in Atlanta that is safe. If you can hear this make your way to Atlanta. There is still plenty of room and the military is making sure nobody infected gets in. There is a camp in Atlanta that is safe. If you can hear this make your way to Atla-" The female voice on the radio repeats. Lucas has been listening to it on repeat in hopes of hearing any other sort of news but it's just the same message on repeat. Lucas gets sick of hearing her voice and shuts his truck off and gets out of the car like lots of the other people stuck on the road.

——————

He still can't bring himself to hold his gun at all. But he can hold his knife, so he will have to start there.

The people…. No, the…. walkers…. They used to be people. But they're just moving corpses. Literally the stuff of Lucas' nightmares. He could believe his eyes when he first saw them. His body froze. Cold sweat dripped down his back. His knees grew weak and his hands shook like they were leaves in an autumn breeze.

Lucas was saved by Shane. He couldn't move as the walker was right up on him. Lucas could only use all his strength to keep the walker at bay. But it's skin….. it peeled off like the skin of a chicken cooked in an oven. Lucas was more than rattled at that point. But he's made some steps towards forward. He's killed a few with his knife. Barely. But it wasn't for himself. It was for a family. He had to stave the father… or what WAS the father…. to save a mother and her two kids. They ran away in a panic.

Lucas wouldn't blame them. He looked at his hands after he did it and hoped to wake up from this nightmare or realize that he finally had a psychotic break. But no. It wasn't a dream or a psychotic break. It was real life and his nightmares had followed him into reality.

——————

Lucas goes to Shane's car where Lori and Carl are with him. Shane is messing with his radio, trying to find any news about the situation inside Atlanta.

"I don't think we will be moving for a while" Lucas says as he leans against the car on the driver side. He looks at the car next to them and sees a family inside. It's a husband, his wife, and a daughter. The little girl gives him a wave and he sends a small one back.

Shane hits the side of the radio suddenly. "Yeah, I kinda figured that!" He frustratedly shouts.

"Shane" Lori says, trying to get Shane to calm down. She knows that getting upset and frustrated won't help them.

Shane looks at Lori and then turns towards Lucas. "Shit, sorry man. It's just that we're stuck here and we don't have any news about what's going on. Any minute now and those things can just appear"

Lucas looks up and down the street. "I know what you mean. It feels like we're sardines in a can while we're /"stuck on this road"

Shane reclines in his chair. He sees Carl sitting behind the passenger seat. "How are you holding up back here?"

Carl shrugs. "Kinda cramped" He quietly says.

Shane looks at Lori and shrugs.

Lori turns around in her seat. "Why don't we stretch our legs while we're stuck here? Cmon" She opens her door and gets out.

Carl does the same and gets out. He looks around and just sees a bunch of people doing the same. People are shutting their cars off and talking amongst eachother. But some people choose to stay inside their cars while they sweat.

Lucas is about to move when Shane speaks up.

"You're fine Lukas, imma just stay in here and mess with this damned thing" Shane taps the radio.

"If that's what you want" Lucas shrugs.

He then hears the car next to them open their doors. The wife and daughter get out. The woman has really short black hair that looks like it's starting to go gray or white, not because of age. Maybe stress.

And the girl looks to be around Carls age. She has dirty blond hair that is around neck length. She looks around and then at her mom.

Lori and Carl walk around the car just as she greets Lucas.

"Hello" the woman greets. "I guess we're all stuck here"

Lucas nods. "It does seem that way"

Lori and Carl walk up to Lucas and they greet the wife and daughter.

Lucas goes around the side of Shane's car and gets in. Lori and the women awkwardly talk, but Carl quickly becomes friends with the girl. Friends is a bit close, but they end up talking and playing checkers so they're at least friendly.

The woman's name is Carol and her daughter Sofia. The husband, Ed, steps out and lights a cigarette but stays on the other side of the car.

Lucas gets a feeling that things aren't happy in their paradise either. He can tell the father is a bit controlling by the few words he has said to his daughter and wife. But it's not Lucas' place to interfere, at least until something physical happens and he has an excuse. But he's rather settle things with words before resorting to violence. In this case at least.

About 25 minutes later, or 5 cigarettes in Ed's case, a helicopter goes overhead. Everyone stops and takes a look up into the night sky to try and spot it. But nobody is able to get a good look at it as it quickly flies towards the city.

Sophia looks at her mother. "Are we gonna go soon?" She asks as she sits on the tailgate where the checkerboard is. Carl stands and leans against it instead of sitting on it.

Carol looks at her daughter. "I don't know baby, I sure hope so"

Ed flicks his cigarette and leans against his car.

Carl looks at his mom. "I'm hungry"

Lori is leaning on Shane's car near the hood. She escapes her thoughts. "Ok Carl, why don't we-"

Carol faces Lori. "You know what? I'll get him something to eat" She steps around the car. "Eds into all this survival stuff we've got enough MREs to feed a small army"

Lucas glances over. He wonders if Ed got the good stuff or the cheap stuff. Lucas has had both and knows the difference in price isn't how long they last, it's how good they taste.

Lori pushes off the hood. "I-It's alright-"

"Nonsense, it's no trouble" Carol goes to the driver side and walks past Ed and opens the car.

Ed pushes the door shut and leans over Carol. "What the hell did you tell them for?"

Carol slinks back and flinches slightly.

Ed motions towards the other group. "We dont even know these damn people"

Carol motions towards Carl with her head. "That boy is hungry. We can spare one box"

"It's called. Operational. Security" He stresses his point. He motions towards their supplies in the car. "How long do you think this stuff is gonna last if you keep running your damn mouth off to everybody we meet" He brings the cigarette to his mouth as he finishes reprimanding his wife.

Carol frowns and backs away. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking"

Lucas steps out of the car and stretches his arms up above his head.

"Careful there Captain America, I don't think that shirt can take much more" Shane jokes.

Lucas takes a step away from the car and rests his forearms on the roof as he looks at Shane in the car. "It can take it"

Shane rolls his eyes. "I've said that a few times to my partners"

Lucas remembers Rick but holds that joke back. "And maybe if you didn't fool around with those poor girls you could fill your shirts out a bit more"

Shane smirks. "I don't need to fill my shirt out. I already stretch my underwear to it's limits"

"I mean, if you wanna wear a little boys underwear, you did you" Lucas fires back.

"Ouch. That'll leave a mark" Shane holds his hand over his heart. Not much he can really fire back with on that one.

Lori walks over to Carl and rubs his back. She heard the conversation between Ed and Carol. She then walks over to Shane. "Are you getting anything?"

Shane rubs his chin as the radio static goes off.

Lucas looks at the people around them as he stands up.

Shane takes his hand away from his chin and turns a knob on the radio. "There's nothin"

"Bi surprise there" Lori looks to the side with a helpless expression.

"No" Shane sits up. "I mean, there's nothin. There's… there's not…. emergency broadcast stopped. That recording at the refugee center…" Shane gets out of the car. "It's all gone"

He looks back at Lucas. "I'm gonna go up the road and see what I can see"

Before Lucas can respond, Lori does.

"I'm coming with you" She follows behind Shane.

"I'll tag along too" Lucas walks on the other side of the cars as Shane and Lori walk down the middle of the street.

Carol stops Lori for a second. "I must have forgotten to put out those MREs. But I've found these in my purse" She holds some mini protein bars in her hand.

Lori puts a hand on Carol's shoulder and then takes it off. "That's alright. Listen, do you mind looking after Carl for a minute?"

Carol nods her head once and looks at the ground. She walks around Lori and Carol and goes to her daughter.

Lori tousle Carl's bangs. "Me, Shane, and Lucas are gonna go scout ahead to try and find someone who knows what's going on"

"I can go with you" Carl states as Lori moves his bangs to the side.

Lori shakes her head side to side. "Mh-mh" She denies and then kisses the top of Carl's head.

Shane walks over to Carl and places his hand on Carl's head. "Hey, we'lol be back before you know it little man. Huh?" He taps Carl on the shoulder and gives him a small smile.

Shane and Lori then walk off down the road together as Lucas keeps pace with them on the other side of cars.

They move past people outside their cars and avoid contact.

"Why would they stop broadcasting about the refugee center?" Lori asks in a whisper.

Shane rubs his hands together as he looks around. "I don't know"

"You think they're turning people away?" Lori asks in not so much of a whisper.

Shane rocks his head to the right once. "They're gonna have a riot on their hands if they try"

Back with Sophia and Carl they continue their game.

Sophia smiles at Carl. "Your dad is nice"

Carl looks up at Sophia and shakes his head. "Shane isn't my dad"

Sophia looks to the side. "Then is that other guy your dad? He seems super strong"

Carl looks down at the game. "Lucas isn't my dad either. My dad is dead"

Just then-

*Boom!*

Explosions can be heard in the distance and immediately sends everyone into high alert as some panic and others try to find out what happened.

Lucas can see people beginning to fight amongst each other. A group of people behind Lori and Shane begin to push and shove each other as they argue.

Shane grabs Lori and pulls her away.

"What are we gonna do?" She asks.

Shane let's her go as they continue walking faster. "What Rick would have wanted us to do. Get you and Carl out of here"

A loud sound of a jet and helicopters is heard from overhead. The jets is almost too quick to be seen and the helicopters only have three lights that make them visible in the night sky as they quickly head towards Atlanta.

"That's not lightning" Lori states.

"You stay with me now" Shane grabs Lori.

"Shane! Lori! Over here!" Lucas loudly says but doesn't shout as he waves his arms in the air. He leads them off the road and through the trees. They aren't the only ones that are moving through the small woods, it's mostly dads trying to find out what's happening and leaving their families locked in the car.

Lucas gets past the trees and looks into the distance. He recognizes the sounds of explosions and gunfire from a distance.

5 more helicopters fly towards the city.

And that's when Lucas is able to see the city.

Explosions generate a bright light that makes the silhouettes of the skyscrapers visible. And it's not just a few explosions. There are tons. And it's not just explosions. It's Napalm.

Lucas collapses to his knees as he watches in horror as the city his family is in gets napalmed. He wants to scream and shout but he can't, he just watches as the fire rises up into the night sky.

Shane flicks his wrist at Atlanta before grabbing his hair and then dropping his hands. "Their dropping Napalm in the streets" He says in disbelief.

Lori watches in horror as her mind blanks. This was their last hope. To get to the refugee camp in Atlanta. But now that idea and hope is literally being burned in front of her. "Shane~" She shakily says.

Shane glances over at Lori and sees her horrified face. He wraps his arm around her and pulls her to his chest. "C'mere" He then puts his other hand on the back of her head as she begins to cry loudly into his shoulder.

Lucas' expression goes neutral as tears drip down his face. He looks at Atlanta as the helicopters fly over it. He's seen things like this. But never done to civilians or on U.S. soil, in its own streets.

Something just…. snaps…. in Lucas' mind.

He somehow manages to get back to his feet and continues to watch Atlanta. "It's now or never" He mutters.

If he was going to get over his PTSD or whatever psychological problems he has it has to be sooner rather than later.