Inside the farm

"Welcome to the Green Gate Farm. My family's pride", Nathan said as Damian entered the Farm. It was huge, like five times Hershel's farm. There were several houses on the way with people looking at the RV. 

"Park it right there", he said pointing at the space near a house.

Damian stopped the RV in that place, and everyone stepped out one by one. People started gathering around them. Damian saw some of them were missing a hand, some their whole arm. Some men were limping as their leg seemed to have gotten injured. 

"Folks. We have guests. This is Damian Wolfe. He was a Captain in the army. These are his people. They will be living with us from now on", Nathan said as everyone murmured among themselves. 

"Dad. Scott said you went out with some stranger again. I've told you not to do that", a man in his mid 20s came with a rifle in his hands and said to Nathan.

"Damian, meet my son, Rambo", he said before pointing to the man.

The man looked at Damian and reached out his hand. "He's joking. Matthew. Nice to meet you", the man said.

"Damian", Damian shook his hand and introduced others.

"They'll get your bags. Let's set you guys up", Nathan said as he walked away.

Damian looked at his group and nodded at them. They followed behind Nathan.

"I built these houses here. We brought in the war veterans here and would help them transition into normal life. Who knew they would be used like this", he said laughing.

"You built all these on your own?", Daniel asked.

"Well, yes. I had some good friends in army. They all came here in Orchard Hill with their families", Nathan asked.

"They are also here?", Amanda asked.

"Some of them are. And as I said, some of them went back to the shelter. Some said they would go help people in need and left but never came back", Nathan said sadly. "Anyway, we got food here. And this place is protected by fences too. We got people who have experience with weapons too. So, you are safe here", he added.

"You got enough food for all the people?", Damian asked.

"What do I say? We had a good harvest this year. We have plenty of grains to last this winter and then some more", Nathan said with a little bit of boasting. "You guys can take any of the rooms. These are all empty. Though you'd have to adjust if anymore of guests come here", he said.

"That's good. Thank you. We'd like to help, if you need", Daniel thanked him and asked.

"Well, I know who he was, but I don't know about you people. What can you help us with?", Nathan asked the others while leaving Damian.

"We are good at maintaining stocks. We ran a car dealership company. I think we can help in maintaining your rations", Amanda said while her husband nodded.

"That's good", Nathan said satisfied, and then looked at Kayla and asked, "and you? how can you help?".

"I was a resident doctor before all this. I can look after people with health problems", Kayla answered.

"Hmm... that's good. We needed help in that section", Nathan said with a grin. "So, let's talk later, you guys can settle down", he said as he left the group alone.

"He is kind", Daniel said while looking at his family with a smile. "Let's get used to this place", he added as he walked towards the room with his family.

"This place is better prepared than Hershel's. But we still can't sit easy. I'll check the defence of the farm when I get the chance. But for now, it seems a good place to stay", Damian said as he looked at Kayla. 

"I think so too. We have to tell them what we know about these walkers and what happened to us at Hershel's farm", Kayla said.

"Yes. I think he'll talk to us separately sometime after today. Just tell what you know and don't lie about anything. He showed his trust in us. We gotta show he was right to do so", Damian said and Kayla nodded. 

"Um... do we take separate rooms?", Kayla asked all of a sudden.

Damian paused a bit before looking at Kayla, saying, "of course. We got plenty of rooms, don't we?". The answer made Kayla a bit sad for some reason, although Damian didn't notice it and thought that he had to give her space to get to meet other people in the farm and not let her be dependent on him.

The day went on as Damian met other people in that farm. Most of them were the families of army veterans whereas only few of them were families who were searching for a safe place. About 9 families and few individuals in total around forty including themselves. 

"You met everyone?", Matthew approached Damian from behind.

"Matthew. Yes, I did", he answered.

"Just call me Matt. Everyone does", Matthew insisted.

"Alright", Damian said.

"So, where did you come from?", he asked.

"We were in Senoia last week. Atlanta, before that", Damian answered.

"I noticed blood stains inside the RV", he said suspiciously.

Damian stared at him accusingly as he had looked in the RV but then looked back. "It was a friend. The farm we lived in, got attacked by a large herd of walkers at night. She took RV to save others but they got inside", Damian said with a sad face.

Seeing him, Matt put his hand on his shoulder and said, "I'm sorry for your loss", and continued, "You said you lived with others. They didn't come with you?", he asked.

"We got separated. I got stuck in the farm while they ran away saving others. Later, I found Kayla inside the RV", he answered. 

"Oh, yes, I met her. She said you were together", Matt said as he looked at Damian.

"Yes. After the farm, we were alone. We had to look out for each other", Damian answered.

Matt was about to say something but he saw someone and called her, "Libbi, come here. Let me introduce you to our guests", he said.

"Where have you been? Father's looking for you", the girl named Libbi said.

"Oh. I'll go see him. Before that, " he looked at Damian and said, "Meet my twin sister, Elizabeth, although I am older than her by 3 hours. Everyone calls her Libbi", then he looked at her sister and said, "He's Da-", but couldn't finish.

His sister interrupted and continued, "Damian. Former Captain. Was in Special forces. I know. Dad's been talking about him all over. I don't understand him sometimes. He gets too happy when he sees someone young from the army", she said scanning Damian.

"But never let us join", her brother continued, "Anyway, you two talk, I'll be back", and he left the duo.

Libbi was holding a bottle of beer and offered Damian, but he declined the drink. "I don't drink", he said.

"That's strange. Everyone I have met till today never said no to beer", she said with a suspicious gaze.

"I promised someone once", Damian said.

"Oh. Promises. Yeah. It is very important to keep them. Shows your integrity", she said as she seemed to be looking Damian in a new light.

"Have you killed those... walkers, you say? It's better than infected, we've been calling them", she said.

"They are not infected. They are dead people. And yes I have killed a lot of them", Damian answered seriously.

"Oh", she was surprised a bit seeing Damian getting so serious all of a sudden.

Damian looked at her and asked, "How many did you guys encounter?".

"We kept killing any infected that tried to come into the farm, although Matt and others did go patrolling and have the most experience", she said.

"Yet you still didn't know what they were? How they turn?", Damian asked.

"Doesn't bite turn you?", Libbi said.

"You guys really don't know anything. Where is your father? Let's go. You all need to hear this", Damian said as Libbi took him to where her father would be.

Soon, they reached the place where Nathan was talking to some of his people writing something on a notebook. Elizabeth and Damian approached them as Matt noticed them.

"Libbi, what are you doing here?", he asked.

"Damian here has something to talk to dad", she said as she looked at her father.

Nathan looked up at them and said, "Okay", then he looked at others, "You understand what I just said? Let's do that just in case for emergency", he said as others nodded and started leaving.

Nathan looked at Damian and asked, "So, Captain Wolfe, what do you have to say?".

"Sir, I have talked to people in this farm. And to my knowledge, you guys don't have any idea about the walkers... sorry, infected", Damian said.

"How so?", Matt asked.

"If I am correct. You guys shoot infected at first sight. You only know that you guys have to prevent yourself from being bitten and destroy their brains to kill them", he said.

"What more is there to know about those damned cursed people?", Nathan's mood had deteriorated talking about walkers at that point.

"What you have to know is that they are not infected. We are", Damian said and stopped to see the reactions of everyone.

"What? Are you drunk?", Nathan asked with a fuming face.

"He doesn't drink", Libbi said. 

"What are you trying to say here, man?", Matt said.

"We all are infected with whatever it is that makes us like them. Everyone is going to turn into those in the end", Damian said straight.

"What? How do you know that?", Nathan asked.

"The group I was with before this, we went to the CDC in Atlanta. There was a scientist working on the cure. He told us about it. Every living human in this planet is infected by it. After they die, it does something to restart their brain, but the person is not there anymore. Just a walking dead trying to kill the living. The bite doesn't make you turn, but instead it kills you so you can come back and join them", Damian said.

"That's just hard to believe", Nathan said.

"Before we left, he gave me a recorder. It has his research. He told me that they might come in handy in the future. You can verify with what I just said", Damian said.

"You were there, right. Did he... wasn't he making a vaccine or something?", Libbi asked.

"He did", Damian said and it put smile on their faces for a moment before Damian continued. "He built a vaccine that would kill the infected cells, but our whole body is infected now", Damian said.

"Then...", Matt wondered.

"It will prevent you from turning, but you will die from the vaccine", Damian finished. "CDC didn't have any power left in the generators. The man gave up and wanted to see his wife. He used the vaccine to leave the world", Damian said.

"Can you give me those recorders you talked about. I'll give it back to you after confirming", Nathan said.

Damian nodded and started leaving.

"Damian", Nathan stood up and came up to Damian who had stopped and turned back. He patted his shoulder and said, "Thank you for giving us this information".

"Everyone deserves to know this. The info's not mine to keep", Damian said and left the family alone.

"Dad, if he's right, then we all will turn into those in-", Matt was about to say 'infected' but Libbi interrupted him.

"Walkers. Those are not infected. They are The Walking Dead", she said.

"It doesn't change the fact that we're all alive. I believe that there is someone, somewhere, working on the cure", Nathan said but his belief had already started to waver a while ago when his wife was taken away by those walkers.

"But they're not the only problems, we have. What about the people who attacked our group a few days ago", Matt said.

"It's been a few days now. I think they were just passing by. This village is not that large. I doubt anyone would stay here for long. There is no food out there", Nathan said.

"Then, we focus only on protecting this place from walkers", Libbi said.

"And manage the food supply. We don't know how long the winter's gonna last. Last year it was here for more than half a year. Although we've got enough grains in our storage, still, let's use them wisely", Nathan said.

"Yes", the siblings said in unison.