The Walking Dead

Chapter 35 - Around Every Corner

Savannah's streets were silent and entirely deserted and the group was determined to keep it that way. Though Lee had no particular problem with it, it was strange how they hadn't seen a single walker yet after the long period of just walking. Not even the signs of recent life.

When they had stopped the train, Kenny had immediately begun heading to the river front, with a dull gaze on his face. Nobody had voiced their complaints out loud but Lee felt nervous at the problem of finding time to look for his young charge's family.

Though nobody mentioned it, there were strange red markings and symbols on the doors or walls of buildings. They didn't look satanic but Lee wasn't an expert on these sorts of things. Most of the symbols highly resembled each other and seemed to follow a strict format. There were also numbers and letters that Lee believed to be abbreviations. The neighbourhood they were currently in seemed to be one of the better ones. There were tall brick walls that encircled each house, complete with a firm iron gate. It seemed strong enough to keep anything out...or in. The barriers concealed whatever mess the occupants had gotten themselves into from the outside and Lee was thankful for that. Beyond the walls were elegant houses often surrounded by towering trees. There seemed to be a pompous tinge mixed in with the heavy scent of death.

They unconsciously assembled into a walking formation, with Kenny at the front and Lee and Clementine taking up the rear. Ben was yet again on the lookout, walking beside Kenny though facing backwards. Twice, the teenager had stumbled but he still seemed fixated on walking in that uncomfortable manner. Lee solemnly watched as Omid struggled but managed to keep up with the group with his dragging limp. They passed by a gated yard and Clementine stopped in her tracks to peer in at a foreign grey and strangely-shaped object before catching up.

Lee now had Clementine's walkie-talkie at his waistband as a hostage. It was a safety measure as recently, him and Kenny had discovered the supposedly broken device actually had a mysterious receiver on the other end. She looked up at Lee with puppy-dog eyes, "Can't I just hold it?"

As much as he didn't want to refuse the little girl, this would be a matter in which she didn't get her way. She continued to reason with him, "Just for a little while? We're getting real close to where my mom and dad are, maybe I can-"

"Not now, Clementine. Maybe later, okay?"

She pouted, outwardly showing her disappointment, "Okay."

Lee directed his voice to the worrying woman in front of him, "How's Omid?"

"His leg's pretty bad." She bit her lip.

Omid gritted his teeth, "I'm fine."

"You're not fine, you need to rest." Upon receiving no response from her partner, he turned to Lee, "He needs to rest."

Sympathizing, Lee spoke up, "Kenny, how much farther to the river front?"

"Should be just a few more blocks up ahead." Kenny stated.

"And there'll be boats there?" Christa raised a questioning brow.

Lee answered, "There sure as hell better be."

Kenny seemed to be muttering to himself, "There'll be boats. Have to be. Have to be."

Ben reassured, "It's going to be okay. Kenny knows what he's doing."

All of a sudden the group froze in their tracks as there was the sound of a bell towering ringing.

"What the hell...?" Ben voiced everyone's current thoughts.

Christa narrowed her eyes, "Maybe this city's not so dead after all..."

Turning to face the group, Kenny tried to retain the goal in everyone's minds, "Keep moving. No-one's ringing that bell. It's automatic, on a timer."