Apocalypse Now (TWD Fanfic)

3

How would they be any better prepared than the school was?

The countryside was slowly fading as shapes of buildings were becoming more and more noticeable, the closer they got.

Yet Hannah couldn't help but take in all she could of the place she once called home before they left it behind completely. It was a day of sunshine as they drove down the dirt road. The sunshine was brilliant peeking through the cracks of trees and foliage while the fields were no longer swathes of rutted mud, each one was softly verdant, the tall grass ruffled by the light breeze. The hills rolled like a casually laid quilt, rising, and falling in soft waves, becoming nothing but shapes as they drove further away.

Hannah had never actually been to the city and didn't know what to expect when they got there; only having ever known the country her whole life. You almost couldn't tell an outbreak had even happened in that area, as everything seemed peacefully untouched.  It was a peaceful drive...

At least until an annoying voice spoke up for what felt like the millionth time that day, interrupting the enjoyable silence.

"Broadcasting on the emergency channel" Rick spoke up as Hannah turned away from the window to watch him. He'd been speaking into radio for hours since they drove away from the gas station, yet no one had answered him.

It had become clear that no one was on the other side of his calls, something that concerned Hannah about where they were going. Westley didn't seem to mind this however, finding an excuse for every reason they could possibly not be answering. That safe zone was the last link he had to his brother, and he wasn't willing to give that up.

But Hearing Rick repeat the same exact words over and over again was becoming annoying as Hannah grumbled at the sound of his voice once more.

"We'll be approaching Atlanta, on highway 85 anybody read please respond" Rick finished his words, placing the radio back down with a sigh. Feeling eyes on his he glanced over at the annoyed girl sat in the passenger seat.

"Don't even start" he huffed, turning his attention back to the road, but Hannah continued to complain regardless, something she'd been doing since they left the gast station. 

"How many times are you going to speak into that thing before you realize that there is no one on the other side?" Hannah asked as she glared over at the cop.

"Until we hear from someone" Rick huffed, hesitating to answer as he knew it would just lead into another argument between the two. 

Of all the things he'd been through and witnessed, since waking from his coma, dealing with a twelve-year-old who was nothing but a nuisance to him was not on his list. Yet something about the constant questions and pestering about his every move reminded him of Lori, and he sure did miss hearing his wife bicker with him.

"No one is going to answer, if they were they would have done so by now" Hannah huffed, slumping into her seat as she crossed her arms in annoyance.

"We don't know that, for all we know they could be conserving battery. We should keep transmitting in case they do pick up or someone needs our help" Rick explained as he shook his head.

"Or they could all be dead" Hannah pointed out, her voice grim yet calm, as if the thought of everyone else being dead no longer affected her.

Rick glanced back at her at her comment. It was slowly dawning on him just how long these two kids had been surviving in the outbreak. They'd been subjected to the worst of it since the beginning while he'd barely been in it for a couple of days.

"Don't say that you don't know that" Westley called out from the back seat, his voice quivering as a worried expression flashed across his face. It was the last thing he wanted to hear, because then it meant his brother couldn't still be alive.