𝙏he sight of yet another roadblock made Adalyn want to break down in tears. They had walked ahead to check out the road in an attempt to preserve gas. And they were met with a pile of chopped down trees that filled the road.
"These tracks..." Eugene said. "They would indicate they not only have people, but some big-ass toys and capabilities."
"What it indicates is we are neck-deep up shit creek with our mouths wide open," Abraham stated.
Then came the screaming. They spun around to see the man from the first roadblock, yellow X bright on his chest as he was dropped from the bridge above them with a cord around his neck. He was choking, trying wildly to pull at the cord as he gasped for air. Aaron aimed at the chain.
"Don't," Abraham said.
"I can try and break the chain," Aaron argued.
"It won't work," Abraham replied.
"I can try."
"It won't work," Rick reiterated.
Adalyn bit down hard on her lip, tasting blood. "And we need the bullets," Rick added.
They could only stand there, watching this poor man choke to death, flailing and kicking and trying with all of his might to just survive. Adalyn wrapped an arm around Carl's shoulders, pulling him into her side. He didn't move away.
After what seemed like an eternity, the man died. Everyone took a deep breath, trying to brace themselves.
Adalyn heard fire crackling behind them and turned to see the trees up in flames.
"You're treating your people good, right?" called the dark-haired man from the first block. "Like it was your last day on Earth? Or maybe one of theirs? You better go. It's gonna get hot. You go get where you're going."
"Go, go," Rick urged them, so they did.
They stopped at a fork in the road.
"So, what's the play?" Abraham asked.
"She needs a doctor," Rick stated, coming out of Maggie's room.
"There are two more routes north from here," Sasha said, scanning the map.
"They're probably waiting for us now," Aaron said.
Eugene was shaking his head. He let out a weak breath. "So, they're ahead of us, probably behind us," he said. "But they're not waiting on us, per se, they're waiting on this rust bucket. And they don't know the moment-to-moment occupancy of said rust bucket. And the sun sets soon."
Abraham nodded. Rick hesitated before he did the same.
And so they waiting for the sun to set. They herded out of the R.V., Rick filling it with the last of the gas. Eugene would take the vehicle, distract the Saviors. If he was right, and they were just following the R.V., he would be able to keep them off the other's tail.
Adalyn actually drew Eugene into a hug before they were to head out. "Be safe," she told him.
He nodded. "I will."
