In The Walking Dead as Itachi Uchiha ?! (TWD)

We stood in a loose group near the vehicles. Nobody said much.

"Everybody listen up," Shane called out, stepping forward and clapping his hands once.

"Those of you with C.B.s, we're gonna be on channel 40. Let's keep the chatter down, okay? Now you got a problem, don't have a C.B., can't get a signal or anything at all, you're gonna hit your horn one time. That'll stop the caravan. Any questions?"

No one answered.

Morales shifted his weight and raised a hand slightly. His voice was tight.

"We're, uh… We're… we're not going."

Rick turned, confused.

"What?"

"We have family in Birmingham," Morales said.

Miranda stood beside him, arms around their youngest, her expression calm but final.

"We want to be with our people."

Shane stepped forward.

"You go on your own, you won't have anyone to watch your back."

Morales nodded.

"We'll take the chance. I got to do what's best for my family."

Rick asked again to make sure.

"You sure?"

Morales looked at his family and nodded.

"We talked about it. We're sure."

Rick looked at Shane.

"All right. Shane."

"Yeah, all right."

Rick pulled out a .357 Magnum revolver and handed it to Morales, grip-first.

I watched the exchange in silence.

They were leaving with good intentions. But good intentions didn't mean much out here. If we crossed paths again... we might not be on the same side.

Shane passed over a box of rounds.

"Half full."

"Thank you," Miranda said, her voice tight.

"Thank you all," Morales added. "For everything."

Lori stepped in and hugged her.

"Come here."

Andrea moved up beside them, placing a hand on Miranda's shoulder. Carol wrapped an arm around Sophia as Eliza walked over and handed her a worn doll.

"Bye," Eliza whispered.

Sophia clutched it with both hands. Her face crumpled as she turned into her mother's arms.

Rick gave one last nod.

"Channel 40 if you change your minds, all right?"

"Yeah," Morales replied with a nod.

The sedan pulled off slow, its wheels crunching gravel, then faded down the road until it vanished around the trees.

We stood there for a few seconds longer.

We started moving into the cars as well.

The RV groaned as Dale started it up. I climbed in last, letting the door creak shut behind me.

Glenn sat up front in the passenger seat, one leg propped against the dash, head tilted toward the window as he watched the road roll by.

Dale kept his focus ahead, hands steady on the wheel.

In the back, Amy had taken the bench near the side window.

Andrea sat beside her, arms crossed.

I settled across from them on the opposite bench, my back straight, sword and bags resting at my side.

No one said anything at first. The RV rattled as we pulled away from the camp.

The farther we got, the quieter it felt.

Amy shifted slightly and unzipped her bag. Her fingers fumbled through the contents for a moment before she pulled out a protein bar — half-crushed and still in the wrapper. She looked at it for a second, then looked at me.

"You haven't eaten," she said in a soft voice.

I glanced at the bar in her hand, then at her.

"Neither have you."

She gave a small shrug and extended it toward me anyway.

I took it gently.

"Thank you."

Then I unwrapped it, broke it cleanly in half, and handed the larger piece back to her.

She blinked, surprised, then gave a small, almost embarrassed smile before taking it.

Andrea glanced over, lifting an eyebrow.

"Wow. So your actual sister gets nothing? That's cold, Amy."

Amy rolled her eyes.

"You didn't say you were hungry."

"Didn't realize I had to fill out a request form," Andrea muttered. "Next time I'll submit it in writing..."

I didn't say anything, but a soft chuckle escaped before I could stop it.

All four of them looked at me, surprised.

Amy glanced at me for half a second, then smiled wider and took a bite of her half.

Andrea blinked, brows lifting.

Glenn turned in his seat to look back, eyebrows raised.

Even Dale glanced away from the road for a second, like he wasn't sure he'd heard right.

From the front seat, Glenn leaned sideways and called back.

"Wait — was that a laugh? Hold on, everyone, we're witnessing a miracle. Somebody write this down."

Dale shook his head with a quiet chuckle, eyes still on the road.

"Careful, Glenn. Next thing you know, he'll tell us a joke."

"Oh, I'd pay to hear that," Glenn said, grinning. "Imagine it — Itachi doing stand-up. 'Why did the walker cross the road?'"

"To get stabbed in the head, probably," Andrea deadpanned.

Glenn snorted.

"See? We're halfway there. We've got the punchline already."

Amy laughed, covering her mouth with the back of her hand.

"You're all ridiculous."

I said nothing.

But the corner of my mouth twitched.

Just enough for Glenn to catch it.

"There it is again! I swear, Dale, you keep driving and I'll keep cracking him open. He'll be doing stand-up comedy by the time we get to the CDC."

"Don't push your luck," Andrea muttered, but she was smiling now too.

There was a short pause.

I spoke.

"What's the best way to keep a secret?"

Amy turned towards me, curious.

"What?"

"Bury the people who know it."

Andrea blinked.

"Jesus..."

Glenn let out a nervous laugh.

"Note to self — never find out any of his secrets. Ever..."

Dale glanced at Glenn, then back at the road with a faint chuckle.

"At least you got a joke out of him. You're halfway to a conversation."

That earned a few soft laughs.

The moment lingered — light and warm. Something rare these days.

The four of them settled into easy, quiet conversations.

Andrea leaned in to tell Amy something that made her laugh under her breath.

Glenn started naming all the junk food he missed, exaggerating each one like it was a national treasure.

Dale chimed in now, steering with one hand and shaking his head at Glenn's list like an old man listening to kids talk nonsense.

I stayed quiet, letting the noise wash over me.

The RV rolled on.

Then came the sound.

A cough from the engine.

A lurch.

Glenn cursed under his breath, and Dale eased the RV to the side of the road.

"Please tell me that's not what I think it is," Andrea muttered.

"Radiator's spitting steam," Dale said, throwing it into park. "We're overheating."

"Great..." Glenn muttered, reaching for the C.B. radio. He flicked it on with a crackle of static.

"RV to lead car—we've got a problem. Pulling over to cool off."

Within a minute, the rest of the cars had pulled over.

Doors opened. People got out, squinting against the sun.

Dale popped the hood and stepped back as another blast of steam hissed out.

"I told you we'd never get far on that hose," he muttered, waving heat away from his face."I said I needed the one from the cube van."

Rick approached, looking into the mess of piping and coolant."Can you jury-rig it?"

"That's all it's been so far. It's more duct tape than hose. And I'm out of duct tape."

Glenn leaned in beside him, frowning.

"Got any sealant left? Zip ties? Anything?"

"We used the last of that two towns back," Dale said, sighing."This was bound to happen. Just a matter of time."

Jim walked up from the back, wiping sweat from his brow.

"I used to work on heavy equipment, before. Could take a look—maybe patch something together if you've got any spare clamps or rubber seal."

Dale stepped back without hesitation.

"Be my guest. I'll take any help I can get."

Jim crouched beside the engine, already peering in with a practiced eye.

Shane shaded his eyes with one hand, peering down the road.

"I see something up ahead. A gas station, if we're lucky."

He turned to Rick.

"Hey, you want to hold down the fort? I'll drive ahead, see what I can bring back."

T-Dog stepped up beside him.

"Yeah, I'll come too. I'll back you up."

"Y'all keep your eyes open now," Shane said.

"We'll be right back."

Rick nodded and turned back toward the group.

"Everybody stay alert."

Jim grunted softly, pulling his sleeves back.

"If you find any tubing or hose with a similar diameter, grab it. Even radiator flush would help."

"We'll keep an eye out," Shane said, before climbing into the car.

T-Dog followed, and their vehicle pulled away, tires crackling over the broken asphalt.

I turned toward the treeline.

That's when I saw it.

Far off. Just barely visible through the shifting branches.

A handprint.

Bloodied. Smeared across the bark of a dying pine, low, at hip height. The streak dragged downward, the fingers clawed into the bark like they were trying to hold on.

But the angle was wrong.

The drag was too clean. Too deliberate. Like someone had been pulled backward, their arm yanked by force.

And the blood... it was fresh.

Whatever happened here... someone took the body somewhere else.

I approached the RV, where Rick was crouched beside Dale and Jim.

He looked up when he saw me.

"Everything alright?"

"I saw something near the treeline, " I said quietly.

"Blood on a tree. Looks like someone was dragged. And it's fresh."

He stood up straighter, concern flickering in his eyes.

"That close to us?"

I nodded once.

He was quiet for a moment, then looked toward the woods.

"Alright... Just be careful, alright? If anything feels off, don't wait—come back. We'll deal with it together."

I nodded again, then turned and slipped into the trees.

I moved slowly, scanning the ground.

A few paces in, I found the next sign.

A smear of blood on the roots. A boot print nearby—deep, like someone had been dragged and someone else had braced to pull them.

I followed it.

Blood continued in patches. Drops here. A smear there. Each sign more deliberate than the last.

Whoever did this... they weren't rushing.They wanted someone to find it.

I slowed as the trees thinned out.

Then stopped.

A body was suspended between two trees, a bullet hole clean through the forehead.

Blood pooled beneath the feet but hadn't soaked into the earth yet.

Arms were stretched tight and bound with frayed wire, elbows locked.

The chest had been flayed open—ribs cracked outward like jagged fingers grasping for something that wasn't there.

The skin was pale.

Eyes still open. Still staring with fear.

Carved into the trunk beside the corpse—rough and uneven, but clear—were three words:

'KEEP OUT. CLAIMED.'

Did they form this early…?

I thought they would only appear later.

And now they were close.

I started returning to the others.

When I stepped out of the treeline, the group was almost ready to move. Dale was tightening the last clamp on the patched hose, grease on his hands. Jim was brushing his palms off on his jeans. Amy waved away a fly buzzing near her face.

I made my way around the RV. Towards Daryl.

"Keep your eyes open," I said quietly.

He looked up, squinting at me.

"That supposed to mean somethin'?"

"Found a body in the woods. Hung between two trees. Shot in the head. Chest split open. Arms wired up tight."

He stood, face tightening.

"That ain't no damn walkers doing."

"No. It was clean. Controlled. Left a message too."

"What kinda?"

"Carved into the tree. 'Keep out. Claimed'"

Daryl's jaw flexed. He spat to the side, eyes narrowing as he glanced toward the treeline.

"You think they're still lurkin' nearby?"

"I didn't see anyone. But the blood was fresh."

He adjusted the strap on his crossbow and gave me a short nod.

"Alright. I'll keep an eye out. Good lookin' out."

I turned from Daryl just as Rick walked up, eyes scanning my face.

"Something wrong?"

"Found a human body in the woods. Killed by other people. The blood's still fresh."

He looked toward the treeline.

"Alright. Keep it quiet for now. Just stay sharp. We're leaving in five minutes. I'll go hurry the others up."

I gave a silent nod and watched him walk off.

Five minutes later, we all climbed back into our vehicles. The engines rumbled to life one by one, and we started moving again.

The sun was dipping low when we pulled up near the facility.

There were Dead soldiers scattered across the road, their uniforms torn, rifles still slung on limp shoulders. 

The vehicles slowed to a crawl.

I opened the RV door and stepped out, shouldering my gear. Taking a few extra empty.

Behind me, Glenn leaned towards the open door.

"Uh… where's he going?"

Amy's voice followed, quieter.

"Is something wrong?"

I turned slightly, meeting her eyes for a second.

"Take some empty bags. Grab every gun or round you find. This is a gold mine."

Then I moved down the edge of the road.

Most of the group had begun moving towards the CDC entrance, drawn by the promise of safety—or the illusion of it. Their focus was elsewhere. On the gate. The building. The chance to rest.

I turned and spotted Daryl lingering near the tail end of the group, crossbow resting across his shoulder.

I approached him.

"Help me collect the weapons," I said quietly. 

He gave a short nod, shifting his crossbow."Nice thinkin'."

We moved in silence, checking each fallen body methodically. I knelt beside a soldier, pried a sidearm from cold fingers, and added it to my bag.

Daryl picked up a battered M16, gave it a quick once-over, then slung it over his shoulder.

"Some of these still got rounds in 'em. Damn lucky nobody stripped this place bare yet."

Behind us, Glenn's voice drifted out from the RV, half exasperated.

"Are they seriously grabbing guns right now?"

Amy answered, her voice quieter but firmer than before.

"Would you rather they leave it for someone else?"

Glenn hesitated, then muttered,"I'm just surprised, okay? No one else even saw them."

Amy straightened up.

"Come on, let's go help them. You too, Andrea. I still have some space in my bag."

I turned to face them.

"If you don't see any clear head injury, assume they're alive."

That made them pause.

Andrea gave a short nod, her expression tightening.

Amy swallowed, gripping her bag a little tighter.

Glenn looked over at me."Yeah. Got it. Not taking any chances."

Without another word, they moved in to help.

While Rick and Shane led the group towards the CDC—nervous, moving fast—Daryl and I drifted to the back.

We kept watch. Picked through the bodies the others passed by. Took what we could.

Ahead of us, Andrea, Glenn, and Amy moved with the main group. Eyes sharp, bags half-open, they picked up handguns and loose ammo whenever they passed something worth taking.

They didn't stray. Just swept up what was in their path—quiet, focused, and fast.

The building loomed in front of us—steel shutters locked tight.

Shane turned, eyes scanning the group.

"Keep it together. Come on."

Lori clutched Carl's hand tighter, her voice low and shaken.

"We're almost there, baby. Almost there."

Carl had his other hand pressed over his nose, trying not to gag. The stench from the corpses littered around the building hit harder the closer we got.

Shane stepped up to the door and slammed his fist against the metal.

"Nothing?"

T-Dog looked around, jaw clenched.

"There's nobody here."

Rick stepped closer, eyes narrowing.

"Then why are the shutters down?"

Daryl's voice snapped behind us.

"Walkers!"

The panic hit fast. Everyone flinched. Carl cried out and buried his face in Lori's chest as she pulled him close.

A walker stumbled from behind a truck—then another.

Daryl raised his crossbow and fired. The first collapsed with a thunk.

Another walker lunged out from the side, arms stretched wide.

I flicked a wooden senbon through the air—it struck the walker clean through the eye. 

Daryl turned to Rick, fury in his voice.

"You led us into a damn graveyard!"

Shane stepped between them, face red.

"He made a call."

"It was the wrong damn call!" Daryl snarled, stepping closer to Rick.

"Just shut up, you hear? Shut up. Shut up!" Shane shoved Daryl back with both hands, glaring at Rick. "Rick, this is a dead end!"

Jacqui's voice cracked.

"Where are we gonna go?"

"No blame," Shane said quickly. "Do you hear me? No blame."

Lori's voice broke with panic.

"She's right. We can't stay here, not this close to the city—not after dark!"

Shane turned, jaw set.

"Fort Benning, Rick. Still an option."

Andrea snapped back.

"On what? No food, no fuel. That's 100 miles."

Amy moved closer to me. Her hand brushed my hand—then clutched it. Her grip was tight. She was shaking.

I didn't speak. Just shifted my fingers slightly and held her hand back.

"125," Glenn added quietly. "I checked the map."

Lori's voice trembled.

"Forget Fort Benning. We need answers tonight. Now."

Rick stepped forward, hands raised slightly, voice unsteady.

"We'll... we'll think of something."

Shane motioned people back.

"Come on. Let's go. Let's get out of here. Please."

Then Rick started backing up slowly, his eyes fixed on the metal shutters.

Then he stopped. Still staring.

Rick froze, eyes locked on the building.

"The camera… it moved."

Dale looked back at Rick.

"You imagined it."

"I saw it too," I said.

Shane looked at both of us.

"You both imagining it. It's an automated device. Gears winding down. Now come on."

"Man, just listen to me." Shane's voice dropped, urgent. "Look around this place. It's dead, okay? You need to let it go, Rick."

Rick stepped forward, slammed both hands against the shuttered door.

"Rick!" Lori called out. "There's nobody here!"

He ignored her.

"I know you're in there!" he shouted. "I know you can hear me!"

Shane grabbed his arm, trying to pull him back. Lori joined him.

"Rick, stop!"

Rick's voice cracked.

"Please, we're desperate! Please help us! We have women, children—no food, hardly any gas left!"

Lori's voice was hoarse.

"Rick, there's nobody here."

Rick didn't stop.

"We have nowhere else to go!"

He pounded the door with both fists, over and over.

"Keep your eyes open!" he shouted. "If you don't let us in, you're killing us! Please!"

Shane's voice broke.

"Come on, buddy. Let's go. Let's go."

"Please help us! You're killing us! You're killing us!"

Amy stayed frozen by my side—still clinging to my arm. Her eyes stayed locked on the metal door.

Shane called out, already walking back with the others.

"Let's go! There's no one here!"

Only the three of us stayed near the entrance.

Then—light.

Blinding, bright, and sudden.

The steel doors of the CDC groaned open, flooding the dark street in a pale, sterile glow.

They all stopped.

Amy gripped my arm tighter.

And for a moment… hope reignited.

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Author's Note:

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!

We reached 600 power stones — thank you all so much! 🙏 I genuinely appreciate the support!

Let me know what you thought of this chapter in the comments!

This time, I wanted to include some bonding scenes with the cast. The RV ride felt like the perfect opportunity to slow down for a bit and explore those dynamics.

I also started foreshadowing a group that's going to show up earlier than in canon. Hopefully, the message and the scene gave you a pretty clear idea of who they are. 

Now, I actually have a question for you all:

Why do you think Shane was so set on Fort Benning? I mean… he saw the military executing civilians in the hospital (S1E6). After witnessing that, wouldn't he be more skeptical? More cautious about trusting the military?

Let me know what you think, or I'm just missing something :D

And if you have questions about future plotlines, character arcs, I'm always happy to talk about it in the comments!

Thanks again for reading!