The Walking Dead: A New Beginning From the End of the World

That aimless walk was something Jason needed. At least now, he could imagine which path to take after returning to a reality he wasn't familiar or prepared for.

Of course, he recognized the year and knew a few things that could earn him a lot of money if events unfolded as they had in his own future. After all, he was about fifteen years behind what used to be his timeline.

But first, he needed water. He had walked many miles without realizing it. That's why he entered the convenience store he found in this county he'd arrived in—a place whose name he didn't even know.

The convenience store was a typical size but surprisingly well-stocked. From what he noticed, the owner was a very kind middle-aged woman who greeted him warmly as soon as he walked in.

Walking through the frozen section, Jason grabbed a popsicle and began eating it. He didn't have much cash on him at the moment, but this wasn't a problem he couldn't handle.

While thinking about what to do, an old woman stopped with her cart and said, "Hey, you can't eat the ice cream without paying for it. I'm going to tell a worker."

"Don't worry about it. I'm the owner's son."

Jason paid no attention to the grumpy old lady. The best way to think was by eating something, and he didn't have the energy to argue over a popsicle that cost less than two dollars.

Just as the old woman was heading to the counter, a heated argument grew louder and louder. When Jason approached, the store owner at the register was arguing with a man.

Jason stood to the side and listened closely to the argument. Apparently, the man had bought frozen meat and a bottle of vinegar to cook at home, but one of the employees had given him apple cider vinegar instead of the one he originally asked for.

The man just wanted a refund, but the store owner kindly asked him to purchase the other bottle of vinegar since it wasn't her fault, and the vinegar had already been opened and used. It seemed this wasn't clear to the customer, and the argument escalated.

Behind Jason, near the two sources of conflict, stood two police officers, Rick and Shane.

Rick was pondering something, while Shane held his head in disbelief, not understanding why the argument was so loud.

"You opened the bottle of vinegar. Even if we made a mistake by giving you the wrong product, don't you know how to check what you're buying before opening it? Besides, it seems you didn't dislike the vinegar since you used half the bottle," the owner's comments made the customer's face turn green.

Out of words, the man, still shouting, lost his patience and threw the vinegar bottle at the employee who had made the mistake. The store owner, unwilling to let anyone harm her workers, responded by throwing eggs at the man's face.

Jason watched all of this in surprise. He didn't know whether to be impressed by the old lady's nerve or by the fact that even the police weren't stopping the argument.

At that moment, Shane, who had his back to Jason, turned around, leaving Jason breathless.

"Jon Bernthal? Wait, am I on a film set?" Jason, recognizing Shane, looked around for cameras. But after carefully inspecting the place, he found none, and Jon's demeanor didn't seem staged.

Moments later, Rick also turned around, trying to calm the man who was now on the verge of starting a physical fight, and Jason took a step back in shock.

"Is this a joke?" Jason looked around, and suddenly, a man in a black hoodie caught his attention with his suspicious movements.

Jason wasn't stupid. Clearly, this person intended to steal something while the chaos in the convenience store was at its peak.

Confused and increasingly overwhelmed, Jason, who still couldn't logically explain what he was witnessing, found himself fixated on the man's actions.

If someone were to ask him later, Jason wouldn't be able to explain why he acted the way he did.

Perhaps it was the initial shock of seeing two of his favorite actors dressed as characters he knew so well that led Jason to address the potential problem in front of him, setting aside the more intriguing one.

The man in the black hoodie pretended to be aimlessly wandering, slowly making his way toward the store's door, appearing just as interested in the argument at the counter as the other customers.

After stuffing a few more items into his pockets, the man, thinking he had pulled off the theft of the century, turned around and headed for the exit. But the unexpected happened—a strong, long arm suddenly grabbed him, and a chilling voice spoke beside him.

"Hey, buddy, planning to leave without paying? Don't you know stealing is illegal and could land you in prison or with a hefty fine?"

Although the man in the hoodie appeared calm on the surface, he was extremely nervous. After all, there were two police officers standing not far from the door. He hadn't expected a random stranger to grab his arm.

Initially, he tried to free himself, but the grip was too strong.

Jason instinctively glanced at Rick and Shane and noticed their attention was still elsewhere.

He was confused, swearing these were people he knew quite well. But first, he needed to deal with the thief.

"Let me go."

"Do you think people will believe I wasn't involved if I let you go? That's a risk I'm not willing to take." Jason had no intention of releasing the thief now that he had intervened.

Seeing that Jason wouldn't let go, the man in the hoodie pulled out a small knife in his right hand and aimed it at Jason's wrist.

"Damn meddling idiot."

"Ah!"

The next second, Jason, seeing the knife headed for his wrist, violently yanked the man in the hoodie. Despite the thief's weight, Jason sent him flying through the air, crashing near the counter where Rick was trying to calm the store owner.

"Looks like the training paid off," Jason thought as he walked toward the man lying on the floor.

At that moment, Rick also noticed the man who had fallen into a stack of drinks beside him. Tilting his head, he saw the man in the black hoodie holding a knife.

Shane instinctively drew his weapon and shouted, "Don't move! Drop the knife!"

The man in the hoodie, stunned from the fall, was about to get up and punch the meddling idiot who had thrown him. But when he saw someone pointing a gun at him, he froze.

"Damn it!"

After assessing the situation, he dropped the knife and skillfully placed his hands behind his head as if he were familiar with police commands. But his eyes remained fixed on Jason, and he silently mouthe

You're dead!

Jason understood the message but only let out a dry laugh. He secretly raised the middle finger of his right hand and pointed it toward the man in the black hoodie.

At this moment, Rick, the old woman, and the man involved in the dispute noticed everything happening behind them. Rick, for his part, kicked the knife near the man in the black hoodie against the wall to prevent any accidents.

The man who had been complaining about the vinegar suddenly stopped talking, muttered something under his breath, and walked out of the store without causing further commotion.

"What happened?"

"Why is this guy suddenly lying in front of me with a knife?"

Before the two could exchange words, a tall man dressed in military attire standing nearby spoke up.

"Officers, I can explain. While you were resolving the issue with the civilians, I noticed this person taking advantage of the chaos to steal items from the store. When I saw he was about to flee, I tried to stop him with kind words. I didn't expect this guy to be dumb enough to attack me with a knife, so I had no choice but to use force. I didn't think he'd end up right beside you, putting you at risk, and for that, I apologize."

The man in military attire, who had now become a hero, was Jason. In addition to carrying a backpack, he was eating a popsicle. Not wanting to take the blame, he emphasized that he had no choice but to act, his eyes fixed on the police officers.

Rick looked at Jason, who still had chocolate on his lips. After a moment of silence, Rick turned his head and spotted many store items stuffed into the pockets of the man lying on the ground with his hands behind his head.

"Shane."

"Got it."

The two were in sync, and a pair of handcuffs quickly secured the wrists of the man in the black hoodie.

After removing all the stolen goods from him, Shane restrained the young man and nodded at Jason, clapping him on the shoulder. "Well done, buddy."

Rick turned to the store owner and said, "Patricia, it seems the man complaining about the vinegar has left, so this matter is settled. We need to take the thief back to the station, so we'll be leaving now."

Before Patricia could respond, Rick turned to Jason and said, "Sir, thank you for your brave actions. It's no less than expected from someone in the military. Thank you for your service."

"It was the least I could do." Jason rubbed the back of his neck, knowing it wasn't necessary to share with everyone that he had been dishonorably discharged.

Rick smiled, nodded, and said, "I'm not sure if you have time. While we're all grateful, I still need to take an official statement. If you're busy, you can stop by the station another day."

"It's fine. I've got nothing to do right now. I'll cooperate with whatever you need," Jason replied, all the while thinking about everything that had happened with Rick.

Those lingering thoughts of being in a dream had now turned into reality. When Jason noticed the badge on Rick's chest, he understood where he was. The year matched the onset of chaos when this world descended into hell because of the undead.

Suddenly, all of Jason's plans crumbled. The reality he believed in became a distant illusion.

"Sir, please follow me," Rick said as he began walking toward the exit and the police car parked not far away.

Jason followed Rick with a confused expression. As someone who knew the main storyline, he wasn't at all excited about what he had just discovered.

This coincidence had undoubtedly opened his eyes and perhaps even saved his life. Now, knowing where he was and what was to come, his heart raced uncontrollably.

Without a doubt, the world was playing a cruel joke on him.

…

Reality hit Jason like a hammer—mercilessly and swiftly.

He wanted to scream, but the breath caught in his throat. Automatically, he handed over his ID to Rick, who was taking his statement as the primary witness to the crime committed by the man in custody.

Jason glanced at Shane, who asked him numerous questions about his service and what he was doing in the county. Jason answered everything, but his tone was dry, as if talking was the last thing he wanted to do.

At one point, Jason, who had lost track of time, forced a smile.

"Thanks again for your cooperation, Jason. Do you need us to take you anywhere?" Shane asked, looking at Jason's ID, noticing he seemed to be wandering aimlessly.

As a former soldier who had served his country, Shane felt genuinely concerned that Jason might not have anywhere to go.

"That's very kind of you, officer, but I'm just here to visit an old friend before heading to Atlanta. Right now, I'd prefer to walk and clear my head."

"Call us by our names, and know you're welcome here in this county. If you ever run into trouble or need help, don't hesitate to call us," Rick said, handing Jason his personal number, which Jason quickly accepted.

"All right, Rick. I won't hold you up any longer. Have a good day."

"Take care, and don't forget to alert the police if you encounter another situation like this. It's not good to take risks like you just did," Rick said before turning and walking toward the police car. Shane, seated in the driver's seat, waved at Jason, who waved back.

Watching Rick walk away, Jason felt grateful for the conversation with these remarkable people. Knowing there were no cameras around, he was sure of where he was. While there wasn't much to confirm, he knew enough.

"We'll meet again, Rick Grimes…"

…

At this moment, Jason, who just wanted to scream, told himself that time was of the essence. It was time to truly worry about what would happen to this world in just a few months.

When he returned to the convenience store to pay his bill, Patricia, who thanked him, handed him a black phone, thinking it belonged to him. Jason accepted it.

He wasn't sure why, but now that he had taken it, he simply walked away.

Jason suspected the person he had taken down was a gangster. Rick mentioned that the guy had a lengthy criminal record and might be connected to a local gang.

After roughly going through the phone's information, Jason found some useful clues about who he had crossed paths with.

"Anyway, by the time that idiot gets out, the world will probably be in chaos, and someone else will deal with him," Jason muttered as he wiped away the chocolate from the popsicle he'd eaten.

People often told the old Jason that he worried too much about things that hadn't happened yet. Perhaps now, as the new Jason in control of this body, he wasn't so different. Maybe that connection had brought him here.

And now that he knew exactly which path to take, he thought the world was asking him to do something for it before it was consumed by desolation.

Jason knew exactly what he needed to do now.