บท 7: Chapter 7 : A Problem

As they drove, Lee's eyes scanned the roadside, spotting a few medical stores tucked away in the distance. Without hesitation, he turned the car off the main road and instructed Natasha, "Stay here. I'll be quick." He left the vehicle and walked alone into the store, filling a large bag with as many medicines as he could find. There were bottles and boxes he didn't recognize, but he knew enough to gather everything. He could sort through it later. For now, the haul was too valuable to pass up.

When Lee returned to the car, the bag was heavy with supplies, while the rest of the Medical Store's supplies were inside his Inventory. But as he approached, something caught his eye—a strange, tense circle had formed around the vehicle. Everyone was out of their cars, standing in a tight group, eyes locked on the car Lee and Natasha came with. The unease in the air was palpable as if something had shifted. Lee's heart rate quickened.

"What going on?"

Lee asked as he got close to them.

"There's a problem"

Lee shoved Shawn aside, his eyes darting toward the backseat of their car. That's when he saw him—a kid, no older than ten or eleven, sitting quietly in the back. Lee's mind went blank for a moment, disbelief washing over him. How had they missed this?

It quickly hit him—neither he nor Natasha had bothered to check the backseat in their rush to leave Atlanta. In the chaos of survival, such details had slipped through the cracks.

Lee glanced at Natasha, who had already caught on to his realization. She gave a subtle nod before sliding into the backseat beside the boy. The air between them was thick with unspoken questions, but they both knew there was no time for explanations now. The kid was here, and they needed to figure out what to do next.

Lee watched from the front seat, as Natasha gently spoke to the boy, her voice calm but firm, trying to assess the situation. The confusion wasn't just his anymore—it was theirs, too.

Shawn and Lee stepped away from the tense cluster, walking a few paces down the road to talk in private. Lee's face was a mix of frustration and concern, while Shawn kept a wary eye on the group behind them.

"What the hell, Lee?"

Shawn said, his voice low but sharp.

"How do you not check the damn backseat?"

Lee sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"It was chaos, Shawn. We didn't have time. We just needed to get out of Atlanta."

He glanced back at the car, where Natasha was still with the boy.

"I didn't even think..."

"Well, you're thinking now"

Shawn replied, his tone softening slightly.

"Who is he? Any clue?"

"None"

Lee admitted, shaking his head.

"He hasn't said a word. But he's just a kid, Shawn. He's scared, and probably doesn't know what's going on any more than we do."

Shawn folded his arms, nodding slightly.

"We can't just leave him."

"I know"

Lee said firmly, meeting Shawn's eyes.

"But he's here now, and I'm not about to go out into that hell. We'll figure it out when we get to the farm."

Shawn sighed, finally relenting.

"Fine, But he's your responsibility"

"Fair enough"

Lee replied, already steeling himself for the conversations to come.

Shawn's expression darkened as he leaned against the side of his truck, the weight of the day pressing heavily on his shoulders. He had lost Chet, his closest friend, during their escape—a loss that cut deep. Chet had died shielding him, sacrificing himself so Shawn could make it out alive.

The guilt was suffocating. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Chet's face, the moment replaying in his mind like a cruel reminder. Shawn clenched his fists, his knuckles white. "I should've done more," he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with regret.

Lee noticed his new friend's distant gaze and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Shawn, Chet made his choice. He wanted to save you. Don't let his sacrifice go to waste."

Shawn nodded slightly, but the words barely reached him. His thoughts were a storm, and his exhaustion only made it harder to fight through them. What he needed now was rest—real rest, not the fleeting moments of sleep haunted by nightmares. But in a world like this, even that seemed like a luxury.

Lee approached the pickup truck, his steps purposeful yet measured. He found Clementine sitting quietly in the truck bed, her small hands clutching a stuffed animal, a rare remnant of normalcy in the chaos surrounding them. She looked up as he drew near, her wide, cautious eyes studying him.

"Hey there"

Lee said with a warm smile, leaning against the truck.

"Mind if I join you for a bit?"

She hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly. Lee climbed up, sitting beside her but keeping a respectful distance.

"So, how're you holding up, Clementine?"

He asked, his tone gentle.

"I'm okay"

She replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lee nodded, sensing the weight of her words. He decided to keep things light.

"You like school?"

He asked, tilting his head curiously.

Her face lit up just a little, a small glimmer of the child she still was.

"Yeah, I did. I liked math. My teacher said I was really good at it."

"Math, huh?"

Lee said with a chuckle.

"Guess we've got a future scientist here."

Clementine giggled, the sound fragile but genuine. The more they talked, the more Lee saw how strong she was trying to be. She wasn't oblivious to the horrors around her, but she carried herself with a quiet resilience that both impressed and saddened him.

As they were sharing stories about her school days, Natasha walked up to them, her expression calm but firm. She placed a hand gently on Clementine's shoulder.

"Hey, Clem"

Natasha said, her voice soft but clear.

"stay close to Sandra, okay?"

Clementine nodded, clutching her stuffed animal tighter as she slid down from the truck bed. Lee watched her go, his admiration for the little girl growing with every passing moment. When she disappeared into the group, Lee turned to Natasha.

"Smart kid," he said quietly, his voice tinged with both pride and sorrow.

"She's stronger than most adults I've met."

Natasha nodded in agreement, her eyes following Clementine.

"She is. But no kid should have to be this strong."

Lee excused himself from the group and walked with Natasha back to the car, where the little boy sat huddled in the backseat, his wide eyes darting nervously around. Lee was struck by how quiet the kid was—no crying, no shouting—just an anxious, watchful silence that seemed unnatural for someone his age.

"He said he came here to stay with his grandparents"

Natasha began, her voice low.

"But he fell asleep in the car. His parents… they were probably killed trying to protect him while he was out cold."

Lee frowned, glancing at the boy.

"Or maybe they're still out there somewhere, Maybe went to scope out the situation and are looking for him right now"

He suggested, his tone cautious.

"With all the chaos and the dark, we could've missed them."

Natasha shrugged, crossing her arms as her gaze softened.

"Maybe. But does it even matter now? He's alone, and we're the only ones he's got. Also, there's no way any of us are going back there"

They both fell silent, the weight of their words hanging in the air. Speculating about what had happened didn't change the reality—the boy's world was gone, and now he was thrust into theirs, one where survival was the only rule that mattered.

Lee exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Guess we'll figure it out as we go. For now, let's make sure he's safe."

Natasha nodded, and together they approached the boy, their shared responsibility growing heavier with every step.

"We head for the barn"

Lee said firmly, cutting through the arguments swirling around them. His tone left no room for debate—it was a decision, not a discussion.

"And the boy?"

She asked.

"With us"

Lee replied without missing a beat.

"I'll talk to him."

With that, Lee turned and walked back to the car. Sliding into the driver's seat, he glanced in the rear-view mirror at the boy, who was still sitting in the backseat. The kid's wide, anxious eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for some semblance of understanding in the chaos.

The rumble of engines soon filled the air as everyone else started their cars, falling into line to continue toward their destination. Lee's focus shifted to the road ahead, the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders.

Beside him, Natasha rummaged through her bag, eventually pulling out a pack of chips. She tore it open and took a bite, the crunch breaking the silence inside the car. But before taking another, she paused and glanced toward the boy.

Her gaze softened as she turned to him, holding out the pack.

"Hey, you hungry?"

She asked gently.

The boy looked at her, hesitating for a moment before nodding slowly. Natasha smiled faintly and handed him the chips, watching as he reached for them cautiously. It was a small gesture, but in a world like this, small gestures meant everything.

"What's your name?"

Lee asked, his eyes fixed on the road ahead as he followed Shawn's truck and his father's car. His tone was calm, but there was a weight behind his words—a sense of responsibility that hadn't been there before.

The boy hesitated, clutching the bag of chips Natasha had given him. After a moment, he finally answered in a quiet voice.

"...Carl."

Lee nodded, glancing briefly at the boy through the rearview mirror.

"Alright, Carl. I'm Lee,"

He said, his voice softening.

"You're with us now, okay? We'll keep you safe."

Taking a deep breath, Lee focused back on the road. He'd made a mistake, a big one, by not checking the car back in Atlanta. But now that the boy was here, Lee knew he had to step up. This wasn't just about survival anymore—it was about taking care of the people who were counting on him, even if they hadn't asked for it.

Suddenly, a strange feeling washed over Lee, his mind racing. The name 'Carl' echoed in his thoughts, but it didn't quite fit. He felt like he had heard it before, somewhere, somehow. It was familiar in a way that made his pulse quicken, as though there was something significant about it—something important that he couldn't quite place.

His eyes flicked to the rear-view mirror again, catching a glimpse of the boy's face, but the connection still eluded him.

'Where have I heard that name?'[1]

He thought, the nagging sensation growing stronger.

It wasn't just the name. There was something about the boy's presence—something that felt like it tied into a memory, a fragment of a past conversation, or a fleeting encounter. Lee shook his head, trying to shake the thought, but it clung to him like a shadow he couldn't outrun.

'Focus, Lee'

He told himself.

'For now, just get him to safety. You'll figure it out later.

But the feeling lingered, and he couldn't ignore the unsettling sense that something was off.

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[A/N]:

Hello, everyone! I hope you're enjoying the current fanfic. I wanted to take a moment to let you know that I'm serializing a brand new story called Blue Lock: Conqueror. As the name suggests, it's a fanfic set in the world of Blue Lock, where the main character transmigrates into the body of Isagi Yoichi. But that's not all—he also has a system to help him navigate his journey to greatness!

If you're a fan of intense soccer action, character growth, and a bit of that Blue Lock flair, I think you'll enjoy this one. I can't wait for you all to check it out, and as always, thank you for your amazing support. Stay tuned for more, and I hope to see you in the comments!

[1]: I hope everyone remembers that the MC doesn't have any knowledge of TWD and only has played the TWD game's season 1