Chương 4: Shane
It was a dark night, and the road was eerily silent. A lone van drove through the deserted city streets, passing rows of abandoned cars. The van continued on, leaving the city behind and ascending a hillside. In the distance, a flickering campfire could be seen.
On top of an RV, a person with binoculars spotted the approaching vehicle and called out, "Everyone, it might be T-Dog and Glenn!" The people near the campfire gathered, waiting anxiously by the RV.
As the van drew closer, Alister saw the group of people near the campsite and instinctively went on alert. Glenn noticed his tension and reassured him, "It's okay, Alister. This is our group."
The van came to a stop, and T-Dog and Glenn stepped out, followed by Alister in his full suit of armor. The group stared in astonishment at the armored figure.
"Uh... Everyone, this is Alister. He's a knight," Glenn said hesitantly.
Alister stepped forward, his armor glinting in the firelight. "I am Sir Alister of the Greya Kingdom... or at least, I was. It is a pleasure to meet you all, and I wish you all a pleasant evening."
The group exchanged curious glances, clearly intrigued by the new arrival and his unusual attire.
"What's with this person you brought with you, Glenn? Another nutjob like those rednecks?" someone with curly hair and a lean build said, eyeing Alister skeptically. Alister instinctively thought of him as the leader due to his calm and collected demeanor.
"You must be the leader of this group," Alister addressed him.
"Yeah, I am. Name's Shane Walsh. Deputy for King County Sheriff's Department. And you are?" Shane said, suspicion evident in his tone.
"I've already said before, I'm Alister from the Greya Kingdo—" Alister started, but Shane cut him off mid-sentence.
"I meant, who are you really, before all this get-up?" Shane raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
"I am Alister, a knight from the Greya Kingdom," Alister repeated firmly, maintaining his composure and meeting Shane's gaze steadily.
Before the tension could escalate, an older man stepped between them and extended his hand to Alister. "That's enough. I'm Dale Horvath. Nice to meet you, Alister," Dale said warmly.
Dale then gently guided Alister away from the group towards his RV.
Shane turned his attention to Glenn. "Glenn, we don't even have enough food and water for the people here, and you brought another mouth to feed?" Shane's voice was calm, but his irritation was clear.
"Me and T-Dog were supposed to scavenge the supermarket down in the city. Just a quick grab," Glenn explained.
"And then what? Did you get food and water?" asked a blonde woman, her frustration evident.
"Andrea, let him finish," Shane interjected.
Glenn continued, "I heard a shot and went to help. I was surprised to see him at first too, but he might be a real knight, you know! He was amazing with that sword, took down walkers in one slice. He helped me and T-Dog scavenge food and water that could last us two weeks!"
Shane turned to T-Dog. "T-Dog, is this true?"
T-Dog, who had just returned from the campfire with food, looked startled. "Y-yeah, Glenn's right. He took down walkers like they were nothing. It's like he's from a fairy tale or something. Although, we never saw his face without that helmet."
Glenn nodded. "You're right, he hasn't taken off his armor either."
Shane looked puzzled, his curiosity about Alister deepening. He was torn between seeing Alister as a potential asset or a threat to their group's safety.
Dale returned without Alister and addressed the group. "I left him in the RV; he's reading one of my books. He's a good person Shane. You out of people should know that, don't you? You can tell if someone is innocent or guilty."
Shane sighed, still unsure. "I get that, Dale. But we can't just trust anyone. Not now. We'll keep an eye on him, see if he really is who he says he is."
The group nodded in agreement, while Alister's presence brought a mixture of hope and uncertainty. They arranged the food and water Alister and Glenn scavenged and Dale went back to the RV and talked to Alister.
Dale climbed into the RV and saw Alister sitting at the small table, the knight's helmet resting beside him. Alister was flipping through one of Dale's books, a look of deep concentration on his face. Dale was startled by Alister's face with a scar on his left cheek but he could still be called handsome.
"Hey there," Dale greeted as he settled into the seat opposite Alister. "Find anything interesting?"
Alister looked up, his eyes sharp and inquisitive. "These writings are strange to me, but I'm trying to understand. Your world is... very different from mine."
Dale nodded. "I can imagine. You said you're from the Greya Kingdom? Where exactly is this noble Kingdom?"
Alister sighed. "It is—or was—a noble kingdom. I served my king loyally. But now, I find myself in this strange land with no knowledge of how I got here."
Dale studied Alister, noticing the sincerity in his voice. "You've certainly found yourself in a tough spot. This world isn't kind, especially not now."
Alister set the book down. "I see that. The creatures outside... walkers, you call them? They are unlike any enemy I've faced."
"Yeah, walkers," Dale confirmed. "They're dangerous, but they're not the worst thing out there. People can be just as dangerous, if not more so."
Alister nodded, understanding. "In my world, we had our share of treachery and betrayal. It seems some things are universal."
Dale smiled wryly. "I guess they are. Look, Alister, the group is wary of new people. We've been through a lot. But I can see you're trying to understand and fit in. Just... be patient with us."
Alister met Dale's gaze. "I will do my best. I am not here to bring harm, only to survive and perhaps find a way back to my kingdom."
Dale reached out and patted Alister's shoulder. "That's all we can ask for. Let's take it one step at a time. You'll find your place here."
Alister gave a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Dale. Your kindness is a beacon in these dark times."
Dale stood up, ready to leave. "Get some rest. Tomorrow will bring its own challenges, but we'll face them as a group, we need each other to survive this harsh and unforgiving world."
Alister nodded, picking up the book again. "Indeed. As a group."
Dale left the RV, feeling a bit more hopeful about their new companion.
Shane, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between Alister and Dale from outside the RV, felt a flicker of satisfaction at Alister's sincerity and resolve. However, he still found it hard to believe that someone could genuinely think they were a knight especially in this kind of world and the state of it as of now.
As Dale stepped out of the RV, he saw Shane standing next to the door. Dale gave Shane a nod, a silent acknowledgment that he had done his part to vouch for Alister.
Shane returned the nod but couldn't suppress a wry smile. "Well, he's got quite the story, doesn't he?"
Dale chuckled softly. "Yeah, he does. But I think he's genuine, Shane. We could use someone like him, someone with a strong moral compass."
Shane sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I hope you're right, Dale. We can't afford to trust the wrong people. Not now."
Dale patted Shane on the shoulder. "I know. But give him a chance. We've all got a past, and we've all got a place in this new world, even if we don't quite understand it yet."
Shane nodded, his expression softening a bit. "Alright. I'll keep an eye on him. But if he steps out of line, I won't hesitate."
"Fair enough," Dale agreed, his voice calm but firm. "But I think you'll find he's more like us than you might think."
With that, Dale walked away, leaving Shane to ponder over their new addition. Shane glanced back at the RV, still uncertain, but willing to see where this unusual alliance might lead.
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