The Walking Dead: Survival Code

With the engine roaring and the alarm still active, Glenn grabbed the radio and transmitted to the group, "We're coming to get you. The roll-up doors of the stores, across the street. Be prepared."

Without wasting any time, he floored the accelerator. The car sped up, overtaking the van and heading straight for the sea of the undead. Glenn kept his focus, his hands steady on the steering wheel, while the Dodge Challenger's alarm continued blaring loudly, echoing through the streets and reverberating in his ears. The walkers began to surround the car, drawn by the shrill noise and the movement. He swallowed hard, watching the grotesque figures draw closer and closer, their dead eyes fixed on the promise of living flesh.

Without hesitation, Glenn shifted into reverse, pressing the accelerator and making the tires screech against the asphalt wet from the recent rain. The car sped backward, keeping the alarm active and dragging along the horde that followed the deafening sound.

He looked in the rearview mirror, carefully adjusting the steering to avoid collisions with the debris scattered across the street. Each meter he reversed seemed to increase the horde of the undead behind the car, but it also opened up a precious space in front of the department store.

With a swift motion, Glenn turned the steering wheel and swung the car, accelerating into a wide turn to avoid getting cornered. The alarm continued to attract the dead, who staggered behind him like a river of corpses. He knew that every second counted for the group in the store.

"Come on, just a little more," he murmured to himself, pressing the accelerator pedal. He drove the car down another street, ensuring that the horde moved far enough away from the area before executing his next maneuver.

When he finally thought the path was clear, Glenn turned the wheel again, this time pointing towards a side street that would continue to keep the walkers away. He grabbed the radio and quickly said, "Path clear, move forward. It's now or never!"

With the alarm still echoing, he kept the Dodge Challenger moving, ensuring the group had enough time to execute the rescue plan without being overwhelmed by the growing horde.

…

Third Person POV

Rushing down the stairs, T-Dog shouted, with evident desperation in his voice, "Don't leave me here!" The sound of his words reverberated through the empty corridors, but he had no time to lose. When he reached the first floor, the shattering glass cut through the air. The last barrier of the door had given way, fragments scattered across the floor. Only a few improvised boards, hastily nailed by Glenn, still held back the tide of walkers advancing.

With his heart pounding in his chest and sweat streaming down his face in rivers, T-Dog ran towards the group. His hurried steps were muffled by the groans of the approaching dead. "The glass doors have fallen! Only the wood remains!" He managed to say, breathless, as he tried to catch his breath.

Outside, a car alarm suddenly went off, cutting through the oppressive silence. The sound echoed through the streets, drawing everyone's attention. For a brief moment, the group froze, their attention turned to the source of the noise. "They must be them," said Jacqui, with a glimmer of hope lighting up her voice.

The sound of the alarm began to fade, indicating that someone was using it as a distraction. Right after, Glenn's voice came through the radio, urgent and determined: "Clear path, move forward. It's now or never!"

With renewed adrenaline, the group heard a firm knock on the metal roll-up gate. "It's Rick!" Someone exclaimed, and, without hesitation, everyone rushed to open the heavy door. Working together, they lifted the gate, revealing the open back of a cube van parked just ahead.

Without wasting time, the supply bags were thrown into the van as the group climbed in quickly. The growing sound of the dead behind them made every second even more precious. The first walkers were already appearing around the corner, grotesque and relentless.

One by one, they settled into the vehicle, breathless and tense. The engine roared loudly, and at the exact moment the first walkers reached the gate, the van accelerated, tearing away. The rotten hands of the dead rose in vain, trying to grasp a vehicle that was already disappearing into the distance.

As the van sped through the narrow streets, the sound of the dead being left behind brought momentary relief to the group. Everyone was breathing heavily, their bodies tense after the desperate escape. Inside, the space was cramped, with the supply bags sharing room with the survivors.

The looks began to cross, tense and tired, until they noticed Merle's absence. A wave of discomfort swept through the group as everyone turned to T-Dog, seeking answers. He lowered his head, avoiding the inquisitive looks. With a voice heavy with guilt and a trace of anger at himself, he finally spoke: "I... I dropped the damn key."

The silence that followed was piercing. The serious expressions of everyone reflected the gravity of the situation. Andrea broke the silence: "Where is Glenn?"

The question hung in the air unanswered. The van's engine roared as the group remained silent, the weight of the decision involving Merle and the absence of Glenn now accompanying them.

On the highway towards the camp, the tension seemed to ease slightly, but Morales, sitting in the passenger seat next to Rick, noticed the man's distant gaze. It was obvious that Rick was brooding over everything that had happened.

"It's better not to dwell on it," Morales said, trying to dissipate the evident guilt on Rick's face. "Merle being left behind... no one will miss him."

Rick didn't respond immediately, but Morales continued, hesitantly: "Well... except maybe Daryl."

"Daryl?" Rick asked, confused.

"His brother." Morales replied, somewhat regretting having brought the name up. He knew that, sooner or later, Rick would have to deal with it.

Before the topic could delve deeper, the sound of a powerful engine echoed in the distance. Everyone in the van looked out the window when Glenn appeared at high speed, driving the red Dodge Challenger. He passed by the van with a huge smile, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Woohoo!"

The car alarm was finally turned off, and Glenn sped ahead towards the camp, leaving a cloud of dust on the road. The group couldn't help but smile slightly, despite everything.

Rick picked up the radio, thoughtful. "Should we tell him? About Merle?"

Morales sighed before answering, "Better not. Let him enjoy it for now. When we get to the camp, we'll talk."

Rick nodded, guarding the radio. The van's engine purred along the highway as the group mentally prepared for what was yet to come.

…

As he drove along the winding mountain roads, Glenn couldn't help but smile. The roar of the Dodge Challenger's HEMI V8 engine filled the air, and he felt alive, relieved, almost triumphant. Everyone had survived, and he now had in his hands a car that, in other times, he could only dream of owning. 'Dodge Challenger RT (LC) 2009,' he thought to himself, laughing at the irony. The kind of car he could never have before the world fell apart was now his, a prize amidst the chaos.

He piloted skillfully, turning each corner with precision, the engine responding perfectly to every command. Even with the relief of being alive, his mind wandered to the two cars that had been left behind. 'We can get them back.' he thought, holding on to hope. The important thing was that everyone was alive, and that was enough for now.

As he approached the camp, he slowed down and flashed the headlights, a signal they used to announce their arrival. This time, no one came out of the woods with a rifle, as was customary. He figured it made sense, considering the delay. They had taken much longer than planned, stuck in the department store and escaping by a thread. "They must be worried," he thought, with a touch of guilt.

Moving forward, he crossed the entrance of the camp. As soon as he got out of the car, still feeling the heat of the engine under his hands, he saw Amy running towards him. Her face was filled with a mix of worry and anticipation, and right behind her were Shane, Dale, and the Morales family members, all with tense expressions.

Amy was the first to speak, the words coming out almost like a sob. "My sister... Andrea... is she okay? Is she alive?"

Glenn opened a reassuring smile and replied, with the calm he was still trying to regain: "Yes, she is fine. Everyone is alive."

Amy let out a scream of joy and relief, her hands covering her face for a moment before jumping up and hugging Glenn with all her might. He returned the hug with a somewhat awkward smile, not quite knowing what to do with such a display of affection.

"Thank God!" she exclaimed, still holding Glenn, her eyes shining with tears of happiness.

Before he could say anything else, the familiar sound of an engine caught everyone's attention. The van appeared on the road, approaching the camp. Glenn let out a sigh of relief upon seeing it, feeling the weight of everything they had been through finally beginning to lift. The group turned to watch the arrival of the others while Glenn stood beside Amy, still feeling the warmth of her gratitude on his shoulders.

As Glenn watched the others getting out of the van, a sense of accomplishment washed over him. Andrea was the first to get out, going straight to her sister, Amy, who welcomed her with a tight hug and tears in her eyes. The connection between them was palpable, a reflection of what everyone there was fighting to protect: their families, their most precious bonds.

Right behind, Morales, Jacqui, and T-Dog descended. Jacqui and T-Dog leaned on each other, exhausted but relieved to have made it out alive. Morales, however, seemed overwhelmed with emotion. He almost ran to his wife and children, enveloping them in a hug so tight that it seemed he wanted to protect them from all the evils of the world. The smile on his face was so wide that even Glenn, from a distance, felt the warmth of that scene.

But not everything was joy. Glenn noticed Carl, apart, with his head down and a melancholic expression. The sight of Morales with his family seemed to have touched him deeply, reminding him of his own father, whom he believed to be lost.

Shane's voice brought Glenn back to the moment. "Weren't you trapped? How the hell did you manage to escape?"

Morales, still panting and with a smile on his face, replied without hesitation, "It was thanks to Glenn. He had a crazy idea, but it worked. He managed to get us out of there. And there was another guy too... He helped a lot. He's a police officer, like you."

Before Shane could respond, Morales turned towards the van and called out, "Hey, helicopter boy, come introduce yourself to the rest of the group!"

Rick appeared hesitant, still getting out of the van. His steps were slow, and his head down revealed his reluctance to expose himself. When he finally looked up, Glenn noticed the disbelief in his eyes. It was as if he were in a dream, trying to understand if it was really real.

Shane stared at Rick as if he had seen a ghost, his face quickly shifting from surprise to disbelief. But what happened next stole all the attention.

Carl, who until then had been next to Lori, saw Rick and froze for a moment. His eyes widened, and then he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Dad!"

He dashed towards Rick, tears already streaming down his face, while Lori, also overcome with emotion, ran right behind him. Rick opened his arms to receive Carl, falling to his knees as he hugged him tightly.

"Thank God... thank you... thank you." Rick whispered, his voice choked with tears, as he held his son as if he would never let him go again. Lori arrived shortly after, enveloping them both in an embrace that seemed to reunite the family once more.

Glenn watched the scene with a discreet smile. He couldn't help but find the irony in all of it. 'So, the man I saved was Shane's partner. The one everyone thought had died before all this started... Well, I guess not,' thought Glenn, letting out a small satisfied laugh.

He leaned against the hood of the Challenger, crossing his arms and savoring the reunion, a moment of hope amidst so much chaos.