TWD: The Burden We Bear

Eddie woke up that morning feeling the RV come to a halt. He slowly got up from the table, his joints stiff from sleeping in an awkward position, and looked across at Lilly, who had her head resting on the table, still in a deep slumber.

As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, two thoughts consumed him. The first, the less pressing of the two, was the unsettling realization that he and Lilly had finally reached a consensus about their situation: someone had to leave the group, and that someone was Ben. Lilly had dispatched him efficiently, a fact that Eddie couldn't help but appreciate, despite the grim nature of it all.

The second thought weighed heavier on his heart. His parents, Kenny and Katjaa, had delivered the devastating news that his little brother, Duck, had been bitten—right on the stomach. It was a detail that cut deeper than any other, especially since it seemed no one had noticed the bite until it was too late. Eddie had cried himself to sleep, the image of his brother's suffering haunting him.

"Fucking Ben," Eddie cursed silently. Because of that coward's actions, not only had they left all their supplies behind at the motel, but now his little brother was dying too.

Suddenly, Kenny's voice broke through his thoughts. "We got something up ahead." He paused, then muttered, "Damn it. Road's blocked. Now we gotta deal with this."

The RV came to a stop in front of a railroad crossing, where a train stood motionless on the tracks. Lee, Kenny, and Eddie stepped out of the RV to assess the situation.

"We can't get around it... I think," Eddie said, scanning the area.

"Looks like it. On foot, maybe. But we can't really afford to do that now," Kenny replied, his brow furrowed with concern.

"This seems like a safe area. All this brush will stop anything from creeping up on us," Lee suggested, trying to maintain a sense of optimism.

"And I'd like everyone out of the RV," Kenny added firmly.

Clementine emerged first, a backpack slung over her shoulder. Katjaa followed, gently holding Duck's hand as they both climbed out. Lilly stepped out next, wiping the remnants of sleep from her eyes, and Carley trailed behind, tucking her weapon into the back of her pants.

"Come on, Lee. Let's look around," Eddie said, gesturing for Lee to follow as he made his way toward the train.

"Yeah, everyone else relax. Clem, stay close to Carley, okay?" Lee instructed gently, guiding Clementine with a hand on her back.

"Eddie, hun, if you come across anything to drink—like a dining car or something—Duck's a bit dehydrated," Katjaa said, concern etched on her face.

"Of course!" Eddie replied, not looking back as he moved toward the train.

"It's a freighter, hon," Kenny added to Katjaa. "Be careful in there!" he called out, his voice echoing slightly in the stillness.

Settling on some logs nearby the train, Kenny, Clementine, and Katjaa sat down with Duck cradled in her arms. Eddie, inside the train cart, found a bottle of water and rushed to give it to Duck. He gently patted his little brother's head, feeling a tremor in his lips but quickly turning away to swallow his emotions.

Seeking a distraction, he approached Carley. "What would you have done with Ben?" he asked, curiosity tinged with bitterness.

"Well, not kill him... or maybe yes…" she sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "I don't know. Lee's the one who knows how to deal with these things."

"Well, I say he deserved it. Because of him, we lost all our supplies, and now Duck is bitten too," Eddie replied, crossing his arms tightly.

"I'm really sorry about that," she said, her tone sincere.

"It's not your fault…" Eddie sighed, shaking his head. "Don't apologize for it."

Eddie stepped away, feeling the weight of the moment settle heavily on his shoulders. He and Lee moved closer to the freighter, and as Eddie prepared to open the cab door, he caught sight of something inside—a walker, its back turned to him.

"Well…" Eddie sighed, pulling out his machete.

Lee joined him by the window. "We got one," Eddie stated.

With a deep breath, Eddie opened the door and swung his weapon at the figure, only to realize it was already dead—its head missing a large chunk. The body thudded to the floor.

"It seems he didn't become a walker at all," Eddie commented, unfazed by the grim discovery.

Lee noticed an orange button blinking. "That light is blinking."

"Push it," Eddie urged.

"Push it? Are you fucking serious?" Lee replied incredulously.

"My friend's dad was a freighter driver, and he snuck us into one like this. He told us that button is for the brakes," Eddie explained, his tone laced with nostalgia.

"Hoh?" Lee made an intrigued sound, his curiosity piqued. He examined the button and pressed it.

The train squealed in response, and Kenny's face broke into a grin. "I'll be damned! It's still working!"

"I was right," Eddie said smugly, the hint of a smile barely breaking through his grim facade.

"As usual, huh?" Lee rolled his eyes but couldn't help but smile back.

Kenny climbed into the cab. "This fucker works?"

"Seems like it," Lee confirmed.

"Now how the hell do we get it movin'?" Kenny asked, settling into the front seat.

"I don't know, ask Mister Amtrak over here," Lee said, tilting his head toward Eddie, who was dragging the dead body outside.

"Just a moment," Eddie muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

When Eddie returned, he began explaining to Kenny how to get the train moving with the limited knowledge he had. They discussed various levers and gears, Eddie doing his best to recall the mechanics his friend's dad had explained to him long ago.

After some time, their group encountered a homeless man named Chuck, who turned out to be living in the train. He was surprisingly friendly and normal, providing a brief sense of comfort.

Meanwhile, Lee worked to cut loose the crashed train car, preparing everything necessary to get the train moving again. Once he was done, Kenny approached the group outside.

"We don't got much left, so just gather whatever you have. Let's go," he instructed.

Everyone made their way to the train as Kenny looked back at Chuck. "Want a ride?"

"Well, it sounds like you're taking my home," Chuck replied, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"So yes then," Kenny said, and Chuck hopped into the boxcar.

"Duck's sick," Clementine said sadly, her small voice barely above a whisper.

"Get on the train, Clementine," Kenny said, his frown deepening.

Eddie sighed, feeling a wave of frustration. "Don't take it out on her."

Clementine climbed aboard, followed closely by Carley and Lilly, both of whom had been unusually quiet since the incident with the motel and Ben.

"He's getting sicker," Katjaa said, her voice trembling as she cradled Duck.

"Let me look at him," Kenny replied, his brows furrowing in concern. He examined Duck, taking a step back upon noticing how pale and sickly the boy had become.

Eddie clenched his teeth, shaking his head as he stepped onto the train, running a hand through his hair in frustration. He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact of his little brother dying.

Inside the train, everyone except Kenny settled in the boxcar, noticing Duck's worsening condition.

"Got to be hard on ya, huh? Five adults taking care of three kids; no disrespect, son," Chuck said, looking at Eddie with sympathy.

Eddie frowned, his heart heavy.

"We'll be fine. We've gone through just as much as anybody else," Lilly replied, fidgeting nervously with her fingers.

"This one's gonna grow up quick," Chuck remarked.

"I already did," Eddie said, leaning against a carton box, feeling the weight of the world pressing down on him.

Suddenly, Duck coughed violently, blood spilling from his mouth.

"Lee! Lee! I need you. Right now. I need you to go get Ken," Katjaa urged, her voice rising in panic.

Eddie rushed over and wiped the blood off Duck's face with his shirt, feeling the warmth of his brother's skin, then sat back down, unable to look at him.

"He's out of time. We need to stop this train," Katjaa said, desperation creeping into her voice.

"Okay," Lee nodded, determination in his eyes.

"Please," Katjaa pleaded, her voice breaking.

"I'm gonna go get Kenny," Lee said to Clementine. "Stay close to Carley."

Clementine settled next to Carley, who absentmindedly wrapped her arm around the young girl for comfort.

Eddie watched Lee leave the boxcar, a dead look in his eyes, instinctively reaching for his cigarettes in habit. He had left them in his vest though, and the absence only reminded him of what happened. He sighed heavily, his thoughts spiraling.

Time seemed to stretch as they waited, and eventually, the train came to a halt. Everyone got off, the air thick with tension.

"Ken, it's... I think it's time," Katjaa said, her voice trembling.

"The boy's been bit. In case you haven't figured that out," Kenny replied, his tone edged with grief as he spoke to Chuck, who looked away sadly.

"Dad... Mom..." Eddie gulped back tears, shaking his head. "I... I can't." He turned away, needing space to breathe but not going far.

Clementine walked over to him, wrapping her small arms around his waist, trying to offer comfort.

Eddie shook, teetering on the brink of breaking down, but he fought to hold it back. He glanced back, seeing Kenny and Katjaa disappearing into the woods, Duck in Katjaa's arms.

Lee approached, his expression heavy with empathy. "Eddie, I'm so sorry. I know this is hard. We're going to put Duck out of his misery. It's what he would want."

Before Eddie could respond, a sharp gunshot rang out, shattering the moment.

"What the?!" Lee exclaimed, turning toward the sound.

"No!!!" Kenny's anguished scream echoed through the trees.

Eddie's heart raced as he instinctively ran toward the sound, hearing Lee's voice call out and then follow him.

When he arrived, his heart sank. Duck was propped against a tree, still alive, but Katjaa lay motionless on the ground, having shot herself in the head. Kenny held her body, his cries piercing the air.

Eddie's breath became ragged, his eyes darting between Kenny, Katjaa, and Duck. "W-w-what... what the fuck?" Tears began to fall, finally breaking through the dam he had built inside.

"Kat! Kat! Katjaa! Why, Kat? Honey, oh, fuckin' God!" Kenny sobbed, cradling her lifeless form.

"What the hell happened?! What did you...?" Lee asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

"She couldn't... she just... fuck. Oh, fuck!" Kenny stuttered, raw anguish etched across his face.

Kenny gently brushed his hand over Katjaa's face to close her eyes, then picked up the gun, approaching Duck.

Eddie felt paralyzed, stepping back and forth as if caught in a storm of confusion. "No... fuck no... Mom... why...?" He raked a hand through his hair, his thoughts spiraling out of control. "No... No!" He sobbed, his heart breaking.

Kenny brushed his hand over Katjaa's face one last time, picked up the gun, and pointed it at Duck.

Eddie shook his head, disbelief flooding through him as he walked away. But as he turned to leave, another gunshot echoed in the stillness, this time for Duck.