[crackling]
[twig snaps]
Someone there?
I mean, not one of the passed?
[clears throat]
I haven't used my voice in a while.
Am I talking loud?
[softly] I am.
Maybe, sir or madam, you are not there,
but it is something to hear your voice after a bit.
Just saying words.
Platypus.
Pasta.
Potable.
Hmm.
If you are there, you can come out. We can sit.
Split a can of Pecos Strawberries.
"Have a little badinage," my mama used to say.
That's just a fancy word for "chat". It's been...
I don't know. Maybe a year?
[clears throat]
I had a place where I was before.
I had a good metric ton of popcorn.
I still got a lot.
I can make some.
I just read books. I...
I watched movies, mostly.
But I read, I read books, now.
I got a few with me, if you have a need for reading material.
[exhales]
Well, since there is no one there,
before I go quiet again for maybe another year,
I might as well tell you that I did talk to someone.
She wasn't just someone.
She came to my door. Just showed up.
I let her stay. And, we fell...
We had feelings for each other.
One day, we allowed it. One day.
I just thought I'd say that.
Because I supposed I would see it when I said it.
And I did. And that was nice.
There ain't been a lot of nice.
[snarling]
[gunshot]
So, what's your story?
[opening theme music]
[knocking on door]
[Jesus] If you're gonna hit me with your stick, don't open the door!
Well, you know, if you're gonna try.
[sighs]
Looks like you've settled in out here.
I thought maybe, we could continue our acquaintance.
"Here" and "there" are just labels. It's all one place.
You could do all this somewhere else.
Or, well,
in the same place,
somewhere else.
[Morgan chuckles]
Come on.
The reason we fought is because you wanted to protect people.
You care about people.
You should be with them.
[knocking on door]
[Carol] It's me.
Come back to The Kingdom.
You helped me. You did. Let me help you.
I don't want to tell you what to do.
[sighs]
But you know who I am,
and I know who you are.
You belong with people who care about you.
[knock on door]
[Rick] Come on, Morgan!
You can hide, but you can't run.
Look, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you.
I wouldn't.
I was hurt.
You brought me in.
You didn't have to.
Morgan, you don't have a gunshot in your side,
but you are hurt.
Come back with me.
Don't wait this time. Don't waste one more second.
You're alive. You're part of the world.
Look, I'm here, now.
A lot of people are here now because you helped me
right at the beginning.
That's not me any more, Rick.
It is.
You'll end up with people one way or another.
You're connected. It'll be a shout from outside that door.
Me asking for help,
Maggie...
You're a part of the world already.
You'll find your way back to it,
because it'll find its way back to you, so, just...
Come back.
[chuckles]
Like I said, you can hide,
but you can't run.
[door opening]
[door closes]
[Rick] Thanks for letting me in. You don't have to be out here.
Look, I came for you before.
Don't wait this time. Don't waste one more second.
You're alive.
Thanks for letting me in.
You can hide, but you can't run.
You know what it is.
[snarling]
[knocks on car window]
[snarling continues]
[car engine starts]
[indistinct chatter]
[bird chittering]
[glass shatters]
[brakes screech]
[walkers snarling]
[knocks]
[man coughing]
[coughing continues]
[shivering]
[unzips bag]
Take that shit home.
- Take it back! - I'm just trying to help.
It looked like you were on your own.
We're always on our own.
Shut the door.
[thunder rumbling]
[snarling]
[John]...I just thought I'd say that.
Because I supposed I would see it when I said it.
- And I did. - [snarling]
[gunshot]
[body thuds]
So, what's your story?
I'm just passing through.
Well, why don't you come on, and sit a spell?
I don't know how much you heard, but I...
It's been a while since I talked to someone.
I'm John.
John Dorie, like the fish, but 'I-E', no 'Y'.
Morgan.
Are you hungry, Morgan?
Because I could cook you something.
I got beans, and I got beans.
No, thank you.
Hey.
- It's tasty. - No.
Where you from?
Back east.
- You walk? - I ran.
[chuckles]
Hey,
in your travels, did you, uh,
come across a woman carrying a pistol like this?
Identical, in point of fact.
I've been looking for her for some time.
Not seen anybody like that.
I'm gonna go.
Hey... Uh, there's no sense in setting out this time at night.
Why don't you take the back of the truck? I'll take the cab.
Or vice versa.
I think having a covered place to lay your head
would give you some relief, having come as far as you have.
Yeah.
[John snoring]
[thwacks]
[rustling]
Oh.
[gun cocks]
Whatever you're thinking, don't.
This looks handy. You some kind of karate man?
I'm just passing through.
Keep the food.
Give me back the rest, and I'll be on my way.
Afraid you ain't exactly in a position to bargain.
We just can't have you telling folks about our little mousetrap here.
I got nobody to tell.
I don't know anybody here. Don't wanna know anybody.
- [gunshot] - [exclaims]
[cocks gun]
I got no beef with you gentlemen.
I'm just looking out for my friend.
We have friends, too.
I'd like to take this opportunity to apologise for shooting your gun.
Karate man, and a gunslinger. How about that?
[revolver cylinder turning]
Now, that's an antique.
Only one other one like it. So, I'd appreciate it if you'd...
[truck approaching]
Thought you didn't drive at night, Al.
Was parked nearby. Heard a shot.
Wanted to see what was what. So, what's what?
[Leland] He said he was on his own. His friend damn near shot my hand off.
New people. I like new people.
Just keep driving, Al. We're good here.
You don't look good. You look hungry.
I got a case... Cup o'noodles in the back.
Korean brand.
It's got that kimchi powder you mix up on top.
Not enough, Al.
I'll throw in a case of Pall Malls. I know how you love your Pall Malls.
You got your hand on the lever?
Why in the hell you acting like we have a choice?
There's always a choice, Leland.
[mechanism creaking]
This just happens to be an easy one.
Hey, thanks for giving us a hand back there.
- "Al", is it? - Althea, actually.
There's a candy for you.
[Althea] Thank you.
Leland and his boys have gotten pretty desperate.
Seems like every store, kitchen, and pantry from here to Tyler
is picked over down to the studs.
I'm guessing from your vehicle,
that you are, or were an officer of the law?
[Althea] Not exactly.
I'd like to get out of here, please.
Anywhere along here is fine.
[Althea] Sorry, guys. Didn't rescue you out of the goodness of my heart.
You guys owe me.
[hissing]
Uh, I don't mean to be ungrateful, ma'am,
but my truck's parked in that town back there.
All right. Who wants to go first?
[cocks gun] Ho!
- You're quick. - I am.
Well, easy there, cowboy.
I didn't save you, so I could kill you.
I just want to ask you a few questions.
- Questions? - Yeah.
What you've seen. Who you've met.
- Where you've been. Where you're going. - Why?
It's for a story.
I'm a journalist.
- [Althea] You were alone at the cabin. - Yeah.
- Before Lauren showed up? - Laura.
- Right. Sorry. - Nope. Nobody.
I talked to myself a lot, but I had to quit.
[Althea] Why?
[chuckles] I started enjoying that conversation too much.
[Althea laughs]
What else can you tell me about Laura? In case we ever cross paths?
Mmm...
- She enjoyed a Blackjack. - A card player?
Taffy. Licorice.
- I never much cared for them before. - And, now?
I don't mind them.
- You think you'll find her? - I know I will.
How exactly did you get split up?
[sighs]
I'm afraid that's not a very happy story.
- Most aren't, nowadays. - Ours will be.
This one will be, once we find our way back to each other.
Is that...
- Great. Thank you. - Sure.
[Althea] How about you?
- How long you been on the road? - What does it matter?
[stammering] These questions. There's no news stations left.
I saved you. Noodles and effort.
You owe me.
No.
I don't need that. I need your story.
What brought you out here? You going somewhere?
- Getting away from... - I didn't ask you to save me.
I'm gonna go. Or, are you saying I can't?
[John] Hold up. Hold up, friend.
Hey, you've been held at gunpoint with somebody,
I think you earned the right to call him friend.
I don't want to answer any more questions. I just want to be left be.
Well, I just want to give you something. Okay?
Clean socks. Worth their weight in gold.
'Course gold ain't worth much, nowadays.
I seen the pair you was wearing around the campfire.
I think it's time for an upgrade.
- Thanks. - Apologies about the corn.
Especially since they're for your feet.
You sure you're gonna be all right out there on your own?
This world, we're always on our own.
Wait. Wait.
[Leland] Morning, Al.
Hands.
Okay.
[Leland] I wouldn't do that.
Yeah, you're not so tough without the lever.
[gun cocks]
This doesn't have to be hard, Al. We just want the truck.
Why don't you give us the keys?
Hands.
Let's go.
- Stick. I ain't gonna ask twice, man. - [cocks gun]
[gunshot]
[gunshots]
[glass shatters]
[Althea grunting]
[grunts]
[gunshots]
[windowpane shatters]
[walkers snarling]
[gunshots continue]
[keys jingling]
No!
[gunshots]
[snarling]
Al!
[screams]
[gunshot]
[exclaims]
[groans]
[grunts]
[walkers snarling]
[shouts]
[grunting]
[screaming]
[explosion]
- [Althea] You okay? - Go. Go!
Get to the van!
[snarling]
[Althea groans]
Keys don't work, sweetheart.
Because they go to my footlocker, asshole.
Morgan!
Get up.
- Hand over the keys. - You don't look so hot.
- The keys! - Al!
- [gunshot] - [shouts]
[Leland shouting]
Get down!
John! John!
[guns firing]
[panting]
[groans]
Oh, my...
Everybody in one piece?
[Morgan groans]
Boy, I tell you what. That is some ugly mustard.
Gets the job done. Thanks for the assist.
That guy, he was a unique kind of asshole.
But I did not want to kill anybody today.
[moans]
Anybody know what that 51 means?
Markers like that had been popping up around here the last few weeks,
but never anyone around to ask but the dead.
The dead? I call them "the passed".
We call them "walkers" where I'm from.
Look at that. A piece of personal history.
You still owe me.
Then pull over.
[Althea] Your name?
Morgan Jones.
Where do you come from?
Atlanta, and, um,
then Virginia.
How'd you get here?
I ran.
Then I walked. Drove.
Walked again.
Were you part of a settlement in Virginia?
A couple.
Can you tell me about them?
[chuckles]
One of them was called Alexandria,
and then there was a place called The Kingdom.
- Actually had a, had a king. - A king?
Even had a pet tiger.
[laughs]
All right, we're gonna have to sidebar that one.
These settlements, were they good places to live?
They were safe places.
Good people inside. I had been with some of them for a while. I...
What happened?
There was a fight with another group. It was a big, big group.
We won.
But you didn't stay.
I already left before I left.
I don't understand.
Did they do something?
Or, did you?
I told you things, and that was the trade.
You told me you were with good people in Virginia, and then you left.
Why, were you trying to get something? Get away from something?
How about you tell me about you? Like, how'd you get this van?
And why asking total strangers questions like this is so important to you?
Huh?
Look, I saved your ass.
And we saved yours.
Oh...
I want to thank you both for your help,
but I think it's time that I was going on my way.
- What about your leg? - No, I'm fine.
- Morgan. - Man, I told you I'm fine.
Tell me one real thing, then we'll call it even.
Why'd you leave Virginia?
[sniffs]
I lose people, and then I lose myself.
[stick clacking]
[knocks]
Anybody there?
[walkers snarling]
No.
[Morgan panting]
Son of a...
[body thuds]
You're wrong. What you said before.
About being on your own.
[Morgan groans]
Here you go. Okay?
Thank you.
Morgan.
That walker, I need to know.
All right. Hey, hey, all right. Wait, wait, wait. All right.
Give it to me. Come on.
All right.
Thank you.
[walker snarling]
Okay.
[stick clacking]
[snarls]
[body thuds]
I'm glad we found you.
I'm just travelling with you till this leg heals up.
And no more questions.
I'm not gonna stop asking you questions. Especially about that tiger.
- No more answers, then. - [laughs] Fair play.
Come on.
It's tasty.
Where we headed?
Well, Al took me back to my truck, but it wouldn't start.
Now, she's taking me to look for Laura.
In exchange for more of his story.
That's right. That's right.
I don't know if I'll find her. I don't.
I just don't think about that part because it don't do me no good.
But I recognise it as truth. [inhales deeply]
Truth is something you can't get around.
No, you can't.
There's somebody up ahead.
[John grunts]
[John] Oh, come on.
[John grunts]
Thought you said there weren't a lot of people around these parts.
There aren't.
[shuts off engine]
- Take this. - Can't.
I don't kill.
[chuckles]
Come on, dude, you gotta answer some of my questions at some point.
I don't kill, either. At least I try not to.
Great moment for both of you to share this fact.
[woman gasping]
You injured?
- She all right? - [Althea] Can you bring the first aid kit?
[woman gasping]
What happened?
There are bad people. There are bad people here.
Where?
Drop it.
Hey, hey! Drop it! Drop it!
- Drop it. - [Morgan] Okay, okay.
- Drop it! - [stick clatters]
[groans]
So, what the hell's your story?
[closing theme music]