Quarry Rick stares at a sunrise over Atlanta as he tries to reach Morgan on the walkie-talkie.
Rick: Morgan, I don't know if you're out there. I don't know if you can hear me. Maybe you're listening right now. I hope so. I found others... my family, if you can believe it. My wife and son, they're alive. I wanted you to know that. There's something else you need to know. Atlanta isn't what we thought. It's not what they promised. The city is... Do not enter the city. It belongs to the dead now. We're camped a few miles northwest, up by a big abandoned rock quarry. You can see it on a map. I hope you come find us. But be careful. Last night walkers came out of the woods. We lost people. Watch yourself, Morgan. Take care of your boy. I'll try you again tomorrow at dawn. Survival Camp Andrea keeps vigil over the body of her dead sister Amy. Lori comes to her.
Lori: Andrea. I'm so sorry. She's gone. You got to let us take her. We all cared about her and I promise we'll be as gentle as we can. The survivors of the attack start to clean up, burning the walker bodies and burying the dead from their group. Daryl swings at dead walkers' heads with a pickaxe as Glenn and T-Dog throw bodies in a fire.
Rick: She still won't move?
Lori: She won't even talk to us. She's been there all night. What do we do?
Shane: Can't just leave Amy like that. We need to deal with it same as the others.
Rick: I'll tell her how it is. Rick tries to approach Andrea but she pulls a gun on him.
Rick: Andrea.
Andrea: I know how the safety works.
Rick: All right. Okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Rick backs off.
OPENING CREDITS
Survival Camp
Daryl: Y'all can't be serious. Let that girl hamstring us? The dead girl's a time bomb.
Rick: What do you suggest?
Daryl: Take the shot. Clean, in the brain from here. Hell, I can hit a turkey between the eyes from this distance.
Lori: No. For God's sakes, let her be. Survival Camp
Daryl: Wake up, Jimbo. We've got some work to do. Morales and Daryl drag the body of a dead camper toward the fire.
Morales: Thanks. Thanks.
Glenn: What are you guys doing? This is for geeks. Our people go over there.
Daryl: What's the difference? They're all infected.
Glenn: Our people go in that row over there. We don't burn them! We bury them. Understand? Our people go in that row over there. Daryl and Morales drag the body toward the digging hole.
Daryl: You reap what you sow.
Morales: You know what? Shut up, man.
Daryl: Y'all left my brother for dead. You had this coming. Jacqui and Jim pile up bodies. Jacqui notices blood on Jim's shirt.
Jacqui: Are you bleeding?
Jim: I just got some on me from the bodies.
Jacqui: That blood is fresh. Were you bit?
Jim: No. I got scratched during the attack.
Jacqui: You got bit.
Jim: I'm fine.
Jacqui: Then show me.
Jim: Don't tell, please.
Jacqui: A walker got him. A walker bit Jim. All the guys come around him, worried.
Jim: I'm okay. I'm okay.
Daryl: Show it to us. Show it to us.
Shane: Easy, Jim.
Daryl: Grab him. Jim takes the shovel on the floor.
Shane: Jim, put it down. Put it down. T-Dog catches Jim back and holds him.
Jim: I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay. Daryl lifts Jim's shirt, revealing a deep wound.
Jim: I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay. Survival Camp Later, the guys, Lori and Jacqui are talking about Jim's case.
Daryl: I say we put a pickaxe in his head and the dead girl's and be done with it.
Shane: Is that what you'd want if it were you?
Daryl: Yeah, and I'd thank you while you did it.
Dale: I hate to say it... I never thought I would... but maybe Daryl's right.
Rick: Jim's not a monster, Dale, or some rabid dog.
Dale: I'm not suggesting...
Rick: He's sick. A sick man. We start down that road, where do we draw the line?
Daryl: The line's pretty clear. Zero tolerance for walkers, or them to be.
Rick: What if we can get him help? I heard the C.D.C. was working on a cure.
Shane: I heard that too. Heard a lot of things before the world went to hell.
Rick: What if the C.D.C. is still up and running?
Shane: Man, that is a stretch right there.
Rick: Why? If there's any government left, any structure at all, they'd protect the C.D.C. at all costs, wouldn't they? I think it's our best shot. Shelter, protection...
Shane: Okay, Rick, you want those things, all right? I do too, okay? Now if they exist, they're at the army base. Fort Benning.
Lori: That's 100 miles in the opposite direction.
Shane: That is right. But it's away from the hot zone. Now listen to me. If that place is operational, it'll be heavily armed. We'd be safe there.
Rick: The military were on the front lines of this thing. They got overrun. We've all seen that. The C.D.C. is our best choice and Jim's only chance.
Daryl: You go looking for aspirin, do what you need to do. Someone needs to have some balls to take care of this damn problem!
Shane: Hey hey hey! Daryl heads toward Jim with his pickaxe and tries to take a swing. Rick points his gun at Daryl's head.
Rick: We don't kill the living.
Daryl: That's funny coming from a man who just put a gun to my head.
Shane: We may disagree on some things, not on this. You put it down. Go on. Daryl puts the pickaxe down and goes away.
Rick: Come with me.
Jim: Where are you taking me?
Rick: Somewhere safe. Rick takes Jim with him. Survival Camp Dale sits beside Andrea.
Dale: I came to pay my respects. Did I ever mention how I lost my wife?
Andrea: Cancer, wasn't it?
Dale: Yeah. I dragged her to every doctor, every test. And after all the surgeries and the chemos, she was ready. She accepted it, you know? But I never could. And I spent the last few years so angry. I felt so cheated. Since she passed, you girls were the first people... That I cared anything for.
Dale: This is her birthday?
Andrea: Her birthday was always like... like a week long affair. But I somehow always missed it. I was away at college or too busy for kid's parties. She'd call all excited. I always said that I'd make it home and I really always meant to, but I never made it past that phone call.
Dale: I know things are hard enough for you without adding guilt into the mix, huh? Andrea pulls out the mermaid necklace and wraps it around Amy's neck. Survival Camp Nearby, Daryl continues to swing the pickaxe into dead walkers' skulls. When he gets to Ed, Carol stops him.
Carol: I'll do it. He's my husband. She swings the pickaxe down on Ed's skull repeatedly and all of her anger against her abusive husband is let loose. Survival Camp Andrea hears Amy breathing. On the ground, Amy begins to stir. She opens her eyes.
Andrea: Amy. Amy, I'm sorry. Amy reaches for Andrea. Her eyes are bloodshot and she moans and paws at the air.
Andrea: I'm sorry for not ever being there. I always thought there'd be more time. I'm here now, Amy. I'm here. I love you. She's a walker now. Andrea sobs and shoots Amy in the head. Quarry Rick and Shane dig graves near the campsite.
Rick: Say it.
Shane: Okay. I'm thinking if you'd of stayed here, if you'd have looked after your own... Instead you went off. You took half our manpower with you. I'm thinking maybe our losses wouldn't have been so bad.
Rick: If we hadn't gone off and brought those guns back when we did, I think our losses would have been a lot worse. Maybe the entire camp. The truck approaches and Daryl gets out of it.
Daryl: I still think it's a mistake not burning these bodies. It's what we said we'd do, right? Burn 'em all, wasn't that the idea?
Shane: At first.
Daryl: The Chinaman gets all emotional, says it's not the thing to do, we just follow him along? These people need to know who the hell's in charge here, what the rules are.
Rick: There are no rules.
Lori: Well, that's a problem. We haven't had one minute to hold onto anything of our old selves. We need time to mourn and we need to bury our dead. It's what people do.
RV
In the RV, Jim is lying and hallucinating. He sees zombies growling. Oh no. No no no no. No, not this, please. No no no. Oh, no no no. No no. Quarry The survivors stage a funeral. Andrea and Dale are carrying Amy's body and putting it into a digging hole. Andrea is crying.
Andrea: I can do it. I can do it. I can do it! I can do it. Survival Camp The survivors are leaving the quarry to come back to the camp.
Rick: Burying other people is bad enough, but the thought of one of us...
Lori: Shh.
Carl: Are we safe now, dad? Now that we're together?
Rick: I won't leave again. I promise you that. Not for anything. Now give me a chance to discuss some things with your mom, okay?
Carl: Yeah.
Rick: All right. All right. Carl goes back to the camp. Rick takes Lori's hand.
Rick: Shane blames me for not being here. Do you? We got guns now. We're stronger.
Lori: And we have fewer people. That makes us weaker. You want me to say I think you were right? I understand that. All I can say is that neither one of you is entirely wrong. It's the best I can do right now.
Rick: What about the C.D.C.?
Lori: Rick...
Rick: We're at the ragged edge here. We need relief and we got a sick man who needs help. I don't know why people can't see that.
Lori: Well, look at their faces. Look at mine. We're all terrified. If one of us suggested, based on a hunch, that we head toward that city, you'd have no part of it. Tell me something with certainty.
Rick: I love you. That's all I got.
Lori: I love you too. They hug.
RV
In the RV, Rick and Lori enter and join Jim and Carol.
Carol: His fever is worse.
Lori: You need anything?
Jim: Uh... Water. Could use more water.
Lori: I'll get some.
Jim: Okay.
Lori: Carol, you help me? Lori and Carol get out of the RV. Rick sits next to Jim.
Jim: You save a grave for me?
Rick: Nobody wants that.
Jim: It's not about what you want. That, uh... that sound you hear, that's God laughing while you make plans.
Rick: What I want, Jim, if... if God allows, is to get you some help. Jim groans and spits. Jim starts being delirious.
Jim: Watch the mangroves. Their roots will gouge the whole boat. You know that, right? Amy is there swimming. You'll watch the boat, right? You said you would.
Rick: I'll watch the boat. Don't worry.
Jim: Okay. Outside Shane joins Lori.
Shane: I need you to help talk some sense into Rick. Look, this C.D.C. thing, Lori, it's a mistake. So you're backing him?
Lori: What else would I do? He's my husband.
Shane: Look, it may be time for you to play the dutiful wife, but you can't tell me that fixing your marriage is worth putting people's lives at risk.
Lori: I think folks around here can make up their minds without bringing my marriage into it. It's a habit you need to break.
Shane: I guess I'll just add it to the list of habits that I'm breaking whether I like it or not. Rick emerges.
Rick: What habits?
Shane: Just talking about my need for a plan, man. So what is it? Are we leaving or not? Maybe y'all just want to stay here. We could hang some more tin cans.
Rick: We can't stay here. We both know that.
Lori: I was just telling Shane I think we should trust your gut.
Shane: Let's go do our sweep. Forest Rick, Shane and Dale depart to sweep the forest for walkers.
Shane: Tell you what, man, these people, man, they're not convinced. You know? You head to the C.D.C., you might be on your own. You gotta really consider whether you want to put Lori and Carl in that kind of spot.
Rick: I got to do what's best for my family.
Shane: Best for your family? What's that? Exposing them to all kinds of risks?
Rick: As opposed to what? Crossing 100 miles of hostile territory? If we're looking for a lifeline, I say swim toward the closest ship, not further out to sea. Why can't you back me up?
Shane: Look, I want to. It's just... I don't see it.
Rick: If it was your family, you'd feel differently.
Shane: What did you say to me? I kept 'em safe, man. I looked after them like they were my own. That's what I did.
Rick: I didn't mean it that way.
Shane: Well, how'd you mean it? Go on, man. How'd you mean it?
Rick: You're misinterpreting me.
Shane: All right.
Rick: You're just hearing it wrong.
Shane: Yeah?
Rick: Look, you know... You know I can never repay that debt, okay? A branch snaps. Rick draws away. From a distance, Shane's aim lands on Rick. Glaring, he drops the gun, then notices Dale watching him.
Dale: Jesus. Shane chuckles.
Shane: I know. Gonna have to start wearing reflective vests out here. Seriously. Come on, man. Come on, man, let's go. Nothing out here. Dale watches Shane leaving, worried.
[SCENE_BREAK]
Survival Camp Dale, Rick and Shane come back to the camp.
Shane: I've been, uh... I've been thinking about Rick's plan. Now look, there are no... There are no guarantees either way. I'll be the first one to admit that. I've known this man a long time. I trust his instincts. I say the most important thing here is we need to stay together. So those of you that agree, we leave first thing in the morning.
Rick: Okay? Quarry At dawn, Rick tries to once again reach Morgan to advise him of their plan.
Rick: We're moving out, leaving the quarry. If you heard me yesterday, you may be coming here. If you are, we'll be gone by the time you arrive. I'm leaving a note and map behind for you taped to a red car so you can follow our trail. We're heading to the C.D.C. If there's anything left, it's got to be there, don't you think? Morgan... I hope you were right about that place. I need you to be.
RV
Suddenly, Jim wakes up and coughs. Outside
Shane: Everybody listen up. Those of you with C.B.s, we're gonna be on channel 40. Let's keep the chatter down, okay? Now you got a problem, don't have a C.B., can't get a signal or anything at all, you're gonna hit your horn one time. That'll stop the caravan. Any questions?
Morales: We're, uh... We're... we're not going.
Miranda: We have family in Birmingham. We want to be with our people.
Shane: You go on your own, you won't have anyone to watch your back.
Morales: We'll take the chance. I got to do what's best for my family.
Rick: You sure?
Morales: We talked about it. We're sure.
Rick: All right. Shane.
Shane: Yeah, all right.
Rick: 357?
Shane: Yeah. Rick hands Morales a gun and Shane hands him ammo.
Shane: The box is half full.
Miranda: Thank you all... For everything. Lori and Miranda hug.
Lori: Come here.
Shane: Good luck, man.
Morales: Appreciate it.
Shane: Yeah. Eliza hugs Sophia.
Eliza: Bye.
Miranda: Thank you. Miranda and Jacqui hug. Eliza gives her doll to Sophia, who is crying.
Eliza: Bye.
Rick: Channel 40 if you change your minds. All right?
Morales: Yeah. Carol takes her daughter in her arms.
Carol: I know. Morales, his wife Miranda and children go away.
Shane: What makes you think our odds are any better? Come on. Let's go. Let's move out. They part ways. A note is sitting on the sports car for Morgan. Road Dale is driving his RV, while Jacqui takes care of Jim, who is in pain, and Glenn is next to Dale. Rick is driving a car with Lori by his side, Carl and Sophia on the backseat, followed by Shane's car, T-Dog's car with Andrea, and Daryl's car with a motorcycle on it. Roadside En route to the CDC, the RV's radiator hose bursts.
Dale: I told you we'd never get far on that hose. I said I needed the one from the cube van.
Rick: Can you jury-rig it?
Dale: That's all it's been so far. It's more duct tape than hose. And I'm out of duct tape.
Shane: I see something up ahead. A gas station if we're lucky. Jacqui gets out of the RV.
Jacqui: Y'all, Jim... It's bad. I don't think he can take anymore. She goes back to Jim.
Shane: Hey, Rick, you want to hold down the fort? I'll drive ahead, see what I can bring back.
T-Dog: Yeah, I'll come along too and I'll back you up.
Shane: Y'all keep your eyes open now. We'll be right back. While Shane and T-Dog drive ahead to find a replacement, Rick checks on Jim, who is in agony.
RV
Rick: We'll be back on the road soon.
Jim: Oh no. Christ... My bones... My bones are like glass. Every little bump... God, this ride is killing me. Leave me here. I'm done. Just leave me. I want to be with my family.
Rick: They're all dead. I don't think you know what you're asking. The fever... You've been delirious more often than not.
Jim: I know. Don't you think I know?
Jim groans.
Jim: I'm clear now. In five minutes I may not be. Rick, I know what I'm asking. I want this. Leave me here. Now that's on me. Okay? My decision. Not your failure. Outside
Rick: It's what he says he wants.
Carol: And he's lucid?
Rick: He seems to be. I would say yes.
Dale: Back in the camp when I said Daryl might be right and you shut me down, you misunderstood. I would never go along with callously killing a man. I was just gonna suggest that we ask Jim what he wants. And I think we have an answer.
Shane: We just leave him here? We take off? Man, I'm not sure I could live with that.
Lori: It's not your call, either one of you. Rick and Shane carry Jim to a nearby tree.
Rick: Yeah. That's it. Jim groans.
Jim: Hey, another damn tree. Jim chuckles.
Shane: Hey, Jim... I mean, you know it doesn't need to be this.
Jim: No. It's good. The breeze feels nice.
Shane: Okay. All right.
Jacqui: Just close your eyes, sweetie. Don't fight. Jacqui kisses him on the cheek. Rick takes a gun and shows him.
Rick: Jim, do you want this?
Jim: No. You'll need it. I'm okay. I'm okay.
Dale: Oh. Hey. Thanks for, uh, for fighting for us.
Jim: Okay. The group departs after making goodbye signs to Jim. CDC Headquarters Wildfire MSB3417 Active - Begin Transmission: A video monitor crackles. An unshaven man, Dr. Jenner, speaks into the camera.
Dr. Jenner: Jenner here. It's day 194 since wildfire was declared and 63 days since the disease abruptly went global. There's no clinical progress to report. Item... I finally got the scrubbers in the east sector shut down to save power. Wish I could have done it a month ago, but it took me that long to figure it out. Too bad I never studied engineering. Could have saved a lot of amps. Item... I'm still not sleeping well. Can't seem to keep regular hours. Living underground doesn't help, not knowing if it's day or night. I'm just feeling very off-kilter Wildfire MSB3417 Active - End Transmission. Laboratory In a biohazard suit, Jenner passes through an airlock into a laboratory. He opens a tissue sample labeled TS-19 and begins an experiment. Reaching for a beaker, he accidentally knocks corrosive fluid on the tissue. An alarm sounds as Jenner runs to a decontamination chamber and disrobes.
Computer voice: Alert status. Air qualifiers indicate corrosive fumes. All personnel must clear the room. Corrosive element is deemed poisonous if inhaled. All personnel clear. Full decontamination in effect. From the safety of the airlock, Jenner watches helplessly as the lab, and all of the remaining TS-19 samples, are engulfed in flames - an automatic safety protocol.
Dr. Jenner: No!
Computer voice: Full decontamination complete. CDC Headquarters Later, a drunken Jenner speaks into the monitor.
Dr. Jenner: The TS19 samples are gone. The tragedy of their loss cannot be overstat. They were our freshest samples by far. None of the other samples we gathered even came close. Those are necrotic, useless dead flesh. I don't even know why I'm talking to you. I bet there isn't a single son of a bitch out there still listening, is there? Is there? Fine. Saves me the embarrassment. I think tomorrow I'm gonna blow my brains out. I haven't decided. But tonight, I'm getting drunk. He pours drink.
Dr. Jenner: Speaking of which, how far do you think I can chuck this, huh? Pretty far I bet. He throws the bottle away, shattering glass.
Dr. Jenner: Oh! It is out of the stadium! Outside The caravan arrives outside the compound. Surrounding the building are a lot of corpses, as well as swarms of flies. Rick's caravan approaches the CDC, where hundreds of bodies lay dead on the ground. The group quietly approaches the building.
Shane: All right, everybody. Keep moving. Go on. Stay quiet. Let's go. Okay, keep moving. Stay together.
Rick: Keep moving. Come on.
Jacqui: Shh.
Lori: Carol.
Shane: Shh.
Glenn: Oh, God. CDC Headquarters Inside the CDC, Jenner's proximity alarm sounds. Stunned, he watches the group's approach via a security monitor.
Dr. Jenner: No. Outside They reach the building which is locked and shuttered.
Shane: Keep it together. Come on.
Lori: We're almost there, baby. Almost there.
Shane: Nothing? Shane pounds on door.
T-Dog: There's nobody here.
Rick: Then why are these shutters down?
Daryl: Walkers!
Lori: Baby, come on. Daryl shoots the walker in the head.
Daryl: You led us into a graveyard!
Shane: He made a call.
Daryl: It was the wrong damn call!
Shane: Just shut up. You hear? Shut up. Shut up! Rick, this is a dead end.
Jacqui: Where are we gonna go?
Shane: Do you hear me? No blame.
Lori: She's right. We can't be here, this close to the city after dark.
Shane: Fort Benning, Rick... Still an option.
Andrea: On what? No food, no fuel. That's 100 miles.
Glenn: 125. I checked the map.
Lori: Forget Fort Benning. We need answers tonight, now.
Rick: We'll think of something.
Shane: Come on, let's go. Let's get out of here. Let's go. Please. Rick catches sight of the security camera's movement.
Shane: All right, everybody back to the cars. Let's go. Move.
Rick: The camera... it moved.
Shane: You imagined it.
Rick: It moved. It moved.
Shane: Rick, it is dead, man. It's an automated device. It's gears, okay? They're just winding down. Now come on.
Dr. Jenner: No, just go away.
Shane: Man, just listen to me. Look around this place. It's dead, okay? It's dead. You need to let it go, Rick. Rick slams on the shutters.
Lori: Rick, there's nobody here!
Rick: I know you're in there. I know you can hear me. Shane tries to drag him away, with the help of Lori.
Shane: Everybody get back to the cars now!
Rick: Please, we're desperate. Please help us. We have women, children, no food, hardly any gas left.
Lori: Rick. There's nobody here.
Rick: We have nowhere else to go. Rick pounds on the door.
Rick: Keep your eyes open. If you don't let us in, you're killing us! Please!
Shane: Come on, buddy, let's go. Let's go.
Rick: Please help us. You're killing us! You're killing us! You're killing us! The group is just about to leave when the door to the CDC opens, drowning the survivors in light.
Plan: A: the survivors; Q: Who bury their dead? A: Rick; Q: Who leads the survivors to the CDC facility? A: Shane's judgement; Q: What did Rick do against? A: the rest; Q: Who does Rick lead to the CDC facility? A: Atlanta; Q: Where is the CDC facility located? A: life and demands entry; Q: What does Rick do when he spots signs of what? Summary: As the survivors bury their dead, some split off on their own. Rick, against Shane's judgement, leads the rest to the CDC facility in Atlanta, which initially appears abandoned and locked-down, but Rick spots signs of life and demands entry.