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The late afternoon sun cast long golden beams across the open pasture as Rick stepped forward, hands visible, his boots pressing into damp Georgia soil. Behind him, Daryl and Miguel kept quiet, alert but non-threatening. Glenn and Sarah stayed near the mules, letting Rick take the lead.
At the front of the farmhouse, three figures stood. One older man, likely in his sixties, stood with a shotgun loosely slung over his shoulder. Two others—a young man and a woman close to Rick's age—stood at his flanks. All three were calm but wary, their eyes sharp and unblinking.
Rick raised his voice just enough to carry without sounding aggressive. "We're travelers. We came from a northern settlement. Looking to trade. Not looking for trouble."
The older man nodded slowly. "What kind of settlement?"
Rick glanced back at his team briefly before answering. "Fortified. Stable. Over two hundred people. We farm. Raise animals. Guard our own."
The old man's eyes narrowed. "Name?"
Rick hesitated for a beat. "The Right Arm."
The younger woman tilted her head. "Haven't heard of it."
"You wouldn't," Rick replied. "We've kept quiet."
The old man motioned with his hand. "You say you want to trade. What're you after?"
"Horses," Rick answered without hesitation. "And information."
A long pause.
The old man turned to the young woman and gave a nod. She stepped back into the house.
Then he looked back at Rick. "Put your weapons on the porch."
Rick turned to his group and nodded. Slowly, cautiously, each member placed their firearms in a neat pile on the steps: a revolver, a crossbow, a sidearm, a hunting rifle.
The old man finally lowered his shotgun and waved them in.
Inside the Farmhouse
The living room was warm and rustic, lit by oil lamps. Framed family photos lined the mantel. A Bible lay open on the table. The furniture was old but clean. It smelled of smoke, hay, and something freshly cooked.
The younger woman reappeared, holding a tray of water glasses. She set it down between them and took a seat beside the young man, who still hadn't said a word.
Rick accepted the glass but didn't drink.
"I'm Rick," he said. "This is Daryl, Miguel, Glenn, and Sarah."
The old man finally spoke again. "We don't give out names unless we need to."
Rick nodded. "Fair enough."
"You from Atlanta?"
"Originally."
"How far north's your place?"
"Near Gainesville," Rick said truthfully. "Took us two days to get here. Mostly on foot."
The woman folded her hands. "You said you're looking for horses. What do you have to trade?"
Rick reached into his pack and carefully slid it forward. Inside: two sealed jars of honey, several packs of antibiotics, and a pair of solar hand-crank radios.
The old man's eyes lingered on the medical supplies. "You got a doctor?"
"Field-trained medics. One's with us."
Sarah gave a small nod. "We have surgical capacity, clean water, growing crops."
The silence stretched for several seconds before the woman leaned forward.
"Why horses?"
Rick answered calmly, "Trucks break down. Fuel spoils. We're building something meant to last. We need transportation that doesn't depend on scavenging the old world."
The old man nodded slowly. "Sensible."
Tour of the Farm
They were permitted to stay the night—but not inside.
The group was escorted to an old machine shed that had been cleared of debris and rigged for sleeping. There were cots and blankets, and two oil lanterns.
"We'll bring supper out when it's ready," the young man said quietly, before stepping out with the others.
Rick stood still for a long time.
"Something on your mind?" Glenn asked, laying out his gear.
Rick stared toward the house. "This place is real. It's exactly what I hoped."
Daryl crouched near a window, peering through the cracks at the barn. "That's a healthy stable. Three horses, a foal, tack equipment, feed grain. Looks like they been breeding."
"Someone knows what they're doing," Miguel added.
"They do," Rick said under his breath.
Glenn looked over. "You ever been here before?"
Rick shook his head. "No."
Dinner by the Fire
At sunset, the family brought out food—stew, cornbread, canned peaches. No one said much. Miguel muttered a quiet thank-you before eating. Sarah smiled politely. Daryl devoured his portion with little care for manners.
Rick ate slowly, eyes studying their hosts.
The young woman sat across from him. She met his gaze a few times—not suspiciously, just… curiously.
She was smart. You could see it in how she listened. Every question from Rick was met with silence or a counter-question. Tactical restraint.
The old man seemed less interested in chatting, more in watching.
They asked about crops, walker patterns, recent storms. Rick answered plainly.
"What about conflict?" the old man asked finally. "You run into hostiles?"
Rick nodded once. "We've had a few. Raiders. One big group. Took us a while, but we dealt with them."
"How?"
Rick set his spoon down. "We don't start fights. But we finish them."
The old man didn't speak again after that.
Midnight Watch
Rick stood outside the shed long after the others fell asleep. The moon was bright. A cool breeze moved through the pasture grass. A single horse whinnied quietly from the barn.
Footsteps approached from behind. Daryl, sipping from his canteen.
"You think they'll deal?"
"They'll listen," Rick said. "That's all I need."
Daryl nodded, then looked toward the house.
"Girl's smart. She clocked Glenn as a tech guy first thing."
Rick smirked faintly. "Told you."
"Yeah," Daryl muttered. "But you didn't tell me you already knew all this."
Rick didn't answer.
The Next Morning – A Change in Tone
Over breakfast—biscuits and eggs—the old man surprised them.
"We've got one mare ready to foal. Other two are work-trained. If you've got a place that's safe, and hands that know how to treat them right, we'll consider trading."
Sarah perked up. "We do. Even have a small vet setup."
The young woman added, "We'd want some of those antibiotics. Maybe a radio."
Rick nodded. "That's fair."
"And we want to see the place," the old man added. "Ourselves."
Daryl raised an eyebrow. "Not safe to travel."
"Not asking for your opinion," the man replied.
Rick nodded slowly. "We can work something out. Carefully."
The young man finally spoke. His voice was softer than Rick expected. "How many people did you lose to make it work?"
Rick looked him in the eye. "No one."
Midday – Barn Walk
Rick followed the young woman through the barn as she showed him the horses. Glenn and Sarah helped check tack gear and feed quality. Miguel cleaned a harness while Daryl checked the fencing perimeter.
The young woman fed an apple to one of the horses. "We used to take them to state fairs. My sister… she rode like a champion."
Rick watched her hands. "You still have family out there?"
She hesitated. "Don't know. Maybe."
He wanted to say her name. Wanted to tell her how much she mattered. But it wasn't time. Not yet.
Instead, he said, "You'll fit in well at our place. If you come."
She gave a sideways glance. "That an offer?"
"It's a hope," Rick said.
Afternoon Departure
By the time they packed up, two of the horses were ready to be led north, and a third—pregnant—would be transported later by wagon once a route was cleared.
They left behind half their antibiotics, a water purifier unit, and two solar lanterns.
Rick shook the old man's hand.
"We'll return in five days. Bring the route map. We'll escort you north."
The old man nodded. "You take care of those animals."
"We will," Rick said.
The young woman approached him last.
"Thanks for not lying."
Rick tilted his head. "How do you know I didn't?"
She smiled faintly. "You haven't told us much at all. That's not the same as lying."
Rick looked at her for a long moment.
"You're right."
That Night – Forest Camp
As they made camp a few miles north of the farm, Glenn lit a small fire while Daryl stripped bark from kindling.
Sarah leaned against a tree. "That went better than I expected."
"They're cautious," Miguel said. "But not unfriendly."
Rick said nothing for a long time.
Then he finally spoke.
"We'll bring them in. Not by force."
Glenn asked, "You think they'll come?"
Rick nodded. "They will."
Daryl poked the fire. "You sure?"
Rick stared into the flames. His voice was quiet.
"She's already part of this. She just doesn't know it yet."
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If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Ptreon for early access, exclusive chapters, and more:
15 Advanced Chapters on Patreon
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