Bang! Bang!Roar! Roar!
Inside the barn, the zombies howled louder than ever.The sound of wooden boards splintering and crashing against each other filled the air, as if all the walkers had suddenly organized themselves for a final breakout — pounding the walls with terrifying unity.
"Do you still want to wait?"Rick's voice was tense as he turned to Jason, eyes flickering to the cracking door.
The gasoline they had poured around the barn wouldn't matter if the zombies broke loose now.
Jason's brows furrowed for a moment.Then he looked up — and relaxed.
"Don't worry," he said quietly. "They're here."
From across the yard, a group approached — Hershel leading the way, flanked by Maggie and Beth, Otis and Patricia trailing close behind.
Hershel stopped in front of Jason, arms spread slightly as if exposing himself to judgment.
"I'm sorry," he said, voice heavy with guilt. "I made the decision too late.I see it clearly now — whether they were my family, my friends — it doesn't change the truth.They're gone. I've been living in a fantasy.Let me... finish it."
Jason said nothing at first.He simply handed Hershel a burning torch, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"You should be glad you made the decision in time," Jason said. "Otherwise... you would have regretted it for the rest of your life."
Hershel stared into the flames, his hand trembling slightly.Then, with a sudden motion, he hurled the torch toward the barn.
Whoosh!Bang!
Flames exploded across the soaked walls, devouring the structure in seconds.The fire roared higher and higher, crackling fiercely.It was impossible to tell if the snapping sounds came from the burning wood... or the zombies inside.
The walkers' agonized roars rose into the night — but the fire soon swallowed even their screams.
[Random skill updated: Strength +0.5!]
Jason stiffened slightly.
He felt his muscles tighten and then loosen again — a brief, almost sour ache flashing through his arms before fading.He flexed his fists experimentally.
"Huh," Jason muttered. "Why strength this time?"
Until now, every skill refresh had been related to techniques or stamina — not raw attributes. The extra 0.5 points of strength barely made a physical difference, but Jason still noticed the slight, heavier impact in his fists.
"What are you staring at? "Shane's voice pulled him back. Most of the others had already started heading back to the house.
Jason shook his head. "Nothing. Let's go."
He kept the strange change in skills to himself.There was no use worrying about it now.As long as it didn't hurt him — he could accept it.
The barn burned into nothingness behind them, and with it, the final threat on the farm — or so they thought.
But peace never lasted long.
By evening, the hunting party returned — battered, bloodied, and breathless.
Morgan and Duane stumbled into the yard, covered in dirt and bruises, their clothes torn.
Jason's heart clenched.He rushed forward. "What happened?"
Jenner immediately fetched a first aid kit and started cleaning their wounds.Fortunately — just scratches, no bites.
Morgan panted heavily, wincing as Jenner wiped blood from his shoulder."We ran into a horde... at the edge of the woods," he gasped."More than we've ever seen before. We barely got away... only a hillside slowed them down."
The camp went deadly still.
This — this was the butterfly effect Jason had been expecting.Change a few things... and other things change too.The future was no longer set.
And now, an even bigger storm was coming.