Episode 54 (E2)

"Family Matters" is the fourth episode of Season 6 of KeepOnKeepingOn's Walking Dead: Edition Two. It is the 54th episode overall. It premiered on January 28, 2018.

Synopsis
"Tate witnesses a horrendous sight in the woods; the members of the White Flower Garden incorporate new people."

Plot
Ethan rushes through the forest, the others in tow, trying to get north as fast as possible to warn the group about the oncoming herd. They know they need to find them and get back to the cabin fast, as Amy is currently the only one there to defend it. Tate, Trent, and Trace follow suite, evading singular, straggling walkers as they hear the faint sounds of growls in the distance.

Ethan stops the group to listen, before he turns to Tate. "Is that the herd?"

"Has to be, no other options." Tate nods and walks forward.

"Well hold on, are we really just gonna rush into it?" Trace asks.

"We have no other choice if you wanna save your people." Trent says. "Haul ass or give up. We need to get to them before the undead do."

"Look, I want to save them, but how big is this herd?" Trace asks. "What are we dealing with? A pond? A river? An ocean of dead?"

Trent glances at Trace. "It's hell. That's all you need to know."

"... that's not really reassuring." Trace mutters.

"This is not about reassurance. We don't get a break until we get everyone back home." Ethan says. "Nobody gets to take any risks right now... not anymore, not these days. Not without my go ahead..."

Suddenly, Trace stops Ethan by placing a hand on his chest. "Hey, stop this. You'll give yourself a heart attack if you keep pushing the responsibility of everyone onto yourself."

"That's what a leader does." Ethan replies, eyeing him.

"Are you compensating? Trying to do all of what Jake couldn't?" Trace asks.

Ethan glares. "Don't fucking degrade him."

Trace huffs. "Ethan, I'm just--"

"Guys?"

They stop, and the three look over to see Tate staring at something. They walk up beside him, and their eyes widen at the sight. Before Tate is a large wreckage, what looks to be a crashed helicopter. The wind turbine is nearby, the top half destroyed. But what really has Tate freaked out is the body hanging from the tree.

"Holy shit..." Trent breathes.

"It's... the pilot." Ethan mutters.

"The turbine was destroyed in the crash... holy shit." Trace breathes, running a hand through his hair.

Tate, however, observes the corpse dangling before them. "... he was mangled in the crash, but... look, he's missing his legs."

"Holy hell, that's just horrible..." Trent grimaces.

"No, look, I don't... think he lost them in the crash." Tate shakes his head. "Look, it's a clean slice for both of them... like they were chopped off or something."

"... but why would his legs be cut off?" Trace asks.

"And if they are... who cut them off?" Ethan breathes.

Diana walks down the center of the campground community, the rest of the survivors following her. They look around the site, seeing people walking around, pitching up tents, trading supplies-- they even spot some children running around.

"We've been running this since the epidemic started." Diana explains. "The tents and survival hiking packs allow us to constantly be on the move if we need to relocate. However, we've only had to do that once, two years ago, near the start. Since then, we've been here in these woods."

"And nobody's ever even found you?" Mike asks, walking beside her. "Or for the people who have, what did you do to deal with enemies? How'd you handle herds? How do you get supplies to keep going?"

Diana stays silent, and her calm smile doesn't waver. Strangely, it doesn't take on an eerier meaning. Mike is about to repeat himself when she speaks. "Well I'll leave you to look around, I hope you enjoy yourselves here. Don't worry about being intimidated, some people here try to put off an image."

Despite continuing to try and ask her questions, Diana keeps talking before she waves goodbye and walks away.

"She just... ignored everything I asked her." Mike huffs. "I don't have a good feeling about any of this."

"Relax, we shouldn't tell her anything about... our whole group just yet." Stefan says in a whisper. "Look, for now we need to get a read on this place, see what this is like, and... figure out how to handle it. See if they're enemies."

Mike nods, as Skylar approaches. "Be on alert, and refuse to give up your weapons. But don't fight. If we don't have to make enemies, then we don't make enemies. We've seen how that's gone down before."

With a nod from each of the survivors, they all disperse and begin to explore the White Flower Garden. However, Larry glances at the woods and notices something beyond the treeline. He gets Carol's attention and points, but whatever he sees is gone.

"But... I saw something. It might have been a person." Larry glances at Carol.

She nods silently before looking away, observing the campsite community. "Considering everything that's happened, I wouldn't be surprised if there's someone spying on us... stay on alert."

Larry nods, and as the two walk off to explore the White Flower Garden, David Tesner looks up from his spot in the woods, frowning.

"My word... they've all but settled down here, but with... the herd coming there way..." He shakes his head. "No, my presence must remain unknown... it's too risky, and with how little these flower-people think of me, how fucking crazy they are... I can't let it loose. I can't take. I cannot out. I can't... not yet."

After a moment, David glances over his shoulder, and smiles at something behind him.

Zach and Stefan approach a vendor's booth and look over the various trinkets scattered about, confused at the strange sight. However, the vendor simply smirks at them.

"Congrats, you two are the first people to see through it." She says.

Stefan looks up in confusion. "Uh... what?"

"Most people walk over and tell me I've got such great looking charms and stuff, and they offer up food and ammunition to trade." She says. "In the end, it nets me a great profit. I can already tell by the looks on your faces I seem like I'm the one with a few screws loose."

"So you make these shitty looking charms, and sell them for supplies so you can further your chance at survival? And you take advantage of all the weirdos here?" Zach asks. "That's smart."

"Well I wouldn't say I'm that bad at crafting stuff, and not everyone here is weird, but it works, so I don't budge." She offers a hand. "Laura. You guys are...?"

"Zach, this is Stefan." Zach shakes her hand, as does Stefan after. "We're... part of the new people. We've just been trying to get a read on this place."

"Ah, well, I suggest you only pass through here. Diana lets anyone come and go, we're more like a market place than a home. But with the shit that goes down here, I don't think any newbies would enjoy making their stand around here." Laura explains. "There's a lot of drama that happens around here. This campsite is a walking, talking, reality television series."

Zach raises an eyebrow curiously. "What are you--"

"Ow! Fuck off already!"

"No, shut the fuck up and listen to me!"

The two turn and spot a dark haired woman striking a blond haired woman with a purse.

Laura sighs. "Blond is Holly, brunette is Hilda. They're sisters, and they fight all the time. Try not to pay them any mind."

Zach and Stefan exchange glances and watch.

"I told you the laundry takes six days, not five! We have to sort the fucking gut-stained shit that we get from runs!" Holly shouts.

"Don't fucking talk back to me!" Hilda strikes her again with her purse. "I'm the older sister, Holly, I'm the one who knows how to run the show for our survival! I can't have you running off and spouting lies just to make excuses to cover your tracks!"

"For fuck's sake, I'm nineteen!" Holly argues. "Just because you're a few years older, doesn't give you the right to treat me like filth!"

"And here we go, acting like I don't care about you." Hilda throws her hands up, shaking her head. "I told you to have my laundry done today, that's your job! I'm pissed because you slacked!"

"I didn't slack, it's not done! This shit takes time now! We don't have washing machines or basins or anything, we have to make due with what we have-- ow!" Holly steps back as she is struck again, prompting Zach to take action and get in between.

"Hey, HEY!" He shouts, startling them both. "Stop fucking fighting, before you both attract walkers. Don't forget everyone is out in the open."

"Who the fuck do you think you are, telling me how to behave? What about my--" Hilda is silenced as Zach glares.

"Walkers are the biggest problem these days. You can live without a fucking dress for a day." He continues. "If you keep complaining, you might not live to see tomorrow. And don't hit your sister over something so minuscule."

Hilda doesn't know what to say. Holly, however, steps back and nods. "Thanks..."

Zach glances at her before Diana suddenly approaches. "Is everything alright? Shouting is far more dangerous these days."

"It was... nothing, Diana." Holly shakes her head. "Just... pointless bickering. Sorry."

"I can't say I'm happy with my sister right now." Hilda shakes her head and walks off. "I can't be anywhere near here."

"What a bitch..." Stefan mutters under his breath.

"Well I hope nothing goes wrong, we've got new people today! We need to make sure to welcome them all." Diana smiles.

"Hey! Grandma!"

Suddenly, they all turn and see a teenage boy angrily storm over to them, wearing a high school jersey. Diana smiles calmly at the boy. "Gabriel, there you are! I was looking for you, I need you to give these new survivors a tour."

"No, Grandma, I'm not doing that anymore. You're taking way too many stupid risks, and we need to talk about it." The boy known as Gabriel says. "I don't get why you keep thinking this is all okay, we're sitting out in the middle of the open, just begging to be attacked!"

"Oh, Gabriel, you keep going on about this, don't worry about it." Diana brushes off his argument, still smiling. "You need to be a little more trusting. I know that's hard in this world but--"

"No, you need to stop being too trusting. You let everyone in here and we've had supplies stolen, people have gone missing, people think we're insane, and you can't just ignore the fact that winter is coming and we're unprepared as fuck. You can't just ignore that!" Gabriel argues.

"Gabriel, you simply have to calm down! You always bring me these... these... ludicrous problems, and they make no sense! We are a place for all to stay or to visit, we are a market to aid those in need! We are the civilized among a world of the apparent unruly!" Diana says, still remaining calm. "Civilization existed for so long, and it never fell until the day the dead began to roam. But if it could happen at all, it can happen again. We will make sure it rises. And that is what others will try to aim for, too, right?"

"Grandma... you just don't fucking understand anymore." Gabriel backs up. "I knew it. I knew you were fucking useless all this time."

"Now Gabriel, that's not nice!" Diana becomes stern for a moment, glaring at her grandson, before she turns to the group. "I'm sorry, he's always like this, very distrusting. But he'll be--"

Diana gasps as a bullet strikes her head, and she collapses to the ground, Gabriel standing there with a gun.

Several people scream and begin to run away, as Zach and Stefan stare with wide eyes.

Deaths

 * Diana Hemsworth

Trivia

 * First appearance of Gabriel Hemsworth.
 * Last appearance of Diana Hemsworth.
 * This is the first episode to address Letter Hacks.

Letter Hacks
To write for Letter Hacks, submit all questions, comments, and concerns to this thread.


 * User:AquaSoloSky
 * "Why did you split the season into 2 different story arcs?"
 * "I split the season into two different story arcs based on the half-seasons to keep things more organized. If you remember back in Seasons 3, 4, and 5, I sporadically jumped about from story to story. Especially in Season 4, where I randomly bounced from the manor to the Stable to Woodbury, and back again. These divided narratives will not be around forever though; in order for the stories present in Seasons 6 and 7 to be properly told, it's best I have them evenly divided. This will not be the case for every season here on out, but it works best for these two. There are other reasons for the split, but I cannot go into them, due to spoilers. You'll know in due time, however."