Ralph and his companions slowly drove past the shot-up, rusted sign that simply said "Slidell". Jackson pulled over to the side of the road as they once again were met with the bane of Ralph's existence. Traffic. "Well, not really traffic" Ralph thought to himself "that would be an improper definition, it had been traffic 18 months ago when shit hit the fan, but now I guess its just road blockage" still it would be a shame to have to leave the trusty Honda civic they had picked up in Baton Rouge.

"What do you think Jackson, should we turn around?" he implored. 

Jackson shook his head in his stoic way "no point, were almost out of gas. Besides this is the only way to pass between Lake Ponchatrain and 100 miles of swamp." Ralph sighed, while Sylvie smiled and slid out of the car.

Ralph got out of the car too. Much as he loved the safety of the vehicle, there was nothing safer than being with Jackson. They had met outside of Albequerque when Jackson saved his life from two walkers, and had been fast friends ever since. Both were trying to get to Florida, and he enjoyed the company. It didn't hurt that Jackson could dispose of walkers with surgical precision, and for some reason had decided to keep Ralph around even though he was clearly dead weight. They had been through alot of shit across Texas, and he was as much of a friend as Ralph had ever had.

Sylvia was different. They had picked her up outside of Houston when they found her tearing through a small group of Walkers with her sickle. She was friendly.and optimistic, but Ralph sometimes caught her crying or staring into the distance. They weren't close enough yet, but Ralph was pretty sure something awful had happened to her that left her a little... broken.

Ralph snapped back to reality and shouldered his bag. He and his ragtag group headed straight into the heart of town.