Hearing Rick's question, the seriousness on Dr. Gayle's face gradually softened.
She let out a quiet sigh. "That child's parents passed away when he was very young. He's been living with an uncle who never really wanted him."
She paused, choosing her words carefully.
"I think growing up in that kind of environment forced him to mature early. He learned how to observe people, how to judge danger, how to protect himself. That's why he seems different from other children now."
Her gaze lowered slightly. "This apocalypse keeps forcing children to carry burdens they never should have had to bear."
After that, she told Rick about the string of "misfortunes" Louis had experienced. Being left behind. Surviving alone. Wandering through a city full of the dead.
Rick listened in silence, his expression growing heavier by the second.
He had not expected the calm, composed boy to carry such a past.
As a father, his thoughts naturally turned to Carl. The idea of a child Louis's age navigating this world alone unsettled him deeply.
Once his body recovered fully, Rick already planned to head for Atlanta to find Lori and his son. If there truly was a safe zone there, then maybe there was room for one more child.
Louis deserved protection.
The same went for Dr. Gayle, if she was willing to leave.
"I hope Lori and Carl are safe," Rick murmured quietly. "I really hope everything is going well."
With that thought weighing on him, exhaustion finally pulled him into a shallow, restless sleep.
Back in his room, Louis was already preparing for what came next.
Rick had woken up. That meant the story was moving forward again. If things followed the original trajectory, the journey to Atlanta would begin within days.
He sat cross-legged on the floor and reviewed everything he had at his disposal.
Magic proficiency:
The Levitation Charm was his most reliable spell. He could already cast it silently and without a wand, though that version consumed far more energy and lacked stability. With proper incantation and wand use, it remained his strongest offensive and support option.
Episkey was only partially mastered. It worked well on his own minor injuries, but casting it on others encountered strange resistance and required intense concentration and stamina.
Aguamenti was practical but limited. It produced only a thin stream of water suitable for drinking or cleaning. It had no combat value at his current level.
Scourgify was his most efficient utility spell. Low consumption, high reliability, and extremely useful.
Transfiguration remained his weakest area. He could alter shapes briefly but not fully change materials. At best, it allowed him to create temporary improvised weapons.
Supplies: The invisibility cloak and wand were intact.
Food was sufficient for now, water was covered thanks to magic, and medical supplies were limited but usable.
Weapons were the real problem.
The crowbar was too heavy and inefficient.
"I need a gun, or at least a decent knife," Louis concluded.
Then came the more important calculation.
His future position within the group.
He had already, deliberately and subtly, mentioned Atlanta to the Morgan family. Rick's goal aligned perfectly with that destination. The odds of these groups merging were extremely high.
As for himself, he had prepared two paths.
Best case, Rick or Morgan would invite him along out of gratitude and concern.
If that did not happen, he would fall back on his backup plan. He would openly say that he was worried about Officer Shane and wanted to find him in Atlanta.
Either way, joining the protagonist group was non-negotiable.
Two days later, Rick could no longer restrain himself and returned home alone.
The house was empty, but it was not abandoned in panic. The photo albums were gone. Lori's belongings were missing. Carl's things were packed.
They had left deliberately.
That realization finally eased the tightness in Rick's chest.
When he returned to the hospital, he encountered Morgan, who was preparing to leave with his wife and son.
"Officer Rick," Morgan greeted him warmly.
After days of shared conversation and mutual understanding, the two already trusted one another.
"You're heading out too?" Rick asked.
"Yes," Morgan replied, glancing at Jenny and Dwayne. "We talked it over. We're going to Atlanta. We heard the military set up a safe zone there."
That matched Rick's plan exactly.
"Then let's go together," Rick said without hesitation. "Strength in numbers. We can watch each other's backs."
Morgan smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Together, they went to find Dr. Gayle, who was changing bandages, and Louis, who was helping nearby.
"Dr. Gayle. Louis." Rick looked at both of them steadily. "We're heading for Atlanta."
He paused, then spoke sincerely.
"Do you want to come with us?"
The Morgan family stood nearby, their expressions full of anticipation.
Jenny stepped forward first, gently taking Louis by the arm. Her voice was soft but earnest. "Come with us, Louis. We can take care of you on the road."
Before anyone else could speak, Dr. Gayle smiled faintly and shook her head.
"Thank you," she said, calm and resolute. "But I need to stay."
Her reason was simple and unwavering. "There are still comatose patients here who need care. And there may be survivors in this city who are just as desperate as you once were."
She glanced toward the quiet corridors of the hospital. "If I stay, I can at least give them a place to rest. A place where someone will see them as human until the end."
The others felt regret, but no one argued. They understood her resolve.
Slowly, everyone's gaze turned to Louis.
Dwayne, now recovered and standing close to his parents, leaned forward eagerly. "Louis, come with us."
Though they had known each other only a few days, in Dwayne's heart, this calm, clever boy who had appeared when he was dying had already become his closest friend.
Louis had never intended to stay behind. This was the path he had planned from the beginning.
Still, the moment demanded care.
Interest flickered across his face, then hesitation. He glanced at Dr. Gayle, his expression conflicted.
"I think I should stay," he said quietly, lowering his head. "Dr. Gayle still needs help here."
Rick's heart tightened.
He was moved by the boy's kindness, but unease quickly followed. This hospital was an island, isolated and vulnerable. Dr. Gayle was an adult and could choose her own fate, but Louis was still a child.
He should not be left behind.
The Morgans felt the same. Jenny inhaled, ready to persuade him.
Before she could speak, Dr. Gayle knelt down in front of Louis.
She placed her hands gently on his shoulders. The fatigue that usually clouded her eyes was gone, replaced by a rare tenderness and firm resolve.
"Louis," she said softly, "thank you."
"I know you want to stay because you care, because you want to help. But even in a world like this, adults should never let a child shoulder that burden."
Her voice grew firmer.
"You are smarter than any child I've ever met. But you are still a child."
She turned his shoulders slightly so he faced the window and the distant city beyond.
"You shouldn't be trapped here with me. You should go to places where people are rebuilding. Places with communities, structure, and safety."
She met his eyes again.
"You are part of the future. And the future doesn't belong in an empty hospital. It belongs somewhere that still has hope."