Hearing this question, the serious expression on Gale's face softened.
She sighed and said, "Sigh, that child's parents passed away when he was very young. He's been living under the roof of an uncle who didn't like him."
"I think that environment made him naturally smarter and more observant than other children. That's why he's seemed a bit different from ordinary children since the apocalypse began."
"This damn apocalypse is always forcing children to face sorrows they shouldn't have to bear."
Then, she once again told Rick about the series of "tragic events" regarding Louis.
Rick was equally shocked after hearing the story.
He hadn't expected that this calm and mature-looking child would carry such a heavy past.
Perhaps because he had a child of his own, he always looked out for children a bit more; Louis's situation couldn't help but make him feel some sympathy.
Rick thought that once his body recovered, he would definitely go to Atlanta to find his wife and son. There was a safe zone there; maybe he could take this child along and protect him.
After all, letting a child of Louis's age survive alone in the apocalypse was simply too difficult.
The same went for Gale, if she was willing.
"I wonder if Carl and the others are okay... I hope everything is going well..." With worries about the future, Rick fell into a fitful sleep... On the other side, back in his room, Louis was making final preparations for the upcoming journey.
Since Rick had already woken up, following the momentum of the original plot, they would likely set off for Atlanta in just a few days.
Some things had to be planned early.
He sat on the floor and began to take stock of his current "assets."
Learned magic skills:
Wingardium Leviosa: He can already perform it silently and without a wand. His proficiency is very high, but it consumes more energy and is less stable than casting with a wand and incantation. It is currently his primary means of attack and support.
Episkey: Preliminary mastery. It works well for treating his own minor superficial wounds, but he encounters mysterious resistance when casting it on others, requiring extreme focus and high energy consumption.
Aguamenti: A purely utilitarian divine skill. Currently, he can only produce a thin stream of water from the wand tip for thirst or washing. The water volume is limited and has no offensive power; forget about using it as a water gun to squirt Walkers.
Scourgify: His most proficient utility spell. It has low consumption and is very convenient for cleaning bloodstains and grime.
Transfiguration: Barely able to change the shape of objects to a certain extent, but cannot completely transform materials. It's mostly used for creating temporary weapons.
Survival supplies:
The Invisibility Cloak and wand are currently intact, and their functions are unaffected.
Food reserves are sufficient, water is not a concern thanks to magic, and there are some medicines, but he lacks weapons for self-defense.
That crowbar is still too strenuous to use.
"I must get a gun, or at least a useful dagger," Louis calculated in his heart.
At the same time, he began to plan his "team role" for the future.
He had previously, intentionally or unintentionally, revealed his idea of going to Atlanta to find the safe zone to the Jones Family, successfully piquing their interest.
Now that Rick is awake, his goal is also Atlanta. There is a high probability these two groups will come together.
As for himself, he had prepared two sets of plans.
The best-case scenario is that Rick or Morgan, feeling grateful for his help, would proactively invite him to join them.
If they didn't have that intention, it wouldn't matter.
He would use the excuse of "being worried about Uncle Shane and wanting to find him in Atlanta" to openly hitch a ride in Rick's car.
Regardless, joining the protagonist group was imperative... Two days later, Rick, whose body had mostly recovered, couldn't help himself and returned home alone.
He found that no one was indeed home, but the photos of his wife and son, photo albums, and such were all gone.
This indicated that Lori had left of her own accord and hadn't encountered much danger when she left, which allowed him to finally set his mind at ease.
When he returned to the hospital, he happened to run into Morgan, who was preparing to leave with his wife and son.
"Officer Rick!" Morgan greeted him proactively upon seeing him.
After two days of communication, they already knew each other's identities and plans.
"You're leaving too?" Rick asked.
"Yes," Morgan nodded, glancing at his wife and son beside him. "We discussed it and decided to try our luck in Atlanta. We heard there's a safe zone established by the military there."
This coincided perfectly with Rick's thoughts.
"That's perfect then," Rick immediately suggested. "Let's go together so we can look out for each other on the road."
"That would be great!"
After reaching an agreement, they went together to find Gale, who was changing medicine for other patients, and Louis, who was helping out nearby.
"Gale, Louis," Rick looked at the two and issued a sincere invitation, "We're preparing to go to Atlanta. Do you... want to come with us?"
The Jones Family also stood nearby, with expectant looks on their faces.
Jenny, in particular, stepped quickly to Louis's side and softly urged him, "Yes, Louis, come with us. We can take care of you on the road."
Faced with everyone's invitation, Gale was the first to smile and shake her head.
"Thank you, but I must stay."
Her reason was clear: "There are still comatose patients in the hospital who need care. There might still be survivors in this city who are at their wits' end like you were."
"By staying here, I can at least provide them with a final sanctuary."
In fact, there was another point she didn't voice because Louis was present—
She would also provide a dignified, painless way out for those who were completely broken by the apocalypse and wanted to die but didn't dare commit suicide.
Although the others felt regret, they could understand and respect her choice.
Thus, everyone's expectant gazes fell simultaneously onto Louis.
Duane's illness had recovered, and he was now following closely by his parents' side. He poked his head out and whispered urgently, "Louis! Come with us!"
Though they had only known each other for a few short days, in his heart, this good-tempered and smart "The savior" was already his most important friend in the apocalypse.
Louis was naturally going to go with them; this was part of his plan all along.
However, for now, he had to perform the full act.
An interested expression first appeared on his face, but then, as if thinking of something, he glanced at Gale beside him, and his gaze became hesitant.
"I think I'll stay here," he lowered his head and said softly, "I think Gale will need my help..."
Hearing this, although Rick was moved by the child's kindness, he felt somewhat anxious.
He didn't think it was a good thing to let a child stay forever in this hospital that was like an isolated island.
Gale was an adult, after all; she could take responsibility for her own choices, so Rick wouldn't interfere too much.
But Louis was different. He was still a child; he should go to a safer place with more hope.
Mr. and Mrs. Morgan had the same thought. Jenny was about to speak up to persuade him when, unexpectedly, Gale knelt down first.
She held Louis's shoulders, and those eyes that always looked weary were now filled with unprecedented tenderness and seriousness.
"Louis, thank you," she said softly. "I know you want to stay to repay me and to help more people."
She paused and changed her tone: "But even if the world has become like this, we adults will never let a child like you consider such problems."
"You are smarter than any child I've ever seen, Louis. But you are still just a child right now."
"Therefore, you shouldn't be trapped here even more." Gale pointed toward the distance outside the window. "You should go to those larger survivor bases, to Atlanta."
"Perhaps in those places, there are still schools, complete infrastructure, and an environment where you can grow up safely."
"You are our future; you should go to a place that has a future."