After speaking, Gavin regarded William in silence.
Upon meeting Gavin's gaze, William quickly averted his eyes, lowering his head as if he dared not look at him again.
Meanwhile, Eugene, observing William's silence, spat in annoyance and struck the body of the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
"Damn it."
He held up the Tyrannosaurus Rex as he spoke.
"Do you think this is some set of Saving Private Ryan? To save your brother—who's probably already turned into a zombie—we have to run back to Ennis and play the part of some inexplicable hero?"
"Forget it! Movies are all lies. If you want to go, then go by yourself. Take this old Ford; I'm not going to lose my mind alongside you!"
With that, Eugene released the Tyrannosaurus Rex and ruffled his short red hair in frustration.
He paced back and forth before turning to Gavin.
"Let him go, damn it! Let him drive my junky car, give him whatever he wants, and let him have a few extra bites to eat, that bastard!"
"Alright, Eugene, let William think it over."
Gavin shook his head, then rose and made his way toward the RV.
Halfway there, he returned to the pickup truck, retrieved a large bottle of juice, and carried it back to the RV.
As he passed Old Mac, who was enjoying the spectacle, Gavin casually remarked, "Old Mac, you haven't gone to sleep yet. You should rest."
"As you say. I'll sleep in the driver's seat. Call me if you need anything."
Old Mac agreed and followed Gavin into the RV, closing the door behind them.
Since Eugene had not followed, he must have something to discuss with William, so it was best to give them some space.
When Gavin entered the RV, Doris turned to him with concern. "Are we... are we still going to Ennis?"
"Don't worry. Even if I decide to explore Ennis Town, I won't take you with me. You can handle breakfast and lunch in the RV. I can only count on you there."
Gavin waved to Doris and settled onto the sofa, watching as Madison reclined in the driver's seat.
As she adjusted her position, Madison thought for a moment before addressing Gavin.
"Actually, we really should go to Ennis. After all, a large number of zombies have been lured away from there. Besides, if we want to survive this apocalypse, we'll need to explore various towns sooner or later."
At this point, Madison turned, glancing at the mother and daughter eavesdropping nearby, and continued with a smile.
"With the little we've gathered, it wouldn't last more than a week, especially with two more women to consider. When we were scavenging the convenience store, we didn't think to grab any items meant for women."
In the distance, Doris heard this and awkwardly looked toward the oven.
Winnie smiled and gave Madison a thumbs-up.
As for Gavin, he nodded and smiled as he absorbed Madison's words.
"Yes, considering that numerous zombies have been drawn away from Ennis, I wouldn't mind going there to gain experience for the exploration mission we are bound to undertake in the future."
"As long as we ensure the vehicles are unimpeded, maintain a safe distance while exploring, and have a clear retreat plan, I believe our chances are favorable."
"Even if we set aside women's products, we ought to stock up on some medicine. Ennis, where so many zombies have been lured away, would be an excellent place for us to practice."
"But unfortunately, William has a hundred ways to persuade me, yet he chose the one I absolutely cannot agree to."
"Let's all take risks for his brother whose fate is uncertain?"
"What a joke! We haven't even established a stable camp yet; how could we possibly do something so foolish? How did he even become a police officer? Did he get a recommendation from Batman, for crying out loud!"
After speaking, Gavin scoffed and shook his head.
Seeing this, Madison nodded and smiled.
"You're right. We shouldn't risk our lives for such a foolish cause. Even if we were meant to explore Ennis, we ought to avoid it after his request."
"We've known each other for such a short time, and he's already dragging us into this fight for him. What will happen if we stay together a few more days? Is he going to ask us to be his minions? That piece of trash, the Dallas police trainee!"
After saying this, Madison playfully tapped the headrest, laughing.
"I'm going to sleep, Boss. Wake me when you need me."
"Well, don't worry and sleep; I'm here."
Gavin patted the back of the chair to reassure Madison, then extended his hand to Winnie.
"And you, kid, hand me the telescope."
"Actually, I can keep watch for you, Boss."
Winnie teased as she moved closer to Gavin and placed the telescope in his hands, while he affectionately stroked her blonde hair and shook his head.
"If you feel too restless, just lie down on the bed for a while."
"Oh, fine."
Winnie nodded and obediently left Gavin to lie down on the bed.
Yet, once there, she couldn't help but glance at the photo on the bedside.
The picture depicted their family, and her father's warm smile along with her brother's mischievous wink flooded Winnie's mind.
She scrunched her nose, crawled over to take the photo down, tucked it into the corner of the bed with her back turned, and curled up under the covers in silence.
With that, the RV fell into complete quietude, save for the sounds of Doris moving about and cooking.
And of course, there were the occasional sobs from Doris.
Gavin sighed. He couldn't allow others to be weak just because he felt strong enough.
After all, the end of the world had only arrived a few hours ago, and everyone in this makeshift team bore their own burdens of pain and pressure, even Madison.
Crash!
Suddenly, the RV door swung open, and Eugene burst in, cursing as he sank into a seat.
Glancing at the driver's seat, Eugene grinned and said, "Big Black is sleeping too. Haha, I thought he was as tough as King Kong."
"Fuck you, Eugene! I'm not asleep yet!"
Madison lay there, raising her middle finger and cursing slowly.
Hearing this, Eugene sneered and replied, "Okay, go to sleep. I'll keep watch for you!"
"You're just standing guard until you start drooling! If you drank too much Coke, go pee. Don't let the water pour out of your mouth, man!"
Madison shot back as she rolled over to find a more comfortable position.
Eugene fidgeted restlessly, stretching his legs every few minutes.
Twenty minutes later, Eugene looked out the window at William and couldn't help but curse.
"Is he just sitting there? In this cold weather? What a damned idiot!"
Another thirty minutes passed.
Eugene rubbed his head and asked Gavin in a low voice, "Quarterback, do you think he's really going to go back to Ennis on his own? Is he crazy?"
Another half-hour passed.
Eugene stood up irritably, looked at Doris, and cursed in frustration, "This stew is taking forever! If it weren't for the aroma, I wouldn't even want to eat breakfast!"
With that, Eugene stormed into the bathroom, muttering under his breath, and remained there for a while before reemerging.
Returning to the sofa, Eugene glanced at the silent Gavin, as if he wished to speak.
After five long minutes of silence, Eugene slapped his thigh and suddenly addressed Gavin.
"Quarterback, you've returned the USP to William. What about my Ruger 101 and the Governor's Spray Gun? I don't feel safe without them!"
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Gavin finally responded. He looked at Eugene with keen eyes and inquired, "Have you finally decided to risk your life alongside him?"
"What?"
Eugene bristled at Gavin's words. He shook his head and spoke hastily, "Don't drag me into this with that idiot. Who the hell wants to deal with him? Do I need a reason to get my gun back?"
"Cut it out, quarterback. It's the damned apocalypse out there. How am I supposed to survive without a gun? At least give me a knife. I can't go toe-to-toe with the zombies!"
Having said that, Eugene locked eyes with Gavin, eagerly awaiting his answer.
Gavin pondered for a moment, nodded, and replied, "Once we finish eating, I'll return your gun to you."
"It's a deal!"
Eugene instantly brightened, slapping his thigh in excitement.
However, after the initial thrill, he hurriedly continued to explain to Gavin.
"Do not overthink it, my friend. I am not the sort to willingly embrace death. Even if you are foolish enough to comply with William's request, I shall part ways with you and face this alone!"
"You believe I took up arms solely to confront him? You jest! I am most certainly not that kind of person!"
"I simply do not feel secure. Do you understand what it means to be safe?"