'A Long Road Ahead'

"**A Long Road Ahead"** is the third episode of the first season of *The Walking Dead by EDStudios*. It is the third episode of the series overall.

## Plot

*It has been a year since the adults died. The Clarkson School is decaying. Do the Clarkson Survivors stay behind? Or do they fight to preserve their home?*

## Synopsis

Eight months after the encounter with the Mitchell Family - and a year since the apocalypse began - Harry, Ben and Sarah are searching the third district of Upswitch. After Ben makes a loud noise by kicking a bottle, Sarah berates him. Harry tells them both to be quiet and informs them that they're searching the nearby drug store. Ben asks him if the group have already cleared it out; Harry responds by saying its worth a look. While on their way around the block, Ben asks Harry for his opinion on whether or not the group should leave the school and find somewhere else. Harry replies he's not sure: he appreciates Sarah's reasons for staying at the school, but agrees with Alex that the school will not last much longer and the group should move on.

The three enter the drug store and start searching the shelves and cupboards they find; between the three of them, they find very little besides from some energy bars and some basic pharmaceuticals. As they search, they all remark how they've almost stripped the city clean of supplies. Whilst searching, Harry finds a key amongst the shelves; a few minutes later, Sarah uncovers a floor safe. Harry unlocks it and finds a stash of painkillers. The group smile as they collect their prize.

At that moment, however, the trio smell rot in the air. They quickly realize a large cluster of walkers is making their way towards them and start banging on the windows and doors. With no way out, they fight their way to the roof as the walkers follow them. The only way to escape is by jumping over to the next roof. Sarah goes first, followed by Ben. Harry fights off the walkers on the drug store roof and jumps; however, he misses the ledge and tries to use his putter as a grapple; he fails, a falls a story into a pile of garbage. Although winded, he is not injured. He shouts out to Sarah and Ben, ordering them to run back to the school with the supplies they've collected.

Now alone, Harry fights through a small group of walkers into the next street, and realizes he has fractured a few ribs. Finding it difficult to run and fight, he manages to climb a ladder up to another roof to rest. He reloads his gun and accidentally falls asleep.

Harry's nightmares occures once more: he is still in the wooden boat but is being carried towards maelstrom. With no way to escape, the Passenger falls into the maelstrom but lands once more on the surface of the ocean. A lightning bolt lights the sky and in the distance, the Passenger can see an island.

Edwards wakes up walking just outside the entrance to the school; Justinas opens the gate and Edwards stumbles inside. Holly tends to his injuries.

...

With the group gathered in the map room, Edwards decides that the group need to get out of Upswitch and find somewhere safe for Jess to have her baby. Several ideas are suggested, including settling on the Mitchells' farm, heading to one of the cities, or finding an old army depot. All of the ideas seem impractical and impossible with the supplies they have, but Justinas proclaims a final option: a place called "Greencole". He is initially hesitant to elaborate, but eventually reveals that "Greencole" was the unofficial headquarters of the US Special Forces, located in a valley far to the north.

## Credits

### Starring:

* Harry Edwards
* Holly Parker
* James Cottingham
* Sarah Terringham
* Justinas Grant
* Jess Black
* Alex Sutton
* Ben Appleby
* Aaron Ganger
* Emma Cottingham

### Also Starring:

* Ashleigh
* Daniel Cottingham

### Supporting:

* 'Washington'
* Liam

## Deaths

* Ashleigh *(alive)*
* Daniel Cottingham
* Lisa Mitchell *(zombified)*
* 'Washington'
* Lunchbox Boy *(suicide, confirmed fate)*
* Supply Stop Manager *(confirmed fate)*
* Nine unnamed members of the Chester Woods Bandits
* Numerous unnamed Clarkson School students *(confirmed fate)*

## Trivia

* First appearance of Lunchbox Boy
* First appearance of Liam
* First appearance of the Industrial Train Station
* First (and last) appearance of Supply Stop Manager
* First (and last) appearance of the train
* Last appearance of Ashleigh *(alive)*
* Last appearance of Daniel Cottingham
* Below are the casting changes from this episode:
	+ Ashleigh and Daniel are reduced to 'Also Starring' due to their deaths in this episode.
* This episode is the third longest in the series, succeeded by 'Land of Light: Part 2' and 'A New Day'.

 **Season 15: A Last Showdown** | "The Final Stand"