The New World

**"The New World"** is the second episode of *Season 2: Remake* of *Strain Zero*, the remake of *The Walking Dead by EDStudios*. It is the seventh episode of the series overall.

## Plot

*Henry finds himself on both a physical and mental journey after he has a brush with death. With hunters closing in and his hope dying out, a chance encounter will have Henry question everything he thought he knew about the New World.*

## Synopsis

Three bandits, armed with rifles, trudge through the sodden undergrowth, keeping low and quiet. The bandit in the centre of their convoy reminds the others to keep a close look out, adding that "he" should be easy to see. The rear bandit, clearly afraid, mumbles that their target has already killed two of their people, in addition to the massacre "two weeks ago" at their camp. The lead bandit orders him to shut up, reassuring them that their target is bound to be hungry, tired and low on ammo. The centre bandit adds that they should find their target quickly and that he is looking forward to the stew later, unaware that the three of them are being watched by a figure nearby.

The figure silently sprints through the undergrowth, keeping the bandits in his sight. About 50 feet away, he ducks down out of sight and carefully sets a trap: he covers a small hole in the ground with leaves and twigs before placing a large, sharp rock about six feet in front of it. As he runs away, he purposely snaps a twig beneath his feet.

The sound echoes through the trees, attracting the bandits. The rear bandit begins to panic and aim his gun wildly, while the lead bandit spots a figure running away in the distance. Despite the other two seeing no such figure, the lead bandit charges into the bushes. He discovers a set of bootprints and follows them. As he spots the figure nearby, he unwittingly runs into the shallow hole. As his ankle is caught, he trips forward, bashing his head on the rock. Seconds later his companions find him motionless and bleeding.

Starving and lonely, Henry continues his attempts to track Holly and Emma by following the main river west, but keeps becoming lost due to numerous forks in the river's path. Losing hope of finding his loved ones, he decides to relax by showering under a small waterfall before filling his canteen with fresh water. Hearing a noise behind him, he is suddenly attacked by a pack of wild dogs. Although he initially holds his own against them, he is quickly swarmed by the dogs, who bite and claw his entire body. Screaming in pain, he allows the alpha to bite his arm to shield his throat, and manages to stab the dog in the neck with his knife. Filled with adrenaline, he savagely kills a second dog before collapsing from exhaustion. As he passes out, he hears gunshots nearby and is slowly dragged away.

After suffering a nightmare in which he finds the charred corpses of Holly and Emma, Henry wakes up in severe pain, only to find himself bandaged and warm. Alarmed, he is comforted by his rescuer, a young man who introduces himself as Mike. He explains that, while Henry sustained severe bite marks, he should be fine, but advises him to keep a look out for rabies symptoms. Henry thanks Mike before asking why he rescued him; Mike simply replies that he needed help. Mike asks why the bandits have been following Henry, who briefly explains the events of the past two weeks. Mike ultimately agrees to help Henry get out of the forest, revealing that Holly, Emma and the group that saved them may have headed for a supposed community in a town outside the forest. Henry asks what Mike wants in return, and Mike says that the bandits may also leave the forest if they cannot find him.

The next morning, the pair set off; barely able to walk thanks to his bitten leg, Henry stumbles and falls behind, only to discover a small, thin dog following him. He backs away in fear, but the dog simply rubs itself against him, curious. Mike helps Henry to his feet and the pair continue, closely followed by the dog.

That night, Henry attempts to exercise but finds it too painful, so Mike agrees to train Henry so he can get his strength back. Mike shows Henry some basic martial arts, while also strengthening Henry's left hand. Sighting bandits, the pair are forced to retreat away from the river and deeper into the trees, delaying their progress. Over the course of two evenings, Henry heals and trains with Mike, who instructs him to control his rage and improve his balance. Determined to overcome his fears, Henry decides to bond with the dog, simply naming him "Boy".

The trio attempt to find the river again, only to observe a building in the near-distance. Deciding to investigate, they discover that it is in fact a military radio relay station. With the generators still working, Henry and Mike search a screen and find a list of military safe-zones; Henry discovers that one - the GCSZ, GreenCole Safe Zone, somewhere in the Upper Midwest - continued to transmit an "active" signal three weeks after Outbreak Day, meaning that there is a small chance that the safe-zone is still secure.

Deciding to camp for one more night, Henry and Mike share a meal and discuss their past lives. Henry reveals that he played guitar years ago and that he came to the U.S to finally meet his long-lost half-brother, Kieron, using the student exchange program as a cover. Mike reveals that his father was a forest ranger and the original owner of the ranger station, and that he joined his father in the forest shortly before Outbreak Day. Mike says he has been unable to leave the forest since his father's death, and admits to being deathly terrified of walkers.

The following morning, the trio finally reach the end of the forest. Mike wishes Henry luck and decides to depart, but Henry asks Mike to continue travelling with him, encouraging him to let go of his father's death and face the New World. Mike refuses and says that the New World needs people like Henry, before disappearing into the trees.

Henry and Boy investigate the town of Iron Mountain and come across a mall on the edge of the town. Henry is forced to stop before the entrance by a guard, David; when Henry asks if two girls matching Holly and Emma's descriptions are inside, David reluctantly allows Henry into the building. In the parking bay, Henry is held at gunpoint as his weapons, bag and other supplies are taken away, and he is introduced to their leader, Stoffman, who welcomes him to Hometown.

## Characters

### Supporting

* Mike Trapp
* Boy
* David
* Stoffman
* Declan

## Deaths

* Three unnamed bandits
* 2 unnamed bandits *(unseen, mentioned)*

## Trivia

* First appearance of Boy
* First appearance of Mike Trapp
* First appearance of Declan
* First appearance of David
* First appearance of Stoffman
* First appearance of Hometown
* This episode features the first mention of Greencole in *Strain Zero*

 **Season 5: Remake** | "Blood" • "Rules" • "Dissent" • "The Game" • "The Coming Storm" • "Brotherhood" • "Call to Arms"