VHS 005: Grey Ridge

## Cast

May Leigh: Abigail Rose

Markeia McCarty: Achira Sampson

Luis Carazo: Lampwick

Michelle Nguyen Bradley: Juniper Song

Noxweiler Berf: Game Master

## Summary

The episode begins with a VHS message from Ten-Four. He tells the Enders that, while construction supplies was obtained in time to rebuild station 113, ammo and gasoline were not, so the team sent out to rebuild the station was unable to defend themselves from the hordes of Romeros attracted by the fire. 113 is being abandoned for the time being, and Grey Ridge may be in danger. He asks anyone nearby to rally at Grey Ridge to help defend it from the oncoming horde.

We rejoin the survivors at Grey Ridge. Lampwick is still sick, though he begins to feel better, and he wonders if he has contracted something from Sammy, the young man that has accompanied them. Lampwick and Achira think back on what Lampwick has eaten recently, trying to figure out what has caused his sudden sickness, and decide that he might have some sort of allergy. Abigail speaks with a guard named David about the security of the wall surrounding the community. Juniper scopes out good places to sneak out of the area in which the group is being held. She steals a deck of playing cards that one of the guards had been playing with.

Dr. Maria Espinoza and Chuckwagon approach the group upon hearing that Lampwick is sick, and Achira attempts to trick the doctor into believing that Lampwick has a citrus allergy. The doctor asks Lampwick to come into the farmhouse so that she can examine him. He insists that Achira comes as well, and Achira insists on keeping her weapons, which leads to an escalation as the doctor levels a gun at Lampwick's head. Lampwick de-escalates the situation by joking around with Dr. Espinoza and Chuckwagon. Lampwick drops all his weapons, and Achira pretends to give up her own, but conceals a hand scythe on her person, and the two go with the doctor and Chuckwagon to the farmhouse.

While Lampwick and Achira are gone, Juniper attempts to steal their weapons, but is caught, and covers by telling David that she's worried about her friends, and thinks someone in the community might try to take the weapons. Abigail keeps watch, but is distracted by the old woman singing, "Oh, children of the valley..." again.

Suddenly, a heavily wounded individual approaches the gate, and the members of Grey Ridge let the individual, a member of the community, in. Seeing how gravely injured the person is, Sunny puts them down with a knife to the forehead. Outside the gate, a horde of the dead begin to push against the community's walls.

Abigail is instructed to join a man named Neville in a tower atop the wall and help fight off the horde. With her better vantage point, she is able to see the innumerable number of Romeros approaching. Some of them appear to be faster and perhaps more intelligent than traditional Romeros. She suggests evacuating the community through the mine tunnels adjacent to the community. Neville signals Sanderson. Neville and Abigail brainstorm strategies to create a loud diversion and route the horde away from Grey Ridge. Sanderson joins them in the tower, and informs Abigail that her distraction plan is practically suicidal, but gives his approval. Abigail descends from the tower.

Dr. Espinoza examines Lampwick, and determines that he is most likely suffering from food poisoning, but that he should be quarantined for the night just in case. During the examination, someone comes to warn them that the community might need to evacuate imminently. Lampwick overhears the conversation, and asks that the doctor give him and Achira weapons in case of a breach. Dr. Espinoza gives him a bat to defend himself with. The three of them head across a field, where they meet back up with Abigail, who returns Achira's long gun to her.

Achira and Lampwick are reunited with Juniper and Sunny. Juniper informs Achira and Lampwick of the state of the gate and wall, and tells them about the fallback plan to escape to the mines. Juniper and Sunny go to the farmhouse, where Juniper meets the twins. The old religious woman, Mother Hodge, approaches and offers to take care of the children, but Juniper makes it clear that she does not trust her, and she goes back upstairs. Juniper tells Sunny that she doesn't believe the walls will hold, meaning that the house will not be safe for the twins. Mother Hodge comes back, and tells Juniper that her heart is full of sin, but that she forgives her. This angers Juniper, who attempts to shoot the old woman with her bow, but fumbles and fails. Mother Hodge picks up Juniper's arrow, snaps it in half, and tells Juniper that, soon, "when all of the sinners are washed away, you'll find your peace." Juniper and Sunny leave, as Mother Hodge watches them from an upstairs window.

Elsewhere, a group including Lampwick, Achira, and Sanderson discusses possible ways to distract and divert the Romeros. Sanderson reveals that he has a map to the location of some stored dynamite that may be useful. Achira and Lampwick attempt to build a catapult for the dynamite so that Abigail will not have to sacrifice herself to get the explosives into the crowd of Romeros. Abigail works with a woman named Yumiko to locate the dynamite, which has been hidden away for safety purposes. They successfully find the stash, but accidentally set it off while trying to dig it out from the ground, creating a loud explosion and barely avoiding serious injury. The explosion sets off a small landslide, and a falling rock pins Yumiko. Abigail leaves her behind.

Hearing the explosion, Sunny worries someone might be in danger, and takes off. Juniper takes the opportunity to try to re-enter the house, though the door is locked. She fails to pick the lock, but the door unlocks and swings open. Juniper is hit in the leg by a stick trap set by the twins, but is not seriously injured. Lampwick and Achira are almost finished constructing their slingshot when a bell rings out, and there are shouts that the Romeros are breaching the wall. Achira slingshots a Molotov cocktail over the wall, which creates a growing fire among the dead. Abigail attempts to climb the farmhouse to get a better vantage point from the roof, but slips, and her pistol falls to the ground.

The dead breach the wall in greater numbers, tearing down one of the watchtowers and killing Neville.

## VOD Link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGv\_bBYv\_YM