Chapter 56 - 52
"Marlin..."
When Sylvie uttered her sister's name, Brian just shook his head inwardly. While others might not know the situation in Atlanta, he had already learned about it from Clarice.
The surrounding area was now an active disaster zone for the infected, and even the city itself was unlikely to be peaceful. But he couldn't utter any words of despair. After all, finding faith was also a motivation to keep going.
As Brian pondered these thoughts, his gaze suddenly caught sight of a slender boy in another corner of the house, staring at him with curious eyes.
Raising an eyebrow, Brian turned his head to look, and the boy quickly lowered his head after their eyes met, apparently not wanting to be noticed.
Although the boy lowered his head, Brian's impression of him was deep. He was Alan, the child who dared to face the barrel of a gun without fear.
Currently, Alan was huddled against the wall, ignored by the passing crowd. Losing his mother had taken a toll on him, his demeanor nothing like the cheerful boy Brian had seen earlier.
After a moment's thought, Brian glanced at the three women chatting nearby, then stood up slowly and walked towards Alan's direction, weaving through the crowd until he sat down beside him.
Alan seemed startled by Brian's approach, shrinking slightly to the right, trying to distance himself.
Brian didn't find Alan's reaction strange. He took out a piece of chocolate from his pocket and offered it to Alan, saying softly, "Would you like some?"
Looking at the chocolate in Brian's hand, Alan's throat moved. Even though he hadn't eaten anything yet, he could smell the tempting aroma emanating from the package. His stomach couldn't help but growl.