Rick is still keeping his radio diary to Morgan as the season kicks off. Rick says that he and his group are done with Atlanta and are headed to Fort Bennett. The daily grind has clearly taken it’s toll on Rick and it’s made apparent during this one-way conversation.

The group heads out on the road in hopes of reaching Fort Bennett but they run into a roadblock made up of all abandoned vehicles. Glenn suggests they double back and take another route but Dale tells him they don’t have enough fuel for that. The radiator blows on Dale’s RV and the group is immobile. They begin to search the abandoned vehicles for much needed supplies. After finding clothes, car parts, and food Dale and Rick spot a “herd” of zombies walking towards them. Most of the group hides under vehicles – Dale stayed on top of the RV while Andrea is in the restroom. A wandering zombie finds her and begins to break down the door but Dale drops her a screwdriver and she gives us our first graphic kill of the season. Elsewhere, Darryl saves T-Dog from another attack. As the herd passes Sophia begins to leave her hiding spot under a car when two zombies spot her. She runs into the nearby woods to escape. Rick immediately gives chase.

When Rick catches up to Sophia he tells her to head back to the group so he can lead the zombies further into the woods. He tells her how to get back safely using the sun as her guide. Rick runs off and sets a perfectly primitive trap for the zombies – and by primitive I mean he hides behind a tree with a stone and bashes their heads in when they come near.

Rick, Shane, Darryl and Glenn are tracking for Sophia in the woods because she hasn’t returned to the group. Rick orders that Glenn and Shane go back with the group for damage control so no one worries too much. Rick and Darryl continue searching but find nothing. They even perform an awesome autopsy on a zombie to make sure he didn’t get to Sophia. They come back at dusk and tell the group that they have to continue searching for Sophia at daybreak. This obviously doesn’t come with much fanfare, especially from Sophia’s mother Carol.

When day comes the group heads out in search of Sophia leaving Dale and T-Dog back on the road. The group comes across a tent at a campsite and investigate. No evidence that Sophia was there. After that disappointment they hear church bells and run to find the source. Rick leads the charge towards the church. Inside they find a few zombies sitting in the pews – Christians to the core! – but easily eliminate them. Still no sign of Sophia.

Outside Andrea overhears Shane telling Lori that he is planning on leaving the group. She asks to go with him but he is hesitant because it would be “another ass to cover” but she insists she can cover him when he needs help.

Rick sends the group back to the highway while he, Shane, and Carl stay at the church to continue the search. Rick desperately prays that God give him a sign as “an indication that (he’s) doing the right thing”. As they leave the church to search the surrounding wooded area they spot a deer. The look on Rick’s face shows that he believes this was his “sign”. As Carl creeps closer to the deer a shot rings out, downing the deer and hitting Carl in the torso. Stunned, Shane and Rick rush to Carl’s aid.