Wiltshire Estates

"Wiltshire Estates" was a location the survivor group discovered early on in their days on the road. Located several miles outside Atlanta, the sub-urban residential area was surrounded by a set of strong walls and a metal gate. After actively scouting for a potential place to stay and fortify safely, it didn't take long for Rick to conclude it would be their best bet at settling. Unfortunately, their hopes to begin a safe community did not last long.

Summary
Desperate and demoralized, Rick and the group stumbled upon Wiltshire Estates at the end of issue 8 by pure luck. Travelling fast on the road in the R.V. nearly caused them to pass it completely. The combination of the cold winter weather and the prospect of starvation made the choice of scouting the area undisputed.

Other than a frightening encounter with a downed frozen zombie, the group was safe until Rick and Tyreese attempted to clear the first house. Rick accidently let loose two locked zombies in the basement and was set upon; only because of the quick intervention of Tyreese did the two survive the attack. Afterwards, Rick decided they all remain within the cleared house and handle the rest of the neighbourhood the following morning.

Several sub-plots and relationships within the characters were formed in their short stay. Rick and Tyreese who already took the leadership positions of the group quickly formed a evident friendship. Their one night at Wiltshire saw Andrea and Dale fully expressing their mutual intimate interest in each other by engaging in sexual intercourse. Tyreese and Carol's regular flirtation developed into obvious interest as they slept in the same room.

The next morning (issue 10) ended their safe stay. Over-confident in the area's potential, Rick split the adults into two groups to scout the neighbourhood. When Allen and Donna went by one of the surrounding homes, Donna insisted she was not being careless in wandering too close without the others. Rick meanwhile went back to the R.V. to check some things, and saw the previously obscured warning message on the walls of the estate, stating "ALL DEAD INSIDE". Before he could warn the others, a nearby lurker caught Donna by surprise and bit her eye out. A shocked Allen retaliated (despite the group's efforts) by firing wildly into the undead, but Donna was already rendered helpless as the lurker and other alerted zombies overwhelmed her. Rick ordered the majority of the group to fall back to the R.V. while he handled Allen. In an obvious state of shock and anger, Allen nearly gave up on his life while surrounded, but with Rick's convincing to stay alive for his sons Ben and Billy, Allen managed to move and escape.

Tyreese went to warn Chris and Julie in the upstairs of the safe house, and caught them just before intimacy. Putting his anger on hold, he ordered them to dress and get ready to leave.

Rick got Allen back to the R.V. but realized the trio were still at the home. He ended up outrunning the hordes of undead to make it back to the house and meet up with them, before realizing escape was impossible with the zombies now covering the exits. Fortunately, Dale drove the R.V. right through the horde for the four of them to jump on the top, and the survivors successfully manged to escape the now zombie-infested Wiltshire Estates.

Deaths
Donna: Was bitten by a lurker in the shadows, and subsequently overrun by the hordes of undead.