Way back when
Spoilers for all seasons of twdg. Starts from ending where Clem ends up alone with AJ. Clementine sometimes wished she could go back in time. But really, when she thought about it, how far would she go? Back when all the cabin group was jalive? She was with Christa and Omid? Lee? Her parents? Before the apocalypse even happened? It was stupid. All she knew is that the past was the past, and she and AJ had to keep moving forward. Why or for who, she didn't know. The list of dead was too long to dedicate anymore.
"I can't forgive you, Jane," Clementine whispered tearfully. It had only been a couple of days ago, but long enough for Clem to traipse across the country far enough to be away from the snow. AJ crying in her arms, she felt stupid. Sure, what Jane had done was awful, but it wasn't about niceties or likeableness anymore. It was about survival. Maybe Clem and AJ weren't around her bitterness now, but they still needed food and water and - for AJ - baby formula. The only thing that stopped Clem from turning back and heading for Howes; hoping that Jane and food would be there, was the fact that survival was useless without people she could trust. Right now, the only living people she could trust were herself and AJ and Christa, providing she was actually living, and Clem would see her again.
W
Stood atop a grassy hill, Clem shivered as she noticed the small herd of walkers before her.
Looking down at AJ, she whispered, "well, I can't take them all, can I? Can't leave you on the floor alone." She pulled a face at him, making him smile and a giggle escape from his lips. "No, Alvie, ssh. If I can't take 'em, we gotta go through them, and we're both going to get eaten if you make a noise, okay?" When Alvin Junior said nothing, Clementine sighed and quickly lowered him to the ground. "Okay, I guess,"
She took out her hatchet and screwdriver. Stabbing a walker that was straying near her and AJ in the back of the neck, she cut it open and smeared the guts over herself, then on AJ.
"I'm sorry buddy," she whispered. "Growing up to know this is gonna suck. I bet it's gotta be better - not knowing any other way - than knowing first hand how awesome things used to be." Clementine stalked forward quietly, eyes flickering between AJ - "please don't cry Alvie," - and the path ahead.
It took a while, but by nightfall Clem had found a little mesh of wiring and wood that probably used to be an old Hen coop with a wooden box-type think for AJ to sleep in. She took some leaves and bustled them underneath him.
"Not the comfiest thing in the world, but it's better than nothing." She sighed. Alvie said nothing. "Are you cold? If you're cold I'll give you my jacket. I suppose I can bundle you up in it. Just, like, cry if you're cold." Clem stammered, realising that not only could AJ not understand her, but he'd also cry if he needed changing or was hungry. It was useless. An eleven year old couldn't speak baby.
She rattled on anyway. "When's the right time to give you, like, proper people food? I bet Kenny would know. How are we gonna find you clothes when you start to need them? Rebecca would probably know how to make some makeshift ones. Do I teach you to talk or do you, like, know as you get older? Luke would probably know that one. Or maybe Katjaa. Duck talked a lot, did she teach him that? What about hunting and survival. Lee would know when I should teach you how to use a gun." Clem sighed, looking down at the ground. "I guess I should focus on getting food before worrying about this. Sorry you don't have any toys to play with AJ. If I find, like, a doll or something, I'll let you know."p
Clem laughed, her breath rebounding in the icy air. "First thing tomorrow, I'll hunt. This fire we have going, well tomorrow we'll have something over it. I promise. Maybe if I could find water and some canned food or something, I could mix them together and put that in your formula bottle. I hope you like that." Clem muttered. She stood up and checked on AJ. He was fast asleep. "I'm sorry. I hope I didn't bore you. This is grown-up stuff that I need to worry about, not you. Night AJ." She sat back down near the fire.
Pulling off her backpack, she pulled out the ripped of photo of Lee. Clementine sometimes wished she could go back in time. But really, when she thought about it, how far would she go? Back when all the cabin group was alive? She was with Christa and Omid? Lee? Her parents? Before the apocalypse even happened? It was stupid. All she knew is that the past was the past, and she and AJ had to keep moving forward. Why or for who, she didn't know. The list of dead was too long to dedicate anymore.
"Mom and Dad used to tell me to say goodnight to grandpa every night, even though he died when I was six." Clem said to sleeping AJ. "I don't do that anymore. I should. I'll teach you who Rebecca and Alvin were, and then every night you can say goodnight to them." Clem took a deep breath.
"Goodnight grandpa. Goodnight mom and dad. Shawn Greene, Sandra, Mark, Doug, Lilly maybe, Katjaa, Duck, Larry - even though you were really mean - Ben, Carley, Chuck, Omid, Sam the dog - uh, AJ, he's a dog I had to kill. I don't go around killing dogs. This one wasn't very nice. My friend Luke described him as the 'magical asshole dog' - Pete, Matthew, Walter, Nick, Sarita, Alvin - that's your daddy AJ - and Rebecca -your mommy - Reggie, Christa maybe, Carlos, Sarah, Luke, Kenny and probably countless others I can't remember. And goodnight, Lee." She sniffed, wiping a tear and looking up to the dark starry night sky. "That's a lot of people, AJ, I think we shouldn't do that every night."
There was silence for a while, and Clem even got a couple of hours sleep in. She awoke in an uncomfortable position against a mesh of wiring and a burnt out fire. Reaching for her lighter, she got up to check on AJ. "Hey," she whispered. He was still asleep.
She was about to check if he needed a change, when suddenly, "hey! You there!" A gruff voice cried out.
"Ah!" Screamed Clem, shocked. She quickly reached for her gun. "Leave us alone. If this is your spot, just wait till daylight and we'll be on our way. We don't want any trouble." She insisted, dropping her lighter.
A torch waved around in her general area. "We? I only see the one of you,"
"I've got a baby here, and he's sleeping, so please leave us." She pleaded.
"A baby?" You could hear the shock in the voice, which was male. "You've got to be kidding me, a baby?" Footsteps approached them. "Hey, you're a little young to be a mother, aren't you? Where's the rest of your group?"
"It's just me and AJ, they're all dead. Please, what do you want? We have nothing but the clothes on our backs I swear." She stifled a sob. "Do what you want with me but don't hurt AJ,"
As if on cue, AJ woke up and began to cry. "Shoot," whispered Clementine. She wanted to calm him - not only was his crying bad, but a beacon for walkers - but she had to keep her gun up.
The shadow approached closer, till a face appeared. It was a tall man with dark hair and eyes. His jacket was tatty but the rest of him was in fairly good shape, and he didn't appear to be holding a gun to Clem and AJ.
"Little girl, put the gun down and comfort that boy, I ain't gonna hurt ya, and I sure ain't gonna hurt a baby." Clementine hesitated for a moment, but lowered her gun and scooped up AJ, bouncing him back to sleep.
"That's better, you're a natural." Said the man. "What's your name, darlin'?"
"What's yours?" She snapped back venomously.
"Jai, and all I wanted was to see if there were any food to catch out here. Didn't mean to intrude, now can I learn your name sweetie?"
She huffed. "My name is Clementine, and I don't appreciate being called those silly pet names," she was still cradling Alvin Junior protectively in her arms.
"Well, Clementine, I've got a place not far from here. Now, it's nothing special, but we have food and water. Might even find some baby food for little - what is it, AJ? - here. Surely you all must be starvin'"
The offer was too good. Food and rest away from the wilderness. But she's been through this. Clementine had been through the group thing twice now. A third time might break her. "No. No Id rather risk my chances, thanks. Groups are trouble,"
"Risk your chances, sure, but what about the baby? Surely you don't wanna risk his." Jai reasoned. "At least let us get a meal in you two, and if you really don't want to say we'll send you off in the morning with a bag of supplies for you and AJ. C'mon, Clementine." Jas was approaching even closer, almost right up against the wiring.
Clem looked down at AJ. "What do you think Alvie? Should we check this place out?" The poor baby was still half asleep, but the ruckus was keeping him awake. He grizzled quietly. Looking up, she scowled at AJ. "Fine, tonight, then we'll leave. Groups are never good. Groups die. Groups leave you alone. At least the dead don't screw with you,"
Tentatively, Jai opened the Hen coop gate. "We're not a group, not really, more of a...community."
Clem looked up, suddenly daring to be hopeful. "Like, like wellington?" She stammered.
Jai shook his head, grinning contently. "Nah, not like Wellington. We're not a dictatorship, we don't run things a certain way, we just keep together and help those who need it. We do the human thing. Folks seem to have forgotten what that is. We got a couple of new people here the other day. We do usually get families, or remains of families, once or twice a week. A kid with a baby - Hell, a baby, or a kid without an adult - that's new. I'd like to get to know you and AJ, Clementine, or at least give you a place for the night. Even though all I can really muster up is a box with blankets for AJ and a wooden pallet with a pillow and blanket for you." He was tall, towering over Clem, breath rebounding in the air. The sun was going to rise soon, she had to make a decision.
"I hope you mommy and daddy would be okay with this," Clem whispered to AJ. Looking up at Jai, she asked, "is there a woman named Christa with you?"
Should I continue this rubbish? And if I do, yes or no to Christa being there? Thanks for reading. No hate please.