"I'll miss you..."
My voice sounds choked, raw, hoarse; everything it shouldn't be in front of Clem.
"Me too..."
Hers sounds sad, guilty, painful; everything a kid her age shouldn't feel.
My arm tingles as her small fingers brush tentatively against my spread palm, and then as her hand splays on top of mine.
'Lee...you have to go...,' Ben whispers brokenly, and I can just see the look of pure sorrow on his face.
Then, the feel of her palm is gone, and she's rising to her feet, shaky and bloody, and I can't help but remember the little girl at the start of this whole mess.
'Lee, you don't have much time...,' I hear Carly chime in, and I know she's right. I'm almost done, almost drained. I've accepted that the apocalypse will take me.
"Ma-maybe I should just...you know, end this..." Her voice pains me, and I break.
"No...I don't want you to have to do that...al-right?" I respond, and her face slackens, and I see tears clinging to her eyelashes.
"B-but...you'll be one of them!" she stutters breathily, and her fear, her guilt, saddens me.
"No...I won't be myself an-anymore. It won't be me...," I reassure, but her honey eyes don't look convinced. Her lips jut out as she steps back, handgun shaking in her frail hands.
'Lee! You need to get your ass in here: now!' Larry yells, and no matter how much I dislike him, I can admit that I don't have forever anymore.
"Lee...no...," Clementine's voice whimpers brokenly, and I want to cry. My eyes sting like I'm crying, but there aren't any tears.
'Lee...,' I hear them warn, and I know my time is up soon, that I can only say a few more words, and then I'll be gone.
"Clem...keep that hair short..."
Her face softens at the sentiment, but then it sombers, and I hate to see her face contort in such a way.
"I-I will...I'll cut it myself...," she promises, and I can't help but feel a little relieved at the confession.
"And also...," I drawl, my eyes blinking rapidly at the white invading my vision, welcoming me to the other side. I...I want to say it, and it's difficult, but I bite down the urge to forget the words and I just say them.
"I-I love...you, Sweet Pea...," I whisper, and her face seems to crack like a porcelain doll. The emotions she tries to mask break out and change her face, and she starts sobbing.
"I-I...I love y-you too, Lee...," she confesses softly, and I feel slightly happy at the knowledge that she loves me back.
'Lee!' My name is being screamed, now, by all of them, and I can't do anything else but oblige.
"I...I'm sorry, Clem...but I have to go now...," I moan, and she seems to understand what I'm saying. She's grown up so much...
"Okay, Lee..." Her breath hitches, and she turns her head towards the exit door. I see her lips trembling and her knees buckling, and I want so dearly to help her out. To save her. But now, I'm merely one of the moaning monsters, eating flesh, and killing children without a conscious. Without a thought.
I feel sick.
I see Clem slowly, wobbly walk to the door, turning back to me as her hand rests on the knob. She looks so broken and lost that I wish I could wrap her in my arms, kiss her forehead, and go away with her.
I'm aware, though, that this isn't a fairy tale, and the type of ending that I want is only found in fairy tales.
The last thing I see is her small hand twisting the doorknob before white floods my eyes and I see blood. There's blood everywhere, rotten flesh, walking corpses, dying people, then there's white again. Such a pure white, like a...hospital white.
After the white, darkness engulfs me whole, and I see Clem, a glowing halo floating over her head and angel wings attached to her back. She smiles at me, and then she disappears.
'Lee...'
I see Clem's silhouette cast against the returning white, and then I see familiar faces. They're somber, yet happy, and they welcome me with open arms. I smile at them, and then I turn to Clem as I float through the sky. She's looking at me still, and I want her to leave, just so she doesn't have to see me.
Then, she sighs, turns, and then she's gone and her sobs echo in my ears.
Finally, I cry.