It all started when a man on his way to jail stumbled upon a young girl in a treehouse. That man was named Lee, and the girl was Clementine. They joined with other survivors as the dead started to rise and tried to survive. But it never quite worked out. One by one, they died. Some were killed by the walkers, others were killed by the living. Clementine thought Lee would always be there for her. But nothing lasts forever.

When Lee was bitten, Clementine was the one to put a bullet in his head. And she carried on: she kept moving. She looked for Christa and Omid, the last members of her group. She kept her hair short.

The second group Clementine was with didn't last as long as the first. They were on the run from a man named Carver. But you can't run forever. They ended up caged like animals, and using a horde of the dead to escape to Parker's run, an old history museum. And, as always happens, the dead caught up with them, and they took shelter on a deck high above the ground where the monsters couldn't get them. That's where I was born.

As the first snow began to fall, we knew we couldn't stay. And so we didn't. The very next day we crossed through the snow in search of someplace warm. But then we were attacked by a group who tried to gun us down; they were all slaughtered in turn, except one.

Arvo lead us to a small hut, a place he said was safe and warm. But when he and two of our own tried to leave in the night, we knew it was no place safe. And then there were only four of us, driving through the storm and stopping at a roadblock of cars. The dead weren't supposed to move in the cold.

But they did.

We got into a crash, and I ended up with the girl Jane. She left me in a car to prove a point. To prove that Kenny was dangerous. Everything fell into place, and Kenny was shot through the chest. Clementine found me crying in that car, and when she realized what Jane had done, she took me and left.

We were together for a while after that until we discovered a girl named Ava. She took us to her group, to The New Frontier. Then I got sick, and when they wouldn't give me the medicine I needed, Clementine did what she had to do to save me. When the others learned of her betray, they took me from her and gave to a group of people at a ranch.

It was nice at the ranch, but I missed Clem. She was all I ever knew, and I thought I'd never see her again. Then she came; I barely recognized her. She took me in a car and we just drove. We drove until we found Ericson's Boarding School for Troubled Youth. They took us in, fed up, forgave me even after I shot the traitor Marlon in the head.

We also met a man named James. He was nice, and he was my friend. He walked among the monsters, in both life and in death. When I spared Lily's life, James' was cut short, and Lily got away.

Clem got bit.

I did what I had to…

It was fall, as far as AJ could tell. The air was just starting to get that chill to it that told of a cold winter on the horizon. It was like when the air settled on your skin just before a rainstorm, and you knew it was going to be a bad one. Or sensing at a monster was right around the corner, and discovering your intuition was right. AJ had come to learn that not everyone had that sense, but the ones who did have it survived. They were the ones who sensed the monster before they pounced from their hiding spot, the ones who found shelter before the snow fell in thick sheets on the ground and chilled the walkers still like statues. They were the ones that went on, when those without that intuition were killed by that walker they didn't sense, or by that storm they didn't know was coming.

The night was still. It was a starless night, the faint specks of warmth blotted out by unseen clouds, too stealthy to be spotted, but who you just knew were there. The moon, however, showed its face occasionally, peeking out from behind the gray mist as if to confirm it was still there, even if you couldn't see it. The faintest, distant sound of frosted leaves shifting with the whistle of the wind was all that disturbed the quiet. In his small hand, AJ sat before the candle, illuminating the small space that they called the watchtower.

AJ liked this watchtower better than the old one; the wood was still relatively new, and less likely to give way at the slightest gust of the wind. Pretty pictures were pinned to the wooden walls, drawn by AJ and the others in an attempt to pretty up the place. AJ was particularly proud of his self portrait, which he had drawn only days ago; Clementine had insisted on putting it where everyone could see it. Everyone got a turn at the watchtower. As the wind continued its chilling cry, AJ pulled the blanket around himself and shielded his face; it still smelled faintly of the many rabbits that had been skinned to make it, and the scent was nice, somehow. AJ took another deep breath of the musky odor before pulled the blanket back around his shoulders instead, confident the new warmth in his face would last him a few minutes.

It was strange, sitting there alone, listening to the cries of the night. He had heard those same sounds hundreds of times before, but each time, it was like experiencing it for the first time. The cold, biting wind mixed with the warmth of your shelter, and the comforting glow of the tiny flame doing its best to complete its purpose of burning and melting, only to be remodeled into another candle later on and repeat the process. AJ's thoughts felt as if they were being pulled apart. Stretched and scattered. He found himself losing a few moments in his unfocus, knowing in some part deep inside him that he was drifting away, yet being helpless to stop it until a sudden noise or cold spell snapped him back to reality. The third time this happened, the sound that brought him back to the real world were the gentle steps of boots climbing the ladder. Not a moment later popped up the pallid face of Willy.

Not a word was passed between them. They're minds both thought the same thought; they were tired, they were cold, and they really didn't want to talk to anyone right now, let alone each other. So they simply passed by one another, Willy taking the spot where AJ had just sat, pulling the same blankets over his shoulders and grabbing the lamp, holding it out so AJ could see where to place his foot as he began his descent. He climbed down slowly, and the wind struck him all at once. Strong and powerful, like the roar of a beast, except it's breath felt of ice instead of fire. He jumped off the ladder on the third to last step, landing with a quiet thud that shook his frail body more than he cared to think of.

All was still.

He heard the distant clang of claws against wire as rabbits fought for a comfortable and warm place to rest. The occasional stomp of a stallion's hooves or the whinnie of a mare. Somewhere beyond the walls, an owl called. AJ crossed his arms over his chest and made his way to the looming black shape of the school; much of the court yard rested in its immense shadow.

He walked past the foundation of what could have been his and Louis and Clementine's house; they never made it past the foundation before the project had been abandoned in favor of more important matters. The faintest glimmer of hope rose in his chest that they might one day be able to finish the three bedroom house. But that flame was weak and easily blown out by the boy's common sense. It was almost winter. They had to focus on not starving to death, like they almost had the winter before. There was no time to play pretend.

His tire swing was pushed by an invisible force, swaying back and forth with a creak of the branch it suspended from sounding with each harsh motion. It was still strong, even though to any other than himself, it would seem in need of replacing. He'd never replace his tire swing. Now for all the monkey bars or slides or jungle gyms in the world.

Now all that stood before him was the school. It was all worn and old, created in the old world. It had survived well in this vastly new one, but was quickly overstaying its welcome. The wood of its walls began to rot, exposed to the harsh elements for nearly fifteen years. Had it really been that long? It's stone, while still strong enough to protect the rest of it from the brunt of the occasional storm, had begun to crack and whither. Everything had its limit, even this place which he had called home for half of his young life. But what would they do when the school fell?

Maybe we'd be force to keep working on the house, AJ thought, but it's not big enough for all of us. We'd have to make more. Maybe even a whole town!

AJ stopped right as his hand rested on the worn doorknob. They'd have to expand the wall, and that would take time. Time they didn't have. They could only pray the walls held through the coming winter.

He pushed the door open into the empty hall. It was warmer inside; not by much, but still good. And as he opened the door, it was like his mind played music, like he had reached an achievement. Congratulations! You survived another watch in the cold! Better get ready for the next one!

But then he realized it was piano music, and piano meant Louis.

The thought was sleep was farther from his mind than ever. It was replaced with curiosity. Why was Louis up so late, playing piano? And just how long could it go on before Violet marched out of her room and cussed him out for making such a racket? AJ wouldn't mind seeing that…

But seeing Louis would be better. So, instead of taking the right hall, which would lead to the bedrooms, he took the left. The party room.

The haunting music got louder as he got closer down the halls. He didn't recognize the song, but it sure sounded interesting. And as he got within a few feet of turning the corner, he started to distinguish voices; two, in fact. And two he was very familiar with.

"...serious, Louis?" Came the sing-song voice of Clementine.

"Serious is my middle name!" Came Louis' loud and obnoxious tone.

"I thought it was Reginald." Clementine teased.

"That too!" Louis said matter-a-factly, "Louis Serious Reginald Lockwood. Quite a mouthful, if I do say so myself!"

"For me, maybe." Clementine countered, "but with your big mouth, I'd say it's barely a nibble."

The music stopped abruptly.

"That… was awful. Just… just awful." AJ could practically hear Louis shaking his head. "But if you want something serious…"

Whatever Louis had said after that, if he had even said anything, was lost to AJ. After a minute had passed, AJ's curiosity got the better of him, and he peered around the corner.

Louis lay flat on his back, resting on the bench he often sat on to play his calming tunes; his hand rested on the small of Clementine's back. The smaller girl was half-laying on top of her boyfriend, her one good leg dangling off the bench and dragging on the floor, while her other half-leg was hidden behind Louis'. Their lips were locked, eyes closed, seeming to be in their own world of bliss.

AJ laughed at the sight; he couldn't help it!

The couple recoiled from each other at the sudden, third voice among them. At the sight of their unexpected guest, Louis seemed as chill as ever, but Clementine's dark face seemed flushed as she said: "AJ! How long have you been there?"

"I just got off guard duty." AJ replied at once, "I was gonna head to bed, but then I heard the music. And I heard talking."

AJ started forward. They knew he was there, so there was no reason to keep standing in the doorway like a creep. He shoved between the two of them, looking from Clementine to Louis and back again.

"Why are you up so late?"

"I… couldn't sleep." Clementine said. Her hazelnut eyes darted around in search of escape. That only made AJ more curious.

The young boy opened his mouth to speak, to ask what 'serious matters' they had been discussing before his arrival, but Louis spoke louder and faster than AJ ever could.

"So I decided to lore the lovely lady into a deep slumber with my magical tunes!" Louis played keys at random, destroying the ambiance that had seized the surrounding air only moments before.

Clementine gave him a look. "Oh, they'll put me to sleep alright."

AJ laughed at that. Witty comebacks were the best!

"And it's time to put you to sleep, AJ. It's way past your bedtime, and you have chores in the morning just like everyone else."

"But you and Louis are awake! Why can't I be?" AJ argued

Clementine placed a hand on her hip. "Because I said so. And you're not an adult."

"You better listen to her," Louis butted in, "Unless you want her to nag you to death. Then we'd have to put that on your tombstone! Imagine that! "Here lies Alvin Junior, nagged to death by our very own leader. May his nagged soul rest in peace!"

"Louis!" Clementine snapped, and AJ began to laugh again.

"Okay, okay." AJ said at last, as his eyes began to get that familiar sleepy feeling, "But can you tuck me in?"

Clementine sighed. "Alright, AJ." She reached out of sight and produced her crutches; AJ assumed they must of been laying against the piano. "I'll be right back."

Clementine gave Louis a small kiss on the cheek, and AJ laughed again. Then Clementine was on her feet, supported by her crutches, and AJ felt that familiar pang of pity as he saw the nub of Clementine's leg. The leg he had cut off.

It was the only way, he told himself, the only way…

"I'll be waiting." Louis' voice brought AJ back to reality.

The music started again as Clementine lead AJ from the room and down the other hall toward the sleeping chambers. The music soon grew distant, and fell back into that melancholy tune AJ had first heard. It was enough to make exhaustion creep over him in fits of blackness.

They passed by the room inhabited by Violet and Ortrun; their soft snores were nearly overridden by the song that hung in the air. AJ wondered how they were still asleep…

Then they passed by Ruby and Aasim's room; faint chatter from inside told him that the couple were still awake, though he couldn't quite understand what they were saying.

The next room he passed was Louis' and Clementine's; it was obviously empty. And the next room over, home to Esther and Phoebe, was quiet with their slumber.

And then they finally came to the room AJ called his own; the faint light of a lanturn shone through the crack at the bottom. Clementine gave a gentle knock before pushing the door open.

Birdie looked up from where he sat on the bed. The blonde-haired teen looked up from his sketchbook and a dumb, taunting smirk spread across his freckled face.

"Well, look who finally got off guard duty for once."

Clementine opened her mouth to scold the younger boy, but AJ beat her to it.

"Ya know, I'd come up with a witty comeback if your head wasn't so far up your ass that it would be impossible for you to hear it."

Clementine's gasp of surprise and indignation was quickly drowned out by Birdie's contagious laughter; so contagious in fact, that even Clementine started laughing along as the initial shock wore off.

"Okay, that's enough. You're gonna wake Omar; and let me tell you, a tired Omar is a force not to be reckoned with."

"You don't gotta tell me twice," Came Birdie's condescending tone. He leaned back on his bed, letting his pencils fall to the ground with steady thuds. He took greater care with his notebook, however, setting it neatly under his bed.

AJ climbed into the second bunk bed, pushed against the opposite side of the room. They'd easily be able to house more people if anyone showed up, but AJ doubted that they would. And, even if they did, that didn't mean Clementine would let them stay. She was smart, and she learned her lesson the first time. Outsiders were almost always bad news.

Clementine pulled the covers over AJ with some difficulty; she had to use her left arm to keep her balance, so her motion was awkward, but AJ didn't mind. She pulled them up to the younger boy's chest, attempting to flatten some of the wrinkles, but she gave up after a few attempts. Then she simply gaze down at AJ with utmost admiration. Her eyes dilated.

She brushed her through AJ's hair, and kissed his forehead. AJ caught something in Clementine's eyes that he couldn't quite make out. Fear? Sadness?

"Get some sleep, Goofball."

Then the girl left with one last look back at the child she loved.

The next morning a thick mist lay in the forest. The temperature was more bearable than it had been the night before, but it was still a far shot from warm. It was enough to make your hands go numb after a few moments, but warm enough that that was as far as it would go. Simply flexing your fingers could bring back your warmth for a few moments, until the chill took over again.

Without much variety in their diet, the otherwise extraordinary stew prepared by Omar was anything but. The craftsmanship that had once blown AJ away tasted almost bland. You could only eat the same thing so many times before its taste faded. But it was food; it warmed his body and filled his stomach. It kept him alive, so it didn't matter what it tasted like.

AJ took a break from his tasteless sustenance to peer up at the unoccupied guard tower. That familiar, stabbing anxiety pierced through him. Nothing had happened in years. But what if it did? And what if it happened when they weren't watching? What if a group of bandits jumped over the walls while they were at their most vulnerable? Out in the courtyard, all gathered together eating? They would all be in one big group, easy to be picked off. Sure, it probably would never happened, especially not unprovoked? But say that it did?

But Clementine insisted they all eat together as a group. Every single one of them, every morning and every evening. Sure, it could start off as the watchman eating alone during their shift. But then others would want to get a headstart on their own chores, and pretty soon they'd all just grab their bowls and, without a word to each other, get to work.

They were constantly working, constantly on the move, constantly trying to better their lives that they could easily fall apart from each other. They could easily grow distant. They'd be groupmates, sure, but they might not be a family. They might not be friends. They might start to question each other, to question themselves, and that couldn't happen.

So they always ate together. Always. And every week, they always played one of Louis' card games. Every day they switched partners, and every day they switched chores. They'd celebrate holidays that the world around them had forgotten. When come October (or as close as they could tell) they would celebrate 'Halloween'; setting up spooks and scares to frighten their fellow humans out of their wits. And come the second snowfall they'd celebrate Christmas; trading gifts, exchanging heartfelt words, and occasionally (if the hunters were feeling up to it) they'd feast on venison.

They'd celebrate birthdays and April Fools, and they'd even make up their own celebrations; like the day Clementine and AJ arrived at Ericsons, or the day they showed the Delta not to fuck with them. The dates weren't exact, of course, but they'd always set aside a day to celebrate their triumphs. And they set aside a day to honor their dead, those who gave their lives to protect their home or their friends, and those who lost their lives far too soon. They called that day The Day of Silence, for they would hold a minute of silence for each life they lost; it usually lasted over an hour. They had lost so much…

Everyone had finished off their meals. Muttering their thanks to the chef (Omar always enjoyed being appreciated) everyone started on their daily chores.

Aasim and Louis immediately went back inside the school, having the privilege of guarding the store room, in Louis' case, and the armory, in the case of Aasim. Ortrun and Violet set off together, hand in hand, to beyond the graveyard, where the rabbit hutch was situated; Ortrun held her fussy son in her arms, doing her best to console the flailing boy.

As usual, Birdie and Esther set out together toward the river, but not without retrieving a wheelbarrow, already stocked with empty jars. Willy opened the door for them, and they disappeared down the path. Omar, Willy, and Phoebe (who simply tagged along because she had nowhere else to go) made their way to the greenhouse to weed the garden and (when Birdie and Esther returned) water the plants.

Clementine took the first shift of guard duty, limping her way onto the lift (designed by Willy and Aasim, with a rope pulley system) and pulled it up to the top of the tower, tying the rope on a wooden beam so it wouldn't fall back down and grabbing her crutches. She disappeared into the shelter.

"Guess that leaves us two." Ruby said sweetly, one hand placed on her hip, "You'll be helpin' me tend to the horses; nothin' too difficult; just givin' 'em some hay and exercise and refilling their water trough. Shouldn't take too long."

The chilled air around AJ seemed to suddenly leap in temperature. He loved horses! They reminded him of the ranch… before the blood. There were lots of them there…

AJ followed after Ruby, past the foundations of what could of been his home, and to the side of the school where the stables were settled. Made of the same strong, wooden foundations the gate had been rebuilt with, the stable stood out against the worn stone structure beside it. Before they even entered the stables, the scent of manure and dried hay filled the air. Both survivors took a deep breath.

The stable itself was comforting, warmed by the breath of its inhabitants and sheltered from the frostbitten winds. AJ could feel his hands warming at once, losing that oh so familiar numbness that the outside often produced. And the creatures that lived in there, calling their singular stalls home for much of their life, watched curiously at the two, their dark eyes brimming with the expectation of food. And the food was delivered.

Following Ruby's example, AJ began to spread out hay as evenly as he could between the horses. The winter had yet to set in with all its brunt force, so their collection of hay, enough to last all the horses through the cold, was still mostly untouched. Each of the animals got plenty to eat and began munching on their meals right away. AJ watched as their teeth worked side to side, grinding up the nutruents and refilling their muzzle as their mouthful disappeared down their throats. It was kind of mesmerizing, in a way.

Ruby's voice broke through the steady crunching of the horses. "Wish we had some apples to give 'em…"

AJ looked to her. "Do horses liked apples?"

"Oh yeah."

AJ blinked. He'd have to keep that in mind.

"But at least they got them salt licks," Ruby continued, "may not be too apatizing for us, but the horses just love it!"

AJ smiled.

His eyes found the horse, Rain, in one of the very last stable; the mare who, for the last few months, had been steadily growing wider.

"When's Rain gonna have her baby?" AJ asked expectantly.

Ruby thought for a moment. "Should be any day now… if i'm being honest, I'd've thought she'd pop weeks ago! It's gonna be a difficult deliver, that's for sure. You ever seen one of the little ones?"

AJ shook his head. "The ranch only had the big ones."

"Well it'll be a new experience for ya, then! Ya know what?" Ruby gave him a gentle nudge, "I'll even let you name it."

AJ smiled again.

While the horses were busy chewing away, AJ and Ruby took the opportunity to fill up their water troughs and return the empty jars the wooden box near the gate, to be refilled the next morning. By time they returned, each of the horses, having finished most of their hay, had turned to the trough to drink.

Ruby let them be for a moment before saying, "We'll start you off with someone easy." She went into one of the stables, pulling a harness off the hook as she walked by. She returned leading a white and black mare. "This is Perdita; she may look intimidating. but don't worry. She's as gentle as they come."

She held out the lead, and AJ took it with a shaking hand. The mare trotted obediently forward a few steps at the strain of her lead, gazing down at the boy half her size with gentle, dark eyes.

"Hey Perdita…" AJ breathed, and held out a hand. Perdita rubbed her muzzle against it, breathing out a heavy snort and stomping one of her hind hooves.

AJ gasped at first, enraptured that a creature could get so big. And then he giggled. "I like her."

"Seems like she likes you to." Ruby called; she was already in another stall hooking up a slightly smaller, but nonetheless intimidating, mottled gray stallion. She let him out of the stable.

"What's his name?" AJ asked.

"This here's Chester." Ruby replied, "s'not a big fella, since he's still growin', but he's plenty powerful. You'll have to wait a bit until you can handle him, I'm afraid."

Chester glared down at AJ with the same, dark eyes as the mare, except without any of the warmth that had inspired awe in the young boy. The stallion grinded his teeth with a sickening sound that sent chills up AJ's spine. But Ruby seemed unphased, even concerned.

"What's wrong, Chess? You got a belly ache?"

AJ stared. She didn't really expect the horse to answer, right? It's a horse! And she was talking to it like a human. But he knew to stay quiet. Something about the horse was… off putting. And he didn't want to frighten it into a frenzy. So he was silent.

"I don't think Chester here is feeling good." Ruby frowned, "Have to look him over when we get back, but he still needs his exercise. Maybe it's just gas."

"How can you tell?" AJ asked; he couldn't hold himself back anymore.

"Why, he's grinding his teeth, poor dear." Ruby rubbed Chester's neck.

AJ said nothing.

AJ and Ruby lead their designated horses outside, and the cold air hit AJ at once. The warm air of the stables had finally helped him to regain feeling in his hands, but the cold immediately reversed that. Even the horses seemed apprehensive about leaving their sanctuary, but they obediently followed after their leaders.

"They sure are gorgeous, aren't they?" Ruby said after a while.

"Yeah. They're pretty." AJ agreed.

"And strong too!" Ruby went on, "They spent so long pulling them caravans that they're bound to be tough."

They passed by the graveyard, past the marking stones that boldly showed the names of those lost; among them Brodie, Marlon, Mitch, Tennessee, Rosie, and many more. AJ didn't visit the graveyard much anymore… it was too sad.

They passed near the rabbit hutch, where Ortrun was showing a young rabbit to her son; for once, Otto actually seemed interested in the presentation, though that same blank expression still remained. Violet and Ortrun acknowledged AJ and Ruby as they passed on by, but Otto simply reached out tiny hands for the rabbit.

"I wish they had their own pasture to roam in." Ruby said as they passed by, "being cooped up all the time ain't good for 'em, but I can't afford to give them all the individual exercise they need; there ain't enough hours in the day." They passed by the stables. "One more time around should be good. I'm sure them other horses are really itching for their turn."

There was another silence.

"Aasim and Clementine been talking about expanding the walls to make room for more farmland, but that's a long ways off. First things first, we need to finish up repairs on the school. The place is falling apart as we speak! I mean, just the other day I was going up the stairs to see Clementine, right? And the damn floor nearly fell through on me! Rotted straight through. I got lucky, but someone could really get hurt one of these days."

Another walk past the graveyard, and another wave to the girls at the rabbits.

"Awful quiet today, ain't ya?" Ruby asked.

AJ didn't respond.

"That's alright." Ruby went on, "You've never really been the talkative type anyway. Would be nice to finally have a nice conversation about something other than food shortages or the approaching winter. I get it, it's hard, and people are on edge, but that ain't no reason to be all serious. We've survived plenty of winters before, and we'll survive this one as well."

They returned to the stables.

The process was repeated with the rest of the horses. After Perdita and Chester were returned safely to their stables, they took out Danny and Perdita. And once those two had gotten their exercise, Ruby and AJ took out Rain, the pregnant mare. She got to stay out longer than the other horses. By the time they returned with Rain, it was nearly midday.

Ruby suggested they go to the greenhouse, and AJ had no objection.

Once they had cleared the place of bodies, cut down some of the creeping vines, and weeded everything that needed weeding, the place didn't look half bad. Broken windows had been boarded up, holes covered with plywood. It was actually a pretty solid fortress, with one one way in and one way out. But that could also be a catastrophe waiting to happen.

Florrie…

The herbs themselves had offered a great flavor for the first few weeks, but that taste had dwindled away as they ate the same soup day in and day out. The herbs made you healthy, and even if they ended up tasting almost nonexistent, they were worth maintaining. At least, that was what Ruby said. AJ trusted her to know what she was talking about.

Omar didn't acknowledge them at first. Ruby cleared her throat, and Omar looked up.

"Something wrong?" Omar asked.

"No, nothin'. Just wonderin' if y'all needed help is all."

Omar looked back down and continued his weeding. "Everything's fine."

Ruby craned her neck and looked around.

"Where're Phoebe and Willy?"

"They'll be back soon…" Omar muttered.

Almost as if on cue, the doors to the greenhouse swung open and in entered Phoebe and Willy carrying a jar of water in each arm.

Willy was half through a sentence, "... and then BOOM! It was all up in flames! Oh, hey Ruby!"

Willy walked past AJ and Ruby. Phoebe stayed back just long enough to offer the two a smile before Omar quickly stood and took a jar from her, beginning o water the freshly weeded plants. Willy and Phoebe did the same.

"How are them berries comin' along?" Ruby asked.

"Berries?" AJ echoed.

"Yeah." Ruby chimed, "I brought a few of those wild berries in so we can plant them, that way we won't have to go down to the river any time we want a sweet treat. And some variety in our diet couldn't hurt. Don't know about you, but I'm tired of eating rabbit stew! No offense, Omar."

Omar looked up with a slow movement. "There's only so much I can do with what's provided…" Then he lowered his head again and continued to work. "I'm a chef, not a miracle worker…"

"Some people may say they go hand in hand." Ruby suggested.

"And 'some people' got crap for brains, that's for sure." Omar's eyes drifted not-so-subtly over to Willy.

Everyone laughed, including Willy.

"The berries are growing fine…" Omar went on, "... for now. We'll have to move them to a bigger pot soon."

"I've been holding off on that." Ruby explained, "They'll do much better after the winter's over. They'll do better out in the open anyhow. I was plannin' on moving them a little ways away, near the rabbit hutch."

"Seems good to me."

The door opened again and everyone turned to look. Ortrun was standing there, but as she saw all the eyes on her, she shrunk back out. The door almost closed, but she grabbed it just in time and slowly pushed it back open.

"Something we can help you with, hun?" Ruby asked softly.

Ortrun seemed white in the face. She pushed some stray strands of blonde hair back into her faded headscarf before answering in her thick french accent.

"I need the weeds… for rabbits…" It was a hushed whisper

AJ barely heard her; he had caught rabbits and the, but nothing else. Ruby, however, seemed to understand perfectly.

She carefully stacked the discarded bits in a basket, and once it was full, slowly handed it over to Ortrun, offering her a patient smile. Ortrun held the basket close to her chest and whispered a quiet "thank you" before hurrying out of view.

Ruby stared after her, even as the door closed. "Poor dear…" She said, "But at least she's gettin' better."

It was silent for a while after that. Willy was the one who broke it.

"Are you two done with the horses?"

His voice sounded strange in the once silent room.

"Sure are!" Ruby said breathlessly.

Willy seemed to light up. "Then you can help us with the watering! It'll go by way faster with two more people!"

Omar flinched at that. He looked up slowly, staring daggers at Willy, as if he had just suggested they feed someone to the walkers.

Ruby laughed at the sight. "I don't think Omar would appreciate that."

"Omar doesn't appreciate anything." Willy whined.

"I'd appreciate it if you shut that big mouth of yours and let the introvert be…" Omar returned to his work, and this time it was Willy staring daggers.

Ruby waved a hand. "It's fine; I reckon we'll find something else to do soon enough anyhow. Some folks gotta need help with something."

"Can I go on watch with Clem?" AJ asked, practically pleaded, looking up at Ruby.

Ruby blinked. "Well I don't see why not, as long as Clem's okay with it."

"Thanks Ruby!"

AJ hurried out before another word could be said. He hadn't gotten to spend much time with Clementine lately; she was always super busy around this time of year making sure they didn't starve. She and Aasim were constantly stressing about it, even if they had more than enough food to last. And when the winter was over and food was plentiful again? They started to worry about the next winter, and if it was going to be even worse.

AJ climbed up the ladder, peeking inside the small room. Clementine was there, gun in hand, staring out into the quiet forest. She was so lost in her daze that she didn't even hear AJ approach, so he called out to her.

"Clementine?"

The girl jumped like a startled deer, turning around and immediately breathing a sigh of relief at the familiar face.

"AJ… didn't see you there, Goofball."

AJ scowled at the name, but said nothing. He climbed the rest of the way inside and crawled over to Clementine's side. Clementine pulled him close, and wrapped one end of the blanket around him.

"Were you thinking?" He asked.

"Yeah." Clementine looked back out through the window.

A short silence.

"What about?" AJ prompted.

Clementine closed her eyes and was quiet for such a long time that AJ almost thought she had fallen asleep. Then she stirred and said:

"Do you remember that really bad storm we had when we were on the road? Where we had to wait out the snow in the car, so cold that we felt as if our noses would freeze right off?" Each exhaled breath came in a smoky haze.

"Yeah…" AJ pulled himself closer, "I remember…"

The memory was there, but it was distant. Faded. Like an old picture from the world before.

"You were so little back there. So fragile. I remember telling you 'it's okay, AJ. The storm will pass soon. We can wait it out.' You were crying… the tears froze right to your face and you said that you were hungry. So I gave you some stale old chips, and you ate them as if they were the best thing you ever tasted. What I didn't tell you was that that was the last bit of food we had. I thought we were gonna starve… I thought the storm would never stop, and we'd just… wither away. Some poor bastard would find us down the way and put in a bullet in our heads… but the storm did end, the very next morning. That was the closest we ever came to starving."

Aj stared up at her. "But we didn't. We didn't starve then and we won't starve now."

"We didn't have as many people back then either. We only had to worry about feeding the two of us, but now we have to feed thirteen hungry people. Thirteen people that are gonna starve this winter if we don't get more food."

Clementine was on the verge of tears. AJ could tell; her breathing began heavy and shaky, and her entire body shook along with it. She looked down at AJ and her eyes swam with the tears that threatened to fall. It swam with fear and love and stress and worry all rolled into one. She pulled him into a hug, and neither of them cared that the blanket fell from off their shoulders.

"I just don't know what we're gonna do… I got a bad feeling AJ…" She said no more.

She didn't have to. AJ knew what she was talking about. He knew the feeling that was so complex it was impossible to explain. That feeling that settled in his gut and in his mind and in his very actions day to day. The feeling of impending storms, the feeling of impending hunger. The feeling of the approach of something horrible…

Like when the walls fell...