Clementine's POV
Episode one: All That Remains
Lee and I were alone, Omid and Christa was... somewhere, we never found them, hopefully we find them one day, and hopefully alive. I glance at the grass below my feet as we approached "Gil's Pitstop". The grass turned into the concrete parking lot, it was a bright morning, Lee held onto his rifle tightly, Lee had gotten a plain black large hoodie through the time we've been alone together, he's offered it through many cold nights but I always refused. Lee walked towards the restrooms, looking at the filthy, trash filled ground he picked up an empty sliver can and sighed sharply and set it down.
"Are you okay?" I asked in concern. Lee's been stressed lately, as we have little food and water.
"I'm fine, Clem, today's not our day I guess," Lee mumbled. I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his side, which made Lee smile.
"I'm sure we'll find something," I reassured and let go of my guardian. Lee turned to me standing straight.
"I hope so sweet pea, c'mon, these bathrooms don't seem like much," Lee commented and put his left hand against the wall with fresh blood stains on it, "let's go."
16 months later...
Lee and I were now in the woods, it was dark and raining and we were cooking some sort of weasel Lee caught in one of his homemade traps. We sat on a large log a few inches away from eachother, I glance at Lee as he hadn't said much all day. I sigh briefly.
"Lee, talk to me," I practically asked. Lee glanced at me and smiled a little, but it faded shortly.
"Sorry sweet pea, it's been a rough day, wanna help me tend the fire?" Lee asked. I eagerly nod and get up and walk over to the fire, Lee was right behind me, I kneel down on the damp grass and pick up a large stick that seemed dry enough to burn nearby the low flames underneath the weasel that was on sticks, I set it in the fire and the flames rose a bit.
"Good job," Lee praised. I smiled a 'thank you', Lee accepted it. I walk over to the big log and look in the hollow part and grabbed my purple backpack that had several flower stickers on it, I unzip it and started picking up items to find my zippo, first item was a drawing of Kenny and his family, poor Kenny, I put the drawing in my left back pocket, second item was the ripped picture of Lee I grabbed from the drugstore in Macon, I set the picture in my back pocket, finally the Zippo was to be seen, I grabbed it and a ripped piece of paper in the bottom of my backpack. I walk to the fire where Lee was putting some twigs in the fire that didn't seem to help much, I open the Zippo and took the ripped piece of paper and lit it, placing the burning paper in the small fire the flames rose even more, Lee glanced at me with a smile and we warmed up next to the fire.
Snap.
My head darted towards the sound and a man was behind us, he had a black beanie, and his face was covered by a blue rag and a pair of black tinted sunglasses, dirty blood stained dark clothing and a pistol in his left hand. Several men came out behind him.
"Where are the people you guy's are with?" One of them asked, must be the leader. Lee and I exchanged worried glanced.
"We're not with anyone," I answered honestly. One of the bandits looked ticked off.
"Jesus are you fucking kidding me?! Just tell us and you don't get hurt!" He yelled. I glanced at the muddy ground around me and spot a rock.
"We're not with anyone, just leave us be," Lee pleaded. I walk forward to 'accidently' trip backwards, I grabbed the rock and throw it in the leader's eyes. Lee quickly pulled me up onto my feet and gripped onto my hand and we dashed through the woods. Through dodging several walkers, bandits, and surprisingly tree limbs, we hid behind two separate oak trees, bandits ran right pass the trees, idiots. Lee signaled to start running again, I peeled myself off the tree and ran at Lee's pace. We approached a steep hill to see nothing but water and sharp rocks at the bottom, moaning was heard behind us, Lee turned to see many walkers behind us.
"Jump," Lee ordered. I didn't even hesitate and jumped into the icy water, the water felt like a kick in the chest, the rocks scratch the middle of my back, not enough to bleed though, I scream a little. Eventually I wake up on a cold sandy land, I sit up and cough up some water, I wipe my eyes and realise it's daylight. Lee, oh gosh, Lee! I quickly look around to see Lee laying near the water which was a few feet away, I get up and run to him, I shake his left shoulder aggressively and Lee instantly opened his eyes and coughed up water, he sat up. I sigh in relief and pat his back.
"I was really worried," I stated. Lee chuckled sharply, his throat must sting.
"You don't have to worry sweet pea, c'mon," Lee reassured and pressed his palm against his knee and pushed himself up. I pushed myself up and followed Lee who was heading towards broken wooden splintered stairs, he reached up and pulled himself onto the stairs, he held his hand out to help me up, I grasp his hand and he pulled me up with a strong grip. As soon as I was on the stairs, Lee started walking towards the woods. I frown and sigh, following him, Lee turned to me with a concerned face.
"What's the matter?" Lee asked. I shrug.
"I miss everyone..." I admitted, Lee frowned.
"I miss people too," Lee replied. I smiled sadly at him and he turned and continued walking, I followed and grabbed his hand like always, Lee stopped at a sign that said 'Beware of Wild Animals'. Lee and I glanced nervously at eachother and continue to walk. Growling was heard, our heads darted towards the growling and saw a golden retriever, it was quite dirty, but cute.
"Its okay boy... it's okay..." I reassured the pup. The dog quit growling, I carefully walked over to it, winning a warning look from Lee, I looked at it's blue collar and saw "Sam" on it. I smile and turned to Lee and put on my puppy eyes.
"Can we please please, please keep him?" I begged. Lee smiled and nodded,
"Sure sweet pea, maybe he can hunt," Lee replied cheerfully. Sam darted his head towards a passage way, I tilted my head and chase him, Lee followed behind and Sam stopped in front of the entrance of a small worn down camp, a dead body stabbed to a tree, trash everywhere, and a broken tent. I shiver at the sight, Lee approached us from behind and heard him mumble "Jesus". Sam began to wander the camp. My stomach growled loudly. Lee glanced at me with a hopeful smile.
"Lets look for some food, maybe these people left something," Lee commented. I nod slowly and wander around, I found a trash can that was just awful, it had muck in it, I roll up my blood stained stripped sleeves and began digging. My fingers slipped on the side of a can, I pulled it up and it was a family sized can of beans. I looked around for Lee and a green flying disc landed in front of my feet, I looked up and saw Lee with a smile, I giggle a little and pick up the frisbee and throw it back to Lee, he caught it with one hand and smiled, he threw it towards the tree and Sam ran and grabbed it with his teeth and gave it back to Lee, I approached Lee with the can of beans and hand it to him.
"I don't suppose you don't have a can opener, do you?" Lee joked. I shook my head no sadly. Oh right that knife that was used to stab that guy to the tree, I walk to the tree and grab it and return to Lee, cleaning off the dirty knife with my left pants sleeve and hand it to Lee.
"Good job," Lee praised, I smiled and he handed me both knife and can, "you need to know how to do things on your own, cut it open." I hesitantly grab the knife and can and start cutting the lid. Eventually, it was opened and I smile seeing the food inside was still good. Lee and I grabbed handfuls of beans and ate a good bit, Sam started whining, Lee and I glance at him. I look at Lee with pleaded eyes.
"Yes, you can feed him some," Lee gave in. I smile and put the can a few inches from his snout, he knocked it out of my hand and started eating it.
"Hey, don't eat all of it," I warned and Sam looked up at me and sunk its teeth in my arm, it instantly started bleeding and throbbing. Lee panicked and started punching the dog, the bit felt pretty deep, I kicked the dog off into some spikes and Lee instantly rolled up my sleeve carefully.
"Oh god, are you okay Clem?" Lee asked. I rolled my eyes at his stupid question.
"It hurts," I replied and my voice broke from pain. Lee picked me up bridal style and started running. Walkers began closing in on every opening we saw. Lee turned multiple times, searching for a way out. An arrow went through one of the walker's head. My vision was too blurry to see at this point. Lee ran with two men, one was an older man, grey-white hair, wrinkles covered his face, green jacket, torn in a few spots, the other man was a bit younger, dirty blonde hair, orange shirt that was quite dirty and bloody, he carried a three foot long machete.
"Thanks for saving us," Lee spoke. The younger man nodded, accepting our thankfulness.
"Are y'all with anyone?" The younger man asked. Lee shook his head.
"No, not anymore, we were two years ago, I'm Lee, this is Clementine," Lee replied.
"I'm Luke, this is Pete," the younger man introduced them. We walked in silence for a moment.
"Is that your daughter?" Pete asked. Lee looked at me with a smile.
"Her parents are gone, I'm just doing what I can, kind of like an adoptive dad," Lee explained. Luke and Pete smiled at that.
"You speak darlin'?" Pete asked.
"Yes sir," I replied.
"We have a doctor at our cabin I'm sure," Luke began and spot my bloody sleeve, "oh shit, she's bit!" Lee quickly shook his head.
"It was a dog," Lee quickly defended. Luke and Pete exchanged worried glances.
"We didn't see no dog, Lee," Pete argued. I shook my head,
"We left it in spikes, it was a dog," I pleaded.
"Just take a look at it," Lee also pleaded.
"And get Pete's neck torn?" Luke asked.
"Why my neck?" Pete asked,
"'Cause I don't know from a walker to a fucking misquote bite," Luke replied. Pete sighed, Lee set me on my feet, the ground was a bit muddy, I roll my sleeve up and blood instantly flowed through the sleeve and dripped off my bone thin fingers. Pete cringed at the look and grabbed my arm, lightly touching the skin around the bite.
"Too hard to tell, could be a dog bite, maybe Carlos could tell," Pete replied. Luke sighed and ran his right hand through his hair and back to his side. My vision started to get more blurred and I shut my eyes and fall. I awaken on the ground and my vision cleared. A pregnant lady with dark brown short curly hair, white shirt, blue jeans, she was pretty. There were some other people there too, there was dark skinned man, icy blue eyes, black hair, an brown ball cap with a C on it and camouflage pants with black shirt, Pete was there, Lee was arguing with them about something. I get up, going to go to Lee and a gun shot was heard, I start my tracks to run to Lee and stop when I was in front of him. I look at the man with the ball cap and he was holding onto a rifle, his eyes slightly more widen. Pete snatched the rifle from him.
"Keep your finger off the trigger son!" Pete yelled. Lee marched over to him and grabbed him by his collar.
"Lee," Pete warned. Nicks expression turned into worry.
"If you EVER point a gun towards that girl ever again you will be eating the barrel of that gun! Do you understand?!" Lee yelled. The man quickly nodded and Lee dropped him. Luke and a Hispanic man with a plaid shirt, long curly dark hair, jeans, soft brown eyes came out of the cabin.
"What happened?!" Luke yelled.
"Dammit Nick! Every walker from five miles probably heard that!" The pregnant woman yelled. I turn to the man with the plaid shirt, he reached for my arm, I quickly snatched it away from his reach and looked at Luke for reassurance.
"Its okay Clem he's a doctor," Luke stated. I slowly hand him my bloody arm and he took a look. He gave me an unsure look and exchanged glances at his group.
"Could be a dog bite, the only way to tell is to wait," the doctor announced. I'd be running a fever if I were bitten, this is ridiculous! Screw it, if I want proper treatment I'll have to wait, or... sneak supplies, I'll see what Lee wants to do.
"How do you suppose we do that?" Luke asked. Idiots. The doctor looked at Luke.
"We lock her in a shed, wait it out," he replied. Lee had obvious anger planted on his face.
"You want to just lock her in a shed? That's not right!" Lee shouted. The group looked towards Lee.
"Its the only way to tell," the doctor replied. These heartless people! I'm going to die, this is cold even of strangers to do this, I suppose there's worse though, they could kill us, doesn't matter at this point, I guess they are going to attempt to kill me, I sighed. A girl opened the front door and looked at us, she had red glasses, short black hair, a blue jacket, blue jeans, she didn't look much older than me.
"Who are they?" She asked, eyeing us.
"Stay inside sweetie," the doctor said, avoiding her question, she shut the door while going inside.
"Clem, do you want to wait or leave?" Lee asked. What a grown-up decision, (sarcasm) so much choice, probably going to die either way.
"Let's just wait it out, it would be nice to get proper treatment, and resting here for the night does sound safe," I replied. Lee nodded and looked at the group.
"We'll wait," Lee stated the obvious. The group nodded. Nick and Luke started walking, they motioned us to follow them and we started following them, I held onto Lee's hand and he had a strong grip. We approached this old dusty wooden shed, green pointy tin roof, the place was full of splinters, can't judge a book by it's cover, I guess. Luke took a key out of his left pocket and unlocked the shed, he opened it and I stepped inside.
"Through not trusting you and thinking you'll steal supplies for her you'll have to go with her," Nick stated, Lee stepped inside as well and they closed the shed. I sighed and kick the left wall beside Lee and I. Lee gave me a concerned look.
"Maybe there's something here for you to use as stitches and such," Lee suggested. I grab my right wrist and walk around, looking, Lee looked around as well, I approached a toolbox and kneeled down, I open the took box and there was wooden chunks and some fishing string in the toolbox. I grabbed the fishing string.
"Go something we can use for stitches," I stated, Lee turned to me with a smile.
"Good job," Lee praised. I smiled and put the fishing string in my back pocket. Lee looked up and saw a hammer, he reached up and grabbed it, he put the item in his back pocket, I look right of the toolbox, there was a hold in the shed, this place really is a dump. There was a board that was loose on the hole, Lee has that hammer.
"Lee, there's a hole over here, big enough for us to fit through, there's a board over it though, maybe you could use your hammer?" I asked. Lee nodded and grabbed the hammer from his back pocket and walked over and smashed the board and kicked the hole open. I gave him an appreciative smile and crawl out.
"Stay here, I want to be able to do this on my own, if they see you they'll shoot you, and I highly doubt they'll shoot a little girl," I said. Lee gave me an unsure look and nodded.
"Only if you're sure," Lee replied. I nodded and he gave me a pocket knife and a hammer, I said "thank you" and got up and got in a sneaking position and started walking slowly to the cabin, I walk around the cabin and find a board to cover a part of under the house, I take out the hammer and take out the screws of the plywood and crawl under the house, I heard several foot steps above, I keep crawling to find a doo connected to the floor, I get my pocket knife out and break the lock, and also my knife, darn
I grab the hammer beside me and swing it at the walker beside Lee and I who was somewhat knocked out from accidentally hitting his head on the shelf above him, I took my last swing at the walker's head, it's blood splattered on my face. The shed opened and I look behind me to see the whole group out there, including a big man who I didn't see, he had glasses and a green coat, blue jeans, dark brown short hair.
"STILL. NOT. BITTEN. AND I NEVER WAS, AND YOU LEFT ME OUT HERE TO DIE!" I shouted. They all looked guilty, except Rebecca, (I picked up all of their names by listening to a meeting they had in the kitchen) who looked quite mad. Lee walked next to me and looke at my arm, so did Luke.
"You patched yourself up?" Luke asked. A guilt flowed through me.
"Yes, I did, and i'm sorry," I apologized. The group exchanged glances.
"C'mon, I'll patch you up," Carlos said we headed inside, I was stopped by Luke who asked,
"You want something to eat?" I stood there for a moment and sighed, I follow everyone inside. I step inside, it was nice in the kitchen, a wooden island, a table only lit by a few candles, surprisingly warm, I sat at a stool at the kitchen island and Carlos stood beside me, Lee sat at the table and every one went to their room, I think. Carlos fiddled with my arm, doing doctor stuff.
"I wish you hadn't done what you did," Carlos stated. I give him an unsure look.
"I'm sorry, but you left me no choice," I said.
"You manipulated my daughter into stealing from us," Carlos almost yelled. I looked down. Yeah, they left me no choice but... maybe I should've just waited.
"I'm sorry..." I said.
"I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, but don't come near my daughter," Carlos demanded. I nodded in understanding and Carlos left, I sat down next to Lee who gave me a smile.
"How are you feeling?" Lee asked. Before I could reply Luke came in with two white plastic bowls of blueberry oatmeal and set it in front of us.
"Thank you," Lee and I said simultaneously and exchanged a smile after. Luke smiled and nodded.
"That's gonna leave a hellova scar," Luke said, after taking a seat in front of us. I look at my blood stained sleeve and shrugged.
"Doesn't bother me," I replied and shoved a spoonful of oatmeal in my mouth, it tasted a little under cooked but hey, food is food. Lee started eating his food.
"Where are y'all heading?" Luke asked, trying to keep conversation.
"Wellington, have you heard of it?" Lee replied, Luke shook his head, Pete came in and looked at Luke.
"Hate to interrupt but, I was keeping watch and couldn't help but to notice that this place is lit up like a goddamn beacon in the middle of the woods," Pete stated.
"Yeah, time to turn in anyways, you guys can have the spare bedroom, there's two beds, it's the last to the right upstairs, and leave your dishes in the sink, no ones washing anyways, goodnight," Luke said.
"Thank you," Lee said.
"And if youre up to it, Nick and I are gonna need some help with these fish traps, you in?" Pete asked. Lee and I nodded and they left. Rebecca came in glared at us.
"Oh you're still here," Rebecca said sarcastically cheerful. Lee glared at her and we continued eating.
"You got what you want, now go," Rebecca nearly yelled.
"Who's the dad?" I asked. Rebecca's eyes widen.
"You shut your fucking mouth!" Rebecca yelled.
"You should think about being nicer to us, that's just my advice," I threatened. Rebecca mumbled something and walked off. Lee snickered and we finished our food an went to bed.
Lee, Pete and I were walking along a path, Nick was peeing and Pete suggested we left him sense he knows the way to the river, we just went along with it, we continued walking, Pete and Lee were talking about guns and I just kept to myself, eventually Nick caught up with us, yelled for a bit, stormed off we arrived, Lee went with Pete and I went with Nick and got split up.
A/N: thank god... I'm finally done, it took about a week to write this, the next episode will be split up into parts because goddamn this is a life drain and I got shit to do, sorry that last part was shitty but im tired, see you next chapter, cheers!