Luke 'n' Clem

Chapter one: All we can do is wait

Clementine's POV

"ahhHH!" I screamed, although I tried to pipe down in case of walkers, I knew they were attracted to noise. I kicked Sam, the dog who was currently biting me off. Unfortunately he landed on some tent poles which had been sticking up from the ground. I looked at the knife in my hands, I had two options. To just leave him and let his death be slow and painful, or kill him myself to stop his pain. In the end I chose the latter, it seemed kinder than the first option.

I try to move and get away from the abandoned caravan site and dead dog. If I stayed there any longer I'm sure some walkers would turn up because they'd already heard me. I was in no condition to be fighting off the undead.

I got quite far, surprisingly, just enough away to be clear of the walkers. That's when I felt that dizziness from before, I perched on a rock thinking I was perfectly safe. That's when I saw a walker heading right towards me, I knew now was not the time to be resting, but my body thought otherwise.

I got up despite my body's protests and dodged the first few, from that distance I could just bout make out a clearing, the edge of the forest was near. That's when I started walking towards it, but a walker was on my tail and gaining on me quick. I turned around, but I toppled over and it fell on me. I used all of my force to push it away, I thought it was the end.

A machete went straight through the head of the walker on top of her and another one close by was shot with a cross-bow. I heard two male voices and then was picked up by strong arms and was carried for a while, I felt extremely groggy and I mentally thanked the man that was carrying me.

I woke with a start when the man that was carrying me asked: "Are you okay little lady?" I wanted to say I was fine, which I was thanks to them.

"Well. . . I am now. Thanks. . ." I just remembered, I didn't know their names.

"Pete" the older man said, he was the one with the cross-bow. "and this is Luke" He said, referring to the man who was carrying me.

"Hi. . ." I was contemplating whether to tell them my name or not, then decided it wasn't necessary to lie. "I'm Clementine"

"Well, it's awful nice to meet you, clementine" The man named Luke said, looking down at me. I just stare at him, although I'm not sure why.

"Well, you look like you're pretty beat up, so we're going to take you to our group and get ya patched up. That okay?" Asked Pete, he seemed kind and that trait was rare nowadays, so I just nodded.

I had no idea why, but Luke was just smirking at me. It made me feel self-conscious, I didn't like it.

Luke's POV

Clementine, that's a nice name. She must've come far cuz I ain't seen any body like her around these parts.

She couldn't be more than twenty, my age, but she couldn't be younger than seventeen. She was darn beautiful, even under the circumstances. That's when I noticed a large blood stain on her sleeve and immediately jumped to conclusions and dropped 'er. I felt so goddamn bad, but I was too afraid to pick her up again "Oh, shit. Pete, she's bit!" I exclaimed.

She immediately objects to being bitten by a lurker , but that was to be expected. Right?

"Clementine, are you tellin' me the truth. Look in my eyes when you answer" Is what Pete said to the girl.

Her reply was firm and seemed earnest "Yes"

"Okay, that's good enough for me." Pete said still looking at Clementine.

I didn't want to be the one to be negative but I refused to carry her. I felt guilty, but afraid she might turn any second. That is if she were lying.

"Are you sure about this Pete?" I ask him, I wasn't a hundred percent sure about Clementine but as we continued on I thought about it a bit and decided I could trust her because she seemed honest enough in her answer to Pete.

That's when Clem didn't look so good, Pete noticed her too and asked her "Hey Clementine, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm . . . fin-"

"Oh shit" I run towards her just in time to catch her.

She didn't wake up until we got back and everyone was arguing. Me and Pete were trying to make sure Nick didn't shoot her and Rebecca stayed cool. We were trying hard to fight her case for her.

She came to when me and Rebecca were arguing about letting Carlos look at Clementine's arm. When Rebecca mentioned that Clementine could be working for someone, she was half way through saying she wasn't workin' for anyone before Nick nearly blew her head off. I got mad at him and shouted at him. I looked towards Clementine to check if she was okay. Thankfully only minor scratches were made, but it was still way out of line for him to do that.

He shouted back to Rebecca: "You're the one that keeps tellin' me to fuckin' shoot 'er" After she had just screamed to him about every lurker hearing that for five miles. I agree it was a stupid move, but I don't think it was all Nick's fault.

"Everyone calm down!" Pete hollers over the rest of the bickering. It all went quiet and everyone was takin' deep breathes. I looked back at Clem, she gave me puppy dog eyes and I couldn't help but feel guilty. So I decided to help her out a little: "Calm the fuck down! All of you! No one's shootin' her, okay?"

"You're not seriously saying you want to let her in to the cabin with all of us none-bitten people! You being stupid is goin' to get us all killed!" Rebecca was once again at my throat. I wanted her to just stop being so negative when it comes to strangers, she had to accept that not all of them are bad.

"Let me take a look at her" Carlos! Finally. He walked through the crowd gathered around Clem and knelt down since she was still on the ground, making everyone silent.

I eagerly awaited his answer and took a few sly looks at Carlos and Clementine from the corner of my eye. She winced but didn't make a sound while Carlos was examining her, wow, she's a tough one.

"well, is it like she says." I can't help but ask Carlos once he had pulled her sleeve over the large gash.

"A bite like that. . . could have been anything. Only one way to find out." He said with a grave expression.

Whispers erupted from the group and I could make out Alvin saying to Rebecca: "You don't know if she's telling the truth or not hon" I appreciated that he was at least givin' Clem a chance to prove herself. I could do nothing but hope she was tellin' the truth. . .

"Well, how d'ya suppose we do that, Carlos" I asked hoping it wouldn't be somethin' too dangerous and risky for the girl.

"We'll lock her in the shed for the night, If the fever's set in by morning we'll know if she was lying."

"Carlos, don't ya think that's a little harsh for 'er" I say, tryin' to reason with him.

"That's the best we're getting, I'm afraid." That's when a meek voice called.

"Who's she?" Sarah. . . Carlos's daughter. Delicate girl who loved to read, at thirteen years old she was too young to be in the apocalypse.

"Luke 'n' I can 'escort our guest' to the shed." Nick said, Bringing me back from my thoughts. He nudges her with the end of his rifle, I could see it in his eyes. He didn't trust her in the slightest. Nick led the way while I walked beside Clementine.

"My arm really hurts. . ." Clementine says aloud. I look to her and give her a small smile. Then I frowned and said: "All I can really say is hold in there til mornin'."

She stops at the entrance and looks back at me with a frown, it makes me feel guilty, but I didn't say anything to 'er just looked at her with my own puppy dog eyes. Nick cleared his throat, making Clementine look at him as he tightened his grip on the gun. She visibly flinched, turned and walked in. I hit him on the back of the head with my hand

"Hey, what was that for, man" Nick asked a little disgruntled.

"That's for scaring the poor girl shitless" I said, glaring at him.

"Don't tell me you believe 'er bullshit story." He says in disbelief

"Well, at first I didn't believe 'er, but then I started seein' that this could make , For now I'm gonna give 'er the benefit of the doubt."I said sternly.

"I don't believe this." Nick says face-palming himself. I didn't get why it was so bad to him that I trust her a little.

"Wow, it's not like I sold my soul to the devil or anythin'" I say in my own defence.

"Sure feels like it. . ." Nick says with a sigh.

We arrived back to where we were, where everyone was fightin' again. "I'm not cleaning the shed once we find out that I was right!" Rebecca spat back at me once I approached the rest of the group.

Pete had his face in his hands sighing. Yeah, he was probably sick of it all. That was probably he most we've ever argued in one day. For now all we can do is wait.