Sweat beaded down the nape of her neck and stung her eyes as the hot Noonday sun blazed uncontested above. Three days out, and Savannah was a hazy blur rising eerily out of the distance; its sun-baked concrete sending up waves of raw energy and doing nothing for the gnawing sensation in Clementine's heart that it was somehow a living thing, watching her.
She had been up and moving for hours now, having risen with the sun, and was tired. Spotting a lone tree amid the seemingly endless fields of grass that promised a bit of shade, she gladly made her way under its canopy. Dropping the heavy backpack she'd scavenged in the city's outer sprawl, Clementine plopped down to rest making sure her back was facing the city. It had been this way since she'd left Savannah three days earlier: endless walking. The only living things she'd seen, a flock birds, startling white against the sharp blue of the cloudless sky. There were the dead things too but their appearances had thinned the further from Savannah she moved. Clementine had no destination and only a vague goal to stay away from cities.
Cities were where the creatures came from. Here though, in this endless plain, she should be safe. Her stomach gave an audible growl but food was scarce and Lee had taught her how to ration it. As hungry as she was, she know that there would be no food til the sun was low in the sky. She shifted lower, sinking into the comfortable thick grass and pulled her backpack closer. Thinking to pull out one of the coloring books she'd found Clementine felt the tension leave her body. Her eyes drifted closed as a fly buzzed around her ear. Her thoughts of swatting it fading as her breathing evened out.
"Clementine, look at what I drew!" Duck came running around the RV, holding his hand out toward her eagerly. Clementine looked up in surprise at her friend. he was dancing from one foot to the other sporting the largest grin she'd ever seen. She couldn't help but giggle a bit at the sight of him.
"Duck, honey, don't say it like that, it's rude" Katjaa admonished from her position on the second floor of the Inn. Clementine looked up to see her standing with Kenny and Lee they seemed to be talking. After a moment Lee turned and smiled down at her. Clementine had the sudden urge to rush to him.
"Sorry Mom", Duck called over his shoulder, then his enthusiasm dampened somewhat, "would you like to see my drawing Clementine?"
She took the picture from him tentatively as a feeling of dread washed over her. She didn't want to see, but Duck was staring expectantly and Lee was no longer looking at her. Fingers trembling, she brought the paper up to her eyes.
"whacha' think?" Ducks voice seemed to stretch and pull in his throat. Before she could ask why he was talking funny, he was lounging at her with both hands, grabbing her roughly. Tearing through his own picture.
"Lee Help me!" she screamed as her eyes snapped open. A walker was lifting her off the ground towards its mouth. Clementine kicked violently with both legs and pounded on the things chest with her fists, trying desperately to twist out of its grip. The creature held firm, but thinking fast she planted both feet against the trunk of the tree and pushed hard. Losing it's balance the Walker tumbled backwards. One of its hands let go attempting to balance itself and Clementine used the opportunity to twist away from its mouth.
"Let go, Let go of ME!" Bringing her foot down on its head made a soft thump and violently snapped the creatures head away from her. She did it again but this time her foot slipped off of the creatures peeling flesh.
The Walker turned back towards her foot meaning to bite her now exposed leg, but she twisted again as the creature attempted to gain a better grip and managed to free her herself completely. Standing she made to run for the backpack which held her gun, but Clementine made it only a few steps before she felt a vice grip on her ankle causing her to fall face first into the grass. She turned in horror to see the creature attempting to pull itself up by her leg. Using her free foot she kicked hard and fast, making sure this time that her foot was hitting dead center on the creatures skull. One, two, three kicks all punctuated by her short gasps and yells. finally, on the fourth kick an audible snap could be heard and the Walker went suddenly still, his grip slacking.
Pulling her leg free Clementine stood shaking and breathing heavily. For the first time she noticed the sun was low in the sky, nearing the horizon. It would be night soon. "I must have fallen asleep." she said to no one.
Her senses already hyper-alert she noticed the sounds of shuffling before she heard the moans. Turning back to face Savannah, she saw them; three more Walkers steadily making their way to her. They must have heard me screaming she realized. Walking quickly to her backpack she pulled out the pistol that Lee had found for her. "I think this one is about your size" He'd been smiling at the time but his eyes reflected an emotion Clementine didn't recognize.
She fired three slow shots dropping the new arrivals. Clementine waited, without moving, for five minutes; listening for any sound to indicate more of them, but heard nothing. She returned to the tree and collapsed in exhaustion. Despite having slept for several hours earlier, the encounter left her feeling drained.
"Gross" Clementine commented pulling a face. Her shoes were covered in flecks of skin and gore and her pants had a long smear of dark blood down their side, thankfully not her own. It would all have to be cleaned and soon. Clementine sighed heavily and closed her eyes.
The yearning in her heart which was only just starting to subside was back in full as her mind continuously mocked her with images of Lee and Duck, Kenny, Katjaa and Ben; Carley and Mike were there too. Even Chuck had visited her dark thoughts. She imagined them watching over her and like the distant promise of rushing water, offering her a way out if only she had but the will.
Clementine began to cry.
AN: So it turns out I uploaded the wrong version of the story. My fault for not being familiar enough with the how-to's of the uploading process. In any case, this is the final version. If you've read it already you notice the difference is subtle, but it had bugged me from the moment I'd noticed. Thanks for reading.