Note: Most, if not all, surnames, relative names, etc, are made up and in no way canon. This story is not affiliated with AMC, Telltale Games or Skybound Entertainment. Enjoy!
Clementine jolted up with a gasp, her face covered in cold sweats. She panted hard, her heart beating a million beats per second. Her eyes drifted back shut as she relaxed and laid her head back down. It was only a few seconds later that she went back into a sitting position, looking around at her surrounding atmosphere, expecting to see walkers, or maybe Omid and Christa at her side... But it was neither of those, instead she was in a room, not the train. It was pretty dark, but oddly familiar... too familiar.
She was home.
Clementine opened her mouth, the first words she could muster in her mind came out her mouth, "L-lee?!", she squeaked, getting up. Clementine hopped off of her bed, walking out into the hallway. The eight year old gazed down the staircase, her whole body shaking. Why am I here? Am I dreaming?, she thought, glancing around nervously. "Omid...? C-christa?"
It took nearly ten whole minutes for the terrified first grader to reach the last step. She wasn't afraid of many things nowadays, considering she was exposed to millions of rotting corpses every day, either just seeing them or getting grabbed by them and nearly killed. But she knew she had Lee to protect her... Clementine bit her lip, trying not to think about what had just happened the previous night. She couldn't do it. She couldn't raise the gun on Lee, the man who had protected her for over three months. Sure, she had other adults protecting and watching over her, but she felt different with Lee, like she could trust him. Like he was a second father to her. Her best friend.
Clementine slowly rounded the corner, narrowing her eyes as she was blinded the many rays of light peeking over the horizon and into her large cinnamon brown orbs. She reached up for her hat, to pull it down and block out the light, but she was just left with tangled curls. She glanced up, raising an eyebrow. Her hat was gone. What kind of dream is this? Clementine pursed her lips and fully turned into her kitchen, halting at the sight. Her mouth hung open, and she blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes.
"Clementine...? What are you doing up, hon?" The voice drifted into Clementine's ears like warm honey. She swallowed deeply, taking a small step back. Her mom and her dad were right in front of her. She felt like she should run into their arms, but instinct told her to stay away. Even if it was a dream, it could easily turn into a nightmare in a matter of seconds. But it felt real, too real. Most of her dreams weren't like this one.
"I... I couldn't sleep." She lied, hesitating as her mother nodded. Clementine slowly and cautiously shuffled over to sit at the dining table, playing with the hem of her pajamas. "Uh... What are the suitcases for...?" She asked glancing to the three baggage's against the door, her voice barely above a whisper. Her father knitted his eyebrows together, laughing heartily.
"You don't remember? We leave for Savannah in-" He glanced at his wristwatch, squinting a bit, "-about 30. Don't worry, Sandra will be watching over you for the wee-" He was cut off but a pounding on the front door, making Clementine jump in her seat. She gasped, placing her hand at her side instinctively, but soon remembering it was a dream, and no gun was with her. Her mom glanced at her sudden fright with a suspicious gleam in her eyes, and Clementine smiled foolishly, looking away. She watched her dad walk up to the front door and swing it open to reveal a wide white smile on a stick thin teenage girl, her strawberry blonde hair curled in at her chin, her emerald eyes large and shining, and her skirt swinging right above her knees. She waved enthusiastically.
"Hello Mr. and Mrs. King! I'm here to watch Clementine," her high, almost squeaky, voice chimed as Clementine's father beckoned her inside. She walked into the dining room as Mr. King shut the door and followed behind her. Clementine's mother smiled and began explaining Clementine's needs to Sandra as the smaller girl hopped back onto the ground, her stomach twisting into an unpleasant knot. She scurried up the stairs and flipped on the hallway light, quickly slipping into the restroom before her parents' noticed she was gone. She silently shut the door and switched the lights on, turning to look at herself in the mirror. She brought her shaking hand up to her hair... It was no longer cut and tied, but back to it's original form. It was only now that she remembered what her father said.
We're leaving for Savannah.
Clementine felt her cheeks grow hot, and her eyes stung with tears. This wasn't a dream, it really was a nightmare, or it would grow into one. She knew what was happening. But the more she thought about it, the more she thought... Maybe it wasn't a dream. It sure didn't feel like one, at all. Maybe, just maybe, everything that happened to her was a dream? The night before her parents were supposed to take off for Savannah, Clementine remembered being frightened, nervous. The longest she had spent with a babysitter was 24 hours tops. But a whole week? Maybe it was her mind playing games with her... It was foolish, wasn't it? Corpses walking?
Clementine placed her hands on the counter, knowing it was too real. It was all a dream, and now... Now she was awake. The drea- nightmare, was a bad one. One of the worst. And it seemed long, three months to be exact! It was so detailed, too. The places were real, unlike most of her dreams, which involved CandyLand or other fictional settings. Maybe the whole zombie thing was a little far-fetched, but the people... She'd never met them in real life, and they most likely weren't real, but it was nice to think they were. Though now that she was aware the whole thing had been a figment of her imagination, yes she was upset, but most of all, she was relieved. Everything she went through... Her parents turning, everyone she had befriended being hurt, and Lee... She sniffed, blinking oncoming tears away.
"Clementine?" A muffled voice shouted, and Clementine shot her head up. She took a deep breath and hurried downstairs to be greeted by her mom and dad, luggage at their side. They hugged her quickly, or at least they tried to pull away, but Clementine held her grip. Her parents laughed, but Clementine's smile was only filled with sadness, and paranoia. She knew the last time, what happened was fake, all a dream, but she couldn't help and feel her heart break once the sound of the car was heard down the street, and Clementine was left with Sandra.
That's chapter one! Chapter two should be up soon if anyone wants this to continue (: