"Pistol?"
"Check."
"Blankets, bullets and binoculars?"
"Check, check and… check."
"Alright then," Jane nods in satisfaction, "looks like we're all set. Head on out to the front – Lilly's probably out there somewhere."
"I thought we were all gonna go out together?" I ask, not liking the idea of Lilly wandering about outside on her own and in the dark. Keeping watch on the porch is one thing, but heading out into the pitch black of night with nobody with you is incredibly dangerous.
"She's a big girl, Clem. Lilly can take care of herself," Jane mutters sarcastically, clearly unfazed as she motions for me to leave. "Go, I'll be out in a few."
Tossing two of the blankets over my shoulder, I turn down the hall and start to head outside, muttering bossy pants as I leave the kitchen area. Jane totally heard me, and I can't help but chuckle as she gives me the finger while still rooting around inside the kitchen. She really needs to learn when and when not to do that kind of thing.
The cool, brisk night air greets me as I roll outside, but that's not the beautiful thing out here tonight. Nope, the magic is coming from the stars – millions of them twinkling up in the sky, just waiting for me to reach up and grab them. If I'd just use my imagination, then I could just pretend that I was flying upwards with towards them – maybe I'd see Lee, my parents and everyone else along the way.
But I haven't used my imagination in a very long time now. I'm constantly focused on the here and now – there's no time for my head to be stuck up in the clouds.
However, despite having to grow up way more quickly than other kids my age, I've still held onto some of my childlike curiosities. Like the map, for example, as I haven't been without it since Lilly had found the thing in the cellar the other day. I want to go exploring that area so badly myself, but with my legs the way they are right now I'd just end up falling flat on my face.
I'm gonna try it again tonight – it has to work this time, it just has to.
"Lilly?" I call out, squinting my eyes to try and see any movement outside. Where could she have possibly gone? I mean, she knows that we were planning on stargazing tonight – it's sort of a tradition that we had picked up after leaving Mississippi.
I don't like this… it's too quiet out here, even for a nice night like this. Lilly would never voluntarily head out on her own, especially after all the talks that she's had with me about that kind of stuff. Grasping the railing, I slide down the ramp that they had installed and listen for any signs of life. Nothing but crickets so far – that and the occasional sound of an owl hooting.
"Lilly? Come on, where are you?" I call out again, looking left and right but getting no results. "If you're trying to get me back for the silly string, then it's not funny! Come out!"
Suddenly, out in the very far distance, I can see some… lights. Headlights for a car, most likely, but why aren't they moving anywhere? It's as if the car's just sitting out there watching us – waiting for a time to strike.
BAM! BAM!
Jane immediately rushes outside with widened eyes, sprinting down the ramp towards me in a state of panic.
"You heard them too, I guess?" I remark, my worry growing as she nods nervously. "Lilly's still out there! We need to hurry and find her!"
"Alright, but you need to hang back a little bit, okay? You're my backup in case something goes wrong out there," Jane orders, leaving no room for debate as she gets behind me and pushes the wheelchair forward. I've got my gun trained out in front of me in case anything gets the jump on us. "Do you think it came from over there?"
"Yeah…" I answer quickly, biting my lip as we come within a few yards away from the vehicle. The front door is wide open and you can hear the engine softly running from back here, but we don't see any occupants lying around. The whole scene looks pretty freaky actually.
Jane stops rolling me forward as I try to watch her movements and make sure nothing sneaks up on her.
"Stay here," she repeats, tip-toeing her way forward with extreme caution. The stone crunches underneath her boots as she trudges carefully, and my grip on my pistol instantly becomes more intense. Why would somebody leave a perfectly working car out in the middle of nowhere like this?
My heart's pounding as I watch this all unfold. Jane stalks right up to the car, takes a look around and holds her gun out defensively before poking her head into the driver's side of the car. She switches off the ignition and steps back outside again before turning towards me.
"Clear on this end," Jane shrugs, but nearly falling over in surprise when Lilly seemingly pops out of nowhere; grappling with a walker as she struggles to prevent its teeth from sinking into her neck.
"GET IT OFF!" Lilly yells as Jane expertly hops over the hood of the car, draws her knife from its holster and stabs the beast in the head. Blood spreads all over Lilly's face, but other than getting the wind kind of knocked out of her Lilly's pretty much fine.
I rush over towards the two of them with relief as Lilly pants and struggles to catch her breath.
"What the fuck was that all about?!" Jane demands, noticing that there are two dead bodies instead of one as I had originally thought. "Lilly?!"
"What…?"
"Who were these bastards," Jane questions, knifing the other dead guy in the head to prevent him from turning, "and why were you taking them on out here by yourself? Answer me, god damn it!"
"She's dazed, Jane. Leave her alone!" I interrupt, looking as Lilly's eyes are as wide as saucers. "They must've got the jump on her or something."
"They… tried taking me…" she admits, startling the both of us as we look towards the bodies with disgust. "They were just waiting… near the driveway… So I walked over and… they tried to put me in the trunk. Said something about getting back what they were owed or something like that…"
"Do you think they were more of Sandro's guys?!" I ask fearfully, but neither Jane nor Lilly really have an answer to that.
"Could be," Lilly nods, spitting on their corpses as she stands up. "Fuck… I thought for sure that I hit them both in the head…"
"Well, that explains where the gunshots came from," Jane sighs, before glaring daggers at Lilly again. "Why didn't you come get one of us first?! One of the first rules of surviving – never go off by yourself in the dark!"
"I handled it…"
"And what if you hadn't? Huh?" Jane continues to berate, slapping her hand in frustration against the hood of the car. "God damn it, Lilly! Don't go running off just for some lame excuse to get yourself killed! We all know that you've wanted to!"
Instantly shooting a dark glare towards me, I hold up my hands in defense as the storm clouds around their heads grow increasingly bigger.
"Why would you tell Jane that shit, Clementine?! I trusted you!" she accuses as I repeatedly shake my head in a vain attempt to stop her anger.
But Jane luckily comes to the rescue.
"She didn't tell me that, not that she'd really need to!" Jane barks, folding her arms across her chest. "We need you here, Lilly! You're not dead, whether you like it or not! So don't be an asshole and just go off killing yourself because I…"
Cutting herself off, Jane seems to be at a loss for words at this point. What is she trying to say right now? And why does she seem so upset about Lilly heading off into the middle of the night – wasn't she the one who told me not to worry about it?
"Jane, I – "
"Save it," Jane spits, rubbing the bridge of her nose as she interrupts Lilly from saying any more. "Do what you want, Lilly. It's not like we're some kind of group, or even a fucking family at this point anyways. Go get yourself killed if you want… see if I care…"
Walking away without another word, Jane leaves Lilly and I speechless and in the dust; shocked at her sudden outburst back there. This is totally uncharacteristic of Jane – okay, who went into her brain and turned the caring switch on? Lilly looks as though she just got run over by a tanker truck, while I sit there and watch the exchange of emotions on her face.
"I didn't mean…" she mutters weakly, looking upon the ground in slight shame. "I just wanted to try and protect the group… Clem, you know that!"
"Yeah, I get it…" I nod slowly, bringing a little bit of comfort to the older woman, but not that much.
"What's eating her, though?" Lilly questions, as both our gazes land upon her form retreating back into the house.
I'm honestly not too sure about her… Jane's a mystery half the time, and is one tough book to crack open. She can be your best friend on one day, and then your worst enemy the next – trust me, you really want to be on her good side. Same goes for Lilly, really.
Maybe that's it! Maybe it's just that Jane sees a whole lot of Lilly in herself, and doesn't want her to make the same mistakes that she did but pushing others aside and leaving like she did so many times before. Maybe Jane's worried about she and I being able to hold onto this place if Lilly isn't around anymore to defend it.
Or maybe I'm just thinking too hard, and that Jane might actually care about Lilly more than she's letting on.
"Let's get inside," I suggest, even though we're just abandoning the vehicle over here without checking the trunk or anything. "It's been a long day – maybe we should get some sleep."
"…yeah, that uh… that sounds good to me…" Lilly mumbles, rubbing her arms for warmth as she shudders while passing by the corpses. How the hell she managed to escape and kill both of them is still beyond me, but it's nice to know that we have somebody as capable as Lilly around.
Which is what makes it scarier knowing that she could be one trauma away from snapping again.
…
The next three days are… awkward… to say the least. Things have gotten pretty tense at Houston Hills, and every time that Jane and Lilly walk into the same room together it's almost as the temperature's dropped forty degrees. Neither of them are talking to each other, save for when it's time for a shift change when watching outside. Jane wouldn't even come out to help search the car with us when Lilly drove it in – preferring to stay in the comfort and quiet of her room on the upper floor as she occasionally peered out the window to look at us.
These dudes couldn't have been out on the road for very long, since there was basically nothing in the trunk except for some electric cables, a flashlight and a tire iron. There was a half-eaten sandwich in the passenger seat, but other than that the men basically came without supplies. Lilly seems to think that that means they've got a camp somewhere nearby, and that we should double our efforts to stay alert – as if we weren't already doing that all the time anyways.
Today isn't for worrying about other camps possibly filled with enemies, however. No, right now I'm going to try figuring out where those noises are coming from – I know and can personally guarantee that I'm not just losing my mind. There's something lurking around the house, and I want to find out what it is before we all end up in big doo-doo.
"Jane, I'm heading out," I call up the stairs, getting no reply as I yell up again. "Jane? Are you listening? Did you hear me?"
"Don't bother, Clem," Lilly remarks, clutching her rifle in her hands for another round of patrolling. "She's been up there all morning and isn't coming down anytime soon. We've got enough on our plate without having to worry about Jane's feelings. More of those bastards could be right around the corner for all we know…"
"Are you absolutely sure that somebody's after us?" I question, having given up on getting Jane to come down and actually talk to one of us. I guess she just needs some space for a change.
God knows she needs it.
Lilly glares out the window, as if it could actually scare off any potential intruders into the house. She's dead-set on defending this place, and that night with those two goons has taken its toll on the poor woman. I can see it in her eyes – there's a sense of caution and inwardness that she didn't really have prior to this. It's kind of sad watching the independent Lilly become slightly more vulnerable.
"Positive," she reaffirms, glancing back towards me with a look of warning. "Whatever you're doing, make sure you're around the house, alright? Don't go wandering off anywhere."
"Like you?" I reply smugly, watching as she gives off a small smirk before heading out to the front porch.
The floorboards creak underneath my wheels as I roll down the hallway, silently hoping that Jane changes her mind and decides to come downstairs with me. I don't want her to feel alone… that loneliness and desperation can make even the strongest person crumble and break apart. I wait at the back door for about five seconds before sighing and turning to leave. It seems that not all of your wishes will come true.
I'm greeted by the familiar sight of the fields behind the house, though I had never really noticed how pretty it looks from back here. There's an old clothesline that stretches out, having not been used for years at least, and back in behind that are rows of grassy hills and some desert-like environments. It's kind of weird seeing grass and desert so close together, but at least we might be able to grow some stuff. Lilly seemed pretty optimistic about it.
But the cellar door is my actual destination, as I grasp the rusted handles and use a whole lot of force to get the stupid thing open. Lilly had taken the lock off the other day and had forgotten where she had put it… or so she thought. In reality, I had taken the lock and hidden it away so that I'd be able to get in here, like the sneaky little troublemaker I am.
The part that I haven't really figured out yet is getting down into there – you have to climb a ladder to reach the cellar floor, and obviously I'm in no position to be doing that.
"Groghhhh…."
Okay, I know that I wasn't just hearing things there. Something's in the cellar, whether it's the boogeyman or something I don't rightly know. But I need to investigate, since if nobody else will do it then it's up to me. Lilly's worried about goons coming over to the house and killing us in our sleep, but… what if something's already here?
Squinting my eyes to adjust to the darkness inside, I lean forward a little bit too much and shriek as I struggle to retain my balance. The wheelchair rolls forward as I lose control of myself; falling into the cellar and just barely avoiding injury as the wheelchair crashes to the floor loudly. Aside from bruising my side, I'm perfectly fine.
I cough violently and sneeze as the dust fills my nose and mouth, and I try my best to roll over and possibly get some help from one of my companions. Maybe this wasn't such a smart idea after all…
"JANE! LILLY!" I yell out, hope dwindling as my attempts to call to them end in failure. There's no way that they'll be able to hear me from here, so it looks as though I'm on my own for now.
Crawling on my hands and knees, I struggle to make it back to the wheelchair when something catches my eye. The bookshelf… that must've been where Lilly had found this map from earlier. Neglecting the wheelchair for the moment, I slowly move towards the bookshelf without really thinking about what I'm doing or how I'm getting over there. Nothing is on my mind right now other than figuring out this mystery, and as a bonus it sounds as though that's where the noise is coming from.
Brushing my hand along its dust-coated surface, I hold myself against the bookshelf and place my ear up against it. The noises are muffled and a little bit subdued right now, but there's definitely something fishy going on. Not wanting to be left in the dark on this any longer, I try my hardest to move the shelf away from the wall. I'm not very successful because of my small frame, but I've got enough adrenaline and excitement bubbling up right now that it keeps my body energized.
Again, I'm not thinking about what's going on at the moment.
"Clem?" I hear a voice call out, and I yell for Jane to come down into the cellar and help me out. After waiting for about ten seconds, I hear her footsteps climbing down the ladder until she reaches the bottom. "Clem, what are you doing down here? Lilly said she heard a noise."
"Come help me move this!" I tell her, struggling as I grit my teeth together. "It's heavier than it looks! But Jane, I think there's something here! It might be behind it or down below, I'm not really sure, but – "
"Holy shit…" Jane interrupts, widening her eyes in surprise and total shock as she places a hand over her mouth.
"What is it?"
"Clementine… You're…" she stutters, making no sense to me as I try guessing what it is exactly that she's babbling on about.
And then it hits me like a lightning bolt.
How else was I able to get here without the wheelchair? They're wobbly and extremely uncoordinated, but… my legs. I can stand – I can freaking walk again! I must've not realized since I was so preoccupied with exploring the cellar, but… this is amazing!
I can't help but laugh brightly in utter relief and joy as Jane stands there with a look of content and genuine happiness. This is an unreal feeling, and although it will surely take quite a bit of time for me to fully get back to getting used to this, it's way better than the alternative.
Lilly soon comes down afterwards, takes one look at me and comes over to pat me warmly on the shoulder. If this is a dream, then I sure as hell don't want it to ever end.
"Nothing short of a god-damned miracle," Lilly remarks, as even Jane can't help but agree with her. "That's so amazing, Clem, you've got no idea. But what the hell are you doing down here? You could've gotten yourself hurt!"
"Mrrrmph!" the noises come back again, and all three of us slowly turn towards the bookshelf in hesitation. There's no way that they can deny it now – something's living in here, and there's no way that Jane and Lilly will be able to sleep at night knowing this information.
Nodding towards me, Lilly walks over to one side of the bookshelf in order to get a good grip on it. Reluctantly, Jane does the same on the other side as I try not to fall over.
"As a team, ready?" Lilly asks, not getting a reply from Jane as she simply stares with determination. The grinding of the shelf pierces our eardrums as they slowly move it to the side; leaning it up against the wall before wiping their hands clean of dust on their pants.
What lies underneath is something that's pretty interesting, and makes me think that there could be more to this place than just a nice house and some fields for growing stuff in. A trapdoor – old, rustic and seemingly unopened for a very long time. Deciding that I should be the one to open it since I was the person who heard the noises in the first place, I stumble my way over and lean my arm against the wall; politely refusing Lilly's offer of support. There are some things that I just have to do on my own.
With a heavy breath, I carefully grab the metal handle, pull upwards as hard as I can and open the hatch; falling flat on my back as I yank the thing open. The noises are at full force now, while Jane and Lilly watch in horror as the peer into the murky depths.
"Oh my god…" Jane murmurs, rubbing a hand through her hair as Lilly kicks the bookshelf in utter rage and frustration. I don't even need to look inside to recognize what's down there.
Walkers – hundreds of them are reaching up at us from below. They can't reach us from this height, but it looks as though we've struck a walker gold mine.
The question remains though – what are they doing down there?