Chapter 2
New Friend
A few birds perched in a tree nearby, happily singing. Clementine, now eleven, pops up in a watchtower, amazed at the view that is just outside the fortress walls. With a plan of what to do out there on a beautiful day in mind, Clementine leaves the watch tower and as she takes off in a run to find James, she is then scooped up off her feet, in Lee's arms. "Where are you off to in such a hurry, sweet pea?" he asks with a smile.
Returning the smile as she playfully squirms, Clementine says, "Lee! Put me down."
"I saw you in the watchtower. Thinking about going outside?"
Clementine nods. "I want to practice the survival skills you taught me."
Lee then sets his girl back on her feet. "That's fine but keep in mind that a Walker…"
"A Walker could get me or bite me." Clementine repeats his warning.
"And as long as…" Lee adds.
"As long as James is with me, I know." Clementine repeats. "I was on my way to get him."
"That's a good girl." Lee nods, glad that she's remembered everything he and everyone had taught her since she was eight.
Then they hear a light chuckle and they see Carley join them. "You've done well to remember what we taught you, Clem."
With the compliment, Clementine's cheeks turn a bit pink. "Thanks, Carley."
Lee then becomes more serious. "Just make sure you don't go near any of the Raiders."
"Indeed," they hear Luke as he approaches, "since their leader is a back-stabbing, murderous bitch." Normally, adults should never swear in front of a child. But that was back in the world before there were Walkers. Now in this world, a child's innocence does not last.
"Luke is right. You should never turn your back on them if they are watching." Lee points out.
Clementine remembers that someone had told her that the leader of the Raiders, Lilly, was once a member of this community along with a few others. But once they had shown loyalty to a power hungry man named William Carver that was a good friend to her father Larry, Lee had no choice but to banish them from the community.
Now that she knows that she must be careful outside the walls, Lee excuses Clementine and she happily takes off, looking for James. Noticing him watching her with worried eyes, Carley gives Lee a quick peck on the cheek. "She'll be fine, Lee. You raised her to be a survivor."
With a sigh, Lee nods. "You're right, Carley." With that, they leave the area, Lee looking for two specific boys while Carley went to check on Alvin's pregnant wife Rebecca. Soon Lee finds Aasim and Omar by a few windows, watching for Walkers that wander too close to the fortress. "Hey, Aasim, Omar, come here for a sec."
At the voice of their boss, the two turn and greet him as they walk up to him. "Good morning sir."
"I need you two to keep a very close eye on Clementine while she's out. Even with James with her, you know there's a chance she'll run off." Lee instructs them.
"Don't worry, Lee." Omar nods with a promise.
"We'll watch them like a hawk watches its prey." Aasim also promises.
"Be sure that you do. Any of the Raiders could be out there and they could abduct her."
With that, Lee turns to check on everything in the fortress as Aasim and Omar leave through a secret passage to wait for Clementine and James.
Running to a food truck she knows the most, Clementine's smile grows once she spots him just outside the truck, checking on the inventory. "James!"
Hearing his name be called, the now fifteen year old boy returns the smile once he sees Clementine running to him. "Good morning, Clem."
Over the couple years that she's lived in the fortress since Lee found her, Clementine has spent so much time with many kids, mostly James. The older boy had become her best friend, like an older brother to her. Once she's standing in before him, Clementine says with her smile still there, "James, I was thinking about heading outside the fortress to practice my survival skills that I've been taught. I was hoping you would go with me."
To hear that he could go outside the fortress with her, James grin grows a bit. "Sure thing, Clem. I just need to report to my dad about the inventory real quick." Clementine nods, silently saying that she'll wait. With that, James went inside the truck to inform his father the condition of the inventory. Once his father is glad to hear the report, James grabs his Walker mask, since he and a few other members of the community are peacekeepers, so they don't kill any Walkers, instead they can be able to sneak through a herd without being detected.
Leaving the truck with his mask on hand, James turns to Clementine. "You have your knife or a gun?"
She takes out her hidden knife and points to the gun secured in a holster on her leg to show him that she's always prepared. Glad that she is ready, the two make their way to a side gate and leave the fortress into a wide open field just outside the woods. Unknown to them, Aasim and Omar also leave the fortress from a hidden passage and follow behind.
While being outside, Clementine and James keep a cautious eye out for any Walkers to practice the survival skills they were taught. In fact, they spot one Walker roaming nearby, moaning very loudly. Deciding to start with a headshot, Clementine draws her gun, takes aim at the head, keeping her arms steady just as Lee had taught her, her eyes remain open and sharp, pulls the trigger and they watch as the Walker collapse, the moaning stop instantly.
With that successful shot, the pair continue on their way through the woods. Soon they spot a couple more Walkers. Spotting a rock just right by his foot, James, with his mask on, takes the rock and at once throws the rock in a direction to the far right to distract the Walkers and they hurry past them.
While following them like Lee had asked them to, Aasim and Omar take a slightly different route so they wouldn't be detected by their friends as they remain hidden until they heard a bunch of moaning, indicating there are more Walkers around.
Realizing there could be a herd nearby, the two boys run to catch up to Clementine and James, surprising the pair. To see two of her other friends cling to their backs, Clementine asks, "What are you two doing?"
"Well, um. Lee had asked us to keep an eye on you since there's a chance you can either get hurt by the Walkers or snatched by the Raiders." Omar explains.
Clementine rolls her eyes, thinking that even though he's not her dad, Lee does worry about her. "We came out to test ourselves and the skills we've been taught. Lee has nothing to worry about." James tells them.
"That's right. I had already planned on having James with me so I wouldn't go alone." Clementine adds.
She sounded very sure. "Maybe they're right, maybe Lee doesn't have anything to worry about." Omar points out.
"But you know Lee would still worry about her." Aasim adds.
With the two talking to only each other, that gave Clementine and James a chance to sneak away. Now being away from them, the pair enter a slightly more barren area. Splitting up to explore a bit, Clementine didn't watch her footing and falls down a slope, rolling into someone.
Recovering from her fall, Clementine is met with an African-American boy older than her by two years with dreadlocks glares at her. As they both got to their feet, the other boy cautiously approaches her and Clementine slowly steps away from him, making sure not to show her back to him.
"Clementine?" James calls from atop the slope before he slides down. "You ok?"
She nods as she keeps her eyes locked on the other boy. "I'm fine James. I think he's with the Raiders." Clementine says as they spot a peculiar pin on his sleeve.
At that, James gets right in front of Clementine, protecting her in case the kid pulls anything. Watching the two, the boy asks as one eyebrow arched in confusion, "What are you doing?"
"You're with the Raiders, you won't be taking her to those back-stabbing traitors." James says firmly.
At that, the boy chuckles as he places his hands on his hips. "Relax. I'm not recruiting for the Raiders. I left the Delta so I can have time to myself out here. Besides, I take care of myself just fine without anyone."
"Really?" Clementine walks out from behind James. "That's very cool!"
Just then the three could hear very loud moans that are way too close. Watching as a herd of Walkers approach, the three make a run for it with the boy grabbing something that seems to be a leg chair with sharp nails embedded at the top from a nearby tree trunk. Thinking fast, James scouts ahead for openings as Clementine and the boy take a fighting stance to take on some Walkers.
Checking around the wooded area, the boy then says, "I've set traps for whenever any Walkers come by. We can use them!"
Checking the trees herself, she does see the traps. Nodding just once, the two split up to get to the traps, waiting patiently until a few were close enough in the marks. With their knives out, the two cut the ropes keeping the traps in place, causing boulders and logs to come down on a few unexpecting Walkers, then with any that were left, they finish off with their knives after stunning them.
"Hey!" they hear James call for them. "This way, you two!" Without having to even think, the two hurry over to James and the three run out of the woods, no longer hearing moaning from any Walkers now that the herd has been dealt with.
Now that they are safe, trying to catch their breaths, Clementine high fives the boy while James kept an eye and ear out for more. "That was amazing to watch those traps get that many Walkers!" Unknown to the three kids, a woman watches from the safety of a few trees, glaring at Clementine and James.
"We make such a good team! And I was amazed at how brave you were." Clementine says with a sweet smile.
His face turning a bit pink as he returns the smile. "Yeah, you and your friend were very brave too, Clementine. My name's Louis." the boy finally introduces his name.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Louis. It's James." James came over once he knew it was completely safe. The three smile at each other up until Lee appears, pulling Clementine behind him, glaring daggers at Louis then the woman appears from hiding, keeping Louis beside her as she glares back.
"Lilly." Lee says coldly.
"Lee?" the woman, Lilly, says just as cold. Then a few others from Lee's community appear, all glaring at her. Then she sets her cold, cruel eyes on Carley as she stands behind Lee, bringing Clementine into her arms in a protective manner. "Carley?"
"Lilly." Carley returns.
"You shouldn't have stepped foot near here." Lee warns her.
"You should know that every survivor belong with Carver's people." Lilly exclaims.
"No one is ever safe with that man. I banished you when you've remain loyal to him. This boy does not need to remain with a group lead by someone as cold and cruel as you." Lee gestures to Louis, who gasp to hear that they could take him back to their fortress.
Lilly shakes her head. "His parents left him with me just after you banished us and we started the Delta, so he is my responsibility. Besides, Carver would want him to become a true leader just like him."
"Cruel and power hungry? That's not what a true leader is." Carley points out, knowing fully well that Lee is one true leader since he's kept their community alive that Clementine will no doubt become a leader like him.
"And you know fully well of the penalty for returning here." Lee warns her.
"Penalty?" Both Louis and Clementine wonder. "But the boy does not! However you can teach it into him."
Not being one to harm a child, Lee glares at Lilly as she gives him a wicked smile. "Either you leave him with us or you both get out. We're done here."
Lee turns to pick Clementine up into his arms with James standing right beside him when they heard Lilly, "Oh no, Lee. This has only begun." With that, Lilly grabs Louis' wrist harshly and as they are lead away back to their homes, Clementine looks over to Louis sadly and says softly, "Bye." and she settles in Lees arms.
"Bye." Louis bids softly as he lets Lilly take him back to the Delta.