Author's Note: Hi readers! Once again, this chapter almost didn't make it on time. I knew what I wanted to write, but then I just kept adding more and more, and then I went out of town, which cost me precious time. This chapter is way longer than I intended, but I guess you'd prefer a longer chapter over a shorter one, huh? Thanks for all the reviews you've been leaving! This was a monster of a chapter to write, but your words of encouragement kept me going!
Rated T for: Language, and mentions of amputation.
And now, without further ado, please read on and enjoy Chapter Ten of Stump! :) - Aqua
Stump
Chapter Ten
"Say cheese!"
Clementine stumbled back from the doorway in surprise as a camera flashed, almost losing her balance. White spots danced in front of her eyes, and she flung out an arm to brace against the wall for support, her other hand tightening around her cane.
"Oh my gosh, Clementine!" Sarah gasped, talking half a step back. "I-I'm so sorry, I thought my dad was- I didn't know it was you! Are-are you okay?"
"Uh, yeah… yeah, I'm good," Clementine blinked, her heart rate returning to normal. "It's okay, no harm done."
"Sorry," Sarah said again. "I-I found it in a box in the closet; there was all kinds of old stuff! I got excited, and... I was just messing around, I didn't mean to startle you!"
It was an old polaroid camera, whirring incessantly as it spat out a rapidly-lightening photo. It definitely looked aged and worn, but it seemed to work just fine.
"See?" Sarah handed her the picture. "It's so cool!"
Clementine studied herself in the photo; her dark, curly hair was tangled, her face hollow, and her eyes were wide and startled. The camera's flash gave her skin a ghostly glow… were her eyes really that color? Her clothes were caked with dirt and dried blood, and her hair was getting long… she'd have to cut it soon.
It had been so long since she'd seen herself… it was like looking at a stranger.
"Yeah, it is," Clementine cleared her throat. "Uh, want me to take one of you?"
Sarah's face lit up. "Sure!"
Clementine set her walking stick against the wall, leaning on the doorway for support, and took the camera, which was a lot heavier than she'd anticipated. It felt large and clumsy in her small hands, but she hefted it up and took aim.
Sarah took a few steps back, brushed her hair over her shoulder, and smiled.
"I'm ready!"
Snap.
The camera flashed. Clementine watched as the photo appeared, transfixed as the image took form. She pulled the picture free and studied it, tucking the camera under her arm. It didn't really do Sarah justice; it couldn't quite capture the brightness of her eyes, but it was a nice shot nevertheless.
"Looks good." She told Sarah, handing the other girl the photo with a smile.
Sarah took the picture and the camera, setting the latter down on the bed. "Yeah, thanks…" She played with her hair absentmindedly, looking at the photo. "I… didn't realize I'd grown so much."
"You're not that old…" Clementine said teasingly. Her smile faded when she realized Sarah's expression had sobered. "Uh, are you okay?"
It was now occurring to Clementine that they had hardly spoken since their first meeting… since she first realized her leg was gone… maybe that was still bothering her? It wasn't like they'd been able to talk about it, and Carlos sure as hell hadn't… perhaps she was just feeling awkward? Like she didn't know what to say?
The reality of it was, they barely even knew each other. Clementine had felt an instant connection, but maybe it was too much to expect for them to click instantly.
"Hey, Clementine..?" Sarah spoke delicately, like she was afraid she'd shatter if she was any louder. "I- I'm sorry I haven't been down to see you a lot… it's not that I don't want to hang out with you, I do, I promise! It's just that… I mean, I can't-" She bit her lip.
"Your dad didn't want you around me?" Clementine guessed. So that was it. Carlos, you asshole.
Sarah nodded, glancing away. "He- he said that you needed some time to recover- I didn't want to bother you! I- I get it, needing to be alone sometimes, a-and with everything that's happened, I thought you might not… not want me to…"
"Don't worry, I'm not mad or anything," Clementine assured her. "I… I'd like us to be friends."
"Really?" Sarah looked hopeful beyond belief. "Me too! We can be friends, we can be best friends!"
Clementine knew the real reason Carlos didn't want his daughter around her. He thought she'd be a bad influence, she could tell. Sarah seemed pretty sheltered, and Carlos didn't want her ruining that. She could understand wanting to protect your family, but Carlos wouldn't always be around. Sarah would have to learn to fend for herself, sooner or later.
Preferably sooner.
The thing was, Clementine almost agreed with him. It had been so long since she'd met someone like Sarah; someone whose eyes were still bright, despite all they'd seen… the thought of the other girl losing her child-like spark of innocence made Clementine's heart tighten painfully.
But the bottom line was that Sarah needed to be able to rely on herself. And if Clementine was the only one willing to teach her, then so be it.
"Good," Clementine smiled. "It'll be nice to hang out with someone around my age. If I have to hear one more dumb college story, I'm gonna lose it."
"I can't believe Luke and Nick have so many!" Sarah giggled. "Oh, we can have so much fun! And I can read you my book some more! I-I already finished it, but I'm reading it again from the start, so it won't be that hard to catch you up. We can-" She noticed Clementine's grin and blushed. "I-I'm sorry, it's just I haven't had a friend in forever!"
Clementine could relate, and she found Sarah's excitement refreshing.
"I mean, you're feeling better, right?" Sarah tucked her hair behind her ear. "Better than before, at least? My dad said that I should give you some space until you're feeling better, but I figured you must be, because here you are! And I-" She broke off, like a thought had just occurred to her, and knit her brows together. "Um, Clementine? Where is my dad?"
Clementine had been expecting this.
"I… I know something's going on," Sarah continued. "They might not tell me everything, but I can see when something's wrong… if something's happening, I-I need to know."
"You're right," Clementine told her. "You do need to know; you're a part of this group too, and it's not fair for everyone to keep you in the dark…" She took a deep breath. "But… it's not good news."
"Okay…" Sarah said warily.
"Yesterday, Pete and Nick went to go check the fish traps," Clementine began. "They didn't come back. Luke and Alvin went to find them, but then they didn't come back, either. Your dad and Rebecca went to go look for them."
Sarah's eyes widened, her face going pale. "Oh no," She breathed. "I'm sorry, I- I just n-need to-" Her breathing hitched, and she sank to the floor, tucking her knees into her chest.
"Sarah?" Clementine grabbed her cane and pushed off the wall, taking a few steps towards the other girl, who was taking rapid, shallow breaths. Sarah curled in on herself even more, and Clementine backed off.
She didn't know what was happening; she didn't know what to do. She'd just have to wait for Sarah to ride it out. Moving slowly, she lowered herself to the ground, not too close to crowd Sarah, but close enough. And she waited.
It took a couple minutes, but eventually Sarah's breathing slowed and leveled out. She was breathing very deliberately; inhaling deeply through her nose, and blowing the air out her mouth, her eyes closed.
"Hey there," Clementine tried again, speaking calmly. "Are you okay, Sarah?"
"Y-yes," Sarah took a deep breath and opened her eyes. "Sorry, I- sometimes I just have to- I'm s-sorry."
"It's alright," Clementine said. "I know it's a lot to take in. But they know what they're doing, I'm sure they're all going to be okay."
Sarah made a noncommittal noise. "A-are you sure?"
"Well, not really," Clementine admitted, wanting to be honest with Sarah. "But your dad only just left a few minutes ago. He'll probably be back with the others before we know it." At least, that's what she was hoping.
Sarah visibly relaxed. "Oh, okay. You're probably right… but… what if they don't come back? What do we do, we're just kids!"
"We'll figure something out," Clementine told her. "I've made it on my own before." Not very successfully, but Sarah didn't need to know that.
Sarah studied her for a moment before her expression hardened, like she'd made up her mind about something. "I want to show you something, but you can't tell anyone, okay?" She looked up at Clementine nervously. "Especially my dad."
"Okay..?" Clementine raised an eyebrow.
Sarah reached underneath the bedside table, rummaging around for a second before standing up. "Look, I found this," It was a gun; a sleek, silver hand gun. "It's not loaded. I.. I was wondering if you- could you teach me how to shoot it?"
Clementine weighed her options. She'd already disobeyed Carlos once, and this seemed like exactly the kind of thing he didn't want Sarah doing. But at this point, Sarah learning to defend herself was more important than Carlos' opinion of her, and she knew it was the right thing to do. The simple fact that Sarah didn't know how to shoot already was more than enough proof.
"Alright," Clementine said, wracking her brains for everything she'd learned about guns. "But it's not a toy." She pushed herself up, leaning on her walking stick.
"I know," Sarah stood up, gripping the gun in both hands. "So what do I do?"
"Well, first off, never point it at anybody unless you intend to shoot," Clementine said. "Same thing goes for the trigger; don't go near it unless you're actually going to pull it, because that's how you misfire."
"Okay," Sarah took a deep breath. "I'll be careful."
"Good," Clementine adjusted Sarah's grip on the gun. "Now aim at that knot on the wall. You're gonna want to look right over the top of the gun, and keep both eyes open."
"Alright," Sarah lifted the gun, squinting at the wall. "Like this?"
"Don't lock your elbows." Clementine said gently.
Sarah relaxed her upper body. "That's a lot to remember." She noted.
"It'll all become second nature after a little while," Clementine assured her. "Now you're ready to shoot. Before you do, take a small breath, and let it out with the trigger, okay? Squeeze the trigger nice and easy, and get off it quick so you can shoot again."
"Okay. Is that all?" Sarah asked, testing the trigger.
"Always aim for the head," Clementine said. "And remember, it's just a thing, a tool. Nothing to be afraid of. How do you feel?"
"Good, I think. Thanks for showing me," Sarah lowered the gun. "I.. think I'd feel a little better if I actually practiced shooting, but… my dad's never going to let me… do you think we could practice outside? With some real bullets? There's that tree in the front yard…" She walked over to the window, brushing back the curtains.
Clementine chewed her lip. She wasn't sure it was a good idea to actually fire real bullets without adult supervision. What if something went wrong? What if Sarah got hurt? What if the noise attracted walkers, or bandits, or-
"Hey, Luke's back!" Sarah said suddenly, her hands pressed against the window.
"Really?" Clementine made her way over to the window. She just barely caught sight of a retreating shadow. "Just Luke? Why isn't Alvin with him?"
"I don't know," Sarah stowed the gun back under the nightstand. "Maybe I missed him. Let's go see."
"Okay." Clementine followed Sarah out of the bedroom, pausing at the top of the staircase.
"Um... do you need help?" Sarah asked hesitantly, her brown eyes filled with uncertainty. She was pointedly avoiding looking at Clementine's stump leg.
"No, it's okay, I can handle stairs," Clementine assured her. "Go on ahead, I'll meet you there."
"Alright, if you're sure..."
Going down the stairs was a bit trickier than going up them, and it was a lot louder, too. Clementine flinched every time she hopped onto another step, thudding against the wood. Her grip on the banister was so tight her knuckles were white, brows furrowed in concentration.
She made it to the living room without incident, leaning on the railing to catch her breath. Her foot ached, and she decided that she wouldn't go upstairs anymore unless she absolutely had to. Going down took too much effort.
Clementine froze when she saw Sarah, who had her back pressed against the wall, peering around the corner at the door. She zeroed in on Clementine, her eyes wild and frantic.
"That's not Luke." Sarah whispered.
"What?" Clementine's stomach dropped. "Then who-"
Knock knock knock.
They both jumped.
"Clementine? I-I think I know him," Sarah breathed. "He can't see me, you have to get rid of him, make him go away! Please."
"What?" Clementine's heart began to race. "Who is he?"
Knock knock knock.
"Please, you have to do something!" Sarah pleaded.
"Shh, it's okay, I'll take care of it," Clementine said quietly. "Go hide."
"Where?!"
Knock knock knock.
"Hello..?"
Sarah's face paled. "It's him… oh no, please, Clementi- I can't breathe, I c-can't breathe…" She was starting to hyperventilate, her eyes wide and panicked.
Clementine held a finger to her lips. "I'll handle it." She murmured.
She crept forward, as quietly as she could, but it was nearly impossible to be stealthy when you were essentially hopping on one foot. Her mind was racing, frantically trying to plot out a course of action. It could be anyone... what if it was one of the bandits that attacked her and Christa? What could she do, she was unarmed, and there was no telling when the others would be back. Clementine was almost at the door now, and her heart skipped a beat.
The door was unlocked.
Clementine reached for the knob, her fingers just brushing the lock, before it turned under her hand. The door was forced open, and she stumbled back, grabbing the door for support. Her breathing hitched as the stranger spoke.
"Hello."
The stranger was a man, with a low, raspy voice and a Southern lilt. His face was rugged, his jaw lined with stubble, and his eyes were cold and calculating, contrasting sharply with his warm tone. His brown, wavy hair was graying; he seemed to be around his mid-to-late forties, if Clementine had to guess. He was wearing a worn, brown jacket with matted fur at the collar, and there was a gun at his hip.
"Hello..." She said, looking up at him warily.
"Hey there. How are ya?" The man said kindly, giving her a grin that was all teeth.
"... good. How are you?" Clementine asked, her tone and expression carefully neutral.
"Well, I"m doin' just fine, thank you," The stranger said warmly. "Me and my family are set up a ways down the river. I'm... kinda surprised we haven't run into each other yet. What's your name?"
Clementine didn't believe it for a second. "What's your name?" She countered.
The man chuckled. "My name's George, honey," He told her. He offered Clementine his hand, which she pointedly ignored, quirking an eyebrow. "Pleasure to meet you," An edge of sarcasm dripped into his voice before his friendly expression dropped. "Mind if I come in for a bit?"
"Yes." Clementine said bluntly, attempting to close the door again.
George caught the door with his foot. "Now, there's no need to be rude," He frowned, pushing the door open. "I just want to-"
As he forced the door open, Clementine stumbled backwards, catching herself on her cane. George paused, his eyes landing on her stump. He looked back up at Clementine, and she realized with a chill that not an ounce of pity flashed across his face. There was no sympathy there; he was simply adding another advantage he had over her to the list.
Clementine held her ground, staring back at him defiantly. "You need to leave." She insisted.
Something changed in George's face. He almost looked... impressed. But he ignored her anyways, brushing past her into the living room. Clementine had no choice but to follow him.
"Nice place you got here," George said, his eyes sweeping the room appraisingly. "Is there anyone else around? You don't usually see cabins this big out here."
"Well, we have a big group," Clementine said, which wasn't entirely untrue. "Lots."
"Oh? How big?" George asked.
"Dozens," Clementine's grip on her cane tightened. "They should be back real soon."
"And they left you here, all alone?" George raised an eyebrow. "They must trust you. Lots," The corner of his mouth turned up in a sneer. "Especially with that leg of yours."
Clementine felt like she'd been punched. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"Well, I'm just sayin'," George shrugged nonchalantly, but there was a gleam of satisfaction in his eye. Like he could tell he'd struck a nerve. "You're already at a disadvantage, bein' a little girl and all, but now you're practically useless, huh?"
Clementine flinched. "Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about." Her voice wavered, and she hated it.
"You know, a prosthetic would be a lot better than that cane," George continued casually. "Keep your hands free, and keep you balanced. I know a fella with a talent for those sorts of things, if you're interested."
"I said, shut up!" Clementine's face was burning, and phantom pains ran up and down her leg.
"Alright, alright," George held his hands up. "Didn't mean to pry. But it's something to think about, eh?" He turned and walked into the kitchen.
Clementine was seething, but at the same time she wanted to cry. It was too soon; her feelings were too raw to take that kind of talk. It was like he'd dug up every little insecurity about her leg and thrown it back in her face, and she wasn't prepared to deal with it yet.
Get a grip.
As long as George was here, they weren't safe. She had to get him to leave.
Clementine took a deep breath, brushed away her tears, and followed him into the kitchen, her cane thumping on the wooden floor.
George scanned the empty kitchen with disdain. It almost seemed like he was looking for something. His eyes landed on a pile of dirty dishes in the sink, and he wrinkled his nose. "Well, it looks like a damn tornado ran through here." He said, turning to Clementine.
"We have a big group, remember?" Clementine reminded him, her eyes narrowed.
George grunted in response, his eyes wandering around the kitchen. Clementine's gaze fell on a knife lying on the counter, and her breath caught in her throat.
Her first instinct told her to grab it, but she hesitated. He had a gun; what good would a kitchen knife do against that? If a fight broke out, she was as good as dead, and then what would happen to Sarah? But still, something urged her to grab the knife. She'd feel better with something to defend herself with. Could she grab it without George noticing?
Before Clementine could act on her thoughts, George noticed her eyeing the knife and darted forward, grabbing it before she could even move. He was a lot faster than he looked. He turned to Clementine, displeasure written across his face.
"Where does this go?" He asked steadily.
Clementine didn't respond, her composure wavering. Why wouldn't he just leave?
After a couple seconds, George tossed the knife into a drawer and slammed it shut, making Clementine jump. He shifted his gaze to her and raised an eyebrow.
"So how'd you lose that leg, honey?" George asked bluntly.
Clementine bristled, her fingernails digging into her walking stick. "What do you think happened, I cut it off for kicks?" She spat.
"It was a simple question," George said, his eyes flashing dangerously. "You should be a little more respectful."
"And you should mind your own damn business!" Clementine retorted. This was getting too close for comfort; it was almost like he was testing her, seeing how far he could push her.
George brushed past her back into the living room, once again leaving Clementine no choice but to follow.
"Well, this is a real nice place," He reverted back to his friendly demeanor like nothing had happened. "Kinda cozy..." He took interest in a game of chess sitting out on the coffee table. "Well, well... white's in trouble," George said. "Three moves away from checkmate."
Out of the corner of her eye, Clementine saw Sarah climbing the staircase, her eyes wide with fear behind her red glasses. She quickly averted her gaze from the other girl so as not to give her away.
"You play chess?" She asked, hoping to keep George's attention on her and away from Sarah.
"Sure do," He turned to Clementine. "You?"
"No, not really," She shrugged. "I never really learned."
"Now that's a shame," George folded his arms, eyes straying to the board. "It's an enjoyable game. Time consuming, but rewarding. Good for the mind," His focus returned to Clementine. "Maybe someone in that big group of yours can teach you?"
"Yeah, maybe..." Clementine forced a smile. At the edge of her vision, she could see Sarah disappear behind her bedroom door. Relief flooded through her; Sarah was safe, for the time being.
George cleared his throat. "Well, I'll cut to the chase," He said gruffly. "I'm out lookin' for my people. Seven of them, to be exact. They've been gone for a long while, and... I'm worried they might've gotten lost. Maybe you've seen 'em? Couple'a farm boys and an old man. A doctor, Spanish guy, and his daughter. Quiet girl, a bit taller than you. A big black guy, and a pretty little pregnant lady."
Clementine fought to keep her expression neutral. Whoever this man was, he knew her friends, and something about him told her they weren't on good terms with each other. Sarah was here; there was no telling what George would do if he found her. She had to make sure that didn't happen. She had to protect them.
"I haven't seen anyone like that." Clementine lied, fighting down the panic rising in her chest.
"Oh? Are you sure?" George's smile was a hair's breadth away from a sneer. "You got a big group, right? One of 'em might be hidin' in plain sight."
He didn't believe that she wasn't with them. Clementine's mind scrambled for something, anything… if he thought the group was living here, there was no telling what he'd do.
"Nope," Clementine tried to sound nonplussed. "No one in my group matches your descriptions. There's me and my dad, Lee. Kenny and his wife, Katjaa, and their son Duck. I guess Ben could be described as a farm boy, but he's only seventeen, you weren't looking for a teenager, were you? There's Chuck; he's an old man, but we found him in Savannah, so he can't be the same guy. There's Mark, Larry, Lilly, Molly, Omid… and Christa isn't pregnant anymore," Her face darkened. "We lost the baby about a year ago."
"Well, I am truly sorry," George stroked his chin thoughtfully. The fact that she used names seemed to be swaying him. "And you sure you haven't seen anyone like that?"
"I remember everyone we meet," Clementine said, her heart rate returning to normal. "I'm sorry I can't help you, but you really need to leave now."
George made a noncommittal noise. "I.. suppose so. Sorry to barge in, I was just-" He paused, his eyebrows furrowing. "What was that?"
"What?" Clementine's heart jolted.
"I heard something upstairs," George looked at her accusingly. "I thought you said you were here alone?"
"I am! There's no one here!" Clementine insisted.
George's eyes narrowed. He glanced up at the ceiling, drew his gun, and started creeping towards the staircase. Clementine's breathing hitched. She had to warn Sarah!
As she followed George up the stairs, she made sure to hit her walking stick on the steps a little harder than necessary, making enough noise to alert Sarah.
"Keep it down, will ya?" George whispered.
"Sorry, I can't help it." Clementine gave him a helpless smile.
"Stay down here, then."
"No. It's my house, remember."
Grumbling, George reached the second floor and paused in front of the bedroom door. Finger on the trigger, he nudged the door open with his foot and pushed into the room, gun first.
It was empty.
George lowered his gun, his gaze sweeping around the room. Clementine leaned against the door frame, quickly looking for any sign of Sarah. She caught sight of the other girl's jacket sleeve underneath the bed. George was too tall to see it, unless he intentionally checked under the bed. Clementine just hoped he would leave before it came to that.
"See? I told you, there's nobody here." Clementine crossed her arms.
"Looks that way," George muttered, slipping his pistol back into its holster. "My bad. Couldn't leave you here in good conscience if someone was poking around, right?"
Clementine refrained from pointing out that that was exactly what he was doing, and gave him a weak smile instead. "I guess so."
George turned to leave, but something caught his eye. He stooped over to pick it up, dangerously close to Sarah's hiding spot, but he straightened up again. "Who is this?" George asked, holding up the picture of Sarah.
"I don't know," Clementine shrugged, her heart pounding. "Maybe someone who lived here before? We haven't been here long."
"Hm," George studied her, his eyes narrowed. He didn't believe her. "That so?" He tucked the picture into his jacket pocket, and Clementine bit her tongue. He studied her for a moment. "Let me ask you this. When you met 'em, how much did they trust you?"
Clementine stiffened, her mind racing back to the shed.
Their initial distrust of her had almost cost Clementine her life. They'd had no reason to believe she was lying, but they locked her in the shed anyways. But they trusted her now, didn't they? She had no reason to doubt them... did she?
"That's what I thought," A cruel, satisfied smile made its way across George's face. "If people don't trust you, how can you trust them?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." Clementine said cooly, masking her internal panic with indifference.
"Well, I think I've troubled you long enough," George said, a triumphant glint in his eye. "I can let myself out."
Clementine stepped aside as George passed her, swallowing hard. She should be relieved, shouldn't she? He was leaving now, but he had left so much uncertainty... Clementine wasn't sure how to feel. She rushed out into the hallway as George headed towards the front door, gripping the banister with one hand and her cane with the other.
"Don't come back!"
George looked up at her and smiled. "You have a real good day, now."
The front door shut. Clementine exhaled shakily. It was over, but what did it mean for them now?
There was a rustling sound back in the bedroom. She turned to see Sarah pulling herself out from under the bed. Both girls moved towards the window, the air heavy with tension.
"Where is he?" Sarah asked, her voice trembling.
"He's gone." Clementine's voice was hollow.
"What if he comes back?"
Clementine's face darkened. Whoever this man was, he was dangerous. He knew how to read people; how to make them doubt themselves with a few choice words, and that scared her more than anything. A deep, seething hatred settled around Clementine's heart.
"Then I'll make him wish he hadn't."
End of Part I
A/N: Well, here we are! I suppose I should explain; this time around, I've decided to choose a format and stick with it. Every 'episode' in canon will equal a part in this story, so it will have a total of five parts. I'm going to shoot for ten chapters per part, meaning that if I stick with it, this story should have a grand total of fifty chapters! Amazing!
Now, here's the bad news; I'm going on a brief hiatus in between parts, so you will not get regular updates for a while. I'm going to my dad's house for two weeks, and I won't have access to a computer, so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up. But once it is, I will return to updating once a week until Part III. I ask for your patience and understanding, and thank you for your continued support.
See you in Part II! - Aqua