Always the Quiet Ones

Chapter 14: In My Final Moments...

Day 1

Carlos grabbed whatever stuff they had left. Family pictures, clothes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, anything. The apocalypse was real. Dead people were walking. His priority was to get his daughter out of the city. That's where most of them were. He was in his house, that he was about to leave behind. The house he's had for sixteen years now. He was never going to come back to that house. That's what he couldn't grasp. He couldn't believe it. He opened the first drawer, that was his wife's dresser. She had passed away two years ago. He never opened the dresser after her death, until now. He looked to see a necklace with a small picture. It was a picture of Carlos, his wife, and his daughter Sarah as a baby. He felt a tear drip from his eye, and then he quickly stuffed it into his pocket.

Day 857

Nick had to keep watch for the final hour, then they were off to 'Wellington', Kenny's big plan. He wasn't exactly fond of the plan, but it was better than anything he thought of. Nick had some many thoughts running through his mind. How he overreacted when Luke said that Sarah wasn't going to make it. Luke was long gone now, he left. He wasn't coming back. Nick felt horrible, he just didn't want to give up on her. He lost his mother, his Uncle. He was alerted when he saw a walker roaming around in the snowy area. It was the only one he had seen in the past day. He looked over and saw the walker had a checkered shirt, with a white t-shirt underneath. He recognized the walker.

Carlos, Nick thought. He remembered how the walkers had grabbed Carlos' arm, and then they sunk their teeth into him. Before, he was shot in the neck - or so he thought. Nick quickly grabbed his gun, running down the stairs of the observation deck. He looked to his gun, holstering it. He then grabbed the small knife he had recently acquired. It was better than his last weapon. Nick walked closer to Carlos, as he began to groan louder.

"I'm sorry, Carlos - I - I'm sorry I failed you. I..." Nick said, a tear falling down his cheek. Carlos had reached him but Nick just kicked him in the stomach, and Carlos flew back, landing in the thick snow. Nick shut his eyes, and then kneeled down, thrusting the knife into Carlos' head. He then pulled it out, sighing. He noticed that he had something sticking out of his pocket. He reached to get it, it was some sort of necklace. He then opened it, and it showed a dusty picture of Carlos, his wife, and his daughter Sarah as a baby. Nick sighed, rubbing his forehead. Nick got back up, stuffing the necklace into his pocket. He then grabbed some snow with his hands, laying it over Carlos, so when they had to leave, Sarah wouldn't see. He then walked back up the stairs to resume his post.

40 Minutes Later...

Nick crossed his hands around his shoulders, shivering at the cold. He didn't have a jacket. It was cold as hell, and he didn't have a JACKET. Nick's stomach grumbled. There wasn't much food to go around. And they had fourteen people to feed, especially a goddamn baby. Clementine walked towards him, greeting him.

"Hey, Clem." Nick's voice stuttered a bit, his teeth chattering.

"Are you alright?" Clementine asked. Nick turned to face her, his face was pale and cold.

"Nick, you're really pale." Clementine informed him.

"I'm fucking cold, kid. That's why." Nick replied.

"You should be inside then." Clementine said. "You've got blood all over you, Nick." Clementine spotted the walker that was on the ground.

"Carlos came over here. I went down there and put him down." Nick said, frowning.

"I don't want Sarah to see, alright?" Nick said.

"Okay." Clementine said.

"We gotta get goin', Nick. Let's go." Mike said, grabbing his equipment. Bonnie, Vince, Wyatt, Eddie, Becca, Shel, Kenny, Bonnie, Mike and Jane all walked down the stairs of the observation deck, and Rebecca followed last. Nick walked over to Sarah who was leaning against a bookshelf. Nick kneeled down to her.

"Hey, Sarah." Nick greeted her, his teeth still chattering.

"Hi." Sarah said, she was also shivering.

"We gotta go, alright?" Nick said. Sarah nodded. Nick then grabbed her and picked her up, holding her in his arms. Nick then walked down the stairs with Clementine and Sarah in his hands.

"You sure you'll be alright?" Clementine asked for reassurance.

"I'll - be fine." Nick shut her out. Clementine frowned and faced forward. Fortunately, Carlos' corpse wasn't noticeable at all. Mike stepped on him but didn't notice.

Two hours later

Nick sighed. He was falling behind from the rest of them, he was so tired. So cold. He felt like he was going to die of hypothermia. Sarah was also paler than he was. That worried him.

"You alright, Nick?" Vince asked.

"I'm fine." Nick said, his voice weak.

"No. You're not. We gotta rest for a minute, alright?" Vince demanded to stop.

"Well, if we went immediately, we wouldn't be in this damn situation!" Kenny argued.

"We'd be in the same situation!" Becca argued.

"Don't get into this, kid!" Kenny retorted.

"That's enough! Everyone!" Shel yelled.

"Look, it's not gonna hurt to take a little break. We've been walking for two fucking hours. You don't even know where you're even going!" Eddie stepped in.

"We can turn back." Wyatt suggested.

"That's not an option! Everyone keep moving - we've gotta make it to that town before nightfall!" Kenny said.

"You don't even listen to anyone else - you just go on, barking orders! You gotta lighten up, alright? You're pushing them too hard!" Vince argued.

"I'm just doin' what has to be done. Like ALWAYS." Kenny said.

Rebecca softly sighed and then fell over, the baby in her hands.

"Shit." Bonnie muttered.

"Here, a place to sit." Mike said, pointing to a wide log, Bonnie helped her up and then Mike and Bonnie helped her sit down on the log.

"Rebecca, let me take the baby." Kenny said.

"He's fine. I've got him." Rebecca replied, holding the baby in her hands. She looked down to it, hearing his cries.

"No. You rest." Kenny said.

"Back off, Kenny. She said she doesn't want you to take the baby. Don't be weird about it, okay?" Vince argued.

"I ain't bein' weird about it!" Kenny growled.

"Yeah, you kind of have been!" Vince replied.

"Guys. She's capable of holding the baby. Both of you, enough!" Russell butted in.

"I'm just tryin' to help." Kenny sighed.

"Hello!?" A familiar voice to Clementine and Jane was heard. Everyone turned around.

"What is this?" Mike questioned.

The teenager was Arvo, the guy who Jane and Clementine had robbed back on the observation deck. Jane and Clem exchanged looks. Arvo spoke in Russian, none of them knew what he said, anyways.

"Вы меня слышитe" (Can you hear me?!)

"Arvo?" Jane finally remembered the kids name.

"Arvo?" Bonnie questioned.

"Who the hell is this kid?" Becca asked.

"We met him on the observation deck. Before everyone else came." Clementine said.

"You know this sonuvabitch? What's he want?" Kenny questioned.

"He doesn't look like much." Bonnie said, infering to his leg brace. His body type was pretty lean, so she figured he wouldn't be a challenge of things got fishy. Not the mention the number of people they had with them.

"That ain't the point." Kenny replied.

"Hello! Please?" Arvo came closer to the group.

"I don't trust him. He also might be mad at us." Clem said.

"Why's that?" Wyatt asked. Clementine didn't respond because Arvo had finally reached up to them.

"What's goin' on, friend? You got people with ya? Where are they?" Kenny asked. Arvo frowned and about seven other figures emerged from the woods, all had weapons. Arvo sighed as he looked to the woman who was next to him.

"Это они?" (Is it them?) The russian woman said.

"Да .. Это они?" (Yes. It is them.) Arvo replied.

"Скажите им, чтобы поставить свои пистолеты и, что мы берем все, что они есть." (Tell them to put their guns down and that we're taking everything they have.) One of the russians said.

"Что вы хотите, чтобы я взял?" (What do you want me to take?) Arvo asked.

"Я не знаю. Что вы думаете у них есть? Может быть, у них есть пули." (I don't know. What do you think they have? Maybe they have bullets.) The Russian said, presumably the leader.

"What did your friend say?" Clementine asked.

"I told them you are the ones who robbed me." Arvo replied.

"Robbed!?" Kenny questioned.

"Now, they want you and your friends to put down the guns - so we can take your things." Arvo said.

"What the hell?" Kenny sighed.

"Nobody get excited." Mike said, cocking his gun.

"No. You aren't taking ANYTHING from us." Clementine growled.

"They are not telling me to ask." Arvo snapped.

"Shit." Nick said, weakly.

"Что вы ждете ?!" (What are you waiting for!?) The Russian leader said.

Arvo then stepped forward, but Vince quickly jolted back, raising his pistol towards Arvo. That caused the russians to point their guns at the group. Nick kneeled down, to avoid the line of fire if anything happened. Everyone stood their ground, except for Sarah, Nick, Rebecca and the baby.

"This can be easy for you." Arvo said, attempting to calm the situation down.

"Арво, сказать им, чтобы поставить свои пистолеты." (Arvo, tell them to put their guns down.) Buricko, the Russian leader ordered.

"Put your guns down, this will be fine!" Arvo warned.

"Fine my ass!" Kenny growled.

"We have a baby!" Clementine cried.

"You have a baby with you?!" Arvo questioned.

"Buricko, есть слишком многие из них." Vitali said. (Buricko, there is too many of them.)

"Arvo, что происходит?" (Arvo, what's going on?)

"I will NOT let them touch that baby!" Kenny yelled. The russians continued to argue with the group, when Kenny finally spoke.

"DROP THAT NOW, OR I'M GONNA FUCKING SHOOT HIM! I'LL DO IT, DROP IT! DROP IT! Don't FUCKING - I said, don't move!" Kenny yelled.

"Don't even try it, motherfucker. I guarantee I'm a better shot then you are - so back the fuck off!" Bonnie yelled at Buricko.

"Everybody be cool! This doesn't have to go down like this! Don't shoot! Look at me! Do you hear me?! I will kill you if I have to!" Mike yelled to a Russian. Clementine turned to face Rebecca who was leaning over her baby. Her eyes then opened, but it wasn't Rebecca. Clementine's eyes widened as he turned around, cocking the gun. She had to be put down. Nick noticed Clem pointing the gun towards Rebecca, and then Clem fired.

"NO!" Nick exclaimed. Clem then ducked once she heard many shots going off, coming from both sides.