The Walking Dead: Fight for Survival

Chapter 25: the frozen lake

Here's the next chapter, ladies and gentlemen, and I don't have much to say in this author's note, other than enjoy the chapter.

The following day, a couple of hours had passed and the group now continued their journey through the forest in the state of Tennessee. With the supplies the found in the town, the group all had something to eat to keep their strength up for a while and could now make more progress than before. It would only be a matter of time before it all ran out which is why they needed to be creative and keep it lasting for a long time.

And with the medical supplies they found, Bonnie was able to wrap proper bandages around Lee's shoulder, Mike's arm, and Luke's leg and ribs. It looked like it was going to work, but only time would tell if they recovered or not.

As Lee continued to escort the group through the forest, he was so focused that he was unaware of the danger behind him. A lone walker sitting with its back pressed up against a boulder spotted his first victim for the day and stood up and began to approach him.

Clementine gasped when the walker came into her view and quickly tried to warn Lee of the danger ahead before it was too late. "Lee, walker!" she screeched.

Lee swiftly turned around and panicked when the walker grabbed onto him and attempted to bite him. He panicked and placed his arm up against its neck whilst using his free hand to hold one of its arms, preventing it from biting him. "Oh, shit!"

"Lee!" Bonnie shouted.

Clementine quickly ran forward and retrieved her Glock 17 out and aimed it towards the walker. With good aim and only one shot, Clementine fired and hit the walker directly in the side of its head, killing it and saving Lee's life. She sighed in relief and placed her gun back into her back pocket.

Lee sighed in relief after narrowly cheating death and pushed the now dead walker away. He did a quick check across his arms to make it did not bite him, and fortunately, he was okay and unscathed. "Shit, that was a close one. Thanks Clem."

Due to the gunfire, it had caused AJ to cry in either fear or sadness. Mike stilled continued to hold him as he made his way over towards Lee and stood beside Clementine. "Fuck that was close."

"It came out of nowhere!" Lee explained, taking a couple of breaths for a moment to get over that near death experience. The feeling never got any better. "Jesus Christ. I should have paid more attention.

"That gunshot might have attracted more walkers." Bonnie stated that caused Sarah to quietly gasp in fear. She took out her pistol and did quick survey around the area to make sure there were no walkers lurking around the area. "We better keep moving, ya'll."

Lee nodded in agreement and immediately continued heading towards the path they were walking down, the group followed closely. He continued leading the group just for a few more seconds when he stopped and spotted something in the distance. It was a house, or it looked like it would be a house. It was half-built at least. "Guys, there's a house on the other side of that lake."

Clementine walked beside him and took out a pair of binoculars she had received from that gift shop. She placed them over her eyes and looked over towards the half-built house, and by the looks of it, it looked uninhabited. "It looks empty." she took her binoculars off and handed them over to her guardian.

Lee placed the binoculars back over his eyes and looked over into the same direction Clementine did. He too could see the half-built house in clear view that looked empty. He handed them back to Clementine and turned towards the rest of the group. "We got an empty house over that lake. Could be a good place to rest up for a while."

"Good. I need to get off my feet for a while." Luke admitted whilst he stood beside the rest of the group.

"But how do we get across?" Bonnie asked, looking down both ends of the frozen lake to see if there was a bridge or some sort of crossing they could use, but there was nothing in either direction.

Lee could only think of one idea that he had the feeling no-one was going to like, but it may be the only way. "Guys...I think we're going to have to walk across the ice."

Everyone's expressions changed into shocked ones, including Clementine who never thought Lee would suggest something that took such a big risk for them all. Going across the ice? That could go wrong for so many reasons.

"Do we have to?" Clementine inquired; obviously she was not so enthusiastic about walking across the ice. "Isn't there any other way?"

"I don't like it either, Clem, but who knows how long it will take us to find a crossing." Lee responded, but he soon turned his attention over Mike's shoulder when he saw something in the distance. His expression changed when he could see old friends limping towards them. "And I don't think THEY want us to go either."

Everyone turned their attention around to see multiple walkers making their way towards the group in the distance. Either they were attracted to the gunshot, had followed them there, or simply happened to stumble upon them. Either way, the group was not intending to stick around and find out.

In an act of panic, Sarah began panting heavily and struggled to breathe for a moment. She quickly turned around and attempted to run away across the lake, but Lee stood in her way and placed his hands upon her shoulders.

"Sarah, look at me." Lee requested, knowing he was going to have to make this quick before the walkers were upon them. "It's going to be okay. We need to stick together. We're going to cross this lake slowly, okay?"

Sarah nodded in agreement, but at the same time, she remembered her father always telling her how it was going to be okay when it wasn't. He told her that so many times yet he was the one who fallen victim to the walkers and suffered in agony before he died.

"Lee, what's the plan here?" Bonnie inquired, taking out her pistol as she prepared to take them down.

"We go across the lake." Lee answered, taking his hands off Sarah's shoulders as he turned towards the frozen lake. He still was unsure if this was wanted to do this, but they were running out of time and options. "There's no other way. We have to go across the lake." he turned back towards everyone and gave necessary cautions they would need to take into action. "Everyone spread out from each other and GO slowly. We do this nice and steady, and we can make this."

With no other option, the group turned around and slowly made their way over towards the frozen like. To be safe, they all spread out from one another to avoid putting too much weight on the ice. They just prayed it was strong enough to hold them all. There was silence. Nothing but silence from each and every one of them. All they could hear was the wind whistling through their eardrums and the ice pressing against their feet each time they took a step.

As Clementine moved forward, she silently gasped to herself when she heard a crack beneath her foot. She looked down to see a slight crack in the ice that she accidentally caused, but fortunately, it was still holding.

"It's okay." Luke assured, speaking to Clementine whilst he was behind the group due to his injured leg. He limped as slowly as he could to avoid damaging the ice. "We're good. Just keep moving."

Sarah who was the second one to be the closest to the other side of the frozen lake (next to Lee) turned back around for a moment and gasped when she saw those monsters were following them. She was now afraid again, but it was not as bad as she usually would be. "L-Lee? Walkers."

Lee turned back for a moment and a fearful expression rose across his face. Not because of the walkers might get him, because of the walkers might get to the others, especially Clementine who was still quite far back. "It's okay, there's just a few of them, and they might slip. Let's keep going."

The group suddenly halted in their steps when they heard ice breaking apart, followed by a heavy splashing. Did one of them fall in? Slowly, everyone turned back towards one another and were relieved to see everyone was here and accounted for. They looked back to see it was a couple of walkers that had fallen through the ice. That made it easier for them.

"Two down, plenty to go." Lee spoke to himself, slowly turning himself around and continuing to make his way across the frozen lake.

"Everyone just stay spread out, and we'll be okay." Bonnie reassured as she carefully watched her feet to avoid pressing down too much weight.

The entire group continued making their way across the frozen lake, now a little paranoid of the thought of falling in. But they trusted Bonnie's words: if they were to stay spread out from one another, they would be fine. Lee and Mike were the first to make it over the lake and turned back around to make sure everyone was still moving.

Lee folded his arms together with a somewhat nervous expression across his face as he watched the rest of the group continue making their way across. He could see Sarah was the closest one to get across next, and by the looks of her face, she looked scared. "Just relax, Sarah. You're almost there. Just take it nice and slo-o-o-w."

Sarah merely nodded in agreement and continued to carefully walk across the ice. She was extremely afraid and nervous and was unsure if she could make it or not, but there was no going back now.

Finally, after a couple of more terrifying moments of being on the ice, Sarah finally made it across and immediately ran towards Lee. She embraced him in a hug to which he returned.

"It's okay. I told you it was going to fine." Lee reminded, gently placing his arms from around her and shifting his attention back towards the others to see their progress. He was relieved to see everyone still moving, but he looked closely towards one of them and his eyes widened. "Oh, shit."

Clementine and Bonnie stopped when they heard the sound of more ice cracking. The duo shifted their attention around towards Luke, and what they saw next left them shocked and afraid. Luke had halted in his tracks when his left foot had gone through the ice slightly, and one wrong step could lead to it breaking apart fully.

Luke remained absolutely still like a statue but now he was unsure how he was going to get out of this. Bonnie was about to walk over and assist him, but he suddenly prevented her from moving. "No, no, do NOT come over here. It's all right, I can make it."

Bonnie obeyed his request, but she did not believe him when he claimed he could get out on his own. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure." Luke answered before he slowly turned his neck around and noticed the walkers making their way over towards him. He was trapped. If he moved too fast, he would fall in, but if he waited too long, those walkers would eventually catch up.

"Luke, the walkers are coming." Bonnie stated the obvious, refusing to just stand around when his life was in danger. "Let me help you."

"No, the ice won't hold one of us. I just...I just need to be careful-" Luke did not get the chance to finish his sentence when the ice beneath him broken up and down he went. As ironic it would be after telling them he needed to be careful, he now had fallen in. He had one leg in the water, but the rest of his body was still on the surface.

"Luke!" Bonnie screeched, her and Clementine immediately ran towards him.

"NO! Stop!" Luke shouted, preventing them both from approaching him further. He was already in danger and putting them in his situation was. "Look, I told you I'm fine. I just got to pull myself out."

"Luke, you are NOT fine!" Bonnie told him.

"Luke, you need help!" Clementine spoke up, knowing he would not be able to pull himself up, especially with his injured leg.

"No, the ice is too thin." Luke repeated, attempting to pull himself out for a moment but he remained where he ways. He could not move.

Bonnie knew he was right about the ice being thin, but that did not mean she could not help him. She turned towards Clementine and gave her a strong suggestion. "Clem, you need to help him."

"No, she'll fall in." Luke stated.

"She's not. Clem, go!"

Clementine looked back towards both Luke and Bonnie, unsure on whose suggestions were better. She needed to break a choice fast before the walkers arrived or the ice ended up breaking even more.

"No, Clem, do NOT come here!" Luke ordered in a serious tone.

"Clem, go. You're light, you can do it. I know you can." Bonnie reassured the young girl, but that did not help her decide faster.

"Stop telling her that, she's not light enough." Luke responded whilst he began to explain his plan to them. He was afraid, but if they came over than that would put all three of them in danger. "Look, guys, both of you just take your guns and shoot all those damn walkers. Okay?"

Bonnie did take out her pistol and prepared to take down the walkers, but she still thought sending Clementine would be the best thing to do. "Clem, you can make it. He's going to die if we don't help him!"

"No, Clem. It's too dangerous." Luke declined, now groaning for a moment when he felt the extreme cold run through his leg.

"You guys need to hurry!" Lee called out from the distance he, Mike and Sarah were standing at.

"There are too many walkers!" Bonnie stated, pulling the trigger and taking down one walker, but she would try to save as much ammunition as possible.

Clementine made up her mind after a few more seconds of thinking. She knew there were too many walkers to take down, but the ice was also too thin. She knew Luke would not be able to get out on his own, regardless of what she did. She slowly began making her way back towards Luke.

"Clementine, no!" Lee shouted towards them, knowing what she was about to do would put her life in danger, but there was nothing he could do now.

Bonnie gave firing support and took down some of the closest walkers whilst Clementine was making her way towards Luke. She now going even more slowly than before, hoping this would reduce the chances of breaking the ice.

"Clem...Go back..." Luke requested, his voice stuttering slightly due to the cold.

"It's going to be okay." Clementine reassured, extending her arm out as she continued making her way towards him. She continued doing so when Luke lifted up his arm for her to take his hand. "I got you, Luke. It's okay. It's okay-"

As if Clementine's words were lies, the ice beneath her feet broke and down went both Clementine and Luke into the freezing cold water. The two of them were now in extreme danger from either freezing to death, drowning, or maybe both.

"CLEMENTINE!" Lee screamed from the top of his lungs. He threw the bag from his shoulder and immediately ran over the ice and sprinting towards where Clementine and Luke had fallen in, ignoring the danger of the ice and refusing to let her die. He promised to protect her no matter what.

Underneath the ice, Clementine panicked as she tried to swim back up towards the hole they fallen in but she lost her way and was trapped underneath. She tried her best to hold what little breath she got and swam up towards the ice. She curled her hand into a fist and banged it against the ice in an attempt to break it, but the ice was too strong.

After a couple of attempts to break the ice, Clementine felt something tug her ankle and panicked when she was pulled down slightly. She looked down towards the darkness of the water and even despite the water blurring her vision; she could not believe it was a walker! They could swim? So much for Kenny's plan for a boat.

Clementine panicked and kicked her foot against the walkers head until it let go. She swam up and was able to find the hole they fell in from, but to her horror, another walker emerged it front of her. Before it could attack, a familiar face had appeared from behind it. Luke grabbed the walker and struggled with it for a moment until he pushed it down and swam up towards the same hole.

The walker attempted to grab his ankle, but it missed and slowly sank down to the bottom. Before Clementine could even blink, she felt something grip her shoulders and yank her out of the water. Now out of the water, Clementine let out her breath as she was dropped onto her side by her savior. But the danger was not over yet.

"Clementine!" Lee gasped, examining her for just a couple of seconds to see her condition and it did not look good one bit. "You're going to be fine!"

"L-L-L-Luke...G-Get L-L-Luke..." Clementine requested whilst she was shivering heavily. Her skin had turned completely white from the effects of the ice. She was going to die unless she was able to get warm.

Lee was more concerned about her than Luke, but he did turn his attention towards the hole in the ice where Luke was half out, using his arms to keep himself up. Lee grabbed his hands and pulled him out of the ice. He too was now on the verge of freezing to death unless they got warm soon.

"Luke!" Bonnie shouted from a few feet away from the trio.

"They're going to freeze to death unless they get warm!" Lee explained in a quick and panicking tone. He quickly scooped up Clementine in his arms and ran towards the half-built house.

Luke was assisted by Bonnie up to his feet and immediately limped his way towards the house. He kept his arms around his chest in an attempt to keep warm for just a little longer. They had to get warm before it was too late.

Luke lives! YA! Seriously, I was completely shocked and saddened by his death in No Going Back. Not sure if any of you knew this, but originally, you could have saved Luke. But it was cut out of the actual game.

You could have also shot Mike during the part where he, Bonnie and Arvo were trying to leave which was made into the PS3 version, but they released an update and took it out. But the footage to it is on YouTube if any of you want to watch it.

Well, that's it for this chapter, folks. Not that long to go now until the end. Stay tuned for chapter 26 that will be here this Sunday.