Chapter 29- The Taste Of Freedom
"Right, we all ready to go?" Shel questions the small group as they gathered round in the hall for the last time.
The short-haired woman had a small smile stuck to her face. It was small yet spoke of so many positive emotions and Nick could only feel the great sense of hope wash over him again.
Was this truly happening?
Because it felt so damn good...
"We're leaving a bit earlier than we said..." Clementine stated as she adjusted a backpack onto her back. Through all the items, Clementine managed to find a decent sized green jacket. It looked almost army-like and by wearing it, Clementine suddenly felt a lot older and mature.
Of course, that was good thing.
"Won't do any harm leaving early. I just want to get outta this damned place." Nick replied, taking a last glance towards where he neatly placed Stephanie's covered body onto one of the shelves.
It was horrible and too much to handle, but he miraculously did it.
"Are there any walkers outside?" Luke asked curiously. Saying the word 'walkers' felt so foreign on his tongue, in some ways he felt as if he couldn't remember all the shit happening outside of the warehouse. Whether that was a good thing or not, Luke didn't know...
"I can check." Clementine volunteered almost immediately.
"You sure kid?" Nick questions the younger girl.
Clementine gave a short glare in which Nick held up his hands in surrender and Luke and Shel tried to stifle a laugh.
"Alright, be quick." Nick said. Before he knew it, Clementine was gone; taking the same route that she Nick and Stephanie came through.
"She's a brave girl." Shel spoke almost as if she was mesmerised.
"Don't doubt it one bit." Luke agreed.
"She saved our asses... well some." Nick said, mentally cursing as he bought his dead girlfriend back into his mind.
"Oh Nick..." Shel said sadly, her expression dropping as she walked up and placed a hand on the taller man's shoulder.
"Let's just be thankful we're alive, broken but alive." Luke explained, giving a small pat on the back to Nick, in which the black haired man winched slightly.
"Oh sorry bout that." Luke quickly apologised, remembering what happened.
"It's okay." Nick replied afterwards, his voice glum.
"Let's not think about being broken, let's think about being alive." Shel suggested, however it came out more of a motivational demand.
"That sounds better." Luke replied, a smile spreading across his face.
Nick slowly looked up from previously staring down at the concrete.
"That sounds a lot better." Nick agreed, his spirits suddenly lifted.
Shel smiled in satisfaction.
"Hey, I know one thing you're missing..." Luke said all of a sudden, looking upon Nick's mess of raven hair.
"Wh-what?" Nick questioned, his eyebrows furrowed as he watched Luke's smile become brighter.
"Your hat, stupid." Luke chuckled, swatting the back of Nick's head playfully. However, that was a mistake as Nick winched at the some-what painful contact again.
"Sorry, jesus... sorry." Luke apologised again, his face flushing with embarrassment.
Shel giggled.
"Maybe you should stop touching him from now on..."
"Ye-yeah I was gonna suggest that to myself." Luke responded, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"No hard feelings man..." Nick chuckled in which Luke smiled back at his friend.
"So your hat?" Shel questioned.
"Oh, yeah...about that." Nick started to say.
"What, you don't like it anymore?" Luke asked surprised. It was Nick's favourite item, ever...
"Na, no it's not that." Nick quickly explained.
"Couldn't find it? The shelves are a damn maze, don't know how Clementine does it." Shel suggested.
"No, I- I gave it to Stef. Well, put it on her head that is..." Nick responded, his voice quivering slightly.
The two brunette's both mime an 'Oh' and nod their heads in understanding, not wanting to bring up the painful topic again.
"Sometimes you got to let the grease and muck show!" Nick joked soon after, brushing a hand through his wavy but greasy black locks. Ever since leaving the cabin, his hair had grown slightly longer.
"Your hair is like a fucking birds nest, I'd do anything for you to cover it up!" Luke also joked, in which Shel started giggling uncontrollably.
"Aw, don't be mean." Shel laughed as she swatted Luke's arm.
Luke pretended to be hurt only to cause Shel to giggle more.
"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" Shel replied. Her voice was like a coo as if she was talking to a baby, but she was only joking of course.
Luke laughed and Shel pulled the man in for a friendly hug.
Nick's raised his eyebrows.
"Oh, what's going on here?" Nick says suggestively, pointing fingers at the two with a grin on his face.
The pair separated and by then, Nick was grinning like a fool.
"It's nothing, just making the best of a shitty situation." Shel explained calmly, unfazed by Nick's assumptions.
"By hooking up with Luke?" Nick questioned, still as suggestive as before.
"Stop it man." Luke put simply, in which Nick just laughed and said 'Fine'.
Not too long after the friendly banter between the three, Clementine was back and clearly exhausted.
"Searched everywhere, all clear." she explained. The three adults all raised eyebrows in shock together.
"The whole perimeter? Are you nuts!?" Shel questioned, impressed but at the same time surprised.
Clementine grinned.
"Yep." she said simply.
"Wow." was all Luke could say and Nick nodded in agreement.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Shel asked around, a relieving excitement showing within her voice.
"Daylight, fucking daylight and freedom!" Luke exasperated, he'd already starting walking from where Clementine came back from.
Shel followed and so did Nick.
"Wait, I just need to do something. Meet you outside." Clementine said quickly.
The three adults turned back around and faced the eleven year old girl.
"Are you sure?" Nick asked, concerned.
"Yeah, I'll be quick." Clementine responded with a reassuring, innocent smile.
"'Okay." Nick agreed, turning back and walking slowly once again.
"Don't do anything stupid." Luke warned before going back to walking.
"Promise." Clementine said before the adults had disappeared around the corner.
Clementine smiled.
I like them, Lee... if only you could be with me too. Clementine thought to herself. She then shook these thoughts away and skipped over to one of the large shelves she had stripped of useful items and supplies. One thing she left especially for the departure day was a drawing pad and a black permanent marker that she had found within the hoard of the past victims belongings.
Clementine stood on her tippy toes and reached for the pen and paper. Once she got hold of the two items she sat down cross legged on the floor and began writing a message.
Was a slorter house Enter at own rissk
Clementine knew her spelling was atrocious, lack of punctuation also. But honestly, who cared?
She looked down grimly at her message. Her spelling and other faults didn't effect her, it was the message.
The message reminded Clementine of something out of a horror movie. But then again, she was practically in one.
Inside or outside the warehouse.
Clementine shivered and forced herself not to take another look at all the dead that surrounded her. Without further hesitation, she stood up, picked up her message and ran straight towards where the three adults left, leaving behind the pen, paper and terrible memories.
Not too long later, Clementine was outside. The sun was shining brightly and Clementine smiled when she saw Nick, Luke and Shel standing mesmerised, staring off into the forest in a daze. Shel face was slightly wet from tears but she was smiling.
While the others were distracted, Clementine stuck the message onto the back door of the warehouse. The paper wasn't stuck perfectly as Clementine only had a thumb tack to use, but it would do for now.
"A warning, huh?" a voice came from behind the young girl.
Clementine turned around to see Nick; Luke and Shel still in the distance. Luke had his arm wrapped around Shel's shoulder and the two just stared off into the forest in complete awe.
"Even though the bad guys are dead, nobody should see what we saw." Clementine explained, her face sinking when she thought back to how Carver killed Christa. At the same time however, Clementine was grateful Christa died the way she did. She didn't have to suffer.
Still, Christa could've been alive if it wasn't for him.
"I get you..." Nick replied sympathetically, reading the message.
Nick couldn't help but sadly smile as he noticed Clementine's spelling mistakes.
She should be in school, not whatever the fuck this world is...
"C'mon, we should get going...daylights burning." Nick changed the topic.
"But it's mid afternoon..." Clementine responded, slightly confused by the term.
"Exactly." Nick smiled, turning away from the warehouse and making his way over to Shel and Luke, Clementine following beside him.
Shel and Luke heard the approaching footsteps and turned around, both their faces gleaming with joy.
"Ready to go?" Nick asked around, in which everybody nodded their heads eagerly.
Nick chuckled.
"Freedom." he breathed, looking behind himself once more.
As Shel, Luke and Clementine started walking, Nick stayed for a few moments.
"Carlos, Sarah, Rebecca, Alvin, Uncle Pete...Stef, I love you all." a single tear made its way down Nick's cheek.
"Rest now and be at peace, I'll see you soon!"
"Carver, Troy..." the words felt bitter on Nick's tongue.
"Fuck. You!" and with that, Nick held his middle finger up to the warehouse.
The chilly air blew across his face and his skin tensed to the unfamiliar cool-ness.
Nick was free, along with Luke, Shel and Clementine.
This was freedom and nothing was going to stop the group from getting to the cabin safely.
