Travelier Motel: The adults have gathered at the center of the parking lot, deep in discussion. On the second-floor balcony, Clementine and Duck sit together and play.
"I dare you to drink it." Clementine giggled as she dangled her feet over the balcony railing.
"All of it?" Duck whined, staring down into the half-empty bottle with distaste. Dark green water swirled in circles; a toxic concoction of old milk, leaves, and chalk dust. Duck's pained tone made Clementine giggle, though she felt bad for daring Duck to do something so gross.
"Not all of it." She mumbled, rolling her eyes back and forth in rhythm with her kicking. "Just one mouthful, and you have to swallow."
Duck darted his glance between the dark brew and the concrete beneath the cracks in the patio floor. Normally, the two children were terrified of the second floor of the motel. However, it was the one place within eyesight of the adults that she could whisper and not be heard.
"Fine." Duck bravely said, raising the bottle to his lips. Clementine winced underneath a shy giggle.
The brunette boy tilted his head back quickly, but jerked forward the second the liquid passed his lips. Dark liquid sprayed from the boy's lips, causing Clementine to shriek and cover her face. Duck winced, spitting out several globs of pale green saliva.
"Duck!" Clementine complained, despite knowing she got what she deserved.
"It tastes like throw up." Duck said, censoring out a word he had heard his father say earlier that day. "I don't want to play anymore."
"Me neither." His friend agreed, tucking a damp strand of hair into her hat and frowning. The two locked eyes before staring at the bottle. There was an awkward silence.
"It smells like butt." Duck said, watching the liquid drain through the wooden floor. Both kids erupted in laughter. Clementine slipped her legs back through the railing and pulled them into a crisscross. The day had only just begun, and she was already laughing so hard her sides hurt. It was a good day.
"Duck!" The boys' father shouted from the motel parking lot. Kenny was a burly southerner with a thick accent. He made Clementine uncomfortable, but she knew he was a good man.
Duck stopped laughing and crawled to the railing. Sticking his head over the balcony, he yelled back down.
"Yeah, Dad?"
"Grab your things and get down here, son." Kenny said. His voice was followed by two others: Lilly, and Clementine's caretaker Lee.
"You're not seriously considering leaving, are you?" Lilly criticized in her usual tone.
"And what if I am? This place is going to shit."
Clementine stood up and walked towards the staircase to the side of the balcony. From over the walkway she spotted Lee step between Kenny and Lilly. Despite their distinct size difference, the two looked poised to attack. Clementine had become used to the fighting over the last few days, but this was different. She glanced at the back of Ducks head and hoped he would turn around. Unfortunately, he followed his father's orders to the letter and disappeared into the RV parked in the center of the lot.
"Come on, Ken. Do we have to do this now?" Lee said, turning his back slightly to Lilly.
Kenny shook his head and grimaced. "We wait, and wait, and wait. How much longer before we miss our opportunity, Lee?"
"Cramming into an RV and driving who knows where isn't an opportunity!" Lilly spat, staring a whole through Lee's back.
Kenny leaned to the side, peeking over Lee's shoulder to shoot daggers back at his adversary.
Duck poked his head out of the RV door. His trademark smile had faded from being caught near the argument.
"Dad, I can't find any of my comic books." He droned, cutting the tension for a split second.
Kenny waved him off, and Duck meekly exited the camper. Watching her friend scan the length of the parking lot, Clementine sat on the bottom of the staircase.
"I'm taking my family and we're getting out of Macon. The city is fucked out there." Kenny barked.
"Kenny, man. Look, I know you're trying to do right by your family, but we can't just start splitting up. Carley and Doug are still out on their run, and Ben can barely walk with his leg the way it is. This is a group decision." Lee stated, holding a hand out to Kenny's chest. The fisherman swatted his hand away, but backed down.
Clementine smiled. Lee was good at calming people down, and she appreciated that. The past few days had been so scary, and it was nice to have someone like Lee to watch over her.
"I'm not changing my mind. Someone has to make decisions for this group, and it can't always be me." Kenny said, crossing his arms.
Behind Lee, Lilly turned and stormed off to her room.
"It's not going to be easier out on the road!" She screamed, gripping her forehead and scowling. "I'm the one making decisions, Kenny. You just get people killed."
"It had to be done and you know it. I saved us from the worst-case back there." Kenny returned, still stuck in place. Lee lifted his arms up in defeat and turned towards Clementine. The two exchanged a somber look.
"You're no hero, Kenny. Your family is still here at the expense of ours." Lilly's voice was pained. She stopped in the doorway of her room and spun around to face the southerner.
Kenny's look soured further. "He was bit! I was the only one in that meat locker who had the guts to protect us. You and Lee just sat on your asses hoping for a miracle. Yet, I'm the fucking bad guy?"
"You're nothing but a murderer. Lee saved us from those people, not you. We've been back barely three days and you're already pulling this crap about leaving again." Lilly looked at the floor, her voice cracking under the pressure. She sounded as if she were about to pop. "I just want one week without hearing this shit!"
Clementine stood up, brushing a leaf that had fell from the roof off of her dirtied skirt. She decided she had heard enough of the arguing and headed to check on Ben. Ben was the newest edition to the group. He was nice to Clementine, although she could tell he didn't like kids. His room was the last door on the right, making it easy for the girl to cross over without having to walk through the chaos.
She pushed on the unlocked door, letting light into the dim room. Ben was lying on a single mattress in the center of the room. It was the only room in the complex without windows, so Clementine squinted to make out the teens figure.
"Hi, Ben." She said, swaying in the doorway. Ben opened his eyes, looking at the girl with his usual lost gaze. Clementine had yet to see Ben with a smile on his face, even though they had only been together for a few weeks.
"Hi." He returned, his voice dry. Clementine eyed a half-empty bottle of water on the floor. She trotted over, lifting up and handing it to Ben. He took it, thanking the girl with a slight nod. Clementine tried desperately not to stare, but couldn't help it.
"It really hurts." Ben droned, eyeing the bandaged wound around his lower leg.
"Is it infected?" Clem asked, taking the water back from the boy and setting it back on the floor.
"I don't think so. At least I hope not."
Clementine's favorite part about Ben was that he was honest with her. The other adults would lie to her if it meant not scaring her; that Clementine knew. Ben would always be honest with Clementine, even if it made her uneasy.
"Katjaa said you would heal quickly." She stated, though she posed it as a question. Ben shrugged, only keeping his eyes open to not be rude.
"Maybe." He paused. "I just don't want the others to leave me behind."
Clementine hesitated. She wanted to tell Ben that Kenny and his family were planning on leaving, but he knew that already.
"We won't leave you behind. We don't leave friends behind."
Ben didn't respond. After several seconds of silence, Clementine waved goodbye and turned to leave. The room was too stuffy for her liking, and Katjaa said Ben needed as much rest as possible. Opening the door, Clementine turned to give Ben one more smile. His eyes were closed.
"Hey, sweet pea." Lee's voiced cooed from behind her. Clementine jumped, but turned with a giant grin.
"Hi, Lee. I was checking on Ben."
Lee kneeled down, motioning for a hug. The eight-year-old jumped into her guardian's arms, squeezing his chest.
"Let's give him some time to rest. Besides, we need to have a talk."
Clementine nodded, fixing her hat and walking out towards the center section of rooms. Lee closed the motel door behind her and followed. The two stopped in front of their own room.
"Clem, Kenny and his family are leaving, maybe even today. I know Duck and you have become good friends, and I know this place isn't exactly home." Lee looked down, but brought his gaze back up with a determined demeanor. "Do you want to go with them?"
"I want to stay with you, Lee." She said almost as soon as Lee finished. There was no doubt in the girls mind.
"Of course, sweetie. I won't go anywhere without you. I'm asking if you want to leave so I can make up my own mind."
Clementine had never considered leaving, even after all of the fighting. She thought about it for a moment.
"What about Ben, and Lilly. We can't just leave them."
Lee shook his head. "You're right. We're stronger as a group, but Kenny wants to make sure his family is safe. We can't stop them if they want to leave."
"I don't want them to leave."
Lee was silent. What could he say?
The two entered the motel room without saying much else. Their room was just as bare as Bens', with only a mattress and a lantern to fill the space. As Lee shut the door, Clem sat by the window and looked out. She eyed Duck walking up and down the front walls, scouring every inch of the ground for his comics.
"Clem, come over here for a second." Lee said, causing Clementine to focus her attention elsewhere. Lee was standing in the corner of the room next to their personal supplies. Clementine trotted over, sensing the weight of their previous conversation still hanging over her caretaker.
"Yes?"
"I know we're part of a group. They're all good people," Lee sounded pained. "But we have to make sure our next move is a smart one. I don't want to put you in harms way, even if that means going off on our own."
"We're safer in a group. There are bad people out there." Clementine said confidently. "I want us to be safe."
Lee nodded, even though he knew deep down that safety was a matter of probability.
"Alright then. Why don't you go outside and help Duck look for-"
"You don't fucking steal from us!" A voice barked from outside. Clem froze, cocking her head towards the window. Lee walked in front of her, sidling to the side of the window and peeking out.
"Get behind the door." He whispered without taking his eyes off of the parking lot. Clementine obeyed, slipping next to the door. She clasped her arms around her chest, wishing whatever was outside would just go away.
Outside, the voices continued. "We had a deal, and now y'all are fucked!"
"What fucking deal?" Kenny boomed. His voice was cut short by a sharp thud, followed by his wife's cries.
"Kenny! Please, you don't need to do this."
"Shut the fuck up!" One of the attackers commanded.
"Lee, who is that?" Clementine whispered. Her voice shook with fear.
Lee turned away and crept quickly to the adjacent window facing the forest. The bolts were busted and Lee managed to push it open with ease.
"Go on, Clementine." He beckoned, motioning for her to be lifted out. She shook her head, but moved forward.
"W-what about you?" She squeaked. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to go help the others. There are bad people out there, Clem. I need to make sure you're safe first."
She nodded, remembering what she had discussed with Lee when they first moved in to the motel.
"Remember where the meeting point is, sweet pea?" He asked, lifting her out the window and onto the wet grass. Clem nodded. The spot was an old abandoned shed just outside the forest area. They had taken several walks together to and from there.
"It's just past those trees. Sit and wait for either Lilly or myself, alright?"
Clem shook her head to give Lee confidence. He saw through it, but smiled nonetheless.
"Be safe, Clem. I'll be right back."
"You be safe too, Lee." Clementine said, before dashing off into the trees. After making sure she cleared the brush, Lee let out a deep breath and slowly shut the window. He knelt down and procured a pistol from his bag. Outside, the arguing was silenced by three shots.
"Everyone, shut the fuck up! We know you got more people with you."
Lee crossed back to the window and stuck his head out, counting the number of men. There were four, all dressed in assorted color hoods and glasses. Only two had guns drawn, but a shootout was to be avoided if possible.
Kenny and his family were rounded up, along with Ben who sat with his back against the RV. The men were at gunpoint, and Duck clung to his mother for dear life.
"Where the hell is Lilly?" Lee questioned, whispering to no one but himself in the darkness of the room. Lilly was nowhere to be found, and Lee prayed she had somehow managed to slip past the raiders and hide.
"I'm tired of waiting." The tallest of the four bandits said, scratching under his baseball cap with the barrel of his pistol. "Drew, start putting your boot to those doors!"
Now or never. Lee thought, taking one last look behind him. He took a deep breath, tucked his pistol under his belt behind him, and opened the door.