Clementine was running as fast as she could, panting and sweating from having been moving for some time.

She had managed to distract the walkers, and had dodged the dead in her path whenever she needed to, she was used to that sort of thing.

It doesn't take much to outsmart the dead.

Besides they were too slow to catch up with her... well, most of them anyway.

Every now and then she found one that could run, but not very fast either.

The girl sighed with relief when she saw the cabin again, she had managed to memorize the way to the river, and from there she just followed the dirt road, noticing a few bodies on the ground, assuming that Nick had killed them.

She hurried through the back door, hearing some altered voices in the kitchen.

All eyes focused on her as soon as she entered.

Luke- C... Carley? What...?

He tried to ask, but he was too stunned and surprised to form a simple sentence, as were the people around him, who looked at her with similar looks, and even a little fear.

Clementine- Pete got bit...

She began, causing them to snap out of some kind of "trance", as if they were getting a reality shock.

Rebecca: What?

Nick- Oh no... oh no, God, no...

Luke - Jesus... where?

Clementine- Just walk down the river, there's an abandoned van in the woods, there's a lot of walkers around because of the shooting, so we have to be careful.

She explained quickly, watching Luke, accompanied by Nick, walk towards the room.

She turned forward, observing the odd looks from the others.

Rebecca-what have you done?

The woman asked angrily, crossing her arms and looking at Clementine with accusing eyes.

Clementine-What? I didn't do a fucking thing!

The girl replied irritated, it was obvious that Rebecca was blaming her, and she was in no mood for that at the moment.

Carlos- Then... why are you covered in blood?

He asked, and only then did Clementine look down at her body, surprised that she was covered in blood. Her hands were covered in red, her clothes were sticking to her body from the crimson liquid, and she was sure her face would be stained as well.

"great."

she thought wryly, mentally rolling her eyes.

They were certainly suspicious of her at that moment.

Clementine- As soon as he was bitten, we ran until we found the van, minutes after we got inside, I cut his leg off.

She said, causing the others to widen their eyes in disbelief, not only at the fact that she had cut off a man's leg, but also at her neutral tone, as if she had done something trivial, something she was used to, as if it didn't matter.

Nick: You what?!

The girl looked at him as he entered the kitchen with a rifle in hand.

Clementine: I cut his bitten leg, and covered the wound so that he wouldn't die from lack of blood, at least not so fast, so we'd better get to him before he bleeds to death.

The girl said again, as neutral as before.

Nick ran toward the door, leaving the cabin with Luke as fast as they could. Alvin was next, and it looked like even Rebecca was going, since the woman grabbed one of the guns Luke brought.

"Is it a good idea to let a pregnant woman go out like that? Not that it's my problem."

She thought, not really caring what happened to the woman, just curious. When Crista got pregnant, Omid didn't leave her side for a minute, and even tried to carry her on his lap so she wouldn't walk.

Which was obviously an exaggeration, but it was even... strange, how differently people acted.

Carlos- Carley! Can you stay here and look after my daughter while we go out?

he asked, a little hesitant at first, but looking seriously at Clementine.

The girl in turn looked at him confused.

"Oh he has a daughter?"

Clementine- Shouldn't I go with you?

Carlos- And leave the cabin unprotected? No! Depending on Pete's situation, we will take too long, maybe even have to stay in the forest due to the... delicate... situation.

He explained, taking a rifle and putting it on his back.

Carlos- Just... Go clean yourself up! I left some clothes for you in the bathroom, they are my daughter's but they should fit you. The bathroom is upstairs, at the end of the hall. Be careful that she doesn't see you, she's... different, you'll understand!

He explained quickly, exiting the cabin and closing the door, leaving Clementine staring at where they had left, looking a little... confused... to say the least.

Clementine- Really? I think this group doesn't... think. Shouldn't they leave at least one person to keep an eye on me?

She thought out loud, watching the kitchen calmly, enjoying the small moment of silence.

Clementine- Eh, whatever, it's not like I'm going to steal anything... Maybe.

She said again, looking at her bloody hands.

Walking at a calm pace, she walks up the stairs and watches the doors in the hallway, focusing her eyes on the half-open bathroom door.

She went into the bathroom and closed the door, looking for a moment at the folded clothes in the small closet next to the door.

The girl sighed and walked to the mirror, looking at her reflection for the first time in... a long time.

So long that she didn't even know it.

Her face was covered in blood, just as she had imagined. Her eyes were... strange, maybe it was because she hadn't looked for a long time, but she felt that the glow, which she once had, was gone, and the gold in her eyes had become dull, faded.

Cold.

She then takes the hat from her head, looking at the bloodstains, long since dried, scattered across the white part.

The spots looked random, as if blood was splashing in random directions, but as she connected them, they formed finger marks.

Five fingers in total, as if someone had put their open, bloody hand into her hat.

She didn't notice these marks until a few days after she left Savannah, and her mind quickly went back to the moment when Lee put his hand on her head, dirty with his own blood.

After that, her hat had become even more important to her. Not only was it a gift from her father that she loved so much, it was also the only part, combined with the photo she kept inside, and of course her memories, that was left of Lee.

She sighed, taking the photo of Lee from inside her hat and looking at it for a few moments, placing it on the sink shortly after.

Some time passed, and she finally came out of the bathroom, wearing a long-sleeved purple blouse, gray jeans with shoes of the same color.

She had taken advantage of this, and cleaned the blade of her machete, along with the sheath that had become bloody.

Even though both were wet, she still placed the machete on her back, ignoring the cold water coming into contact with her skin.

A noise of something falling caught her attention, and she immediately put her hand on her machete, even though she knew it could only be Carlos' daughter.

But better safe than sorry.

The girl opened the bedroom door slowly, watching the girl, a little bigger than her, looking at her in surprise, even a little frightened.

Clementine sighed and took her hand off the handle of the machete, entering the room.

Clementine- Hey... err...

She tried to start a conversation, only then she realized that she didn't know how to start one, and maybe she didn't even want to.

"What's her name again? Did Carlos even say her name?"

She thought, feeling a strange atmosphere hovering over the place.

Clementine-... what is your name?

she asked after a while in silence.

- Sarah, what's yours?

The girl answered, straightening her posture, and her initial fear was replaced by "excitement".

Clementine- Cle... Carley.

She almost hit herself on the head as she almost revealed her real name. Not that it mattered much, but the others would fill her with questions, and she didn't think she had the patience to explain everything.

Sarah-what happened to you?

The girl's brown eyes fell on the bandages on Clementine's leg, switching to the bandage on her temple.

Clementine-I was shot and fell down a cliff.

Sarah's eyes widened, startled and incredulous, which made Clementine look at her in confusion, until a snap echoed in her mind.

Clementine- Have you ever killed?

Sarah- What? Why would I want to do that?!

Clementine sighed at the girl's response, mentally rolling her eyes.

"So that's what he meant when he said she was different...holy shit, am I going to have to babysit?"

Clementine- No reason, never mind, just... a joke, yeah, an old joke, that I heard from my dad.

She made an "excuse", which didn't seem to convince the older girl, but she left it alone.

Clementine- What were you doing?

She began to survey the room, pausing momentarily over the comics piled on the table.

Sarah- I was reading, there's not much else to do.

She walked over to her bed and picked up a comic book, handing it to Clementine.

Clementine- "Hulk: The End". I used to read comic books when I was little.

She said, a little interested, it had been a while since she had last read a comic book...actually, that she had read anything interesting.

Sarah- I have quite a few, but I've read them all, they got boring.

She said, sitting up in her bed and looking at Clementine, who was reading the first few pages of the comic book with interest, and amused eyes as she stared at the drawings.

Sarah-How old are you?

Clementine looked at her.

Clementine- Eleven, I think, and you?

Sarah- Fourteen.

Clementine arched an eyebrow, the girl didn't look that much older than she was, still having a lot of childish features.

Sarah- We're friends...

Clementine- What?

Sarah- Right? We can be best friends, I haven't met a girl my own age since... since it all started.

She got out of bed excitedly, and Clementine looked at her confused, even in shock at the girl.

Clementine- We're not friends.

Sarah- What?

She asked surprised, and a little sad, making Clementine sigh slightly.

Clementine- We just met, to be friends with someone takes... time, you know? We don't even know each other.

She tried to say as kindly as she could, she understood how Sarah's nature was.

The older girl had pure, innocent eyes, the same eyes Clementine had long ago, and which vanished without a trace that they had once been there.

Sarah, in a way, reminded her of how she was before everything happened, and she conflicted inside, not knowing whether to like this, or hate it.

Sarah - But we can be, right? Will you stay with us? We'll have plenty of time to find out about each other.

She said, insistently, and Clementine rolled her eyes internally once more, sighing slightly.

Clementine- I don't know if I'll be staying long, probably not, so we can't be friends.

Sarah looked down at her, turning away from her and walking back to her bed.

Sarah-... But we can get to know each other while you are here.

She insisted once more, which made Clementite feel a sudden urge to be rougher with the girl, but was interrupted by her.

Sarah- Oh, look, Luke's back.

She turned and walked to the door. Clementine followed her with her gaze, leaving the room a short time later.

As she walked down the stairs, the girl looked confused at Sarah, who looked terrified and hid behind the wall.

Sarah-... That's not Luke.

She whispered, and Clementine looked at the silhouette of the man behind the door, suspicious.

- Hello?

The man's deep, rough voice echoed down the hallway of the cabin, and Sarah began to breathe harder.

Sarah- Carley... I... I think I know him. He can't see me!

She whispered in desperation, making Clementine even more confused than before.

"Why?"

She thought about asking, but from the girl's condition, she wouldn't be able to give a clear answer.

Clementine- Hide.

Clementine walked slowly toward the unlocked door, ignoring Sarah's whisper. Her eyes focused on the lock, and she raised her arm as she got close enough.

Before she could lock the door, however, the man opened it.

Her golden eyes met the man's brown ones, and he stared at her for some time, before flashing a "friendly" smile on his face.

- Good afternoon, sorry to bother you.