I hope you are enjoying it so far, if you don't like something, or want me to change something, or anything, let me know, I'll appreciate it. Enjoy!
The drive to Macon was pretty peaceful, if you don't consider the few overturned cars and bodies lying on the ground that they occasionally encountered on the road.
Kenny just focused on driving, getting as far away from those things as he could, occasionally looking at Duck, who was on Katjaa's lap in the back seat, and Clementine, who was on Diana's lap.
Both were quiet, trapped in their own thoughts, but it was obvious that Duck was the most affected there.
He almost had his neck bitten off by one of those things, even though he was a strong boy, it would mark him in some way.
Kenny was only concerned about the changes this might cause in the boy. Nothing major might have happened, but it was a stressful situation.
He looked in the rearview mirror, watching Lee with his back resting on the car window. He had insisted that the man go with them in the back seat, but Lee had refused, saying that the other people would not be comfortable with him around, and that it would be too tight with him there.
Hershel's words echoed through his mind. "Incredibly, the killer was the only one who tried to do anything," and he couldn't help but sigh wearily.
He could have tried to help Shawn, but just like Ed, he just stood there, using his son as an excuse not to risk his own life.
And then it was up to the killer to try to do something.
He himself had told Lee that he would not judge him, but he could not help calling him a murderer. And this murderer saved his son from having his neck torn off by one of those things.
- You seem a little conflicted.
Ed's voice brought him out of his thoughts, and the man sighed, shaking his head slightly.
- These things, man. All this stuff that's going on... we saw a lot of it before we got to that farm.
Kenny said, glancing quickly at Ed, and then back to focusing on the road.
- Well... I can say I understand you... I myself was almost devoured by one of those running ones.
Ed said, glancing back at Diana and Clementine.
Both seemed immersed in their own thoughts, their eyes fixed on the seat in front, or in Diana's case, nervously strolling lost through the window next to them.
- Shit... that must have been quite a situation... but I wouldn't feel this way if it happened to me, now it's a totally different story with my son... God, I don't even want to imagine what would have happened if Lee hadn't killed that thing.
Kenny said, looking back again, focusing his eyes on Katjaa's for a while, just as affected as his own.
Ed was silent for a while, and looked at Lee's back, who was leaning against the glass.
-... You do know that he killed before, right? He was going to prison.
He said, catching a glimpse of Katjaa's somewhat incredulous expression.
- He told me... and honestly, after today, I don't give a fuck. Hell, how many killers would be as honest as him? I know I wouldn't say anything about this if I were him.
Kenny said, and Ed stared at him for a while, causing Kenny to arch an eyebrow in confusion.
- What? Do you think he's dangerous?
-... He sure is, but... I don't know, I just don't feel comfortable letting him this close to Clementine, or Diana.
- Well, it's understandable, I wouldn't let a criminal be around my son either. But he saved my boy, so that makes him okay with me.
Kenny said, and Ed sighed, turning back to face the empty road ahead.
- Don't you feel a little, I don't know, uncomfortable that he has a gun?
he asked, crossing his arms.
- Should I? If it makes him able to keep those things away from my boy, that's fine by me.
Kenny said, giving Ed a quick look, a little confused, even curious.
Clementine looked at the two in the back seat, she had been paying attention to their conversation for some time.
- What is it? You don't seem to like him very much.
- What's to like? He is a criminal, imagine how the police will react when they find out that we helped him. When I met him, I just wanted to send him away from me, without wanting to get involved.
Ed said, but for some reason Kenny didn't quite believe that was all it was.
The man had spoken in a rather nervous way, it's not as if he was afraid of being arrested in a situation like that.
Going to jail for being considered an accomplice was the least of his problems.
- If that's the way you think... I wouldn't worry too much about the police if I were you.
Kenny said, looking in the rearview mirror once more.
Ed stared at him for a moment, then turned his face to the window, letting himself get lost in his own thoughts.
He didn't want to be on good terms with a murderer.
Not because of morality or anything like that, not because he considered him dangerous.
But because he felt that if he did that, he would accept that he was also a murderer.
He hadn't been able to think of anything but the boy he had killed in Atlanta. Every moment he remembered to put the revolver between that boy's eyes, and pull the trigger.
The rest of the walk was uneventful, no incidents happened, nothing major.
Kenny parked the car on Macon's empty street, sighing as he looked at the electronic dashboard.
- Well, that's as far as we go.
Kenny said, getting out of the car shortly after, and looking at Lee, who jumped out of the bucket.
- Out of gas, we're going to have to find more.
He said, and Lee looked around, holding the shotgun firmly in his hand.
His eyes focused for a moment on Clementine, who had just gotten out of the car and was looking down the empty street.
Abandoned cars, stores with smashed windows, places with boards nailed to the doors and windows.
Lee sighed as he noticed Ed's gaze on him, and turned away, focusing his eyes for a moment on the pharmacy ahead.
A mixture of sensations coursed through his chest as he gazed at the large letters of the pharmacy. His mind was flooded with memories, and frustration and sadness became dominant inside him.
- Hey, can you help? The car ran out of gas.
Kenny shouted to a man further down the street, drawing Lee out of his thoughts, who looked up at him.
It was not a good idea to make too much noise, or to try to talk to a stranger.
Besides, what kind of person would stand in the middle of an abandoned street the way things were?
The man stood up and turned around, and it was then that they saw his deformed face, with part of his cheek missing, without a nose and without one of his eyes.
- Aw fuck.
Kenny grumbled, walking away as he looked around. More of those things were getting closer.
Lee took the lead and ran his eyes around the place, those things were appearing more and more both in front and around him.
- The pharmacy!
He said, backing away slowly while still aiming his shotgun forward, focusing his eyes on one man in particular.
He had his stomach open, leaving his organs exposed, but that didn't bother him. He walked faster, more agitated than the others.
As soon as this "man" saw him, he ran towards him quickly, and Lee had to struggle not to grimace as he saw the man's guts falling to the ground as he ran.
Aiming his shotgun at him, Lee waited calmly until the thing came closer, and pulled the trigger, watching part of his head explode, and bullets that had scattered in the shot pierced different parts of his neck and his upper chest.
A small scream made itself present behind him, and Lee turned around quickly, looking at Duck, who fell to the ground with one of those things on him.
Quickly, Lee ran toward the boy and aimed his shotgun at the thing.
- Close your eyes Duck!
he said, and the boy did as he was told, closing his eyes as the thing's head exploded and brains mixed with blood splattered everywhere.
- Hey, this way!
They heard a voice shout at them, and looked at a young man in a hat just outside the pharmacy gate.
Katjaa and Diana went ahead.
Kenny took Duck by the arms and ran toward the pharmacy, followed by Ed, who was carrying Clementine on his lap.
Lee stared at him for a few moments, alternating his gaze between the young man and a short-haired woman holding a pistol a little further ahead.
They stared at each other for a few moments, until Lee looked away, hitting one of the zombies that had come too close with his shotgun on the head, and running towards the pharmacy soon after.
A man with straw blond hair closed the gate and entered the pharmacy as well, closing the two doors behind him soon after.
- Jesus... that could have turned into a shitshow real fast.
Kenny said, looking at Duck with worried eyes, and then looking at Katjaa, who walked over to the boy.
- We can't take risks like this.
A female voice chimed in, and Lee looked at the woman with the straight hair and serious features who had said it.
She was really tall, looked to be in her early thirties, maybe. Straight black hair, brown eyes.
She faced the other woman with a serious expression and a hand on her waist.
- And we can't let other people die, either.
The short-haired woman replied, returning the serious look.
- When I say "that those doors stay shut no matter what," I fucking mean it. We don't know who these people are; they could be dangerous.
The woman said, focusing her eyes on Lee, being the only one carrying a gun.
- Worse than that, they could lure those things right to us.
A man said.
He was tall, raspy voice, already old, hard features, and despite his advanced age, he had a good physique.
An old man full of muscles. His rigid and apparently angry face startled both Clementine and Duck, who was sitting on the counter further back while his mother checked his body for any injuries.
- Whoa, easy there, lady. We appreciate the help. We don't want any trouble.
Lee said in a soft tone, trying to soften the situation that was starting to get a little tense.
- Oh, really?
she asked ironically, crossing her arms and looking at the shotgun in Lee's hands.
- Yes, just because I'm armed doesn't mean I'm going to shoot everyone I see. Especially when we have two children with us.
Lee said, pointing at Clementine, who was standing next to Ed holding his hand, and Duck.
-Okay, I'll believe you when you give me your gun, if not, you can get out of here.
She said, and Lee arched an eyebrow.
- Come on, Lilly, they have kids.
The young man in the cap said, standing next to the woman.
- Those things outside don't care.
- Well, you should join them then, since you have so much in common.
Ed said in a cold tone, looking at Clementine just after the girl had called him.
Lee shook his head and sighed, handing the shotgun to the woman, but staring her firmly in the eyes, having to lower his head a little to look at her.
- Holy shit, this is what happens when we let strangers stay with us, we have to kick them out now.
The old man said, looking at Lilly.
- Where is your humanity? They will die out there!
The short-haired woman said, looking reproachfully at the man.
- And we'll let them if we have to. That guy has a shotgun, he must know how to use it.
The man said, not caring about the woman's look.
- Oh shit, these guys think we're dangerous when this son of a bitch is saying that he doesn't care if the kids die or not!
Ed said angrily, glaring at the old man.
- You better calm down, you asshole. It doesn't matter if they're children, adults or old dumbasses, we can all die for letting you assholes in!
The old man retorted, and Ed clenched his fists tightly.
- Are you kidding me?! If that's the case then you won't mind if we kick you out on the spot, how about it?!
Ed said angrily, no longer able to control his voice, and ended up saying it louder than he should have.
A loud bang on the door was heard, and they startled slightly, staring at the door in the corner of the pharmacy.
Clementine was standing right in front of the bathroom door, and slowly moved away as the thuds increased.
The door hit the floor, and one of the runners fell to the floor along with the wooden structure, standing up quickly.
They widened their eyes and moved a few steps away.
As soon as the runner focused his eyes on the girl in front of him, he ran quickly toward her, who was paralyzed in fear.
The girl felt her body being thrown backwards forcefully and fell to the ground with that thing on top of her. She couldn't contain the cries of despair that escaped her throat as she looked at that creature so close to her, trying to bite off a piece of her.
Blood dripped onto the girl's face, who was losing her strength by the moment.
As the runner approached her neck, it was thrown back violently with a kick to the middle of the face.
The girl stood up soon after, feeling her father grab her and lift her onto his lap, but her eyes were only focused on the back of Lee, who was holding the runner by the neck and slowly pushing him backwards.
At one point, Lee threw the runner back a few steps and punched him in the face, soon after, pulling him back and knocking him to the ground, kneeling on his back so that he wouldn't get up.
- Somebody kill this thing!
He shouted angrily, and the short-haired woman approached with the pistol, shooting the runner in the head shortly after.
Lee stood up panting, and leaned for a moment on his knees, feeling the adrenaline leave his body.
- Holy shit... thank you.
He thanked him, looking at the little blood that had stained his hand from his punch to that thing.
- No sweat.
She said, and just then, more thuds were heard on the walls around the pharmacy.
They all remained silent, paying attention to the grunts and thuds that echoed throughout the pharmacy.
After a while, gunshots in the distance were heard, and the thuds stopped, causing them to breathe a sigh of relief again.
Lee's eyes focused on Clementine again, who was in her mother's arms now, with a tearful expression, and blood splattered across her face.
Sighing, he looks at the woman in front of him, staring at her again.
- Fuck, we almost died because of this asshole who can't sit still and this bitch with the itchy finger! That was stupid!
The man said again, irritated, getting up from behind a shelf in which he was hiding.
- Excuse me?! What the fuck did you call me?!
The woman gave him an irritated look, but he just ignored her, alternating his gaze between Clementine and Duck.
Both with blood staining their bodies.
- Holy shit... they were bitten!
he said after a while.
- What the fuck are you talking about?! They weren't bitten!
Ed said angrily, getting up and looking at the old man.
- The hell they weren't! We saw the boy come in covered in blood, and the girl just got attacked by one of those things! We have to end this, now.
He said, walking toward Duck, who was closer.
Lee and Kenny stood in front of the old man, giving him a hard look, as if daring him to try to take another step.
- No! I am cleaning him! There's no bite!
Katjaa said, running his hand over the boy, wiping that blood off him.
- Nonsense! The boy and the girl are infected, we have to kick them out, or smash their heads in!
The old man said, looking at them as if he was right.
- What? Are you crazy?! Ed, don't let him near Clementine!
Diana said, hugging the girl against her chest and walking away with her in her arms.
- Lee, what do we do about this guy?
Kenny asked, and Lee crossed his arms.
- What do we do? WE kick him out, or smash his head in!
- That's what I'm thinking!
Kenny said, almost in celebration.
- Dad... he's just a boy, a kid.
Lilly tried to reason with him, but the man just rolled his eyes.
- Shut up, Lilly. And you know what? Give me that!
he said, and quickly took the shotgun from the woman's hands and pointed it at Duck.
The astonishment was general, and some people even took a few steps back in fear.
Kenny and Lee's eyes widened, and they decided to act.
Kenny grabbed the man's arms and forced him to put the gun down, while Lee took advantage of the opening and punched the man in the face, causing him to stagger to the side, and Kenny to manage to take the shotgun.
- Whoa, Jesus!
- Hey, calm down!
- Holy shit man!
They both just ignored the surprised voices, and looked at the man on the ground, with Lilly kneeling right next to him.
- What the fuck is wrong with you people?!
she shouted angrily, helping her father up.
- What the fuck is our problem?! This son of a bitch tried to kill my fucking son! The way I see it, we should kill this guy right now!
Kenny shouted angrily, trying very hard not to shoot the old man, who was already getting up with one hand over his face.
- I'm not the fucking bad guy here, you bunch of assholes! I'm just looking after my daughter! The moment these kids start eating their own parents, don't say I didn't warn you!
He said angrily, but not making any sudden movements or anything too intense.
Probably because Kenny was the one with the shotgun now.
- Bullshit! You're the guy arguing about killing kids! And you have the nerve to point a fucking gun at my fucking son! You're nothing but an old fucking murderer!
Kenny shouted, handing the shotgun to Lee, not wanting to do something he would regret later.
- Murderer, huh? As far as I know, the only murderer in here is the one right next to you. Right, Lee Everett?!
He said, looking at Lee, who was not intimidated by the old man's gaze, much less the mocking tone in his voice.
Lee just stared at him, but could catch a glimpse of the confused looks on some of the faces that were looking at the whole thing.
- I don't give a flying fuck! Lee didn't try to kill a child, did he?! Ah, better yet, he didn't try to shoot my son! Fucking asshole!
Kenny said, turning around and walking over to Katjaa, checking in on Duck, who was somewhat freaked out by the whole thing.
Understandably so.
Lee turned and sighed, standing next to Katjaa and looking at Duck with a somewhat worried expression.
- How is he?
he asked, and the woman turned to him.
- Shocked...scared...but all things considered, he's fine.
She said in a low tone, pulling the boy into her arms.
- Hey Lee... thanks... for everything you've done so far.
Kenny said, leaning on the counter, and a tired expression on his face.
Lee imagined how stressful and terrifying it must have been for Kenny to see a gun pointed at his son's head.
- Don't worry, I couldn't just let him shoot a child.
Lee said, and Kenny sighed.
- What the fuck is wrong with this guy?!
He asked, looking at said man, who was sitting in a far corner, with Lilly checking the bruise on his face.
- I don't know... look, try to rest, you three, God knows how much you need it. I'll have a look around, there must be something useful in this pharmacy.
Lee said, and Kenny nodded to him, while Katjaa looked at him appreciatively, but at the same time, a little strangely.
Still a little conflicted about him being an murderer, or something like that.
Lee turned and walked over to Ed, who was leaning on the wall next to Clementine, who was in Diana's arms.
- Hey, is she all right?
he asked, and both Ed and Diana looked at him strangely.
- Yes... she's fine ... thank you.
Diana said, looking into his eyes for only a few moments, until she looked away again.
Ed just remained silent, looking at him.
- Okay...
Lee said simply, he knew when he was not welcome in some place, or situation.
Looking around, he walked toward the short haired woman ahead of him, who was talking to a man in front of the doors.
- Hey there.
They looked at him.
- Oh, hey, ahm... Lee, right?
The man said, somewhat uncertain, hesitant perhaps. Clearly bothered, either by his presence, or by the fact that he had killed before...
Maybe a little of both.
- Yes, hmm... how are things out there?
- Oh, they're fine... those things are wandering the street right now, but... all things considered, we're fine... for now.
The man said, bowing his head and running his hand through his hair.
- So, ahm... thanks for the help earlier, with that thing and all.
Lee said, looking at the woman for a while, until he looked at the creature's body still on the ground.
- Don't worry, I'm Carley.
She introduced herself, extending her hand to Lee, who shook it, a little awkwardly.
- Well... nice to meet you, Carley.
Lee said, and the woman stared at him for a while longer.
- I know who you are, Lee Everett. Not because that old jerk said so. You are a professor in Athens who killed a state senator who was sleeping with your wife. This is your parents' store.
She said, and Lee put one of his hands in his pocket, a little embarrassed that she knew all that, and mostly confused.
- I am a reporter for WABE in Atlanta. I paid attention to that trial. Maybe you are a murderer, but I don't really care. When I saw you, I planned to keep it a secret, but... well, I guess it doesn't matter anymore.
she said, crossing her arms.
Lee just let out a nasal grumble. A lot of people didn't seem to care that he was a murderer.
Should he be happy or worried about it?
- You seem like an okay guy, and considering what happened, I don't think I need to worry too much. Frankly, you can be very helpful. Don't make me wrong on this.
she said, and Lee shook his head slightly.
- As I told that woman, Lilly, I don't want any trouble.
- Good, keep it that way.
She said, and Lee sighed.
-... When you arrived... was there anyone here?
He asked, and Carley arched an eyebrow, but softened her expression when she saw Lee's rather anxious look.
-... That guy you punched... he said he had to carry two bodies out of here through the office, and dump them in the back alley.
She said, and Lee's eyes widened, bowing his head in disbelief.
-... fuck...
He said in a whisper, shaking his head and turning away from Carley, who was looking at him sympathetically.
Lee leaned on one of the shelves in the corner of the pharmacy and closed his eyes, trying to calm his thoughts, his emotions.
Unless his parents decided to leave the store to two strangers, then his mother and father were rotting in some alley behind the pharmacy.
That thought alone was fucked up enough.
He took a few deep breaths and recovered.
"Okay, Everett...you have more to worry about."
He shook his head.
His eyes fell once again on Duck, and Clementine, it was then that he remembered that they hadn't eaten all day.
He knew that pharmacy like the back of his hand.
Lee walked over to a small box and opened it, picking up some leftover protein bars.
Getting up, he walked over to Kenny, seeing that Duck was still a little affected.
- Here. Duck hasn't eaten all day.
He handed it over, and both Katjaa and Kenny looked at him gratefully.
- Oh, thank you, Lee. We appreciate it.
Kenny said, taking the protein bar and waving at him.
Lee smiles slightly and walks away.
Sighing, he walks over to Ed, and extends the protein bar toward him.
- Here, the girl hasn't eaten all day.
he says, and Ed stares at him.
It wasn't like last time, though, when he just stared at him expressionlessly.
Now he was staring at him in irritation, and Lee had no idea why.
- Thank you, Lee. I appreciate it.
Diana said, taking the protein bar from his hand and handing it to Clementine, who stared at him for a while.
- Come here.
Ed said, pulling Lee by the arm, who simply pulled his arm back tightly, and looked at him almost incredulously.
- What the fuck is your problem?
Ed asked quietly, not wanting to draw attention to himself.
- No, what the fuck is YOUR problem? Did I do something to you?
Lee asked, putting his hand on his waist, since the other was still holding the shotgun.
- I told you not to talk to my wife, or my daughter! But I also meant not to get involved with either of them! Things are bad enough for them to get involved with someone like you.
Ed said, and Lee raised an eyebrow.
- Someone like me? Do you have something to tell me?
Lee asked, no longer speaking so softly and starting to look at Ed angrily.
- Yes, I do. I appreciate what you did, but I don't trust you, especially not carrying that gun back and forth near my daughter!
Lee shook his head and smiled incredulously.
- If I remember correctly, your daughter is alive because of me.
- And I said I appreciate it, you don't have to get any more involved than that.
Ed said, and Lee rolled his eyes, sighing.
- Okay, fine. I'll let them starve next time.
Lee said, bumping into Ed's shoulder on purpose and pushing him aside as he walked away.