Ed and Kenny were pushing the car in front of the motel entrance, while Lee pulled his axe out of the head of one of the few zombies that were on the street.
Lilly was further back, crouched beside Clementine and chatting something over with the girl, occasionally casting quick glances at Lee, who seemed very focused on killing those zombies.
There weren't many on the street, so he could handle them on his own, and even better, none of them were a runner, so it was relatively safe for them to stay on the street.
- Here is good, this will do for now.
Ed said, stepping away from the car and looking at the spot they had put up. It wasn't the best barricade in the world, but as long as they didn't build one, it would do.
His eyes focused on a lone zombie walking toward them from the opposite side of where Lee was standing, and he sighed.
Ed took the ice pick that Glenn had given him before he left to Atlanta, and walked towards the zombie, killing it quickly.
His eyes watched the body hit the ground, no longer seeing the man with the exposed ribs, but the boy from Atlanta with a hole in his head.
Two days had passed since they had left that drugstore, and he was still in doubt, with the scrambled words running furiously through his mind.
He had not accepted what he had done, he could not live with it, and he felt that this was exactly what was making him change so much.
The fear of people starting to treat him differently was still present inside him, but at the same time, he felt as if he should tell them the truth.
At least for his own family, the two most important women in his life deserved to know who he really was, what he did.
At one point, he had even considered asking Lee for help. Of all the people there, he would be the one who would understand him most easily. But he didn't allow himself to do so.
There was a part of him that he simply didn't want to tell, a part of him, slowly growing inside, that didn't want to reveal his sin.
Not because he was afraid, or ashamed.
But because it had enjoyed it.
This was his sin, this small part of him had enjoyed killing that boy.
And he felt more and more lost, because it grew bigger and bigger, every day, with every zombie he kills.
- Hey, Ed, come on, food is being served.
Kenny's voice brought him out of his thoughts, and he turned, watching Clementine walk toward her mother near the RV.
Sighing slightly, he walked toward the table they had set up near the RV, glancing over at Lee, who was holding the axe on his shoulder and walking with his hand in his pocket.
He wondered if Lee felt the same thing, the same impulses, the same desperate feeling of seeing himself changing, becoming someone else, and not knowing what to do.
Lee left the axe resting on the RV and walked towards his room, leaving shortly after, after washing his bloodstained hands.
- How much food do we have left?
he asked, taking one of the plates from the table and sitting down on the floor, his back propped up on the wheel.
- Mark had plenty, we still have a few months left.
Lilly said, looking at Mark, and then looking at Lee.
Ed was thoughtful for a few moments, it was somewhat amazing to think of the things they had been through in just a few short days.
Mark was stuck at the military base not far from there, he would have died if Lee hadn't had the idea to check the place out, and risked his life to save him.
As compensation, they had plenty of food now.
Not only that, but Mark had enormous respect for Lee.
"That's something you'll never have, asshole"
Ed closed his eyes tightly, mentally asking that voice to shut up, and going back to eating.
- I'd have more... if the pantry hadn't caught fire.
Mark said, leaning on the table.
- That's more than we could ask for.
Lee said, leaning his head on the vehicle and looking down the street, checking that there were no zombies walking there, or in the forest.
- No way, man. No matter how much food I have, it won't be enough to repay you, you saved my life.
Mark said, and Lee just smiled slightly, no matter what he said, Mark would not change this idea.
He had tried many times before.
Lilly glanced at Lee again, she didn't know why, but he intrigued her...made her curious, and she often caught herself looking at him.
She still didn't trust him completely, still thought he might prove to be a liar sooner or later, just like her father had said. But the longer she looked at him, the less that seemed to come true.
The woman shook her head, maybe she was thinking that way only because he saved her father... probably.
But still, she couldn't deny that he was... interesting.
- How many guns do we have?
Kenny asked, finishing eating and putting his plate aside.
- Kenny...
Katjaa scolded him, looking at Clementine and Duck, who were eating beside Diana.
- What? They know guns are necessary, we are alive because of one.
He replied, shrugging his shoulders.
- Apart from Lee's shotgun, Mark's pistol and Carley's pistol... that's it. And the shotgun is out of ammo. We need more. Can you shoot?
Lilly asked, running her eyes over the people sitting in front of her.
- I've never held a gun.
Doug said, shaking his head slightly.
- My old man taught me the basics of a hunting rifle.
Kenny said.
-...I know...small guns, not with a rifle, or a shotgun.
Ed said, also finishing eating.
- But you used Lee's shotgun at the drugstore.
Carley said.
- Yes, in the heat of the moment, adrenaline and all... if I took that shotgun now, I probably wouldn't have much idea what to do.
He answered, leaning back on the table and looking at Clementine, who was staring at him with a strange glare.
- Okay, we need more weapons, more ammo, and everyone is going into training.
Lilly said, watching as Lee put his plate on the table with his eyes.
- Training?
Doug asked.
- Yes, you will learn to shoot, like Kenny said, it's what kept us alive. Not only that, but it's good to get some physical training too, basic stuff, in case you don't want a little more military training.
Lilly said, putting her plate aside as she finished eating.
- Well... do you think there might still be some weapons left in the gun store?
Kenny asked.
- If not, I know some establishments where the owners had a free pass for guns. I think even my father did...in my old house...I can go now. The sooner the better.
Lee said, taking the axe and leaning on the handle.
- It's not good to go out alone. Take at least one more person with you.
Lilly said, turning slightly and looking over his shoulder.
- I can go. I still have some ammo left.
Carley said, putting his plate aside and looking at Lee.
- I can go too.
Kenny said, and Lee arched an eyebrow.
- Are you sure? You have your family here, man. And we don't have much to use as weapons.
- I can lend you my pistol. I hardly use it anyway.
Mark said.
- Considering this, you're the only one going without a gun.
Carley said, getting up, standing beside him shortly thereafter.
- I have this.
He said, leaning the axe back on his shoulder.
He had become attached to the weapon, holding it made him feel good.
- But, after all, I don't think it's a good idea for us to take another gun, or for more than two people to go.
Lee said, turning to Mark and Kenny.
- Not only would we leave you with three less people, we would leave you practically unarmed. What if those things showed up?
he explained.
- Still, it's more dangerous in the city than here.
Kenny said.
- But there are more important things here than there.
Lee replied, looking at Duck and Clementine.
Duck finished eating and was talking about something with the girl, who didn't even seem to be paying attention to what he was saying, focused on the conversation.
- We won't be gone long.
Lee said, walking to his room and grabbing a backpack.
- Okay, pal. If that's what you want.
Kenny said with a sigh, getting up and walking over to him, shaking his hand before watching him leave.
(...)
- So, what's up? You seem a little strange, since we left the drugstore.
Lee asked, leaning his body forward and looking at the street, walking cautiously along the sidewalk when he saw that the place was deserted.
-... Is it that obvious?
She asked, looking inside a store, the fallen bodies scattered all over the overturned place.
- It's been so long... and I still haven't thanked you for your help.
She said, watching Lee check an alley before continuing walking.
- No need to thank me for anything.
He said, walking into what used to be a bar. Of course a bar would at least have a gun.
- Yes, I do. Those zombies grabbing me...I would have been eaten if you hadn't shown up.
She said, a little louder when she saw that the place was empty, checking the window for a while, and walking towards Lee.
- Like I said, no need to thank me. Anyone in my position would have done the same.
He said, crouching down and checking under the counter, grimacing slightly when he saw that the gun that used to be there was gone.
- Larry wouldn't.
She said, and Lee looked at her.
- Touché. Anyone not like him would have done the same, then.
He said, smiling slightly, turning and walking to the back of the bar.
Carley stared at him for a while, watching every move he made intently.
It was as if she was mesmerized by the simple way he walked, or the way he held that axe and used it to check every corner of the bar before continuing to walk.
... He was intriguing.