The girl stared at the door for a few moments, until footsteps upstairs caught her attention.
Raising her head, she looked at Rebecca, who had a mixture of surprise, confusion and fear on her face.
- Hello?
The man's rough voice interrupted the woman, who was about to say something, and the expression on her face became one of pure terror.
Clementine arched her eyebrows at the woman's visible fear, and became somewhat hesitant about what to do there.
- Don't open the door... he's dangerous.
The woman whispered, so low that the girl barely understood what she had said.
Rebecca turned and walked to a room, closing the door soon after, leaving Clementine somewhat indignant that she had been left alone to deal with the situation.
Who was this man?
Why was he dangerous? How did Rebecca know him?
And why should she be the one to deal with it?
Sighing, the girl walks slowly and silently towards the door in order to lock it. Before she could reach the lock, however, the man turned the knob and opened the door, to Clementine's dismay.
- Oh, hello there.
The man greeted her with a gentle smile and a slight expression, which only made the girl more intrigued.
He had a small, well-groomed beard and combed hair, wore clean clothes, and Clementine's eyes stopped immediately on the revolver in its holster at his waist.
- Who are you?
Clementine asked, putting a hand on the door, ready to close it if she needed to.
- Actually, I'm your neighbor.
-... Neighbor?
- Yes, my family and I are settled just down the river. Actually, I'm surprised we haven't bumped into each other before.
The man said, turning slightly to the side as he said it.
Clementine realized his lie; she had walked downstream for some time, and found no one. In fact, if he was where he said he was, then he would be hit by the herd any minute now.
Moreover, if it is really true, then he is the one responsible for the shots that Luke said had attracted the herd.
- What is your name?
he asked, drawing the girl out of her thoughts.
- I'... Carley. And yours?
- George.
He said, running his eyes down the hall behind the girl.
- So, would you mind if I came in? I wanted to talk about something, shouldn't take more than a few minutes.
The man said, and the girl felt a bit pressured. She didn't know what was going on there, but from what she could tell, if this man were to find Rebecca something bad would happen.
Is he that Carver guy?
... Well, considering that she also lied about her name, and that he lied about being with his family, it was likely that his name was a lie too.
- Actually, I do mind. If it's so important, we can talk here.
The girl said, leaning slightly against the door and looking him in the eye, not wanting to show that she was scared.
- Well, I can't blame you for being so suspicious, but I assure you I mean you no harm. Just talk, it won't take long.
He said, practically forcing himself into the cabin, seeming not to care much about the girl's slight desperation.
- Look... leave your gun outside... and then you can come in.
The girl said, barring him before he could go through the door, without taking her eyes off him.
George stared at her for a moment, and a small smile was born on his lips, accompanied by a nasal laugh.
- Suspicious little girl... fair enough.
He said, removing the holster from his waistband and placing his gun propped up beside the door.
Clementine looked at the whole thing with an arched eyebrow. She was the one who had told him to leave the gun outside, but instead of making her a little more relaxed, it only made her more suspicious.
He wouldn't do that being so close to strangers without having a card up his sleeve.
He had more people with him... or he had another gun hidden somewhere in his clothes.
The girl was even more intrigued when she saw him take a knife and put it next to the gun, putting his arms up immediately afterwards.
- Is this good enough? Like I said, I don't want to hurt you.
He said, practically pushing the girl aside and entering the cabin.
Clementine stared at him for a while, then walked over to him, leaving the door open.
- I'm sorry for disturbing you on such a nice afternoon, especially when you're injured.
He said, turning and looking at her bandaged arm, just before he began to look analytically around the place.
- This is a nice place. Is there anyone else around? This is a pretty big cabin, it could definitely hold a lot of folks in here.
He said, putting his hand on his waist and looking around the room as if searching for something.
- I... I'm with my father, and some other people from my group.
She answered. The room had too much stuff for just two people, some of it being women's stuff. Who else would wear a heart-shaped bracelet, or use a lipstick?
- Hm, how many people?
he asked.
- Four, five counting me.
She answered, crossing her arms and staring at him, noticing the man's distrust.
- Quite a few people, is your father the leader? Where is he?
He asked, crossing his arms.
- Yes, he is... he and the others are fishing and hunting.
She answered.
- Well, I'll get right to the point. I'm looking for my people. Seven of them, to be exact. They have been missing for some time, and ... well, I'm worried that they have gotten lost. Maybe you've seen them.
He said, walking a few steps down the small corridor, before turning to her.
- A couple of farm boys and an old man... Spanish guy and his daughter. Quiet girl, bit taller than you. A big black guy. This big. And a pretty little pregnant lady.
He said, and Clementine's suspicions were confirmed.
He really was that Carver guy, he was the only stranger the others had mentioned. But why would he be looking for them?
They really seemed to fear him, there was anger in their voices when they mentioned his name earlier.
- That's a lot of people to lose.
Clementine said.
- Tell me about it. This whole situation is a pain in the ass.
The man said, opening the kitchen door and stepping into the place.
Clementine sighed, he was not very discreet, he could barely hide his distrust.
Well, maybe he didn't want to hide it, or maybe he thought he was smart enough not to worry about something like that.
- Hm, there are plenty of plates here. These guys seem to eat a lot.
He said, leaning on the sink beside him and turning to the girl.
- Well, I should be doing the dishes now.
She said, leaning on the counter.
- Just passing by, or have you been here for a while?
He asked.
- Just passing by, we're getting ready to move soon. What about you?
She asked.
- I've been here quite a while. Hm, but, since you're leaving, I think I'll move into this cabin. I've barely been here and I already don't want to leave.
He said, and before either of them could say anything, a noise echoed from upstairs.
-... I thought you said there's no one here.
George said, turning away from the sink and looking at Clementine with narrowed eyes.
- No one is here.
She said, but as expected, he didn't believe her.
Steadily, George walked out of the kitchen and looked upstairs, taking a pistol that was hidden in his jacket and going up the stairs.
- Did you have another gun?
she asked, although she herself suspected that this was the case. No one would leave their weapons exposed like that near a stranger.
No matter how harmless it might seem.
George didn't answer, and as soon as he finished going up the stairs, he opened the door in front of him with force, pointing his pistol into the room.
Clementine grimaced slightly at the thought that he would find Rebecca and Sarah up there, but pulled herself together when she saw that they were not there.
Her eyes focused on Sarah, who was hiding under the bed.
- See? I told you there was no one here.
Clementine said, putting her hands in her pockets and looking at the back of George, who was near the window in front of her.
- Yeah, it looks that way... I'm sorry about that, I didn't mean to be rude. But I couldn't have a clear conscience if I left you here alone in case someone was poking around.
He said, putting the gun back in his jacket and turning to her.
- And the gun...
- Well, I'm sorry about that too. But, I think you understand why I'm so cautious. Not all the people we meet these days are good.
He said, looking around once more until he started walking towards the door again.
But as he took the first step, something caught his attention. A small smile broke out on his lips, and he looked with a raised eyebrow at Clementine, who looked at him in confusion.
George stooped down, and then approached Clementine with a photo in hand.
- Well, who are they?
he asked, but clearly he already knew the answer, it was visible on his face.
In the photo, Sarah and Rebecca were hugging, smiling at the camera. It didn't look like it had been taken long ago.
- How should I know? We found many things here. It could be the people who were in this cabin before we arrived. Like I said, we are just passing by.
She made up an excuse, trying to be as convincing as possible for the few moments she had to think of something.
But, of course, he didn't believe her.
And even if she had been telling the truth, it would be a huge coincidence, who else was pregnant besides Rebecca?
- Maybe...
George said, narrowing his eyes and throwing the photo on the floor.
Clementine was a little intimidated by his rigid stare, but continued to look him in the eye and crossed her arms.
- You have no idea who these people are, do you?
he asked, a little disgusted by her lie.
- I don't know what you're talking about.
she said neutrally.
- There's no point in playing dumb anymore, it's obvious enough. You met them, and they are in this cabin. When you met them, how much did they trust you?
- I guess I wouldn't trust a stranger either.
- But if you are with them, trust is something they are bound to have. If they don't trust you, how can you trust them?
- Who says I'm with them?
Clementine asked, showing her bandaged arm.
George arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms, staring at Clementine for a few moments longer.
- Well, I think I've troubled you enough. I can let myself out.
He said, walking out of the room and down the stairs.
- Wait. Why are you after them?
The girl asked, holding onto the banister and looking up at him.
- You have a really good day now.
He said, ignoring her question and leaving the cabin.
The girl sighed wearily. This had been more exhausting than she imagined it would be.
Turning, the girl looked at Sarah, who was helping Rebecca out from under the bed.
- Why... why the fuck did you let him in?!
The woman complained in a groan of pain, and the girl rolled her eyes.
Was complaining all she could do? Jesus Christ, no wonder everyone seemed so on edge with her.
- I didn't let him, he pushed me. And I couldn't just tell him to go away, could I? You said yourself that he was dangerous.
The girl said, crossing her arms and looking with tired eyes at the woman.
- He suspected everything the moment he walked in here, why did you-
- He wouldn't have confirmed his suspicions if you hadn't made a noise, or taken this picture. In a way, that's your fault.
Clementine said, her tone slightly irritated. She really wasn't willing to listen to this woman complain any longer.
- You have to stop bossing me around. I haven't done anything to you, and now you have confirmation that I'm not with Carver. Why do you keep nagging me?
Clementine asked, taking the hat off her head and running her hand through her hair.
- You may not be with him, but that doesn't mean you're not a problem! You can go now.
Rebecca said, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at her.
- Well, this problem could have gotten you out of one if you just kept quiet. And I can't leave now, do you really think he was alone? If I leave now I won't even make it to the river.
Clementine said, turning and starting down the stairs.
- What if he comes back?
Sarah asked, looking at Rebecca as she walked down the stairs beside her.
- We have to hope that the others arrive before then.
Rebecca answered, sitting down on the sofa as she came down the stairs.
- Who is this Carver guy? Why are you running away from him?
Clementine asked, crossing her legs on the couch in front of her.
- And why do you care? You won't be staying long.
The woman said, and the girl sighed.
Jesus Christ, she has met angry people before, but that woman should get an award.
- Because I may very well have gotten myself involved in a problem that is not mine. From the look on your face when you heard his voice, he must be a horrible guy.
Clementine replied.
She didn't really care about that. As she herself had said, it wasn't her problem, and she wouldn't be with them for long.
But if that guy comes back before the others arrive, whether she likes it or not, she will have gotten involved.
- It's because he is. He's not like ordinary thugs. Carver is ... a nutcase, he's very smart, and very dangerous because of that.
Rebecca said, looking at the ground, and her hard expression slowly changed to a more lost, more worried one.
- What if he meets up with the others before they arrive? God...
Clementine stared at her for a while.
That Carver really had a dangerous aura around him, he seemed to be smarter than the bandits she had come across before, in that the difference was clear.
However, it's not like he was the most dangerous person she had ever met, everyone was dangerous, some more than others, anyone could do monstrous deeds.
He could stand out for being clever, or for being a good manipulator, really. But, a person who doesn't believe others easily and is equally smart would be a hindrance to someone like him. That's what Lee always said, for her to be smart.
And he was pretty smart, besides being dangerous.
In a fight, for example, Carver didn't seem like a big deal.
Alvin was much bigger, despite his nice appearance.
So was Lee, however, he was more intimidating.
If Rebecca had a gun, she could have shot him the moment he turned his back in that room.
The girl sighed once more and put her hand on her face. Her desire to get out of there only increased, and the more she wanted to, the less she could.
Ironic.
The silence lasted between them, and the hours passed slowly.
Clementine opened her eyes with a sigh. She didn't know how much time had passed, but it was almost nightfall.
She had wasted a whole day in there instead of going to look for Lee.
Her mood was not the best. It was as if she herself had accepted that he had died, and that was pathetic.
He wouldn't have stayed in there all that time.
- We need to look for the others.
Clementine said, getting up from the couch and walking toward the kitchen. Rebecca didn't complain, the woman's concern was remarkable.
Opening the kitchen door, Clementine was slightly startled to hear a gunshot, not far away, followed by Alvin's voice shouting something to Luke.
- Alvin!
Rebecca exclaimed, running towards the back door and out of the cabin.
- Sarah ... stay here.
Clementine said, not having to be very attentive to realize that Sarah didn't seem to handle situations like that very well.
And she was already scared just by hearing a gunshot, imagine seeing zombies, or runners, running towards her.
Ignoring the girl's call, Clementine left the cabin and ran towards the forest.
Her eyes focused on the people ahead of her, who were running toward the cabin with runners chasing after them.
The girl whimpers softly and reaches for her knife as a runner focuses his eyes on her.
Taking a deep breath, she heard Lee's words repeating in her head. She just needed to be smart.
Running towards the runner, the girl throws her body to the side, at the same time tripping the runner as soon as she got close enough, knocking him to the ground.
Quickly, the girl turns to the creature and stops it from getting up, stabbing her knife into its head.
- Clementine, where's Sarah?!
Charles shouted, and the girl looked at him as she pulled her knife back.
- In the cabin!
she replied, looking around.
- Becca, go back to the cabin! What are you doing here?!
Alvin shouted, shooting at one of the runners approaching him.
- Nick!
Luke shouted as he saw his friend fighting against a runner when he ran out of ammo, trying to stop the creature from biting him.
However, he was not in a very good situation to be able to worry about the others, and the same thing for Alvin and Carlos, who were shooting at the runners as they retreated. If they slowed down, they would be grabbed, and possibly, surrounded.
Clementine rolled her eyes and ran toward Nick, who was using great strength to keep the runner away from him.
Since the creature was focused on Nick, and the others were focused on the shots, it was relatively easy to run to him.
As soon as she got close, the girl jumped on the side of the creature and stabbed her knife into the runner's head, falling on top of him soon after.
Nick stared at her wide-eyed, shocked and shaken by what had just happened, and what he had just seen.
- Don't just stand there, run!
Clementine said, pulling out her knife and running towards the others as she saw more runners approaching.
Nick seemed to come back to reality, and picked up his rifle from the ground, running towards the hut shortly after.
- Jesus!
Alvin exclaimed, pushing a runner backwards.
- I need a little help here!
Luke shouted, holding his rifle horizontally as he stopped a runner from approaching him.
Clementine was the closest to him. Turning, the girl ran towards the runner and knocked him down, hitting him in the side.
Stepping on top of him, the girl plunges her knife into his head, pulling it back hard afterwards.
- Whoa, kiddo. Weren't you the one who almost died to one of them?!
Luke exclaimed, reloading his rifle.
- Because he was focused on me, this one was focused on you.
She said quickly, running back toward the cabin.
- Yeah... that makes sense. Thanks, anyway.
He said, firing one more shot before running off.
However, they were all forced to stop when more shots were heard, too many shots to be from anyone there.
Looking around, they saw some people approaching from the sides, shooting at the runners with Aks-47s.
At first, confusion was general, however, it all made sense when they heard Sarah's voice calling for her father, and she appeared being held on the shoulder by Carver.
- Look at that, you finally arrived... I think my men and I just saved your lives, hm?
Carver said, pushing the girl slightly forward, who immediately ran to her father.
- Again, Luke. We saved your life again.
Carver said, walking toward him.
Clementine looked at all those people around, quickly putting her knife away at her waist, and putting her arms up like everyone else.
- All this time running away from your responsibilities, only to be found like this. Pathetic.
Carver said, punching Luke in the stomach, who bent down and knelt on the ground.
- I told you not to follow him... I warned you. And get this... Pete is dead... and more of you could have died in this mess.
Carver said, running his eyes over all the people there, focusing them for a while on Clementine, who was looking at the whole thing in confusion.
- And you even involved a little girl who had nothing to do with your problems ... why am I not surprised? Although...
He stared at her again, a strange glint in his eyes.
-... I don't think it was a mistake... Okay, tie them up and get their things. We have a bit of a walk to do.
Carver said, looking away from Clementine and facing Luke again.
Clementine looked at a woman with red hair who was approaching her, grimacing slightly when she found the knife at her waist.
The woman stared at her for a few moments, a certain glint in her eyes. Clementine didn't much like being stared at like that.
But, she couldn't complain... especially not when her hands were being held at gunpoint.