Cabin Fever
A couple of days had passed since Jeff and Clementine had left the hardware store and they were beginning to wonder when they would reach their next stop on the forced trip down memory lane.
"I'm worried about where we're going next," Clementine said.
"I know," Jeff replied. "Not many pleasant memories there."
"It felt safe," Clementine added. "Like we could stay there, even if the cabin group moved on. I found Kenny and I knew you'd stay with me, wherever I chose to go. But then…"
"Then Carver happened," Jeff finished for her.
Before he could continue, he spotted a familiar site: a wind turbine that had been sitting dormant for a long time.
"We're close," he said.
Taking deep breaths, the duo walked on until they walked into a clearing, where the ski lodge they remembered well still stood. Taking a moment to inspect it, they were amazed by its condition.
"It's almost like we left yesterday," Clementine said.
"On the outside," Jeff replied. "But what's inside?"
"Only one way to find out," Clementine said.
Jeff gave a slight nod, before they walked up to the door, pulling out their choice of weapon as they went. Carefully, Jeff opened the front door and crept inside, with Clementine close behind, making sure nothing surprised them from behind. Once they were sure the main lobby was clear, they relaxed a little more, but didn't completely drop their guard. They saw the benches where they'd been forced to leave their weapons and belongings, as a sign of trust to their hosts, that day. As she looked around, Clementine gasped.
"What?" Jeff asked. "What's wrong?"
Clementine responded by holding up a backpack that Jeff immediately recognized. After looking through it, she smiled.
"It's all still here," she said. "Even my drawing of Kenny, Katjaa, and Duck."
"What about the other picture?" Jeff asked.
She looked a little more, to be sure she didn't miss anything, then stopped suddenly.
"My picture of Lee," she began, with tears of joy filling her eyes. "It's here, too."
Jeff smiled and turned back to his inspection. The walk didn't last long, however, as he discovered a corpse. He didn't need to even think to know who it was.
"Oh Walter," he said, closing his eyes. "Kindest man I've met, since this all began… and look what you got for a reward."
By this point, Clementine had joined him, with her old backpack on one shoulder.
"He didn't deserve this," she said.
"No" Jeff replied, in agreement. "We have to give him a proper burial… after we've cleared the place of any walkers that may have got in, with that window now wide open."
"We have Kenny to thank for that," Clementine said.
"He was just trying to save the rest of the group," Jeff replied. "But even if we had taken Carver and his crew out, that would've needed fixed fast."
Clementine nodded in agreement, then they split up and searched the building. To their surprise, not a single walker or survivor was found in any of the rooms. Their search complete, they walked down to Walter's remains.
"This'll be tricky," Clementine said.
"He landed on one of the smaller rugs," Jeff noted. "So let's wrap him in it and use it to bury him. Will make carrying to the grave site that much easier."
The plan set, they carefully wrapped the rug around Walter's body and carried it outside, where Jeff found a shovel. After they set the remains down, he began to dig and kept digging until the hole was enough to fulfill the intended purpose. Together, they lowered the corpse into the hole and Jeff filled it back in. Once the job was done, they just stood there, staring at the grave.
"Goodbye Walter," Jeff said. "Thank you for your kindness and hospitality… even if it got you killed, in the end."
"We'll never forget you," Clementine added.
They didn't speak again, as they stood for a few minutes more. Once they believed they'd done all they could, they gathered their belongings and made their way down the hill.
Once at the bottom, they checked the old train station and found it picked clean, which didn't surprise them. After making a final sweep, to be sure they didn't miss anything, they set their sights on the old railroad bridge. As they went, they remembered the events that had taken place on the old bridge.
"This is where my gun fell and misfired," Jeff said, looking at a small spot of dried blood. "Killing the other man who showed nothing but kindness."
"You and I both know that was an accident," Clementine replied.
"Still haunts me," Jeff said.
Moving on, they came across a new problem: Where the old train car once stood, there was now a large gap.
"Guess the old railroad ties finally rotted enough for the car to break through," Jeff said, as they carefully looked down into the river.
"I can't see it, down there," Clementine replied.
"Plenty of water flow to hide it," Jeff said, before turning his attention to the task of getting around the hole. "We'll carefully work our way over using the side of the bridge. It's dangerous, but so were a lot of other things we've done."
Working carefully, Jeff and Clementine slowly worked their way around the hole until they were safely on the other side. Once there, they quickly but carefully finished crossing the bridge, before stopping to rest.
"Well," Jeff said. "We both know what's next."
"The long walk to the cabin," Clementine replied.
Without another word, they resumed their walk.
Five days later, they found themselves at the familiar sight of the river they remembered from another day they had tried hard to forget. Before them was the river they remembered all-to-well.
"This feels way too familiar," Clementine said.
"It should," Jeff replied. "This is where we lost Nick and Pete."
As they carefully crossed, they saw what little remained of the bandits, as well as their friends, before reaching the other side and moving on, as quickly as they could. After a short walk, the reach a clearing, and they looked on in amazement at the sight before them. There, looking much like it did the last time they saw it, was the cabin.
"I'm amazed to see it still holding up so well," Clementine said.
"You'd be surprised at how well even a log cabin can be built," Jeff replied. "All the same, we best be careful."
Clementine nodded in understanding, as they each picked a weapon of choice and slowly approached. Carefully, they walked around the entire structure, checking for walkers and potential living threats. When they found the perimeter clear, they focused their attention on the back door. As they approached, Clementine stopped and looked at the ground.
"What's wrong?" Jeff asked.
"Just… remembering that night," Clementine replied.
"The night you thought you'd lost me," Jeff replied. "And got yourself bit by a dog, before you ended up here."
"It was also the night we met the cabin group," Clementine added.
"Some first meeting," Jeff said, with a slight smile. "They tried to put you down, because of a bite they thought was from a walker."
Clementine smiled.
"But you stopped them," she said.
"I didn't spend all that time training you to protect yourself just to see you be put down by some strangers," Jeff replied. "If you're gonna go, go out fighting. At least, that's how I see it, with how the world is, now."
Clementine smiled again.
"I don't think I ever thanked you for defending me that night," she said.
"I don't need thanks," Jeff replied. "I had a promise to keep. And that promise was the protect you and train you to take care of yourself, in case I was the one who ended up bitten."
"I'm glad you haven't been," she said.
"So am I, Clem," Jeff replied. "Come on. Let's clear the inside."
Slowly, they approached the back door, and opened it. Once inside, they quietly closed the door, in case they weren't alone, and found the kitchen clear. In fact, the room looked almost exactly as they remembered it from the day they joined the cabin group in fleeing the cabin. Moving cautiously, they split up and checked every room, finding them in the same condition as the kitchen. After every room was cleared, they returned to the kitchen.
"It's very strange that the cabin seems to have not been touched since we left," Jeff said.
"After nearly two years," Clementine added. "I just don't get how it hasn't been taken over by someone, by now."
"This could be a sign that few have come this way, since we left," Jeff said. "Regardless, we're lucky it's empty."
"Yeah," Clementine replied. "Maybe we should spend the night here. Get some rest in actual beds, for the first time since we left Richmond."
"Sounds like a great idea," Jeff said. "It is getting dark, so I guess we really got lucky in finding this place, again."
With a nod of agreement from Clementine, they hurried to the kitchen to make their best attempts at a proper dinner, which turned out better than they expected, before they went to the living room to catch up on their progress.
"I feel like we're no closer to the kids than we were before," Clementine said, with a tone of concern.
"If this person really is out to make us suffer through reliving the past" Jeff replied. "Then they're likely gonna keep going until they run out of things to torment us with."
"As much as I hate hearing that," Clementine said. "I know you're right."
They sat in silence for a few moments, not sure what to say next.
"So where do we go from here?" Clementine asked.
"Where else?" Jeff replied. "Further down Memory Lane, until we find and rescue the kids."
Clementine nodded in agreement, then yawned, signifying that it was time for bed. Walking upstairs, Jeff walked to the bedroom he remembered Alvin and Rebecca sleeping in, while Clementine took Sarah's room.
"Good night," Clementine said.
"Night, Clem," Jeff replied.
Despite all that was on their minds, they slept soundly, that night.