Lee approached the front of the train ready to put his fists or his words to action. He needed to protect Clementine and now his new girlfriend, Carley and make sure that Duck was put to an end. Lee was also worried about Katjaa and Kenny to an extent. Although Kenny and Lee had not gotten on recently. It was evident that Lee still cared about Kenny and wanted to make sure that he was ok. With eyes only for the road, Kenny focused on getting to Savannah.
Clementine was also ready to get to Savannah. She was looking forward to the search that awaited her. Hopefully, she'll be able to see her parents again and maybe just maybe go back to a normal life. Clementine had a rough week, but she wished that she could get away and abandon her worries for Duck. What life Duck once had, now instantly turned to grey because of a walker's bite. Such a shame to see youthful energy gone, but Clementine was not one to give up. She was resilient young girl. After all at the age of eight she could survive on her own in a tree house. What was the worst she could possibly endure? Only time and Duck's eventual death would tell.
Carley wrapped her arms around Clementine. She wanted to make sure that Clem was ok, yet again. Carley knew that her future belonged to Lee and Clementine, which meant that new responsibilities took over. She took this moment as an opportunity to deal with Clem's unhappiness just like Lee did in the R.V. she needed to prove to herself that she was somewhat close to Lee's parental skill. "Clem…?"
"Yes Carley?" Clementine looked up at and looked up to Carley.
"There's something we need to talk about." Clementine knew what was going on and quickly cut to the chase.
"Duck is dying." Carley took a moment and realized what type of girl Clementine was, but she couldn't place her finger on it. It was nothing she had ever seen before.
"Yeah he is" It wasn't in Carley's nature to sugarcoat things. Even back at WABE, she never shied away from giving the facts to her audience."I'm afraid Carley."
"What's the matter Clem?" Carley had taken care of Clementine before, but she had never opened up to her this much.
"It's not me, I'm worried about Duck." Carley understood Clementine's fear and tried to take her mind of it even for a little while.
"You know back at the radio station. I used to know this guy who could draw the sky. It was so clear that if you put it up to a window, you could probably trick someone into thinking that it was a sunny day outside."
"Wow" Clementine was in awe. "But at the end of the day he would take the picture and make it night time."
Carley remembered this man quite fondly, he was a senior at the news station and that was how he spent his breaks, drawing. "Why would he do that?" Clementine was desperate to know the answer.
"Because nothing really lasts forever, at the end of the day the sun sets and some things just come to an end."
"Just like Duck or Ben?" Clementine read right through Carley's analogy
"Yeah something like that… But he never got rid of the picture." This confused Clementine, she thought the analogy had ended.
"What happened to the picture?"
"Well, this guy would take the picture home and make a huge wall at home putting together all the other pictures he made every other day." Clementine was blown away, a thousand sunsets all put together on one wall and she could not believe it.
"That's just it Clem, everything has a purpose. Death happens, but I promise it's all part of a plan or a big jigsaw." Although Carley didn't really believe in God, she felt in her heart that she was a part of something.
"Like you, me and Lee." Clementine whispered. Carley had no idea that she knew "When did you get so sneaky?"
Clementine and Carley laughed it was the first time they had done so in a while. "But yes...just like that."
Clementine and Carley felt warmed up inside, they gave each other a hug and continue to cuddle, until the train stopped.
Kenny had just had a heated debate with Lee at the front of the train. They were both exhausted, not because of a lack of food or water, but because of the realisation of Kenny's actions. Kenny realised that his actions came from a place of fear, his own fear, losing a child that's something that no parent should have to bear. Katjaa was taking care of Duck in the little car and Carley wandered over.
"Is there anything that I can get for you, Katjaa?"
"So you and Lee huh? I knew it, I saw it from day one." Katjaa managed to muster up a quick smile.
"Let me give you some advice Carley, something parental, Lee's had some experience." Carley was ready to take whatever criticism she could on board, in order to be a better parental figure. "Yes Katjaa anything!"
"Your partner is going to tell you things that you are not going to agree with. Tell them how you feel, that's how we got here because I didn't say a word."
Carley knew she could share anything with Lee, to be fair, Carley had often pushed his way on to Lee, but he took it quite well.
"and another thing…When that moment comes, that one of you is bit or one of you is dying. Make sure you work hard to keep the family together."
Carley was worried, this was getting a bit to intense for her liking, but she knew that this is what it took to love Lee, in fact she appreciated Lee a lot more knowing that this is what he has been doing for Clementine this whole time. Katjaa gave Carley one last hug. "Good luck"
Kenny approached the back car thinking of many possibilities for his son's unfortunate demise.
"Ken. It's…I think it's time." Katjaa said, whilst rubbing the back of Duck's head. Carley kept Clementine close, she needed to take Katjaa's advice now more than ever. She knew how much Duck meant to Clementine.
"What do you need?" Lee asked, wondering how to make this easier on Kenny.
"I…I…" Kenny froze up. "Katjaa?" she turned to her child "It's time to…this is not possible."
"What are we going to do?" Kenny wondered, as he stared blankly into Katjaa's eyes.
"We can't allow him to become one of those things" Kenny stammered, he could not believe his wife's response.
"What if he doesn't" Katjaa stroked her son, as if he was just born. "Kenny, I love you very much. I love our son more than life itself. I need you to hear me. What you are saying, that he may not turn, is foolish."
Carley looked on, knowing that for Katjaa, that was the hard thing to do.
Kenny began to act up again, but Katjaa shut him down instantly. "Isn't there some sort of pill, or something we can just give him…" Katjaa again tried to stop this madness. "He can just drift off to sleep, right, hon? I mean, Jesus, this is our son."
But one word and only one word echoed through Katjaa's mind, no.
"I KNOW. But we know it's…here. Or nothing." Katjaa pointed to her skull and knew that this was the final and correct decision.
"Well…fuck..just…who then? You want me to?" Kenny needed to know the full details for his child's departure. Lee felt it was only right for one person to do it.
"I'll do it" Carley was shocked that Lee was able to make that decision, but she came to terms with it pretty quickly, as she had just learnt from Katjaa. Keep the family together.
"Lee's right, no parent should have to bear this." Kenny accepted the facts at hand, but he needed to know that someone capable could do this.
"He's still a baby boy. It would be different if he were older." Katjaa had other intentions for their son. "Let me do this."
"Then I'm coming with you." Kenny responded as quickly as he could.
"No, hon. Stay with Lee. Your son loves you and you should remember him as the silly boy we used to have. Not this." Katjaa picked her son and began her trek into the woods.
From the front of the train Chuck and Lily looked away, there well aware of the situation at hand. Kenny and Katjaa exchanged one last glance at one another and off she went.
Lee consoled Kenny for a while, he sunk to the ground and knew that this was the end for his family. Clementine needed an explanation, Lee turned to her "Duck is dying."
Clementine understood this quite well "I know."
Carley could not explain this part about the circle of life, which is where Lee stepped in.
"What is Katjaa doing?"
"She's putting him out of his misery." Lee explained, "Yes. So that he doesn't come back."
Lee was distraught, but Clementine took it rather well, after all Carley had somewhat softened the blow. However, this did not take away from the fact that Clementine had lost a dear friend in Duck.
"Look, Clem. Things will…" Just then the gunshot went off, everyone's head dipped in synchronization. Except Kenny who was total depressed that he burst into tears. Clem and Lee looked at each other.
"It had to be done" Lee said, he thought he had made himself perfectly clear. "Okay" Clementine whispered.
"There was no other choice." Lee needed to further justify. "Okay" Clementine repeated.
"I'm gonna go get her. She's probably a mess." Kenny began walking towards the trail and Lee followed.
"Carley, get Clementine on the train, all right? And keep your eyes open." Clementine ran up to Carley and gave her a massive hug while mini-tears formed and rolled out of her eyes. This was the moment that Carley prepared for, she was ready to deal with the worst.
Kenny and Lee walked down that trail, the auburn leaves around them just made for the worst tone for this murder. Something that Lee once enjoyed, lee falling from the trees almost to signify new life, meant that one or two had ended in a gruesome fashion.
Carley felt that something was off, Katjaa was so reluctant wit the guns back at the motor inn and now she wants to kill her own child. Something is wrong here. Carley put her hands in her pockets and found a note, it said something that made Carley remember Katjaa's words forever.
"Take my advice, for I have failed."
Another gunshot was heard and Carley knew what this meant. Who shot the bullet? It wouldn't have mattered to her. The only thing she worried about right now was Clementine, which was the way it's supposed to be. She knew that she had to keep the family together.
