Doug took a deep breath, it had nearly six months had passed since Sanctuary. Nights filled with night terrors and shallow breathing had become a norm, Sanctuary had been a bust, but maybe Wellington would better.
Doug and Clementine had become a matching pair of fools, Doug was missing an eye, Clementine didn't have her arm. A pair of broken idiots looking for a better life.
"Hey Clem," Doug said looking at for the campfire, "let me teach you how to make the best kindling," Doug said knowledgeably to the could girl, "what you got to do is get a half burnt tea light candle, a bit of pocket lint, and some old cardboard preferably an egg carton." he said holding up the items, "Now place the old tea light the cardboard and put the pocket lint on top place it under the wood and then light it." Clementine nodded sagely as he assembled the little fire starter.
"Well Doug it's pretty neat," Clem said unenthusiastically, "I'm going to go get some more firewood." she said smiling gentle at him trekking off into the forest.
"Okay..." Doug said waving her off dejectedly, "be safe."
Clementine didn't get too far into the forest before she heard gunshots, Doug was in trouble. She trekked back and hid behind a tree, she heard muffled voices demanding food and ammo.
Doug tried to non verbally shoo Clementine away, "Hey!" Clementine yelled throwing a rock at the bandits.
"Clementine remember big rock top!" Doug yelled in a panic sprinting off in a different direction.
'Big Rock Top' with code word for the fork in the river about two miles back from the campsite, Doug had demanded that they had a place to regroup if they got separated or raided by bandits.
Clementine didn't answer him but she figured that he knew she would meet him there.
Clementine washed ashore somewhere far away from big rock top she didn't have her bags or compass.
Clementine heard a rustle in the bushes.
"Hello?" asked Clementine timidly, "If you're not a walker clap now," Clementine didn't receive a response, "aw I was hoping that work." Clementine said to the noise in the bushes.
She started making her way down the stream, if she was lucky Doug would only be a couple miles away from her and would be there waiting for her.
It was dark out by the time Clem had made it to 'big rock top' and there was no sign of Doug, "Doug?" Clementine whispered loudly. Clem tried to remember the safety protocol Doug had set in place for if they ever got separated she remembered in telling her the climb to the top of a tree set up a beacon, but she did not have a beacon, so the entire safety protocol was a bust.
A rustling in the bushes caught Clem off guard and when a heavy set black man came stumbling out of the foliage waving a gun aroundthat also startled her. Clementine froze the man also froze and they both stood there in a shocked silence for a minute.
Clementine reached for her gun but found it wasn't there in her belt, "Hi?" she said uncertainly.
The man stood there frozen for a second but redacted his weapon, "Hello." he replied, "Are you Clementine?" he asked
They both just stood there frozen in place an awkward silence taking over them.
"Yes," replied looking at the man wearily, "why?"
"Your friend Doug hurt himself really bad but we managed to get him to our cabin," he said smiling at the girl uncertainly, "he said we could find you here." the man continued, "My name is Alvin by the way."
Clementine smiled, "I'm Clementine," she said without thinking, "but you already knew that." she said awkwardly scratching the back of her head.
Alvin gave her a smile, "well the cabin is about 5 miles away from this side of the river so we should probably make camp for the night." Clementine smiled and nodded, this Alvin guy seemed nice enough so what did she have to lose?
After spending the night in the tree the duo made it back to the cabin around midday. After minor scuffle involving Alvin punching a dog in the face, they made it back to the cabin relatively unscathed.
"We are back!" Alvin said loudly after entering the cabin, a pregnant woman appears from down the hall and wrapped her arms around the big man.
"Alvin baby you're all right." she said tearing up a little bit. "You must be Clementine," she said almost as if it was an afterthought. "your friend Doug just upstairs, Carlos will show you where he is." The woman said making a vague gesture towards the staircase.
A Hispanic man approached Clementine, "Hello Clementine I'm Carlos." he said kindly. Clementine smiled and nodded her head in recognition, Carlos outreached his had for a handshake and clementine graciously accepted it, "Your friend is just upstairs," Carlos said.
Clementine and Carlos made their way up the stairs, "He didn't bit right?" Clementine asked in a concerned manner.
"No," Carlos said, "no, one of our men, Nick, accidentally shot him." Carlos said adverting eye contact.
"Oh." Clementine said awkwardly not looking at Carlos, "At least he didn't kill him." Clementine said uncomfortably.
Carlos coughed lightly and opened the door to the room that Doug was staying in, Clementines eyes widen, "You haven't looked this bad since the time Lily shot you." Clementine said light heatedly.
"Haven't felt this bad since then either!" he replied wearily, "Now come here and watch the arm." he said he said stretching his good arm for a hug.
Clementine giggled and allowed herself to be wrapped in Doug's one good arm. "Thanks for not being dead." she said.
"No problem."
"Hey Doug," Clementine said grinning widely, "We match now!" she said.
It took a moment for Doug to realize what she was talking about, "You're right," he said laughing lightly, "Hey Clem me and you can cripple fight each other now."
Clementine giggled, "I'd totally win!" she said excitedly. Doug laughed loudly but broke out into a coughing fit, "Doug are you okay?" Clementine asked staring wide eyed at Doug who made a noncommittal hand gesture, "I'll go get Carlos." she said quickly backing out of the room.
Carlos was standing just outside the door, "Yes?" he asked raising his brow and staring at Clem.
"Doug's coughing really bad." Clementine said unassuredly, Carlos nodded and reentered the room closing the door behind him. Clementine took this as a sign to not go back in there for a while.
A girl poked her head out of the room down the hall and stared at Clem, Clementine caught her eye and smiled at her, "Hi," the girl said, "I'm Sarah."
Clementine nodded, "Hi, I'm Clementine." she said approaching Sarah, "Is Carlos your dad?"
"Yeah," she said giddily, "is Doug yours?" she asked.
"Nope," Clementine said scratching the back of her head, "My dad was a bit darker than him." Clementine finished.
Sarah giggled, "Yeah I guess he is a little pale to be your dad." Sarah smiled brightly, "Do you want to come into my room?"
"Sure," Clementine said, it was so weird being around another girl her age, it was rather nice albeit a bit odd.