A Second Chance

Chapter 2

My eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the bright white light. I felt clean. I felt safe. Looking down, I saw my blue buttoned shirt and slacks had been cleaned. How though? I died. Clem had to shoot me. Looking at my stump, I saw my arm had come back.

"How the…?" I started, only to be stopped by a very deep, masculine voice.

"Now, now Lee. Let's have none of that language." It said, echoing around the room.

"Who the hell are you?!" I shouted, standing abruptly and staring around into nothingness.

"I am the Lord God." It replied, making me take a sharp intake of breath.

"How do I know that?" I replied wittily, having learned not to trust ANYONE.

"I know that you and a Carley Palmer had a certain romantic rendezvous. I know that you had secretly started a relationship." It replied cockily.

"How the fucking hell do you know that?" I growled. In the corner of my eye, I saw a door appear. I shuffled towards it, my hand outstretched.

"Well, Lee, go through." The voice started as I was about to turn the knob. "There's some people through there you'd like to meet."

Pushing the door lightly, I was met by another white room, this time, though, it was filled with people. I knew them. Katjaa, Duck, Ben, Doug, Larry, Kenny and… Carley.

"Lee!" She cried, running into my open arms. I happily returned the hug.

"Oh my god… I'm sorry, Car…" I muttered, cherishing her scent.

"What for? You made me so happy for a weeks. Even in that cruel world." She said, kissing my cheeks. I could feel tears streaming down both of our faces.

"I let her get you. I wasn't fast enough." I sobbed, hugging her harder.

"Oh, Lee, baby. Don't worry. I didn't know until I woke up here. I'm fine." She assured. I raised my head and kissed her lips forcefully yet tenderly. I treasured this moment as if it would never happen again.

"Hey, Lee!" I heard a high pitched voice call. I broke away from Carley, still keeping a comforting arm around her slender shoulders. I looked down and saw Duck. At that moment, I remembered Clementine.

"What happened to her? To Clem?" I shouted, hoping that the disembodied voice could hear me.

"She grew up to become one of the coldest, most guarded people on this earth. After shooting you, she found and killed her parents, meaning she was truly alone. After hours of walking, she came across Omid and Christa. Hearing what had happened; Christa went into shock and miscarried." It replied, causing me to curse myself.

"How could you get bit? How? You left Clem! You bastard, Lee!"

"What can I do?" I asked, hoping there was something.

"That is what I have gathered you for." The voice replied. "I have a proposition for you all. I will send you back to just after you spared Danny St John's life. Lee and Carley will be the only ones to remember any of this. On one condition: You have to forget the idea of a boat. Take the train but don't go to Savannah."

"I- I don't know." I replied. I felt Carley's eyes boring into the back of my head.

"Can we have a moment to discuss it?" Carley asked, squeezing my hand lightly.

"Of course." The voice replied.

"Thanks." She replied. Once we were sure he was gone, the buzz of conversation started.

"Well…" Kenny started. " I reckon we should do it. Only this time, don't take the food from the camper."

"Yeah… What about Larry? He was hurt in that locker." I asked before the man in question could start.

"I'll be fine." I replied, surprising us all. "Just make sure Lilly doesn't make the same mistake."

"Okay, are we all settled?" I asked, looking around at everyone's faces.

"Yeah." They all mumbled, looking happier than they did when I walked in.

"We're gonna take you up on that offer." I called to the mysterious voice.

"Great." It replied. "Next time you see each other, you will be on the St John's Dairy." I could feel myself slipping away. I called to Carley, telling her to come straight to the Dairy.

Blackness

"OPEN THE GODDAMN DOOR! YOU CAN'T KEEP US IN HERE! OPEN UP! I WILL TEAR YOU FUCKERS APART WITH MY BARE HANDS!" Larry's voice shouted, mingling with the sounds of Lilly being sick.

"Will you stop that banging? We gotta find another way outta here!" I heard Kenny shout.

"YOU SICK FUCKING BASTARDS!" Larry shouted once again. I shifted my focus around, eventually landing on my girl. Everything about her was perfect. Her curly hair stuffed under a cap, her eyes, her dress. I had never been so pleased to see anyone.

"Dad, Stop!" I heard Lilly shout as the girl in question ran to me.

"Lee!" Clementine said, kneeling in front of me. "It…it was a person!They tried to make us eat a person.

"But you didn't do it." I assured, gathering her in my arms for a long anticipated hug.

"No…" She replied as I let her go.

"THE REST OF US DID, GOD DAMNIT! IF YOU HADN'T DRAGGED YOUR FEET!" Larry accused, turning to glare at me.

"C'mon, Dad. Now's not the time." Lilly soothed, turning to her Dad.

I turned my attention to the girl next to me.

"You okay, Clementine? They didn't hurt you, did they?" I asked, genuinely scared for the girl I considered my daughter.

"Mm- mm" She replied, shaking her head.

"OPEN UP!" Larry bellowed again, smacking the door with all his might.

"Lee, those psychos have my family, and we're stuck in a damn meat locker! We've gotta get the fuck outta here!" Kenny ranted, gesturing wildly.

"This goddamn thumbsucker was the one who brought us here!" Larry accused again, abandoning his post.

"Will you all just shut the fuck up?!" Kenny shouted, squaring up to the larger man. I heaved myself up and looked to Clementine.

"I'm scared!" She said, speaking only to me.

"Don't be. It's gonna be okay…I'm gonna find us a way out of here…" I assured, tapping the peak of her cap. My eyes were drawn to the vent. Suddenly, I heard Larry grunt. I knew what was happening. He had collapsed.

"DAD!" I heard Lilly shriek. Larry thudded to the ground "No! Dad, come on! DAD!"

She directed her speech towards "Oh God, he's stopped breathing. I think he's had a heart attack!"

"Shit! Is he dead?" Kenny asked, looking genuinely scared.

"He's not dead! Somebody help me!" Lilly screamed, performing chest compressions.

"Fuuuuuuck…If he's dead…" Kenny started, only to be cut off mid-sentence.

"HE'S NOT DEAD!" She growled, looking at me desperately.

"You know what has to happen, Lee." Kenny said, pulling my attention to him. "Think about it. You saw that poor bastard at the motel. How fast he turned."

"What are you saying?" Lilly asked, looking at us both.

"Lilly, I'm sorry. I truly, truly am. But in a few minutes, we're gonna be stuck in a locked room with a 6-foot-four, 300 pound, SERIOUSLY pissed off dead guy!" He replied, looking genuinely upset.

"FUCK YOU! We can bring him back! LEE!" She retorted, pleading with me.

"We'll mourn him later. But right now, we have to keep him from comin' back." Kenny consoled.

"Noooo!" Clementine shrieked from the corner.

"God dammit, Kenny! He's not dead!" The woman shouted, continuing the CPR she was conducting.

"We can't kill him if he's not dead, Kenny!" I shouted, irritated by his attitude.

"You remember how hard it was for you to get that monster off of Katjaa? And Larry's twice his size. It's him or us!" He retorted, glaring at me.

"Kenny, listen-" I started, only to be cut off by the older man.

"Don't think I forgot about what you said at the drug store… when you all thought Duck was bitten… Well I'm just doing the same thing. Except Duck wasn't bitten, and we KNOW this guy's not gonna make it." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Remember what Ben said. Gotta destroy the brain… Come on Lee. You can't be in the middle on this one. You've gotta have my back this time!"

"God dammit Lee! I NEED you" Please help me!" Lilly pleaded, on the verge of tears. I raced to her side, kneeling as I went.

"Is he breathing at all?" I asked, looking at her in the eyes.

"No, no I don't think so." She cried, her voice cracking momentarily.

"Okay, let me take over! Keep checking his pulse!" I insisted. When she moved her hands, I kept the chest compressions going. Unknown to us, Kenny had his own plan.

"Are you stupid?! He's gonna turn! You're putting all of us at risk, you son of a bitch!" He shouted, heaving the heavy salt lick into his arms.

One!

Two!

"You're fucking worthless, Lee." Kenny shouted, I could tell he was next to me.

Three!

SPLAT!

Larry's head was smashed open. All over the floor. I saw Lilly break down silently, not wanting to show weakness in front of us.

"NOOOOOOO!" She screamed, allowing her emotions to overtake her. I was speechless. I had lived through it once yet it seemed more real this time. I knew this could happen to me. I turned and glared at Kenny, too shocked for words.

I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! I just- It had to be done!" He stammered, backing into the wall as I approached him.

"You don't know that!" I growled, squaring my shoulders.

"Yes I do, Lee! And so do you! I was counting on you, man." Disappointment was evident in his face. I didn't care, though. He turned his attention to Lilly, walking over to her and crouching to her level.

"I'm sorry, I know it-"

"Don't you fucking touch me!" She snapped, moving away from the man who had killed her father.

I heard Clementine weeping from the corner and my attention immediately went to her. I crouched to my knees and brought her in for a hug.

"Are you okay?" I asked softly, rubbing her back.

"Is it over?" She asked, still weeping into my shoulder.

"Yes. For now. But we still need to find a way out of here…" I said softly. "Shh…I know, I know. But you gotta be strong right now. I need you to be strong right now. I need you to be strong. Think about something else… something hopeful."

"Like what?" She asked, I released her and held her shoulders firmly.

"How about your walkie-talkie… those pretend talks with your Mom and Dad. Don't those make you feel better?" I suggested, smiling reassuringly at her.

"Sometimes." She agreed, nodding slightly. "We're gonna get out, right? You found a way out?"

"I'm workin' on it!" I said, standing and looking at the vent.

I think I've found it!