A special character character will join in this chapter. Thanks to Dinowriter23 for letting me use her.
Chapter 21: Rescue
Chris's POV
Anne, Clementine, Jane, and I kept walking through the woods to try and find Tess, Nick, Sarah, and Luke.
"Look, I'm gonna level with you guys." Jane suddenly said.
"I hate it when people level with me." I said, but Jane ignored my comment.
"You should know that finding your friends… that's a shot in the dark." Jane continued.
"You heard what Bec said. If there's any chance they're alive, we have to try." Anne objected.
"And I know my sister. She's tough. She's out there." I added.
Clementine looked at Jane. "Yeah. I don't know about that, Jane. We shouldn't give up before we've even looked." The girl agreed.
"Okay, but… I wanted to talk to you guys, away from them." Jane said.
"About?" I asked.
"You guys wouldn't have made it this far if you weren't smart, but I still… I just gotta warn you guys."
"About what?" Anne asked.
Jane stopped, and so did we. "That group is cracking. I've seen it before. And well… a lotta times, it's better to be on your own."
I rose an eyebrow as the three of us walked to her. "I know you guys see what I'm talking about. You don't wanna be here when they start… Turning on each other. Turning on you."
"These are good people. We help each other. I can't leave that." Clementine said. "Neither can we." Anne and I added.
"You'd be surprised." Jane said cryptically. "How much help is Kenny gonna be? What he's going through… he's more of a liability than anything. And Bec's situation is not making things better back there. You get enough broken people together… And you get a lot of broken decisions."
"How can you get along without trusting anyone?" Clementine asked.
"That's exactly how I get along." Jane replied.
"That may work for you, Jane, but if you can't trust anyone, then no one can help you." I said as we approached a destroyed car.
"Well, for what it's worth, I like most of the people in your crew… but, groups fall apart. People get killed." Jane said as we saw the car and Jane took a look inside it.
"Then why did you bring us with you?" Clementine inquired.
"I'm just trying to give you the tools you need to make it." She said then looked at Clementine. "Like your jacket… it looks warm, but… a walker will bite right through that."
"True." I said.
"My sister Jaime had a good leather one... wish I still had it. You coulda..."
She trailed off and Clementine, Anne, and I looked confused. She then closed her eyes in sadness then resumed searching through the car.
"What... what happened to your sister?" Clementine suddenly asked.
Jane sighed, then chuckled. "Seems we always wanna talk about the end, don't we?" She asked cryptically.
I rose an eyebrow. What's that supposed to mean?
Jane closed her eyes again and shook her head some. "You know, being a big sister is... well, it's funny."
"How so?" Anne asked.
"It's really easy to be mean."
"Oh?" Clementine inquired.
"You know, hide her toys. Make fun of her bad haircut. Give her the bad haircut. On purpose. I mean I did put the gum there. I figured I should get it out."
"Is that really what it's like having a sister?" Clementine asked.
"No... no... it's not all bad. But... What could I do? She thought I was her best friend. That couldn't go... unpunished."
Clementine looked at me. "Is that what it's like for you with your sisters?"
I chuckled. "Sometimes. One time, Tess and I actually got into a fight."
"What happened?"
"Tess and I were at a county fair when we were younger. I accidentally elbowed her in the face and then she and I fought. She won and broke my damn nose in the process."
Jane chuckled once.
"What?" Anne asked.
"Every summer, my sister and I would go to this amusement park in Virginia. But the best part wasn't the rides... It was that nobody knew us there and I'd... I'd pretend we weren't sisters. Just... friends." She then cleared her throat and saw we were near a trailer park. "All right! Jackpot!" She said, then took off running and we followed her. We saw two dead walkers. "Bet these walkers got some good stuff..."
Clementine rose an eyebrow, then we walked to her as she stabbed one of the walkers in the head. "That one's not coming back. See what else he's got."
"Are you sure?" Anne and I asked.
"Yeah, we should check them out." Clementine said.
"But you know why, right?" Jane asked the girl. "Only because they're fresh."
"What do you mean?" Anne asked.
"Take a look." Jane said as she walked to the other walker. "Old walkers are a waste of time. They're holding credit cards and busted old pagers. But these walkers weren't walkers all that long ago. They were survivors. They might have useful stuff. Chris and Anne, can you guys make sure none are following us?" She asked and my girlfriend and I nodded as Jane and Clementine started to search the walkers while we stood guard. I drew my Sais as Anne pulled out her knife.
After a few seconds, Jane spoke. "Smart haircut." She joked.
"Thanks." Clementine said.
"So... has your crew always been so dysfunctional?" Jane asked.
"I've actually only been with them a little while. I don't know what it was like before I got there. But Kenny was different. I know that." Clementine replied.
"It wasn't all that bad. Luke and my dad had different ideas about how the community should've been run. Sarah brought up the issue about my sunglasses, but I didn't say anything. After that, Ashley arrived. Then Kate showed up the next day. This girl, Clair Fay, showed up a few hours later." I replied.
"What happened to Clair?" Jane asked.
"She took off a few weeks before Luke and the others left." Anne replied.
"She's pretty tough, though. She can hold her own." I said.
"Glad to hear what you guys think of me." A girl's voice said. We then looked to see a girl who looked like she was a Cherokee descendant with brown hair with two braided strands on either side and the rest in a ponytail with a headband on her head, a red long-sleeved shirt and a matching vest, jeans, and knee high boots nearby. She had a bow and some arrows, as well as tomahawks and knives on her.
"Clair?!" Anne and I exclaimed.
"The one and only." Clair said. She then walked over to us as Clem a couple of driver's licenses.
"Find anything?" Jane asked.
"Drivers' licenses. Two of them."
"Well I guess some people just can't leave the past behind." Jane said.
"Guess not." Anne said.
"Clair, this is Clementine." I introduced, nodding at Clem, then I nodded at Jane. "And that's Jane. Guys, this is Clair."
"Nice to meet you, Clair." Clementine said.
"Likewise, Clem." Clair said. Jane just nodded at Clair.
Clementine then found some ammo.
"Hold on to them. Ammo's getting hard to come by, and things aren't going to get better." Jane said. Clem then put the rounds in her pocket.
"That's it." Clem said.
Jane found a type of sharp object. "A nail file. These things are great. Sharpen a blade, strike a flint..."
"Nice." I said, then looked at my Sais. "Personally, I'm a fan of my Sais."
"Jaime always had one in her purse. It'd jab my hand when I went reaching in..." Jane said. She then sighed and put the nail file in her pocket. We then walked to a third walker and Jane stabbed it in the head then looked back at us. "You can never be too sure with these things."
"True enough." Anne said.
"Come give me a hand, Clem." Jane requested. They then pushed the walker to its back and I widened my eyes when I saw a pair of red glasses. One of the lenses was cracked.
"Those are Sarah's glasses." I said as Clementine picked them up.
"Looks like your friend didn't make it." Jane said solemnly.
Anne frowned at her. "Don't you DARE say that."
"Anne's right. All we know is that she was here. It could be a good sign." Clementine said.
"We find her, we find Tess, Luke, and Nick." I said.
"Then we'd better hurry." Clair said.
"Don't go getting your hopes up, guys." Jane said.
"Stop talking like that." Anne, Clair, Clem, and I said at the same time.
"Look, guys. I know what you guys want me to say, but..."
We then heard someone shouting. Then someone said "Sarah... God dammit!"
"Shit!" Jane hissed.
"That sounded like Luke." I said.
"Okay, come on. We gotta find a way in." Jane said then looked through the fence to a hole. "Looks like there's an opening over there."
"Let's move." I said then we all headed to the hole in the fence.
Jane looked at Clem before they went through. "That hatchet of yours... it seems to get stuck pretty easily. It's gonna get you killed." Jane said to the girl then pulled out a screwdriver. "Here. Use this." Clem took the screwdriver. "Very effective." Jade said, then looked at us all. "We can do this."
"Let's make it quick." I said then we went through the hole in the fence one at a time.
We then heard crying and a guy saying 'Calm down'.
"Sarah, it's okay, hon." I heard Tess say.
"Shit!" I hissed.
"They don't sound too good." Jane said. "The clock is ticking."
"No kidding." Anne said.
"I'm ready." Clementine said.
"Same here." Clair said.
"I know you guys are." Jane said.
"We need to get a better look." I said.
Jane stood up slightly and saw two walkers, one on our side of the fence and one on the other, then looked at Clementine. "How about you get the close one, and I'll hop the fence to get the other." She suggested. "Go for it." She said with a smirk.
Clementine snuck up to the walker near us and killed it.
"Nice work." Jane praised as we made it to her. "You know what you're doing." She added. Clementine smiled. "Now, watch this..." She said then crept to the fence. "Got a nice little addition to your arsenal..." She said then hopped the fence, ran to the walker, kicked it in the knee, causing it to fall, then she killed it. Me, Clem, Anne, and Clair then hopped the fence. "Take out the knees first. Then... put a knife in its head when it's down." We nodded. "Alright. Let's take a look at what we've got on deck."
We saw a walker not far from us, so I crept up to it and killed it with one of my Sais. "Glad you're paying attention..." She said to me.
I smirked then made my way back to the others. Anne then went to search the walker. She then came back. "Anything, babe?" I asked. She shook her head.
"Yeah, most of there guys are gonna have nothing on em." Jane said. "But it's worth taking a look, when it's not too risky."
"We'll keep that in mind." Clair said.
"Anne and I can take out the other two." Clementine said.
"Okay. Go." Jane said.
Anne and Clem, then ran to the walkers, kicked them in the knees, then killed the walkers. "You two did the knee thing... Nice trick, huh?" Jane remarked, smirking.
We then crept to the barricade and saw a bunch of walkers at one mobile home. "That's a lot of walkers." Clementine said. "They look worked up about something."
"And what gets the interest of the dead?" Jane asked.
"People." Anne, Clair, and I said.
"How do we get in?" Clementine asked.
"If we can make enough noise on this side... we can lure those walkers over here." Jane said. "Then we might just be able to go through that other trailer, and get to your friends." She said, then looked at us. "What do you think, guys?"
"Sounds like a plan." Clementine said
"Good." Jane said. "What's gonna grab their attention?"
"Anne, Clem, and Clair, help me look around for something we can use." I said.
"I got you guys covered." Jane said.
Clementine opened the door to a truck, then sounded the horn. That seemed to do the trick. "That's good, but we've gotta find a way to keep it going." Jane said.
Clem looked at the walker Anne killed.
"What are ya thinking?" Jane asked the girl.
"If we lean him on the horn, it'll keep honking and draw the walkers..." Clementine said.
"Just like moths to a flame." Jane said as I sheathed my Sais.
"Clair, give me a hand here. Grab an arm." I said. Clair grabbed the left arm and she grabbed the right arm then I looked at Clair. "Ready?"
"Yeah." Clair replied.
"Okay. On three. One... two... three..." I said then we pulled the walker to the truck. After I sat him in the seat, I shoved his head onto the horn and the noise drew the attention of the walkers.
"It's working!" Clem exclaimed, then we then ran into the nearest trailer and killed a couple of walkers, but the horn stopped sounding.
"Shit! Move!" I ordered and we ran to the trailer our friends and my sister were in. Clem ran to the door while the rest of us had our weapons ready. Clem tried to open the door, but failed.
"It's locked!" Clem hissed.
"Fuck!" Anne hissed.
"Then try something else!" Jane said. Clem tried to kick in the door. "You're gonna need to use more force than that. Put some muscle into it!"
"We'll hold them off, just get us in there!" I ordered.
After two kicks, Clementine opened the door and we all ran inside.
"Chris, Clair, help me block the door!" Jane ordered. We pushed a desk down, making Sarah yelp.
"Sarah, please..." Luke said.
"Who's out there?!" Tess shouted.
"Tell us quickly!" Nick said.
"Tess!" I called, causing her to open the door.
"Chris?!" She called back then ran to me and hugged me. I hugged back. Luke and Nick widened their eyes seeing Clair.
"Clair?!" They both asked, causing Tess to look at Clair with wide eyes as well.
"Hey, guys." Clair greeted.
"Oh, thank God." Luke said.
"When we heard y'all banging through the door, I thought... I thought the walkers were gonna get through and take what was left of us." Nick said.
"Guys, where's Sarah?" Clementine asked.
Luke, Tess, and Nick, looked back at the room they just walked out of, then back at us. "We... We don't know what to do about her." Luke said.
"What's the matter?" Jane asked.
"You gotta help." Nick said as he, Tess, and Luke, led us back to the room they walked out of and we followed them.
"Sarah, honey, look. Look, it's Chris, Anne, Clem, and Clair. See? It's just like we told you, they're okay." Tess said.
"What's she doing?" Anne asked as I looked at Sarah.
"Can you get up?" I asked her. Apparently, my question fell on deaf ears, because Sarah didn't answer me.
"We don't know what to do. We can't snap her out of it, okay? I tried to carry her, but I... I guess Carver messed me up pretty good back there." Luke said.
"We dunno, it's just, after Carlos, she just lost it. Started running through the woods like a maniac." Nick said.
"We chased her for God knows how long, and then- Well, she saw this mobile home and made a beeline right for it." Tess finished. "We're just glad y'all are here."
Walkers started banging on the front door. "We're not outta the woods yet." Jane said.
"What are we gonna do about her?" Luke asked, referring to Sarah.
"Maybe she'll listen to me?" Clem piped up.
"Maybe..." Nick said.
"Give it a shot, Clem." Anne said.
"Listen, I, uh... They're gonna tear this place open pretty soon. We can't stay." Jane said. "So we gotta get her up, or we gotta..."
"We're not gonna leave her." I cut her off.
"Well, we've been trying...We've been trying for hours. We can barely get her to look at us." Tess said.
"Clem?" Luke asked.
Clementine knelt down. "Sarah? It's me." She gently said.
Sarah glanced up then looked back down. "Hi."
"You helped me when we first met, now I want to help you."
Again, Sarah glanced up, then looked down again.
"Maybe it seems like you're all alone right now, but you're not."
Sarah looked down. "Yes, I am."
"What about Luke? And Jane, Tess, Nick, Anne, Clair, Chris, and me? We came here because of you. All of us in the group, we're your family now."
Sarah started quietly crying.
Suddenly, walkers were all over the mobile home. Jane ran to the window. "Crap, we're surrounded." Then turned around and looked up. "What- what about the Skylight?"
Luke looked up. "All we got."
"Clem." Jane said. "There's no time!"
"Give her a minute, damn it!" I snapped.
"When everything started, I met my friend Lee. He tried to help me find my parents. He protected me more than anyone else in my whole life." Clementine said to Sarah, then looked away. "He died to keep me safe. I was so scared."
"But you're still here." Sarah said.
"Because he taught me to be strong. Even when I'm scared. Because he wanted me to live. And your dad protected you because he wanted you to live. He would still want that."
Sarah looked down, then lifted her head, which made me smile. Clearly, Clementine was getting through to her. Clementine handed Sarah her glasses and Sarah put them on.
The walkers started pushing through the door. Jane ran to keep the door closed. "Get to the skylight! Now!" She shouted.
"C'mon, I'll boost you!" Luke said to Clem. He interlaced his fingers, but as soon as Clem placed her foot in his hands, he groaned in pain. "Agh! Ugh, dammit!"
"What's going on back there?!" Jane asked.
"My ribs... We're gonna need somethin' to stand on!" Luke said.
"Go help Jane, Luke! Anne, Clair, Clem, Nick, and Tess, help me look around." I ordered.
Luke ran to help Jane as the rest of us, except Sarah, looked around.
Clementine pointed at the refrigerator, but Jane shook her head.
"Forget it! That thing ain't budging! Find something else!" Jane said as I looked at the desk.
"Can we use that?" I asked.
Jane looked at it. "Yeah, that would work..."
"What? Wha-?" Luke started then looked at the desk. "Aw, shit." He said then he and Jane got on opposite sides.
"Okay... Ready?" Clementine asked.
"On three." Jane said.
"One. Two. Three!" I counted then they moved the desk out of the way, but Jane held the door shut. Luke and Clementine then pushed the desk until the walkers got in. Jane, Anne, Clair, and I took down a few until...
"It's through!" Clementine said, then me, Anne, Jane, Nick, Clair, and Tess ran back into the room.
Jane shut the door then climbed onto the desk. "Luke, you first. We need you up top." She said then helped him up, then he held his hand out, helping Tess, Anne, Clair, then Nick up, but Clementine and I looked at Sarah.
"Sarah, we have to go. Are you listening?!" Clem asked Sarah.
"I can't do it." Sarah said.
"Yes, you can!" I told her.
"NOW, guys! If she doesn't want to go, you two can't make her! Don't let her take you guys down, too! Not again." Jane said.
"SHUT UP, JANE! Okay, this girl is like a sister to me, and I am NOT about to leave her behind!" I snapped.
Clem knelt in front of her, but Sarah started freaking out. "I can't, I can't, I can't. Daddy, I'm..."
"Snap out of it, Sarah!" Clementine said. "Please..."
"You can't save her, guys. We have to go." Jane insisted. "Believe me, I know about this."
"ARE YOU FUCKIN' DEAF, JANE?! I told you, I'm NOT going to leave Sarah!" I said.
"Hurry up!" Luke said.
Next thing I knew, Clementine, slapped Sarah. "MOVE!"
"Let's go!" I shouted as Jane helped Sarah up, then me, then Clem, then Luke helped Jane up.
"We gotta go." Jane said, then we all hopped off the roof and headed back to the meeting place.
That's chapter twenty-one. Review and I'll post more chapters.