TWD Chapter 8 - Moving out.
Clementine and Olivia gathered on the couches, attempting to calm Sarah down. The room seemed dark and the air felt heavy. Dust particles surrounded them, the fire almost burned out. The cabin was no longer the cosy home it once was, now it was just a trap that had just snapped shut. "They'll be back soon, Sarah. Your dad too." Olly looked awkwardly over at Clementine who seemed to be growing even more impatient.
"We need to find the others." She jumped off the sofa, and stormed to the kitchen.
"Clem, we can't-" Within that, the kitchen door swung open and stood immediately in the doorway was Nick, followed by the rest of the group.
"Clementine!"
"Sarah!" The innocent girl ran to her dad and enclosed her arms around him.
Luke gave a nod of acknowledgement to Olly then turned to Clementine. "They told me about Pete. You know where he is, right? Come on, let's go."
Sarah released her dad and frowned, looking to the ground. "A man was here."
"What?!" Carlos' startled expression just reassured Olly's theory that this stranger was indeed Carver and they had been expecting this for some time.
"What did she say?" Here we go... Round 100 for Rebecca.
"Someone came to the cabin. Olly and Clementine talked to him."
Rebecca's furious gaze turned on Olivia. "And you just opened the door for him?"
"Calm down, Rebecca." Luke, always the voice of reason.
"Of course I didn't! I tried to lock the door, but he barged his way through."
"She's telling the truth." Olivia smiled at Sarah with gratitude and the shy girl smiled back.
Carlos' shock seemed to dissipate, but he was no longer the calm and collected character Olly had grown accustomed to. "Did he say his name? Did he say what his name was?"
Me and Clementine shook our heads. "No, he didn't. However, I'm pretty sure even I could guess that one."
Rebecca shook her head in disbelief. "Maybe it wasn't him."
"Could you tell us what he looked like?"
"Sure I can, Carlos. He had dark hair that was far too tidy. A deep voice.."
"He talked about you, dad." Carlos scratched his beard, looking more furious than he'd ever been. "You're not going to hurt anyone, are you?"
"Of course he wont, Sarah, all right? Your dad's the nicest person I know, which is why he's not going to do anything crazy or... not nice. Right?" Luke stared at Carlos as if passing on a non-verbal message.
Carlos placed a reassuring hand on Sarah's back. "You know these are bad people, sweetie. They will do or say anything to hurt us."
Luke turned to Olly and Clementine. "All right, what do you two think? Did it seem like he'd be coming back?"
Olivia opened her mouth to be speak, but Sarah cut her off. "He saw a picture of me."
"A picture?! What were you doing taking pictures?!"
"Carlos! You need to calm down, all right? You're scaring your daughter."
"I took the picture. It's my fault." Clementine stood defiant as she defended her friend, Sarah.
"No! It wasn't her fault. She didn't want to."
"Sarah?" Carlos sighed, defeated and Sarah lowered her eyes in regret. People were getting nervous. Rebecca stood stroking her stomach with Alvin's arm around her shoulder whilst Nick paced around the room. Luke stood beside Olly trying to give her reassuring glances, whilst Clem stood by Sarah, giving her comforting pats on the shoulder. "He was scouting. We got lucky. He wasn't expecting to find us. Olivia and Clementine must have surprised him. If they hadn't been there..." The group glanced at the duo, there faces holding more gratitude than they could ever say. "Well, he was too smart to stick around. But he'll be back with the rest. We don't have much time."
"He's right. Everyone pack up. We're movin' out." Luke agreed.
"Where are we going?" Olly was agitated. She had never meant to get involved in this.
Carlos turned to Clementine and Olivia after comforting his daughter. "I don't know what he told you, but William Carver is a dangerous man. He is the leader of a camp not far from here, and he is very smart. We were... lucky to escape. Look, I'm sorry to involve you two, but now that he's seen you, you'll be safer with us."
"Wait.. WHAT?" Olly looked at the groups' bemused expressions, whilst Luke just gave her a sorrowful glance.
"Weren't you planning on sticking around anyway, Olivia?"
"What? No, I wasn't! I was going to find my dad!"
Luke couldn't take this. He couldn't face losing someone else, especially if Pete was really gone. "Wait, wait a minute. We'll be headin' off north too, right? It makes sense to. You could travel with us. It'll be safer for you in a group."
Luke's words mulled in her mind. Maybe she wouldn't have to say goodbye after all. Her gaze met his, who patiently, yet eagerly, awaited her response. "Ok." One simple word eased Luke's inner turmoil, giving her a flash smile.
"Now that is sorted, we have to leave." Carlos' serious presence followed Sarah out of the room, ready to prepare her for departure.
"We have to find Pete, Luke."
"We'll get him on the way out, Nick. Clementine, you know where he was, right?"
"Yeah..."
"All right. Everyone grab your stuff. Let's hit the road."
After Olivia had dashed upstairs and packed up her things, ensuring her trusty katana had been slung over shoulder and her revolver had been placed in her pack, they all went in search of Pete. Clementine took the lead, with Luke and Olly by her side. Behind them was Nick, who looked like he could go off the rails at any moment, his pained expression causing Luke to worry. Alvin and Rebecca were just behind Nick, whilst Carlos and Sarah took the rear. "Now, you said it was just up here?"
"Yeah, just a little ways." Luke responded by picking up his pace. Olivia opted to stay by Clementine, but with a waddling character speeding up to join them.
"Hey, Clem... Sorry if I gave you some shit back there. I'm just a little on edge. It's just a tough time, with the pregnancy and all."
"It's okay."
"If it's not you I'm yellin' at lately, it's Alvin... or Olivia, and then I'm really in trouble." Rebecca and her shared a glance in which Olly nodded as in to acknowledge that she was apologising.
"I can handle it. I'm not a little kid."
"I felt the same way when I was your age. My dad was always givin' me shit, and I always thought he didn't know a damn thing. I know you both did your best back there. You know, none of us would make it on our own. Sometimes it's hard knowing just how dependant I am on everyone. I'm not used to that, I'm not comfortable with that." Olly knew what she meant. She had relied on so many people before and she had promised herself that she'd never go through that again. But here she was. Relying on Luke to keep his promise and take her North. "I'm supposed to be a mom soon. Guess I need to work on my patience. Alvin and I still don't know what to call her. Or him, if that man gets his wish, god help me. Any ideas?" Clementine didn't respond, but instead turned off down through some bushes. "Clem?"
Luke who had glanced around, followed after her. As did the others. In front of them lay a rusty red truck, surrounded by overgrown plantation and shrubbery. Dead roamer corpses littered the area, destroying what might make a beautiful view. The leading girl slowly approached the vehicle, but stopped just in front of it. "There. That's where we were." Clem gestured to the back door of the truck that had been left ajar.
Nick sprinted towards it, panic claiming his features. He ripped open the doors only to find it empty. "He's not in here!"
"This was the last place I saw him."
"Maybe he's around here somewhere." Alvin offered. Nick's face twisted in to fury, whilst the group split up the look for Pete.
"Keep your eyes open and stay in sight." Carlos ordered the group, clutching his hunting rifle. Olly searched the ground for any clues on where he might have gone, and noticed a trail of blood that Clementine was already following. This isn't good.. this isn't good at all.
"Uncle Pete!"
Both Clementine and Olivia stalked closer and closer to the end of the trail, their hearts beating like cheetahs sprinting in the wild. And there, behind a large rock, lay a very dead Pete, his insides spilled out on the ground and his body in a precarious position. Olly shielded Clem from the view and guided her away slightly. "Luke! Nick! We found him..."
Tentatively, Nick stepped forward, closely followed by Luke. "Oh my god." Nick's voice was breaking as he tried to choke out his words. "What happened? What the hell happened?"
Carlos' cool demeanour taking over once more. "He's been shot."
Clementine stared down at the gunshot wound, confusion racking her brain. "He didn't have a gun. Who did this?"
Nick, full of despair, turned to his old friend, Luke, who embraced him comfortingly.
"We need to go."
"Carlos is right. Whoever shot him could still be around."
Luke acknowledged what Olly said and then placed a soothing hand on Nick's shoulder, whilst everyone else left Pete's grave. "He's gone, Nick. He- He's gone. We gotta get movin'. Come on, man." Stubbornly, Nick shrugged Luke off and followed after the others.
Olivia turned to see a very grief stricken group behind her and suddenly she realised she was grieving too. Pete had been a kind man, he had also been the first to believe Clementine about her bite and at the time she hadn't even acknowledged it. Olly sighed. She'd done it again. This was her group now, and she'd do her god damned best to ensure they didn't lose another member.