Frightful Night

ENJOY.

"Its so cold..." Clementine complained.

"I know...I'm freezing!" Sarah agreed, shivering slightly.

"Maybe we'll have a white Christmas." Luke said with a smile.

"White Christmas?" Clementine repeated, raising a eyebrow.

"That's when it snows on Christmas." Sarah explained.

"Oh..." Clementine smiled, "I love the snow." She said. "It's so pretty..."

"It is. And it's fun to play in."

Clementine gave a sigh. "I used to love Christmas time."

"I know, it was my favorite holiday." Sarah beamed happily.

"This asshole would always get me the worst presents." Nick said, motioning to Luke.

"Who you calling an asshole?" Luke asked.

"You, asshole." Nick replied, rolling his eyes.

"And what do you mean, worst presents?" Luke pouted.

"One time, he gave me this box of chocolates and when I looked inside every single one of 'em had a bite taken out of it." Nick said.

"That's mean..." Sarah said.

"Hey! He ain't the victim here!" Luke cried, "One time he give me printing paper."

"That's not too bad." Clementine shrugged. "You could draw on it!"

"Well, another year he gave me a box, nicely wrapped, with a note that said, "Hi." in it." Luke said.

"And you gave me a picture, of yourself!" Nick exclaimed.

"I'm really good looking, ya know." Luke said, pretending to be offended.

"Conceited much?" Nick joked.

"What about that you where you gave me a that toilet seat."

"A toilet seat?!" Sarah squeaked in disgust.

"That's really gross." Clementine said.

Luke smiled, glad they were taking his side.

"That's because you gave me that shirt that said "princess" on it." Nick snapped.

"Only because you gave me that "coal" chewing gum." Luke replied, crossing his arms.

"It sounds like you guys had a bad present war..." Clementine said.

Nick sighed. "Tell me about it."

"I do miss those times though." Luke sighed.

"Me too..." Sarah sighed, "Everything was so great at Christmas time."

"Unless you're naughty." Nick cut in.

"I felt bad for the naughty kids." Clementine shrugged. "If they were naughty, Santa didn't give them any presents... All they'd get was a bunch of rock."

"Santa don't give shit." Nick shook his head. "He ain't real."

"He is too!" Clementine argued.

"Is not!" Nick argued back.

"Is too!" Clementine shot back with a glare.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You know who else IS real?" Nick said, a devilish smile crossing his lips.

"Who?" Sarah asked.

"Krampus!" Nick replied.

"Who's Krampus?" Clementine questioned.

"You never heard about Krampus?" Nick asked faking a look of shock.

"No." Clementine shook her head.

"Who is he that?" Sarah repeated.

"Hey, Clem, Sarah," Luke called.

"Yes?

Shouldn't you two be getting to sleep?" Luke asked nervously, knowing Nick was up to something.

"No. Carlos said we can stay up a few minutes longer."

"Yeah. Besides, I want to hear Nick's story." Sarah protested.

"Me too. I want to know more about Krampus." Clementine said.

"Girls-" Luke tried, but Nick didn't allow him to continue.

"Alright." Nick said with a smirk.

"Nick!" Luke said warningly.

"Sit down, ladies." Nick ordered, ignoring Luke.

"So who's Krampus?" Clementine asked.

"He's Santa Claus' opposite."

"Opposite?" Clementine questioned.

Luke shifted nervously, knowing this wasn't going to end well. Scary stories and kids just didn't mix right.

"Yeah." Nick nodded. "He's the opposite of Santa Claus. But he's...like his sidekick."

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked.

"Santa doesn't have a sidekick." Clementine rolled her eyes, not believing a word coming out of Nick's mouth.

"Yes he does." Nick said, "It's Krampus."

"Who the heck is Krampus?!" Clementine groaned.

"He's the demon who gets the bad little children." Nick said.

Clementine shook her head. "I don't believe that."

"It's true." Nick said. "He beats little kids like you and puts them in his bag."

"Put them in a bag?" Sarah's eyes widened slightly.

"I'm not a little kid." Clementine pouted.

"Yeah, you are Clem." Nick said.

"No. I'm not." Clementine argued.

"Uh, yeah. You are."

"Sarah, am I a little kid?" Clementine asked her friend.

Sarah scratch the back of her head, "Well...you're little...and you're a kid."

"Thanks for the hell Sarah." Clementine huffed sarcastically.

"So, Krampus puts little kids in a bag?"

"Yep. And then, he takes them away."

"Where to?" Clementine asked.

"To his lair." Nick shrugged, he wasn't really sure of that himself. He just read about Krampus in a book once.

"Yeah right..." Clementine scoffed. "You're such a liar."

"I'm not lying."

"Are too." Clementine said. "I don't believe you."

Luke smiled. Attagirl. He knew Clementine wouldn't believe the line of bull.

"Fine. You'll believe it when he comes to get you tonight."

"He won't." Clementine crossed her arms shooting him a glare.

"We'll see."

"Clementine?" Sarah called.

"Hm?" Clementine sleepily acknowledged.

"Are you awake?" Sarah asked.

"Yes..." Clementine sighed. Obviously she was awake, she had just answered her.

"I'm scared." Sarah admitted.

"Of what?" Clementine asked.

"Krampus." Sarah said, looking around in their sleeping bag.

"Krampus doesn't exist." Clementine muttered, trying to go back to sleep.

"How do you know?" Sarah asked, not buying it.

"Because, Nick is a liar." Clementine replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

Clementine sighed as she felt Sarah cling to her. The older girl began to breath heavy, annoying Clementine slightly. "Sarah, can you stop breathing like that?"

"I...I can't." Sarah said.

"Krampus isn't real Sarah."

Sarah was quiet a moment before she quietly replied, "...You don't know that."

"Alright...If you're so scared why don't you go sleep with your dad?" Clementine suggested.

"Won't you be scared?" Sarah asked.

"No." Clementine shook her head. "I'll be fine sleeping alone."

"...I'm too scared to get up." Sarah whispered, clutching Clementine tighter.

"Krampus isn't real." Clementine repeated, gasping as Sarah squeezed the air out of her. She squirmed a little. "Just go to sleep."

"O-Okay." Sarah agreed, "Night Clem."

"Night."

"If Krampus comes...just scream." Sarah said. "I'll do the same."

Rolling her eyes, Clementine let out a groan, "Whatever!"

Clementine opened her eye hearing movement coming from the trees beside her. "Sarah?" She called. "Sarah!" Looking over to where her friend lay before she felt her heart pound when she realize she was all alone.

"Sarah..." She whimpered as the movement continued,

Ducking her head into the sleeping bag she waited for the noise to stop. "You're fine...You're gonna be okay..." She attempted to sooth herself. "Krampus isn't real." She said. Daring to take a peek out of the sleeping bag. She look around trying to find some source of protection.

She spotted Nick sitting up by the fire.

Heart pounding, she glanced towards the woods before forcing herself up. Trembling slightly, she made her way over to Nick, dragging her sleeping bag with her.

"Nick?" She called.

"What do you want kid?" Nick asked, irritated.

"I...I heard something..." Clementine said, twiddling her thumbs.

"What?" Nick asked.

Clementine shrugged. "I don't know..."

"Did ya see anything?" Nick question worried.

"No..."

"Get outta here." Nick ordered, attempting to shoo her away.

"But I-"

Nick cut her off. "I don't care. Go back to bed."

"I...I think it was K-Krampus." Clementine whined.

Nick said giving her a push. "Better hope he don't get ya then."

"Niiick!" The girl continued to whine.

"What?!" Nick snapped.

"Don't say that." Clementine shot back with a glare.

"You're the one who came over to bother me."

"Because I heard something!" She said, crossing her arms.

"You did not!" Nick said, "Go back to sleep Clementine."

"C-Can't I sleep over here?" Clementine begged.

"No." Nick huffed, he didn't want the kid bugging him all night.

"Please?"

"Still no, kid." Nick grumbled.

Clementine pouted, "I'm going to tell Luke that you fell asleep on watch."

Nick felt his eye twitch in annoyance at the threat, "Do I look asleep to you?"

"No..." But he looked like he need some.

"Just get to bed, Clem." Nick sighed.

"I can't." Clementine replied.

"Why can't you?"

"He'll get me." Clementine said, shifting closer to the man.

"He just might." Nick shrugged. "But I ain't protecting ya over here."

"Can I just stay over here? Please?" Puppy dog eyes activated, "I'll...I'll take over your watch."

Nick quickly turned away not wanting to be meet those eyes that had the power to convince anyone to do what she wanted. "Yeah right..."

"I will!" Clementine said. "Pinky promise."

He didn't know how Carlos would react if he woke up to Clementine keeping watch while Nick was supposed to be doing it, but he was should it wouldn't be pretty, so he declined. "No thanks, Clementine." Nick refused.

"B-But..."

"Alright. You can stay over here."

"Really?"

"Yep. As long as you shut up."

"I'll be so quiet you won't even notice I'm here."

"Good. Starting now."

"Okay."

Nick closed his eyes, but quickly opened them a few moments later when he heard Clementine muttering to herself, as if she were casting a spell. The kid was scaring him. "Clem, what are you doing?"

"Nothing." She replied.

"Why are you whispering to yourself?" He asked.

"I'm counting." She said.

"Counting what?" Nick asked growing confused. What the hell was she talking about?

"The stars." Clementine said before huffing. "You made me lose count."

Nick sighed, "I said, you can only stay over here if you shut up, remember?"

"Alright..." Clementine nodded. "I'll be quieter."

"Don't count at all."

"Fine."

A silence fell over the two and Nick had to fight the urge to sleep. Not for long though, as Clementine had started taking deep inhales and exhales of breath. Nick felt his eye twitch in annoyance. This was why he couldn't handle kids. "Why are you doing that?"

"What?" Clementine asked back.

"Breathing like that."

"I'm trying to see my breath." She said.

"Stop." He ordered.

"Ooookaaaaaay."

Nick let out a breath and closed his eyes again, waiting for Clem to do something else to push his buttons. Soon a gentle hum reached his ears. It wasn't bad, it was actually quite soothing, but he HAD told the girl to be quiet and he felt like she was just making noise to annoy him.

"Clem."

"Yes?"

"Stop humming."

"But I can't whistle."

"What?" What did whistling have to do with anything.

"I can't do it. I don't know how. So I'm humming instead." She couldn't whistle? That was cute...

"Don't do anything." He said. "Go to sleep."

"But I need to hum to sleep." She said sadly.

The kid was pulling those puppy dog eyes on him, forcing him to give in. "Fine. Hum."

He hadn't realized he'd fallen asleep. Clementine's humming must have done it.

"Nick." The soft voice had woken him, but he was still so tired.

"No..." He mumbled swatting her hand away from him.

"Nick...There's something in the woods." Clementine said.

"Shut up!" He replied. The kid was probably just paranoid. There wasn't anything there.
"Niiiiiiick!" Clementine whined.

Ignoring the girl, he attempted to turn away, but a weight in his lap prevented him from doing so. Opening his eyes he sent the girl a glare. "Why are you on me?"

"Cause I'm sleepy." Clementine shrugged.

"You're sleepy so you're on me?"

"And I'm cold." Clementine added.

"So you're on me?!" Nick repeated.

"You're warm." She said.

"I'm warm?" Nick asked.

Clementine nodded snuggling closer to him. "Yes."

"I'm warm or you're scared?"

"...You're warm." Clementine answered.

"So, you're not scared?"

"No."

"Then why don't you go over there?" Nick said, pointing back to the spot where Clementine had come from.

"I was."

"You were gonna go over there?" Nick asked.

"I was already over there." Clem shook her head. "I'm not scared at all."

"Then why don't you go back over there?"

"I don't want to." Clementine crossed her arms.

"Why not?"

"I just don't want to." She responded, leaning against him.

"Clementine, why are you on me?" He asked again.

She didn't answer.

"Why are you on me?!" He asked louder.

Silence.

Nick groaned. "And why are you ignoring me?"

"Clem!" He called. "Clementine!"

"What?" Clementine sighed.

"Why are you ignoring me?" He asked.

"I'm just ignoring cause...I'm ignoring you." She replied, much to his annoyance.

Rolling his eyes, Nick replied, "Get off me."

"No." Clementine refused.

"Clem-"

"Noooo!" She cut him off.

"Krumpus is right there!" Nick suddenly cried, faking a gasp.

Giving him a push Clementine whined, "Stop scaring me."

"Clem, I'm not scaring you. He is."

"Stooop!"

"...I thought you WEREN'T scared."

"I-I'm not..." She slid off his lap."Just leave me alone." She whimpered, lying down and curling up.

"Stop." He sighed listening to her whimpering. "Clem, stop crying."

She only sniffed in response.

"Stop crying now."

"No." Clementine said. "You can't tell me what to do."

"You said you weren't scared. Stop crying."

"Leave me alone."

"Just go to sleep already." Nick said feeling annoyed again. This is why he couldn't deal with kids. Especially crying kids.

Clementine blinked back tears, Nick was being really mean. She knew he probably didn't mean it, but he was hurting her feelings. Looking back over to her old spot she swallowed, she really didn't want to go back over there. Looking around, she noticed Luke was only a few feet away from them. Pushing herself up she left the cranky Nick and walked over to Luke.

Luke awoke to someone shaking him. He let out a groan before hearing a tiny voice.

"L-Luke..." Clementine called quietly.

"Clem?" Luke groggily ask opening his eyes.

"Yeah...It's me."

Luke looked up to see the girl standing over him, he tiredly spoke, "What's up, kiddo?"

"Umm...Can...Can I sleep with you tonight?" She asked shyly.

"What about Sarah?" He questioned, raising a brow.

"She's with her dad." Clementine shrugged.

"Oh..." Holding back a yawn he moved over in his sleeping bag. "Sure, kid."

Clementine smiled, "Thanks."

"Uh-huh." Luke said before asking, "You alright?"

"Yeah." Clementine nodded, but Luke noticed a small pout on her lips as she sat next to him. "Nick was being a jerk." She said.

Luke smiled, "Well, Nick can be a dick when he doesn't get any sleep."

"I can tell." Clementine said, crossing her arms.

Luke chuckled. "Don't hold it against him.

"Nick's a dick..." Clementine giggled, laying beside the man. "That rhymes."

"Yep..." Luke let out a nervous chuckle. "But lets not use that word Clem."

"Why not?" Clementine asked innocently.

"It's inappropriate."

"But you said it." She pointed out.

"I shouldn't have." Luke said.

"What's it mean anyway?" Clementine questioned.

"Uh..." Luke swallowed, turning his back to the girl so she couldn't she his face, that was tomato red. "It's just another word for...jerk."

"Oh..." The two fell into a silence. Clementine spared a look out into the woods, nervously calling out, "Luke...?"

"Yeah, Clem?"

"Is Krampus real?" She asked.

"Naw, Clem." Luke said, "He's all made up."

"But Nick-"

"Don't believe a word of what Nick says." Luke replied, cutting her off.

"He sounded really convincing."

"Nick...Nick's an idiot." Luke said. "Just ignore him."

"But...I think it's over there..." She gave a nervous gulp, sitting up and pointing towards the trees. "In the woods."

Luke pushed himself up as well, looking in the direction the child was pointing.

"Is that so?"
"I think...I kept hearing...something."

He couldn't see anything in the area, the kid was probably just imagining things...but still, "Well...There's only one thing to do, huh?"

"What's that?" Clementine asked.

"Check it out." He had to in case it was a lurker. He didn't want any sneaking up on them.

"NO!" She gave a violent shake of her head.

"Shh...C'mon Clem. Ain't nothing there."

"Is too." She clung to Luke's arm frightened. "There is too!" She repeated, "And he wants to take me away!"

The noise grabbed Nick's attention. He wasn't too far away from them, and he looked over at Luke sending him a look that said, "Shut that kid up", Luke sighed. Didn't Nick realize, this was HIS fault.

All the noise must have startled the creature, as it made a run for it. Luke and Nick both jumped at the sudden movement, immediately on guard as Clementine covered her eyes, fearing for her life. Through a small opening in the trees, Luke could clearly make out it's figure.

Looking over at Clementine, who was frozen in place, he tugged the girl's arm bringing her beside him. "Look Clem. It was only a deer. See."

Clementine took a single glance into the woods before inching closer to the man and admitting, "I'm scared..."

"Of the deer?" Luke joked, but seeing how shaken up the girl was he sighed, "Hey...C'mere."

He allowed her to climb onto his lap as he held her close, "There ain't nothing to be scared of Clem."

Clementine didn't respond, burying her face into his neck.

"Listen, Clem. Even if Krampus is real...we won't let him get you alright?"

"Promise?" Clementine whimpered.

"'Course." He placed a hand on her head and offered her a reassuring smile. "I promise, kiddo."

After a while of him holding her, Clementine seemed to have calmed down. If fact, she had calmed enough to fall asleep. Luke could hear footsteps and looked up to see Nick approaching.

"Hey, man..."

"Hey."

"Is...she alright?"

"She's fine." Luke said. "Just had a little scare, is all."

"Yeah?" Nick sighed, "I didn't mean to scare her." That much.

"Really?" Luke asked, sounding unconvinced.

"Well, not that much." Nick said, "She didn't seem scared earlier, so I figured she was fine."

"She's a kid. She was probably just trying to act tough." Luke shrugged.

"She's asleep?" Nick asked.

"Clem?" Luke had to check for himself to make sure before answering, "Or a really great actor." He joked, before gently moving the girl, laying her back down beside him. He placed a gentle hand on her forehead.

Clementine opened her tired eyes and sent him a confused look which nearly caused him to laugh. "Get some sleep, Clem."

"Okay..." She whispered. "Night Luke..."

"Goodnight Clem." He replied.

"Thank you." She said before drifting off.

He gave a small smile, "Anytime, kiddo." He whispered.

Nick couldn't hold back a smile at the sight, but he quickly hid it by turning away before Luke could see it. "You should probably get some sleep too. Cause I'm waking you up in an hour to take over watch."

"Alright." He nodded to his friend.

Satisfied, Nick walked off back towards he spot.

Luke lay down next to the young girl, brushing a hand over her cheek.

He'd protect the kid with his life...Annnnd... if she was tired tomorrow, he'd make sure Nick would be the one to carry her.