Disclaimer: These characters belong to the Walking Dead game which is the property of Robert Kirkmen and Telltale games.
A/N Hey guys here's another installment. Thank everyone for the reviews of chapter 10. Seemed like a popular chapter. God bless you all.
"Aw man did that hurt!"
Lee turned around. He was about to head out to see the obstruction but had been interrupted when someone shouted from behind the boxes in the cart.
"Man…. Is that bleeding…..? Yup that's bleeding."
There it was again. Lee walked around the shoe outlet boxes to find a man lying down holding his head.
"Mark!?" He shouted "What are you doing back here?"
Mark looked up but didn't take his hand off the spot where the cut had formed.
"Oh hey Lee" He said. "Was trying to get some sleep. Katjaa gave me the last of the morphine when we got on the train."
"Oh, man didn't even realize you were back here." Said Lee. "You okay?"
"I'll be fine." He replied. "Whose idea was it to stop a train like that?"
"There's some oil tanks in the way, thank God that we didn't run into them."
"Oh, man this hurts."
"Here let me help" Lee said as he extended a hand.
"No man I got this…. I ain't crippled."
Lee didn't reply to that statement.
"Wait scratch that, I am crippled" Mark said obviously realizing his mistake. "But I ain't useless."
Lee nodded and allowed his friend to inch his way up. However Mark stopped when he sat up and appeared to be looking for something.
"You see my glasses anywhere?" He asked.
Lee looked down near Mark's and saw some black frames. The problem was that the glass inside them had been cracked.
"Um…" Lee began before Mark noticed what item rested by his feet.
"Ah come on man!" He shouted.
He picked them up but Lee could tell he wasn't pleased with the result.
"This is great! Just great!"
"Sorry Mark." Lee stated.
"It's not your fault, but now I can't see beyond two feet!."
Suddenly Lee realized something. Something which had managed to evade him during the conversation.
"So um….. Mark, you've been behind these boxes the whole time?"
Mark kept putting the broken lenses on and off probably trying to tell the difference in his eyesight.
"Uh yeah why?"
"Oh no reason" Lee quickly replied not feeling the need to inform him that just 5 minutes prior two children were firing bullets just two feet away from him. That morphine must have been pretty powerful stuff for him to sleep through that.
"Those barrels ain't filled with milk, Charles!" Lee heard Kenny shout.
Not another argument. He thought
"Go man I'll catch up" Mark said apparently noticing Lee's interest in the conversation between the two men.
Lee nodded and headed outside where the group had already gathered.
"That's gasoline or diesel; something that's going to explode."
"You gotta…." Charles began before Lilly cut him off.
"Maybe we could find a way to detach that tank." She said.
"Oh and just how we going to do that? You just happen to bring a spare blow torch with you?"
"Just saying we could try." She replied surprisingly calm.
"Well unless you got something useful to say just keep it to yourself." Kenny retorted.
"Hey watch it!" Larry jumped in.
"Yo, you keep screaming like that and you're gonna get your face chewed off." A voice from above called.
Kenny looked up to see a rather short male with a much taller female standing on the highway.
"Are you guys gonna be trouble? Because we could have just kept walking." The woman said.
"No we're friendly" Lee's voice said from behind.
"That's what everybody says." She replied.
"We know." He replied back
The two started to talk amongst themselves but after a moment turned back to the group.
"You guys having a little trouble with your train?" The man asked.
"Yeah you're standing in front of it." Replied Kenny.
"Dude, it's a wreck. It's not so bad from up here. Send your leader up to have a look."
Kenny reached behind him to make sure his gun was in a position where he could grab it quickly, just in case.
"All right, I'll be back soon." He told Katjaa.
"Wait a minute." Lilly said. "They said they wanted to speak to the leader."
"Yeah, that's why I'm gonna go up there." Kenny retorted.
"So you just promote yourself now?" Said Lilly.
"Don't start with me little miss priss, I'm go…" Kenny was saying before Doug jumped in.
"Um guys in case you haven't noticed." He said as he pointed above them.
Kenny looked up to see that somewhere in-between his conversation with Lilly, Lee had climbed the ladder and was now in a discussion with the two strangers. What was even more surprising was that Clementine was halfway up herself.
"Oh my…. You guys have a kid!?" Shouted Omid. "Do you know how long it's been since I've seen a kid!? What's your name?"
"Clementine." She replied.
"What are you doing up here?" Lee asked.
She didn't answer as Omid still seemed to be in a state of shock.
"Well this is great! See things are starting to look up. He told Christa."
"Hmm.. you're not her dad, is he down there?"
Lee was surprised. Most people he had run into thought Clementine was his daughter.
"Is it that obvious?" He asked
"To me."
"Well no he's not down there, I found her on my way to prison." He stated deciding to get everything out in the open right now.
"Cool got any tats?" Omid asked.
"No I never got there." He replied
"So everybody down there, they're cool?" Christa asked him.
Lee thought to himself for a moment. There was so many ways he could have answered that question. Maybe he should have told them of Ben's betrayal, Lilly's anger issues, Doug's constant explaining of everything, or Larry's….. well being Larry. However in the end he decided to play it safe.
"Well we just met Chuck but the rest have been with us for a while." He replied.
"It's the new people you have to worry about." She said.
"Used to loved meeting new people." Stated Omid.
"Listen we're sorry for everything that happened to you guys but the train seems pretty cool. We ca…."
"Um Omid." Christa butted in before turning her attention to Lee. "We'll help you try and get it down but if we see anything we don't like we're going down the road alone."
Lee nodded but before heading back down he figured he'd look around a bit. There wasn't much though just a role of yellow tape which he found in a Federal Rescue Service vehicle.
He placed the tape in his pocket and then headed down to introduce the newcomers to the rest of the group.
Chuck watched as the four bodies descended down the ladder. He wasn't sure what to make of it. The group had accepted him relatively quickly but then again he did live in the train. Still the fact that they didn't kill him or force him out was something.
"This is Christa and Omid." Lee stated.
Chuck didn't say anything and was joined by the rest of the group in an awkward silence.
"Well uh we just wanted to say hi…" Omid stated "… and the train looks great. We could help you get it running again."
"But we're not looking for charity." Christa added.
Lilly walked up to Lee and stood just in front of him. "Let me guess they're joining us?" She asked him.
"Gotta problem with that?" Christ asked.
"Wasn't talking to you." Lilly replied.
"Well I'm talking to you."
"Listen…"
"Wo, wo, wo," Lee intervened "Let's just all take a minute here."
"Right now we just gotta worry about getting that tanker down. We can discuss this later." He stated.
Lilly looked to Christa then back at Lee. Chuck was behind her but he could tell she wasn't particularly happy.
"Whatever." She said as she walked away.
"Well we can help move the tanker" Omid said. "And maybe I could help with the train."
"Well I guess I should show you how it works, then." Said Kenny.
Chuck watched as everyone dispersed and sort of did their own thing. Since he was new and wasn't sure what the group did during leisure time, he simply got out his guitar and started playing. If anything at least it would lighten the mood.
Lee looked around. It was quiet...for once. Carley was talking with Christa and Clementine, while Kenny was showing most of the members how to drive the train. Ben and Travis stood atop the train looking for any signs of trouble. While Chuck provided the entertainment. Yup things were starting to look up. Even Mark was out on his crutches attempting to hold his weight with one foot on the ground. He was failing miserably however.
Only Lilly and Larry seemed to be doing nothing as they leaned against the railing of the train. Lee looked to his right and saw the abandoned station. At least he hoped it was abandoned. Kenny had mentioned someone should take a look. He wasn't doing anything so he decided to head over.
"Can I follow you over there?" asked a small voice from behind.
He turned to see Clementine. "You don't like the new girl?" He asked.
"I do…. But it's like we're a team." She replied.
Lee agreed they were a team.
"Then I'm coming too." Said another not so small voice. Lee turned to his right to see Duck running towards him."
"Wasn't your dad showing you how to work the train?" Asked Lee.
"Yeah but it got boring so I came out here."
Lee chuckled. ADHD personified he thought
"Uhh I don't know Duck?" he said.
"I'm still Robin right?"
"Well yeah but…."
"All right I'll just ask my mom and be right back." The young boy said as he sprinted over to where his mother was standing.
Lee wasn't sure about this. There could be people inside that station, or walkers. Having two kids may have not been the best idea.
"Robin?" asked Clementine.
"Oh… uh just a little game we were playing back at the motor inn." Lee replied.
The little girl put her head down as if in deep thought. "Well if he's Robin then I get to be batgirl." She said finally.
"Not you too?" Replied Lee
"She said it's okay!" Duck shouted as he came running back.
Lee looked up to where Katjaa was standing. She gave him a nod in agreement.
"Well all right, but stay close." Lee warned.
Duck nodded and soon the trio was heading for the train station. Lee felt his nerves hit as they got close, but then again with batgirl and Robin at his side…. What could go wrong?
"All right well that's about all I can teach you." Kenny said to Omid.
"Well thanks man maybe we could take shifts." Omid said back
"Maybe…" Kenny replied
"Well I'm gonna go outside. Thanks again." Omid stated as he and Doug left the front of the train.
They would be replaced however by Katjaa who walked in only a few moments after the two men departed.
"Hey hun." She said as she walked in.
"Hey" He replied. "So everything outside looking good?"
"It's quiet which is a nice change." She replied.
"Really? Duck ain't out there talking up a storm?" Kenny said with a laugh. "Where is Duck anyway?"
"Um…." Katjaa seemed to be searching for an answer. "He's with Lee and Clementine." She said finally.
Kenny felt slightly annoyed that his son had left in the middle of a training session to be with Lee.
"Well of course he is." He said.
"Hun?" Came the reply
"Why would he wanna spend time with his old man when he could spend time with Lee."
"Come on Ken."
"No, it's true. You remember that night when we came back from the dairy?"
"I've been trying not to."
"Well I was the one who despite Lee's advice, who got us that food….. but Duck thanked him."
"He did save him from Andy that night." Kat replied
"Then one day I find Duck and Clementine coloring together and guess what? He's drawing a picture of batman.
"So?" Kat asked.
"Batman was bla…. Err Urban in the picture. So I ask him and he says Lee's batman."
Katjaa gave a slight chuckle after hearing that.
"Well you know he does have a vivid imagination."
"It ain't funny Kat. I feel like I do all the work and Lee gets all the glory." Kenny replied. "You see what Lee pulled back there. Heading up the ladder like he was the leader of this group. He didn't even tell anyone."
"Maybe he was just tired of you and Lilly fighting."
"I tell you if Lee wasn't in bed with that woman he might see how her decisions would have gotten us killed."
"In bed with her?" Asked Katjaa.
"Oh come on hun, siding with her all the time, she always inviting him to her room. She tells him things she even keeps from her own father. Read in between the lines."
"Kenny I doubt Lee is "in bed with Lilly." She replied. "She was sneaking him food. You told me that."
"Well maybe she was sneaking him something else on the side." He replied.
"Plus I think he has feelings for Carley." She replied.
"I thought Doug liked Carley?"
"That wouldn't stop most men. Plus I think she has feelings for him as well." Kat stated.
"Well anyway, his love life isn't our concern; what is our concern is Duck looking up to him like he's some sort of super hero."
"Kids need someone to look up to Kenny."
"Who's side you on anyway?" Kenny asked.
Katjaa walked over and hugged her husband. "I'm always on your side Ken but this whole who's the leader thing has gotten out of hand. Lee's just trying to maintain some sort of peace in the midst of all the bickering. I doubt he thinks himself as the leader of this group or that he even wants to be."
Kenny smiled. She always did know how to make him feel better. He looked out the window and saw that everyone was busy… well except for Lilly and Larry who were now sitting down near the forest.
"You know honey we may be here a bit and this pilot room is pretty spacious."
"And just where might you be going with this?" She replied playfully.
Kenny leaned over and kissed his wife on the lips.
"Where do you think I'm going with this?"
"So what are we looking for anyway?" asked Clementine
In truth Lee wasn't really sure. "Something to deal with that tank."
"Looks like it's time for more investigating then." Said Duck.
It didn't take long for them to find a small petrol tank with a blowtorch attached to it. However it was behind a locked gate which Lee wasn't sure he could open. Even with a gun.
"It's locked up pretty tight but there is a small space on the top."
"Looks like a job for Robin!" Shouted Duck.
"Nah I think batgirl's got this one." Said Clementine.
"Now don't argue" Lee said.
"Tell you what I'll boost you up first and then Duck okay?"
"Okay…." Duck agreed.
Lee pushed both children above the bars though he knew it was really unnecessary as there was only one set of keys but still as long as it made the kids happy.
"Now get the keys." Lee told Clementine.
The little girl stood there seemingly in stasis.
"Come on scoot." He said.
"Clementine?" asked Duck.
"Behind you!" She shouted.
Lee turned around to see a walker approaching just a few feet away. He grabbed his gun but just then another walker approached from his left causing the weapon to fall on the ground below.
Lee pushed the second walker to the side and began backing up to the door. He had no weapon but he knew if he could reach the monkey wrench he would have a chance. The two closed in on him however. He attempted to punch them back but that prove useless. Suddenly the closest one grabbed him and attempted to chew his face off. Lee struggled to keep him back as the other one moved in for the kill.
"Lee!" Clementine yelled.
Lee tried to push it back but with one walker on him and the other closing in…. he didn't see much of a chance.
The second walker stood on the side of the other and moved his head in for the killing bite.
Lee tried with all his might to push the other one off but it was not happening. His thoughts immediately turned to the children. He had failed to protect them.
*Bang*
One shot. That was all and both walkers fell to the ground dead.
Lee clutched his knees and breathed heavy. Looking at the children he saw that it was Duck who had fired the shot ending both the walkers at once. But how?
Looking closer at the bodies he noticed that Duck had fired at just the right moment for the bullet to enter ones brain and out the others.
God guided the bullet thought Lee.
"Thanks Duck….. I mean Robin." Said Lee.
"Yeah I got em!" Duck shouted "I got em both!"
"Yeah you did." Lee replied
"Can we just get out of here?" Clementine said as she backed away from the stench of the two bodies.
Lee smiled, it was cute that she as still disgusted by the smell after all this time. Suddenly he noticed something move in the corner which wiped the smile right off his face.
"Clementine!" He shouted causing the girl to turn around.
She stood frozen in place as the monster moved in.
"The keys Duck now!" Shouted Lee but the young boy seemed as though he didn't hear. He was just as frozen as Clementine.
"Duck! Clementine!" He shouted at them both. Neither seemed to be able to move.
The walker bent over and reached its bony hands to claim its prey.
"Clementine!"
*Bang*
The walker suddenly fell backwards on to the floor. Lee looked to his right to see Duck with the gun raised just slightly above Clementine's own head.
The boy was sweaty and breathing heavy. He turned to Lee and a smile suddenly showed up on his face.
"You saved me!" Clementine shouted as she ran up and gave Duck a hug.
The smile left his face and was replaced by a look of shock and embarrassment.
"Uhhh…." Was all that came out of his mouth.
Clementine let go and smiled up at her rescuer. She tiptoed and gave him a peck on the cheek. To which he seemed even more shocked and confused.
"Thanks Duck." She said.
The boy placed his hand on his left cheek where she had kissed him. "Um…. No problem." He replied as the smile reappeared on his face.
Lee bore a smile as well. "Now about those keys."
"Oh yeah" Said Clementine as she grabbed the keys and handed them two him.
"What's going on? I thought I heard gunshots." A voice said from outside.
The voice belonged to Christa who removed the monkey wrench and propped the door up herself.
"We're fine" Lee replied
"Oh really? You and a couple of eight year olds against three of them." She stated
"Hey I'm ten" Replied Duck.
"Oh well that changes things." Said Christa.
"Hey this ten year old just took out three walkers." Replied Lee.
"Ah well that would explain why he's holding the gun."
Lee looked down to Duck and realized he was still holding the handgun.
"Give it here." Lee told him.
Duck handed it to him and Lee put it in the back of his pants.
"I'm going to go and check to see if those shots brought us any unwanted guest." Said Christa as she headed outside.
Before leaving however she turned and face Lee. "I hope you know what you're doing." She said.
Lee looked down at the children.
"So do I."
"We're those gunshots?" Kenny asked.
"I think so." Replied Carley. "Christa went to check it….. out."
"Something wrong?" He asked.
"Uh nope nothing. Look there come's Christa."
"Did you hear that Ken?" Asked Kat from behind.
"Yeah, sounded like a gunshot." He replied.
"Well I think only a gunshot would be loud enough for us to hear duri… er Ken you're flies still open."
"What? Oh thanks." Kenny said as he zipped it up.
Just then Christa approached them.
"What was the gunfire all about?" He asked.
"That, oh that was your son."
"What?!" Kenny shouted.
"Yeah seemed he killed three walkers in that station back there."
"With two bullets!" Came a shout from behind Christa. Kenny looked to see his son ahead of Clementine and Lee who was carrying a petrol tank.
"You were attacked by walkers?!" Kenny shouted in rage.
"Not really" Duck replied "Lee and Clementine we're but dad you should have been there, I mean it was a dark room and they were just creeping up and it was like the movies! And I was like BANG! BANG! And then…."
Kenny wasn't listening anymore. He moved around his son and approached Lee who had made it back by now.
"Hey found a tank wit….." Was all Lee got out before Kenny's fist met his face.
Clementine gasps as Lee tumbled to the ground.
Behind him others gave similar reactions but Kenny paid them no heed.
"What gave you the right to take my son, MY SON! Into an abandoned station with the dead crawling all over."
"Dad what are you doing?!" Duck asked from behind.
"Stay out of this Duck."
"I thought he asked you for permission." Lee said though he remained on the ground since Kenny appeared willing to punch him again.
"I told him he could go." Kat said from behind.
Kenny turned around and walked up to his wife. "You put our son in danger?!"
"Dad I wasn't in danger I killed three of those things!"
"Duck get in the train!"
"But dad?"
"Do as I say!"
Kenny stared down his son until he obeyed the command.
"What we're you thinking?" Kenny asked his wife "Duck could have been killed!"
"Kenny we'll deal with this later." Said Lee from behind.
Kenny turned back around and walked toward the man who was now standing upright. "You shut up Lee! You put my boy in danger! Why I otta…."
"Kenny!" Katjaa shouted form behind. "We can talk about this later right now we have to get that tanker down."
"She's right man." Omid added. "Come on Lee I'll go up with you."
Kenny watched as the two climbed up the ladder and began to cut the tanker off with the torch.
He turned and headed for the train.
"Ken…" Kat called. However He rose his left hand to her. "Just….. not now Kat." He replied as soft as he could even though his insides burned with anger.
"What the hell!" Kenny screamed as he saw what appeared to be a massive wave of walkers headed their way.
"Guys something's coming!" Ben shouted. "We gotta get out of here now!"
"Everyone on the train now!" Shouted Kenny.
As everyone followed the order Kenny turned around and face the two men above him. "Hurry it up now!" He said.
As soon as the words left his mouth the tanker detached and came tumbling down. Taking the ladder with it.
Kenny looked up to the now stranded men.
"Kenny, Go!" Lee shouted
Kenny then looked back at the horde and knew what he had to do. He climbed up the train, entered the engineer's room and pushed the throttle as far as it would go.
"Now what?" asked Omid.
Lee wasn't sure what to do. The tank had toppled over and gasoline began to spill out.
"Hope to God this works." He said as he kicked the petrol tank and torch on the ground below. It didn't explode but still caught on fire as the tank seemingly had much less gas than they expected. The fact that it was draining out at a snail's pace proved that it was nearly empty. It didn't help that the walkers seemed immune to the flames.
"Come on." Lee told Omid.
The two men sat atop the highway with the train just below.
"What do we do?" Omid asked.
"We jump!" Cried Lee.
"What now way man!" Came the reply.
Lee looked back at the walkers and realized he could no longer see the train behind him. That meant this was the last cart in front of them.
"You're not gonna like this." Lee told Omid.
"You son of a….!" Omid shouted as Lee pushed him off onto the moving train.
Lee then jumped off himself. He landed fine but Omid fell onto the ground and seemed to hurt his leg. Christa ran after him.
Lee entered the cart and reached his hand out, grabbing Omid.
"What? Why would… she's a woman man!" He shouted at Lee before Christa jumped on the train.
"I'm fine Omid. I'm fine."
A/N Now I know this one was really long even for me but I didn't want to start the next chapter with them still at the crash. Thank you all who made it to the end and God bless. Remember I'm still open for prayer request.
