Clementine lay there in the darkness, her wrists bound behind her back by the handcuffs, and dread settling in her stomach like a ball of lead as she stared at the bedroom door. She never got used to it, the overwhelming sense of helplessness, no matter how many times she found herself in this situation. Even now, she was terrified and panic was seeping into her body with every breath she took. Hopefully, this was the last day she would ever have to live like this.
Carefully, Clem removed a paper clip that she had attached to the back of her belt. It was difficult twisting the tip of it while her hands were tied behind her back, but slowly she managed. It took several attempts, but Clem managed to thread her crude lockpick into the cuff's keyhole. After twisting the metal in the lock to give the clip a bent angle closer to a key, Clem desperately started trying to unlock her restraints.
She couldn't see what she was doing, only guess based on how much resistance she felt when she pushed against the cuff's mechanisms. She didn't fully understand how they worked but knew enough by now that the key was incredibly simple, which meant the lock was too. She twisted the paper clip, hearing all matter of different clicks without any clue what they meant. Suddenly, there was a very loud click, and pushing against the cuff, Clem hand's was free.
Immediately she swung her hand around, looking at the cuffs dangling from her right wrist. She put the paper clip in other hand and then quickly picked the other lock. The cuffs fell onto the bed and Clem should have felt a little safer, but she didn't. Freeing herself just now only made her think about the next time she'd be a prisoner. Growing weary of the darkness, Clem hurried over to the window. She pulled the curtains open and let the morning light in.
Sarah didn't approve of Clem's attempts to learn how to pick handcuffs, primarily because Clem insisted on learning how to do it while they were still on her. Her last attempt had gone poorly, resulting in Clem panicking and having to call Sarah while holding a radio behind her back. Sarah was so upset when Clem admitted she put the cuffs on herself that she threatened to throw them into the dump.
And Clem could tell Sarah meant it too. She felt guilty for worrying her, but Clem reasoned she needed the practice. Learning how to pick handcuffs didn't do her much good if she couldn't do while in handcuffs herself. So, she pretended to sleep in this morning until Sarah left with Omid, then practiced. Clem was only glad she had gotten them off before Sarah came back and caught her in the act.
Looking out the Brave's back window, Clem saw it was already late in the morning now, something she already suspected from the rising heat. Even as far north as they had gone they hadn't escaped the summer. If it were up to Sarah they'd just live in the bunker where it was cooler, whereas Clem wanted to leave this place behind already. The compromise was sleeping in the Brave at night and staying in the bunker during the days, although Clem would put off her visits as long as possible.
After hiding the handcuffs and putting the paperclip back on her belt, Clem fell into a familiar routine. First she headed to the closet for a late breakfast. Seeing it fully stocked again should have been a relief, but eating stale beans from a can just reminded her that meals usually weren't worth looking forward to anymore. It was just another chore now, and most of the food they had was so flavorless it wasn't even worth the extra time to heat it up first.
After breakfast, Clem went to the bathroom and wasted time fiddling with the knobs to try and get water to come out of the sink. It had rained last night so the Brave had water, it just wouldn't come out. This wasn't a new problem, Sarah had already tried fixing the plumbing two nights ago and had no success. At this point, Clem was just dreading that the toilet would break next, not least of which it'd be the excuse Sarah would need for fully moving them into the bunker.
After having to wash her hands with water they bottled themselves, Clem checked her weapons, a now permanent fixture of her morning routine. She started with strapping her pistol and knife to her hip. Their rifle and revolver were in the bunker with Sarah, leaving the Brave with the ankle pistol and Beth's machine gun. They were all locked and loaded, and Clem had taken plenty of time to acquaint herself with her new weapon, if just because it made her feel a little safer.
After collecting her radio, Clem headed outside and was immediately greeted by the sweltering mid-morning sun; immediately she wanted to go back to bed. Before doing anything else, Clem moved to the compartment nearest the Brave's door. Inside was an ammo box, and in it two grenades; their only grenades. She often stopped to hold them, familiarize herself with their weight and memorize where their pins were, just in case.
After that, Clem walked over to a pair of water barrels attached to a gutter running along the edge of the bunker; rainwater collectors Beth's people had built. They were every bit as crudely constructed as the flagpole, being little more than hoses taped to gutters. And the pitiful fire pits were little more than cinder blocks arranged in circles were likewise what Clem had come to expect from people tossing their trash off a cliff.
Dipping a bucket into one of the barrels, Clem groaned as she hoisted the water out. There was no spigot on the bottom so her only option was scooping water into the nearby pots a bucket at a time. As she sat there, building a fire from cut up boxes and scrap wood she collected yesterday, Clem found her thoughts turning to Sin. She missed his ingenuity and pondered what he could have built had he been here; she also just missed him.
As tedious as boiling water was, Clem found herself quietly thankful for having a stable routine again. She wasn't happy, but after everything that had happened, Clem had conceded the best she could hope for was a boring but safe existence. There were still moments with Omid that made her smile, and occasionally with Sarah when they weren't arguing about their survival, but beyond that, Clem was merely content to not be dead or a prisoner.
After the water started boiling, Clem moved over to the edge of the drop-off. She hadn't seen Sarah move their bodies, but Clem knew Beth and Amelia were down there, rotting amongst their own waste. Clem thought of them often, especially when she emptied the Brave's garbage by tossing it into the pit. The image of their bodies being buried in trash was one that brought much comfort to Clem's mind.
After filling a couple of jugs with water, Clem stashed one away inside the Brave and left the other by the bunker's doors. Clem wanted to keep as much of their equipment in the Brave as they could so they'd be ready to leave at a moment's notice, whereas Sarah wanted to keep everything in the bunker, arguing they'd be safer locking themselves inside should trouble find them. Splitting the difference was another compromise between the pair.
Clem only filled two more jugs before she found herself sweating even in the shade. As much as she tried to deny it, the bunker was a lot more pleasant to stay in on a hot day than an old RV without air-conditioning. She dropped off another jug of water in the Brave, then grabbed a lantern. Wiping the sweat from her face and taking a breath, Clem grabbed her radio and held the talk button.
"Sarah?" said Clem.
"Yeah?" she answered.
"I'm coming in."
"Okay, I'll unlock the door for you."
Picking up the two jugs of boiled water, Clem found herself trembling as she looked up at those huge metal doors. She never got used to this, it always felt like walking into a dungeon to her. The second she crossed those massive doors she was plunged into darkness, and then she had to keep marching deeper into it, until there was no light but the one clipped to her waistband, and no sound beyond her own footsteps. She was always afraid she'd get lost in that void and not be able to find her way out again.
Finally she saw the door, which she shoved open in a hurry. Inside she found a familiar but unsettling dark living room. She rushed into the kitchen and stashed the jugs in the refrigerator. Only after that did Clem notice the lights weren't even on, and immediately after that did she discover there were no signs of Sarah or Omid. Clem's knees shook as panic struck her like a bolt of lightning.
"Sarah!" called out Clem in desperation.
"I'm changing Omid!" she heard Sarah's voice echo from down the hall. "Can you turn on the lights for me?"
"Sure!
Clem breathed a sigh of relief and headed over to the corner across from the kitchen. The lights were a simple string of tiny globes wired to a small pack filled with three batteries. Flipping the switch, Clem felt a tinge of relief wash over her as some of the darkness was chased away, but looking up at the ceiling she saw something else hanging amongst the lights, sheets of paper that spelled out a message in big colorful letters.
HAPPY BDAY CLEM
"Happy birthday." Clem looked down to find Sarah and Omid standing in front of her. Sarah smiled, leaned in and wrapped an arm around Clem while Omid walked up and hugged Clem's leg.
"I didn't even realize it was my birthday," Clem found herself saddened by her own words.
"I might be off by a day or two, I kinda lost track of time for a while after… the farm. But it's definitely close enough to August twenty-ninth to say you're eleven years old now."
"I can't believe it's been a whole year since we left Spokeston."
"I know, it feels more like ten."
"Or it's been over two years since things changed."
"Feels like a hundred."
"I never thought I'd be here in two years," whispered Clem as she hugged Sarah in return. "In Wyoming, in some creepy old bunker."
"Where did you think you'd be?"
Clem lowered her head. "Home with my parents…" she admitted. "Back then, I still thought this was just something that would get fixed and things would go back to normal."
"Yeah, me too," admitted Sarah with a sigh. "Still, today is your birthday, so whatever you want to do you just name it and we'll do it."
Clem thought to herself for a moment, but her mind was blank. She looked up at an eager Sarah and shrugged. "I can't think of anything."
"Nothing?"
"Not really," admitted Clem. "I guess… maybe you could go fishing today?" Clem looked down at Omid, who was still clutching her leg and had a goofy grin on his face. "That way I could spend some extra time with Omid. Plus, I've been getting kind of tired pedaling out to the creek every day."
"Oh…" Sarah seemed surprised by that. "Okay."
"I mean, I can do it—"
"No, I don't mind," insisted Sarah with a smile. "But first, I've got a treat for you." Sarah pulled a foil package out from jacket.
"What is this stuff?" asked Clem as she took it. "Freeze-dried apples?"
"Yeah, I thought it might be nice to have fruit from something other than a can again."
"Where did you get this?" asked a perplexed Clem. "I don't remember these when you filled up the Brave's closet."
"I made sure to leave them in here, so it'd be a surprise for your birthday."
"You should put these in the Brave," insisted Clem. "In case we have to leave or—"
"After your birthday Clem," insisted Sarah. "There's not even many of them left, so go on, try it."
Clem looked at the bag. It was a simple foil package, much like the freeze-dried ice cream, but with a picture of an apple on the label.
"Do these even taste like fruit anymore?" asked a skeptical Clem.
"I don't know," said Sarah as Clem opened the bag. "I was waiting for your birthday to try them."
Clem pulled out a thin, dry chip that only vaguely resembled a stiff apple slice. She could only stare at it in disappointment.
"Try it," urged a desperate Sarah. "Maybe it's better than it looks."
Clem shrugged and popped the chip in her mouth. It had the texture of a dry sponge, and even seemed to be sucking up her saliva like one too, but it didn't taste like one.
"It's.." Clem kept chewing, the morsel becoming soft and flavorful now. "It's… it's actually good!"
"I know!" said Sarah as she took a chip out of the bag. "It actually tastes like apple!"
"Yeah," said Clem as she immediately took another chip out of the bag. "I mean, it's not exactly the same, but—"
"It's close enough!" announced an excited Sarah as she finished eating. "Because it's really an apple, just freeze-dried."
"Yeah, it's…" Clem blinked. "Wait, you said you never tried—"
"I lied," admitted Sarah with a smirk. "I tried it two days ago. I wanted to make sure they actually tasted good before I gave you some on your birthday."
Clem smiled at Sarah. "Even when you lie it's to be nice."
"I let Omid try some too."
Clem then noticed Omid reaching up in desperation at the bag Clem was holding. "You want some apple Omid?" Holding out an apple chip was immediately met with a big grin from Omid. "Of course you do," said Clem as she handed the treat to Omid, who happily chomped on it.
"These I haven't tried though." Clem turned back to see Sarah holding two more bags; freeze-dried strawberries and oranges. "I figured we could all try them together."
"Why are you like always this?" asked Clem.
"Like what?" asked Sarah.
"Wonderful." Clem smiled at Sarah, who smiled back at her. The pair cracked open the other two bags and sat down on the couch with Omid. The freeze-dried strawberries couldn't compare to the fresh ones she had eaten at Shaffer's, nor were the oranges anywhere as good as Valkaria's. But even the faded hints of those savory flavors was a case for celebration, and Clem couldn't stop herself from smiling for this small miracle.
As much as she enjoyed the dehydrated fruit, Omid liked it much more, and Clem could never resist giving him more to eat. His smile alone would have been worth it, but seeing him eagerly stretch out his little hands to ask for another tickled her. They never really had any candy for him, none of it stayed fresh long enough for Omid to ever have tried it. Placing a little slice of orange sweetness in the palm of his hand was something Clem wish she could do every day.
When Clem asked if they had any more freeze-dried fruit, Sarah said there was only two more bags left, an extra orange and apple. She offered to go fetch them for Clem but Clem told her to save them; she wanted something to give Omid on his second birthday. Finishing her birthday treat, or more precisely, feeding it to Omid, Clem thanked Sarah for her kindness while Sarah prepared to head out to try her luck at fishing.
"You don't have to go fishing today," suggested Clem as Sarah tossed her rifle over her shoulder. "Why not just stay in and we spend all day with Omid, like we used to?"
"I'd like that, but I really think I should go," insisted Sarah as she stuffed the revolver in her sock. "A fish for dinner would be a really nice treat for your birthday."
"Having you around all day would be a nice treat." Clem watched in anticipation as Sarah looked over at her. She couldn't help feeling a little giddy as Sarah smiled at her. Clem looked down at Omid and noticed he was looking at Sarah too. "Omid would like it if you stayed."
"I know he would," said Sarah as she leaned in and hugged Clem again. "That's why you should both come with me."
Sarah let go of Clem and grabbed a lantern sitting on the counter.
"Huh?"
"I've got something to show you," said Sarah before looking over her shoulder at Omid. "Both of you." Sarah started heading for the door. "Come on, you're both gonna love it."
Clem picked up Omid and followed after Sarah. Half-way to the surface, she found herself struggling to hold onto Omid, who was far heavier than she ever remembered him being. Reluctantly, she set him down and held his hand as she led him forward. She felt bad for making him walk, but Omid didn't seem to mind. He followed Clem without issue, clutching her hand every step the way; she had carried him for so long she hadn't even noticed how much better he had gotten at walking on his own.
"So, what are you gonna show us?" asked Clem as she followed Sarah through the opening between the blast doors. "And why couldn't you just show us inside?" she asked as she gently led Omid out of the bunker.
"Because, this isn't something you use inside." Sarah walked off past the edge of the bunker.
"Sarah, where—"
"I'll be right back," assured Sarah as she disappeared from sight.
Clem stood there in anticipation as she awaited Sarah's return. Looking down at Omid, he looked a little confused but not scared. He usually wasn't out in the open like this, either staying with Clem in the RV or Sarah in the bunker. He hadn't expressed much interest in going outside anymore, but now that he was, he was looking up at the sky. His eyes no longer contained that awe-struck wonderment they once had, but there was an inkling of curiosity.
She felt Omid tugging on her hand as he inched closer to Brave and Clem walked with him. He studied the vehicle with great interest, looking it up and down before moving a few steps to repeat the process. The tires in particular seemed to interest him as he'd always take extra long to examine them. Eventually, Omid moved around to the back of the Brave and found himself staring at the bike.
"You like the bike?" asked Clem as Omid reluctantly moved out to touch its tires. "Maybe when you're older I'll teach you how to ride it."
"Or he could ride in a bike today!"
Clem spun around to see Sarah rushing towards her while rolling a different bike along just in front of her.
"What is that?" asked Clem as she looked on in disbelief.
"It's your new bike."
"My bike?"
"I've been working on it for over a week," said Sarah. "I was really worried you'd notice."
"I had no idea." Clem inched closer to the shiny bicycle. It looked nearly pristine, glimmering in the mid-day sun. The bright red paint practically begged Clem to get on while the handlebars ribbons dared her to grab them. And mounted on the front of it was a single large basket with Clem's name written in paint. "Where… where did you get this?"
"I found it in the garbage pit a few weeks ago," said Sarah. "It didn't look like this back then though. I had to clean it up and smooth out some dents. Then I used spray-paint to make it red. The ribbons were something I dug out of a closet in the bunker. Then I had to put air in the tires. Then—"
"This is amazing," said Clem as she placed her hands on the bike. "You did all this just so I could have a new bike?"
"Actually, I did it so we would have two bikes."
"Right, that makes sense," realized Clem. "In case we ever both need a bike. And the Brave's bike rack still has room for two if we have to—"
"I did it so we can ride together," announced Sarah. "We never really got a chance to do that before… you know." Clem looked at Sarah and could tell she trying to hide her disappointment. "I thought it would be nice to do something fun on your birthday… something you didn't expect."
"This is really amazing Sarah," professed Clem before turning away. "But we can't just go riding and leave Omid behind."
"We won't have to."
"What?"
"He's going to come with us." Sarah removed a small bicycle helmet from the basket and then walked up to Omid. "Isn't that right?" Sarah knelt down and placed the helmet on Omid, who had little reaction to this. "Found this in the bunker. I had him try it on when you were not around, so he'd be used to it by the time it was your birthday."
"What else were you doing when I wasn't around?"
"Just stuff to make your birthday better." Sarah picked Omid up and carried him over to the bike. She gently set him in the basket, which only now did Clem notice had a pair of holes cut in the front that Omid's legs could poke through. Moving in closer, Clem could see the basket was lined with a blanket and a little pillow; padding for Omid.
"You ready Omid?" Clem watched as Sarah actually wrapped a seat belt around Omid and clicked it into place.
"Where the hell did that come from?"
"I cut it out of one of the cars in the garbage pit," said Sarah as she secured Omid in place. "Took me forever to attach the belts to the rest of the bike."
"I… I can't believe you did all this," spoke an astonished Clem.
"I'd do anything for you Clem," said Sarah, suddenly sounding very serious. "You and Omid are everything to me, and seeing you both be happy is all I want. I thought it'd be nice for us to all go for a ride together."
Clem walked over to the bike and looked at Omid. He was strapped into the basket while wearing a helmet that was a little too big for him. He still looked confused, but not scared; Clem felt less confident however.
"Is this safe?" asked Clem.
"He's got a helmet," insisted Sarah. "And a seat belt."
"But are you sure this will hold him in place?" asked Clem as she tugged on the belt.
"I wrapped them around the bike's frame, sewed them in a loop, and then pulled on them as hard as I could," explained Sarah. "They never came loose, and I even wrapped them in tape afterwards to be extra safe."
"But what about if the bike falls over?" asked Clem. "He could still get hurt. And… where are we going to take him?"
"Anywhere," shrugged Sarah. "We're out in the middle of nowhere, so it should be safe."
"It's never safe anymore," stated Clem.
"That's true of staying right here," argued Sarah. "I… I thought you'd like this," said Sarah, her voice suddenly strained, like she was trying not to cry. "I… I just wanted you to be happy Clem."
Clem felt her heart-breaking as she saw Sarah stare down at her feet in disappointment. "I'm… I'm sorry Sarah," said Clem. "I—"
"No, I'm sorry," said Sarah as she walked over and placed a hand on Clem's shoulder. "It's your birthday and you should get to do what you want. And if you don't feel safe doing this we shouldn't do it." Sarah sighed and turned to Omid. She looked at him, then reached for the seat belt. "Let's get you out of there."
"Wait," said Clem as she grabbed Sarah's hand. "Omid," whispered Clem as she leaned in close. "Do you want to go for a ride?" Omid looked at Clem, still curious but unsure. "Do you want to have fun? You like to have fun right?" Clem noticed Omid recognized the word fun; each time she said he started to smile a little bit more. "Let's have a little fun today," whispered Clem before looking up at Sarah. "Just riding a little in front of the bunker should be mostly safe, right?"
"Definitely," said Sarah with a big smile as Clem mounted the bike. "I made sure that basket was sturdy by filling it with as many cans as I could, it didn't even budge."
"And I'll go real slow." Clem placed her foot on the pedal, then leaned in to whisper in Omid's ear. "You ready?" Omid looked over his shoulder at Clem. "Hold on." Clem pushed down on the pedal. The bike rolled ahead and Omid started squealing, prompting Clem to come to an immediate stop.
"It's okay!" insisted Clem.
"I'm sorry!" announced Sarah as she rushed over to Omid. "It's okay, it's…" Sarah stopped suddenly.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing… he's smiling." Clem leaned in and Omid turned his head, she hadn't seen him that happy in ages. His eyes were wide-open with delight, he could barely contain his giggling, and Clem had never seen him smile like that before. That big bright grin filled with tiny little teeth. Clem didn't even know Omid had that many teeth to smile with, she was always used to seeing him with half-toothless grins; it made her heart skip a beat.
"Did… did you like that?" Omid didn't say anything, but he opened his mouth into an even bigger smile, which Clem took as a yes. "Okay, then let's do it again!" Clem slammed down on the pedal and Omid squealed in joy as they shot forward. She wasn't even going that fast and he couldn't stop laughing out loud. She had never heard him laugh this hard before. She almost didn't want to stop pedaling before she saw Sarah staring at them, and overjoyed look on her face.
"He likes it!" squealed Sarah.
"I like it!" said Clem while Omid shrieked in delight. "And I like that he likes it!"
"Maybe someday, we can all ride out somewhere nice together."
"Someday?" repeated Clem. "Fuck it, let's ride up to creek right now."
Sarah hopped on their old bike and the pair took off to the north on a small dirt road, leaving their concerns behind in the dust. In the week after their arrival at the bunker, Sarah had discovered a small creek near an abandoned farm just a mile to the north. It wasn't much bigger than the creek that Clem remembered from her time living in the cabin, and it wasn't much better for catching fish either.
Clem usually made this trip alone once a day in the vain hope of catching something to eat. It was a short but lonely journey tinged with small bouts of anxiety anytime she thought she saw something. But today, Sarah was riding alongside her, while Omid was yelling in excitement right in front of her. Far from the ruins of civilization, far from the bunker or their RV, Clem almost felt like a kid again, celebrating her birthday by tearing across the countryside on her new bike with the people she loved most.
Before long, Clem spotted a thin line of trees dotted along a grassy patch ahead. The creek was just ahead and suddenly Clem became nervous as she realized Omid was still squealing out loud in an open area. There had been no signs of anyone here in the last month, dead or undead, but Clem couldn't shake the feeling today would be different. Almost immediately her joy turned to terror as she found herself staring at Sarah as they both skidded to a sudden stop.
Without so much as even a nod, Sarah immediately biked ahead past the short bridge running over the creek while Clem surveyed the area for immediate threats. Omid was laughing the entire time, and for once Clem wasn't happy to hear that. She leaned forward and unbelted Omid, carefully removing him from the basket before stepping off the bike. He was laughing so hard he was practically shaking in Clem's hands.
"Shh, come on now, let's settle down?" pleaded Clem, forcing a smile onto her face despite her nerves. "I know, it's a lot of fun to ride a bike, and if it wasn't the end of the world we could do it all the time." Clem set Omid on the grass. "We could do a lot of things together if it wasn't the end of the world."
Settling on the grass, Clem divided her attention between watching Omid laugh and looking around for anything that could hear him. She regretted so hastily bringing him out into the middle of nowhere. She looked at the bridge for any signs of Sarah and could only see the various abandoned structures just past the creek. She had checked those buildings herself multiple times and never found any signs of visitors, yet she was still uneasy.
She was ready to put Omid back in the bike and head home, but looking at him she found herself stunned. Omid was running his fingers across the short grass, grinning from ear to ear. All the fear and confusion she had grown accustomed to seeing on his face was gone and now there was only bliss. Unable to disrupt something so beautiful, Clem just sat there with him on the grass, gently stroking his back until they saw Sarah riding back.
"You see anything?" asked Clem as Sarah skidded to a stop.
"No, it looks as empty as always," said Sarah. "You want to go back or…" Sarah looked down at Omid, her face gripped by a silent awe.
"I know, right," said Clem as she ran her fingers through Omid's hair as he pulled at the grass. "It's almost like that time we took him to the park."
"It's like how he was before," professed Sarah. "When he was happy, and wasn't afraid of the world, and he would talk to us all the time."
A thought entered Clem's mind. "Omid." Omid looked up at her. "I love you Omid. You remember love you? Love. You." Omid smiled at Clem in response, but he didn't speak. Clem was disappointed, but only briefly as she couldn't look at Omid right now and not feel happy.
"We love you too," assured Sarah as she knelt down. "You want to go see the creek? Yeah?" Again, Omid didn't say anything, but the eager look in his eyes was a definite yes. "Come on, let's go for a walk." Sarah held one of Omid's hands while Clem held the other. Together, the trio walked over towards the creek, hand in hand. Reaching the bridge, Omid stopped to experiment with the sounds his feet could make on a wooden surface.
While he did that, Clem moved over to a small tarp weighed down by rocks. She pulled it back and retrieved her rod and tackle box from underneath. Clem had gotten sick of carrying her fishing gear up here every day and elected to leave them in the only place she ever went fishing anymore. The tarp protected the equipment from the weather and if they ever went missing then Clem would know someone had been in the area.
But they were right where they always were and Clem's hands practically moved on their own as she cocked the rod back and tossed out her line. Looking down at the water, the creek was a little bigger today, likely because it rained yesterday. The air was cooler here and the trees provided some much-needed shade. Hanging her legs off the bridge and staring at the shallow stream, Clem settled in for a long wait. Or she would, but that's when she looked over and saw Omid sitting down next to her with Sarah.
"You want to try fishing Omid?" Omid looked at Clem. "Come here, I'll let you try." With a bit of urging from Sarah, Omid stood up and walked over to Clementine. She guided him into her lap, then maneuvered the rod so the bottom of it was right in front of him. "Go ahead, take it, it won't hurt you." Clem held up the rod in front of Omid's face to show him how she was gripping it, then moved it back down. She held the bottom of the rod in front of him, and slowly he placed his hands on it, grinning in delight.
"I should have brought the camera," said Sarah, barely able to contain her glee.
"It's okay, I won't forget this anytime soon," said Clem as Omid gripped the fishing rod. "It's funny, I went fishing with Omid's father the morning before I met you. The morning before he… died." Clem took a deep breath. "Now I'm here, fishing, with his son." Clem looked over and locked eyes with Sarah. "And you." Clem took a hand off the reel and reached out to Sarah, who grasped her hand in return.
"Meeting you is one of the few good things to happen to me since things changed," professed Sarah.
"You're one of the only good things that I still have left," professed Clem as she looked down at Omid. "You and him."
"We love you Clem," promised Sarah.
"I know you do," said Clem with a sigh. "I just wish you weren't the only ones."
"I know…" said Sarah as she lowered her head. "If only we didn't lose the farm."
Clem sighed as she looked down at Omid. He kept trying to move the rod as much as he could while Clem kept a hand on it, just fiddling with it, not a care in the world; she envied him. Looking down at the creek, Clem noticed her rod's floater was just sitting there in the same place it had been since she cast. On a good day, she'd catch a single small fish; there had many more bad days than good ones fishing here.
"I was thinking," said Sarah. "We might be able to start a new farm here."
"Huh?"
"A new farm. I mean, this was clearly one before things got bad," said Sarah as she gestured towards the abandoned farmhouse and surrounding buildings just off in the distance. "There's enough room, the creek is small but it gives us water, and we're out in the middle of nowhere."
"But, how will we run a farm just the two of us?"
"We couldn't, not one as big as Ceres Acres," lamented Sarah. "But… I've been thinking that, with the occasional fish from the creek, the two of us might be able to make a garden big enough to feed us and Omid. It's too late in the season to start now, but after the winter, we could try it."
"What would we grow?"
"I… I don't know, we'd have to find more seeds, and hope at least some of them are still good, and we'd need new tools." Sarah took a breath. "And I'd have to figure out something for irrigation. And the actual farmhouse needs work. When I checked it out I noticed it's got holes in its roof and the windows are broken, and it's a mess inside…"
"Is that all?" mumbled a sarcastic Clem.
"It could work," declared Sarah. "We've got enough food to last in the bunker for now, so that gives us several months to figure this stuff out. And if we did, then we wouldn't have to worry about going hungry anymore." Looking at Sarah, Clem wanted to believe her, but the determination on her face was betrayed by the doubt hiding in her eyes.
"You really think we could grow enough food, just the two of us?" asked Clem.
"I'm not saying it'll be easy, and I don't have a great plan how to do it, but if we start working on it now and if I… if I'm okay." A choked sob escaped Sarah's lip as she swallowed her sadness. "I think it's possible. The garden we grew in Spokeston did work, we just didn't grow nearly enough and I didn't know how to protect what we did have. I know a lot more about growing plants now than I did then, and I'll have all winter to learn more."
"But still, just the two of us?" repeated Clem. "And what if we don't find any seeds, or they're not good, or—"
"I don't know!" Sarah's outburst startled Clem, and Omid as well. He was staring at Sarah now, his smile quickly fading away. "It's okay, everything's fine," assured Sarah as she forced herself to smile. "You don't need to worry about me. I'm fine."
Sarah's reassurance was enough to calm Omid, but not Clem. She'd seen Sarah like this before, overwhelmed by stress from trying to work out everything on her own, all the while hiding it so as not to worry Clem. But Clem was worried. "I'm sorry," professed Clem suddenly, overwhelmed by guilt as she realized how upsetting her words must have been just now.
"No I'm sorry," said Sarah as she squeezed Clem's hand. "I shouldn't have said anything… today's your birthday."
"It's okay," assured Clem. "It's just another day really."
"It probably won't work though," admitted Sarah as she shook her head. "We had five other people back in Oklahoma, and that wasn't enough. Now it's just you and me again." Watching Sarah, seeing her forced optimism disappear and a look of quiet despair gripping her face now, Clem felt a little like crying. Sarah always did so much for Clem, and Clem just wanted to do something—anything for Sarah right now.
"You mind taking over fishing for a while?" asked Clem.
"Sure," said Sarah as Clem passed her the rod.
"And do you think you'll be okay watching Omid for a bit?"
"Why?"
"I think I want to head back home and rest for a bit," said Clem. "If that's okay with you?"
"You're not mad at me are you?" asked Sarah. "I'm sorry and—"
"I'm not mad," assured Clem. "I just… really need a little time to myself."
"Sure Clem, like I said, it's your birthday," repeated Sarah with a forced smile. "Whatever you want, you just tell me."
"Once you get back, I'll want to spend the rest of the day with you and Omid." This seemed to cheer Sarah up a little. "I'm gonna go away for a little bit, okay?" Clem told Omid as she helped him to his feet. "You gonna be good for Sarah?" Clem was surprised to see Omid's smile fade upon hearing that; she honestly wasn't expecting him to understand her that well. "I'll be back," said Clem with a smile. "And…" Clem leaned in close. "Maybe I'll bring an old friend back too," whispered Clem. "Wouldn't you like that?" Omid smiled. "Yeah, so would I."
Clem bid Omid and Sarah goodbye, then mounted the old black bicycle, leaving her own birthday gift behind so Sarah could bring Omid back later. Biking back the way she came, it wasn't long until she reached the bunker, which Clem rode right past. She didn't like lying to Sarah for any reason, but she reasoned it would be worth it if Clem could surprise her with something nice, just like Sarah had done for her.
After they claimed the bunker, Sarah spent several days using the Brave to track down all of Beth's signs and paint over them. After she was sure she'd gotten all of them, she had left their code on the signs for the others to find. Clem had made this trip several times before, these same eight miles of empty countryside all on the off-chance one of them survived, only to find nothing each time.
But now, sweating profusely in the afternoon sun, legs throbbing and lungs aching for air, Clem told herself, 'Today will be different'. It had to be, for Sarah's sake, for Clem's own. Devlin wouldn't give up on them, and if Patty and Jet were still alive they wouldn't either. They had left their mark on the signs all across Interstate Eighty, and now they all pointed to the overpass Clem could see just ahead.
She skidded to a sudden stop. Despite erasing Beth's messages and their's being coded, Clem was always fearful someone else would still find them. A slow and thorough scan of the area revealed no signs of recent visitors. Clem summoned all her nerve and rode up to the overpass. Again, there were no immediate signs that anyone had been here since the last time she checked it.
Clem looked down at the message sprawled out across the asphalt. At first glance, it was just the word 'CERES' written on the pavement in red over a large patch of yellow paint. The first 'E' had been circled to tell the others to go west. At first glance, this was the whole message. But, written in tiny letters near the edge of the road, were two more words; Clementine and Sarah.
Clem had remembered the wall in Walter and Matthew's lodge, where they encouraged everyone they met to leave their names as a message to anyone else looking for them. Clem and Sarah didn't want to entertain visitors, but it dawned on them the others may have forgotten the code. So, they left their names on the signs, something only their friends would recognize. And they left a single can of spray paint on the overpass, so if they found this place they could leave a message; there was nothing.
Disappointed, Clem turned her gaze southward. Cheyenne was about twenty miles from here, and it was a hot day that was only getting hotter. but right now she didn't care. Clem got back on her bike and started pedaling. It was a brutal ride in the open sun, and Clem found herself cursing herself for throwing away her hat all over again. It was one more thing she wished she still had.
Huffing and puffing, Clem looked with suspicion out over the abandoned ruins of Cheyenne. Her few expeditions into this place had confirmed it to be a ghost town, devoid of most anything useful and populated by only a few long fully dead walkers. Even the Air Force base Beth mentioned was vacant now, meaning either her people later cleared it out or she had been lying about it.
Either way it didn't matter, Cheyenne itself wasn't why Clem had made this long trip. Interstate Eighty ran right in front of town, and even if the others had forgotten the code it's possible they still remembered the other part of the plan. Clem and Sarah had left their names on the road signs near town too, just in case they didn't recognize the meaning of the word 'Ceres' but did remember to travel on the Eighty. They'd even left spray cans by those signs as well; there were no messages to find.
Checking each and every sign near the four-way on the interstate revealed the same thing, signs with the word 'CERES' on it, a single letter circled to indicate which direction they needed to go, and at the bottom in small letters were Clem and Sarah's names. And that was it, Clem checked both sides of the signs on both sides on the overpass, then rode down the ramp to check the ones by the road itself. Each and every one was exactly the same as when they painted them a month ago.
Clem stood there, utterly heartbroken as she gazed off towards the east, as if she expected her friends would be walking into view any second. Despite what had happened, Clem had kept nursing hope that, for once, at least one person she lost would come back to her. How was it possible that so many horrible fates befell everyone she knew, but never once did the opposite happen? That someone she thought lost beat the odds and returned to her?
Standing there, out in the open, Clem found herself growing nervous. She took one last long look at the interstate, gazing deep into that horizon, and saw nothing, then started pedaling back north. The unrelenting sun sapped away what little remaining strength she had while the air was so thick she could barely breathe. Looking around, surrounded by vacant emptiness on all sides, foreboding thoughts began to invade her already troubled mind.
Was this all they had left to look forward to? An empty world that had nearly winded down like an old watch just a few ticks away from stopping for good? It made Clem not want to go on. She was another year older, and all she could think about it is how much longer could she possibly last. How much more suffering would she have to endure, and for what? The questions weighed so heavy on her mind she couldn't even keep the bike upright anymore, and let it and herself collapse onto the ground.
"Clem!" she heard Sarah exclaim. "Oh my God, are you okay?"
Sitting up, Clem discovered she was lying right in front of the bunker and Sarah was rushing up to meet her; she didn't even realize she had made it home until now. "Talk to me!"
"I'm okay," mumbled a woozy Clem as she picked herself up off the concrete, dizzy from the mid-day heat.
"You don't look okay," insisted Sarah as she helped Clem to her feet. "Come on, let's get you out of the heat." Sarah took Clem by the arm and led her towards the Brave. She opened the door and Clem sat down on the steps inside, grateful to be in the shade again.
"I was just about to call you," said Sarah as she maneuvered past Clem. "I came back from the creek and I couldn't find you. What happened?"
"Nothing," mumbled Clem as she rubbed her head.
"It doesn't look like nothing." Sarah knelt down and handed Clem a bottle of water, which she eagerly took a long swig from. "You might have heat stroke," insisted Sarah as she placed a damp cloth on Clem's forehead. "You should—"
"I'm okay," croaked Clem as she pulled the rag away from her face. "It… it was just a long trip back from Cheyenne, that's all."
"Cheyenne?" repeated a concerned Sarah. "You went into town, alone?"
"Yeah…"
"I thought you were just coming back here," said Sarah. "Why would you go to Cheyenne?"
"I… I was hoping I'd find something from the others," admitted Clem. "And there was nothing at the overpass, so I went all the way back to the interstate."
"Oh…"
"I know it was stupid, but…"
"Oh Clem."
"I just wanted to see one of their names again," continued Clem. "I remember Byron asking us if we ever heard of a woman named Alice, and how surprised he was when we said we saw that name on Walter and Matthew's wall. Why can't something like that finally happen for us?"
"I don't know," said Sarah as she stroked Clem's back. "I would have checked for you though. You didn't have to do that."
"I was hoping I'd find something, and I could surprise you for once," admitted Clem.
"You don't have to do that for me."
"It's not just that." Clem turned and looked at the height chart running alongside the Brave's door. Patty, Jet, Sin and Devlin's marks were practically taunting her. "I still miss them."
Sarah looked at the height chart and sighed. "I miss them too."
"I really thought it would be different this time," continued Clem. "I've lost people before, so many people… but before we were always scared, always trying to figure things out, just trying to stay alive. By the time we got to the farm, it felt like we all knew what we were doing, and we had a real plan, and were ready… and it still went wrong."
"I know Clem, I know," said Sarah, her voiced strained as she tried not to cry.
"What's the point in even trying?" mumbled Clem. "It never works out."
"Don't say that!" snapped Sarah in a harsh tone.
"I… I'm sorry," stuttered Clem. "I—"
"No I'm sorry," insisted Sarah. "I shouldn't have yelled, I—"
"It's okay," insisted Clem as she grabbed Sarah's hand. "It's just… hard."
"Yeah, it is." Sarah squeezed Clem's hand and the pair sat in silence for a moment.
"Did you catch any fish?" Sarah only sighed in response. "It's okay."
"I would have stayed longer, but Omid started getting cranky," explained Sarah. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay," shrugged Clem. "You can't make a fish bite your line."
"No, but I can…" Sarah trailed off. "You know, I can measure you. You've must have grown a lot in a year."
"It hasn't been that long," reminded Clem as she stood up. "You measured me back on your birthday."
"Yeah, but I'm pretty sure you've gotten taller since then."
"I doubt it," said Clem.
"I don't." Sarah stood up. "And there's an easy way to find out." Clem watched as Sarah hurried over to the closet and came back holding a baggie full of markers.
"Sarah…"
"Come on, humor me."
Clem shrugged, then pushed her back against the edge of the door and waited patiently as Sarah traced a line above her head.
"Ha, I knew it." Clem spun around and looked at the markings. "You're at least half an inch taller." Looking herself, Clem couldn't deny her latest mark was noticeably higher than the last two. "I bet it's just the beginning of a growth spurt."
"I doubt it."
"You just doubted me when I said you had grown," reminded Sarah, sounding a bit smug as she wrote the date over Clem's latest mark. "Maybe you should listen to me when it comes to how tall you are."
"Yeah, maybe," said Clem, unable to hide a slight smile.
"Oh, we gotta do Omid next. I'll go get him." Sarah hurried to the bedroom while Clem examined the four red marks running up the side of the door. They weren't that far from each other, but altogether they represented a year of her life. Looking at the lowest one, Clem found it hard to believe she was a couple of inches shorter just last August.
Looking at the marks left by the others, Clem noticed the mark second from the top had its named crossed through. It was unreadable now because of the black marker scrawled over it, but Clem could tell from its place just below Devlin's mark and the hint of yellow that it had been Anthony's mark; Sarah had erased it. Clem only wondered when she had done that.
"Come on, let's see just how much bigger our big boy has gotten." Clem watched as Sarah marched Omid towards the door. "Here, Clem, you should do the honors." Sarah handed a black marker to Clem and Clem reached out to take Omid's hand.
"Come on Omid, this will just take a second." Omid moved down to the bottom step and as always it was a bit of a struggle to keep him still and standing in the same place, but not as much as Clem remembered it usually being. She gently patted Omid's hair down long enough to mark the door, then urged Omid to take a step back.
"Dammit." Clem looked over to see Sarah fiddling with their camera.
"What's wrong?"
"The camera," said Sarah with a sigh. "I tried taking a picture of you and Omid just now, but it's not working."
"Maybe it needs batteries?" suggested Clem.
"It doesn't use batteries," said Sarah. "Or if it does, I don't know where they go. The only compartment on it is for film."
"Maybe it's out of film?"
"No, the counter says it has three photos left." Clem watched as Sarah held up the camera and pressed the button, only for nothing to happen. There wasn't even a clicking sound. "I… I guess it's just broken now."
"Well, it was nice while it lasted," said Clem with a shrug.
"Wish it had lasted just another day," said Sarah as she set the camera down. "Oh well. How much did Omid grow?"
"Let's see." Clem looked at Omid's mark and noticed the gap between it and his latest mark was larger than the gap between Clem's latest mark and her first one from a year ago. "Damn…"
"He's gotten at least two inches taller since my birthday," noted Sarah. "I mean, at least that much."
Clem took a step back and stood in front of Omid to measure herself compared to him. He came up to the middle of her chest now; no wonder she was struggling to carry him earlier.
"I think you were right," said Clem.
"About what?" asked Sarah.
"About him getting taller than us."
"Well he's not gonna keep growing like that forever. You grow faster when you're a baby and slow down as you get older."
"Yeah, I know that, and I still think he's gonna be taller." Clem wiped the sweat from her face. The Brave was only slightly cooler than being outside, and it was really hot out today.
"We should go into the bunker," suggested Sarah. "It's just gonna get hotter."
"Go ahead, I'm gonna stay out—"
"Clem, you just rode around in the sun all day," said Sarah. "You really could have heatstroke, and being out here would just make it worse."
Clem sighed.
"I know you don't like it in there, but me and Omid will be right next to you," assured Sarah as she put an arm around Clem. "You didn't have another nightmare last night, did you?"
"No," said Clem. "But I spent all day in the RV yesterday."
"It was raining yesterday, it wasn't too hot then." Clem looked at Sarah. "It's… your birthday, we can stay out here if you want." Clem kept staring at Sarah, who looked reluctant but willing to stay. But turning to Omid, Clem could tell he wasn't comfortable. He wasn't smiling anymore and he eyes were half-shut even though he didn't look sleepy.
"Omid, do you want to go in?" Clem watched closely as Omid fidgeted in place. He didn't seem to notice Clem's question, but after a few seconds he turned his head and looked outside at the bunker. Clem was hoping he'd turn away, but he just kept staring at it. "Okay," she conceded. "Let's get out of the heat."
"You'll like it in there Clem," assured Sarah. "You can just play with Omid for the rest of the day."
The trio walked together back to the bunker, negotiating past the slim opening in the doors and into the dark tunnel. This time, walking with Sarah, Clem's mind kept drifting back to when she was first brought here. The sound of footsteps echoing through an empty tunnel made Clem nauseous and she found herself reaching for the paperclip on her belt out of instinct. Arriving in the living room, Clem felt like she had returned to a prison.
Standing there as Sarah moved into the hall, Clem felt the anxiety washing over her. She hated this room, she hated the carpet, even with her name hanging next to them she hated the lights. She took a few steps forward and immediately her eyes fell onto the couch. Just looking at that made her heart race. She could feel her face being forced into it, the fabric rubbing against the skin, a hand reaching for her belt.
"Clem." Clem nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt Sarah's hand gripping her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"I… I'll be okay," insisted a trembling Clem. "I'll just go lie down in the kitchen, like I usually—"
"Clem," said Sarah. "Just come with me."
"Where are we going?"
"To the bedroom."
"No, I told you—"
"It's not the same one."
"I don't care, I—"
"Clem!" Clem looked at Sarah, her eyes brimming with concern. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course, but—"
"Then, just come with me," said Sarah.
"But…"
"Just for one second, okay?" pled Sarah as she gently caresses Clem's cheek. "Trust me."
"Okay." Clem gripped Sarah's hand, then looked at Omid; he was worried about her. "I'm okay," she insisted as she took Omid's hand. "As long as you're here with me, I'm okay."
Clem walked with them down the hall, even though she didn't want to. Usually when she had to stay in the bunker she would just go to the kitchen. Sarah had dragged a mattress in there along with some other comforts. Clem found it tolerable to rest there during the days when she didn't have any chores to keep her busy. The counter served as a wall when she lied down on her mattress, blocking out the sight of the rest of the room; she wished she was there right now.
"All right, here we are." Clem felt her heart in her throat as Sarah opened one of the doors. Inside, Clem saw a spacious and fairly luxurious bedroom. On the right-hand wall was a large cabinet that was emitting a very bright light that lit up the whole room.
"What is that?" asked Clem in confusion as she approached the cabinet.
"Is it too bright? Let me get the blinds." Sarah pulled on a string running by the cabinet and much to Clem's surprise, a set of blinds slid down in front of the lanterns placed in the cabinet. With the light dimmed, Clem got a better look at the area. She saw a dresser at the end of the bed, along with a single large drawer lying on the ground that had been converted into a little bed, complete with tiny pillow. Standing there, she couldn't help finding this very familiar.
"Well?" asked Sarah. "Do you like it?"
"It's… it's our bedroom back in Spokeston," she realized. "The dresser, the bed, Omid's bed, it's all exactly in the same places as they were back then. And that cabinet, that's right where the window was. Those even look like the same blinds. Where did you get those?"
"The library has these paintings of trees with blinds in front of them, like they're supposed to look like windows," explained Sarah. "I just stole one of the blinds and brought it up here."
"Why did you do all this?"
"I thought you might feel better if I made this room look somewhere we were safe," said Sarah. "That and put in a nightlight." Sarah walked over to the cabinet. She flipped one switch and the lights in the cabinet went out, then she flipped another and something on top of the cabinet lit up. Colorful stars spiraled across the ceiling as Clem noticed Omid's toy mounted atop the cabinet. "Omid doesn't like the dark, so I just leave this on when he takes a nap in here."
"Is that a good idea?" asked Clem. "We—"
"These people had a ton of batteries," assured Sarah. "We'll run out of food long before we run out of batteries for this thing."
"Oh, okay." Clem looked at the bed, then back at Sarah. She knew Sarah wanted her to stay, but Clem still felt apprehensive.
"I know it's your birthday, but Clem, I think you'd like it more in here than in the Brave," said Sarah. "It's cooler, you'll feel safer, and—"
"Sarah…"
"And Omid likes it in here."
"He does?"
"Ever since I put in the nightlight. Look."
Clem turned her head to discover Omid climbing onto the bed, a smile on his face. She watched with great interest as he started bouncing up and down on the mattress, his smile getting bigger with each hop.
"He's jumping on the bed," said Clem, barely able to contain her delight. "When did he start doing that?"
"I taught him how last week," smiled Sarah. "I'd get on my knees and bounce with him. He can't jump very high, but…"
Omid started giggling and it was music to Clem's ears.
"Give it a try."
"Me?"
"Yeah, he loves it when I bounce with him."
Clem looked at Sarah, who just gave her a reassuring nod. Clementine climbed onto the mattress, then started walking across it on her knees towards Omid.
"You want to jump on the bed together?" Omid just stared at Clem with a gleeful look. "Okay, let's jump on the bed!"
Clem grasped Omid's hands, then made a small hop on her knees. Omid started laughing and jumped up and down on the bed, prompting Clem to started laughing herself. She found it addicting and before long all she could do was bounce on the bed and laugh along with Omid as he did the same. She didn't know how long they were doing that but Clem only stopped when she finally found herself short of breath.
"Clem, are you okay?" asked Sarah as she approached the bed.
"I'm fine," she said between a couple of chuckles. "Why?"
"You're crying."
"I am?" Clem touched the side of her face and found a wet spot near her eye. "I guess I am."
"Is something wrong?"
"No, I'm just… I'm really happy right now." Clem looked at Omid, then wrapped around her arms around him in a great big bear hug, which provoked more giggles from their little bundle of joy. Letting him go, Clem's eyes fell on Sarah next. She grabbed her in a great big hug too, which was happily returned.
"Are you having a good birthday?" whispered Sarah.
"Yeah," said Clem in disbelief. "Thank you." Clem kissed Sarah's cheek. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"I don't know what I'd do without you," echoed Sarah as she let go of Clem. "I've also got one last little surprise for you." Sarah walked over to the dresser and opened it. "When I was stocking the Brave's closet, I found this tucked away in the back." Sarah held up a travel size chess set.
"Oh my God," said Clem. "We haven't played chess in forever."
"Want to change that?"
"Yeah, I think I do."
Clem set up the board while Sarah put on some music, courtesy of their old CD player and fresh batteries provided by the bunker. The rest of the day flew by as the pair alternated between playing chess and playing with Omid during the other's turn. They talked, they laughed, they reminisced about fond memories. Sarah reminded Clem of the time in Spokeston they spent a whole day playing hide and seek with Omid after he first learned to crawl.
Moving into the evening, Sarah fetched some canned goods and a pack of freeze-dried ice cream for dinner. Clem tried to object, stating it was their second to last one, but Sarah said this was a perfect occasion for it, and they'd still have one for Omid's second birthday. The ice cream was as sweet as the first time they tried it nearly a year ago, and the only thing nagging at Clem is they couldn't get any more of it.
But thinking about Omid's next birthday made her feel a little better, as did reading to him. That was something else they hadn't done in a long time, and Omid seemed to welcome its return. Sarah and Clem read 'Green Eggs & Ham' together, each doing one character's voice, and Omid loved every second of it. Eventually, as the evening rolled into night, Omid became tired and it was a delight for Clem to tuck him into his own little bed next to their's. It really did feel like they were back in Spokeston again.
Returning to the chess game, it only now dawned on Clem they had been playing the same game all evening. It had taken them both a few turns before they found their footing, but then they launched into their traditional opening gambits. In-between playing with Omid, dancing to some of their favorite songs, and eating dinner, the match had progressed well into the endgame and now it looked like they were moving towards an inevitable stalemate.
Clem moved her king, then waited for Sarah's response.
"Sarah?"
"Yeah Clem?" yawned Sarah.
"Thanks again for all this."
"It was my pleasure. It was great to see you and Omid so happy again," said Sarah with a sweet smile. "I can do more to make the living room better though. I wanted to do more before your birthday. I know you don't like it in there and I was hoping if I redecorated it you wouldn't get scared, but I ran out of time. I almost forgot to hang up those signs even."
"It's fine Sarah," assured Clem. "You already made a great home in this one room."
"For as long as the food lasts," said Sarah as she shook her head.
"We should keep the Brave ready though," suggested Clem. "Just in case we have to leave in a hurry."
"Yeah, just like we used to do back in Spokeston," Sarah yawned again as Clem studied her options. With some clever maneuvering, she had actually whittled Sarah down to only her king. The problem was Clem didn't have much else. In fact, all she had beyond her king was a single pawn still in its starting position. If she could get it across the board it'd become a queen, but Sarah would be ready to block it with her king.
"Want to just call it a tie?" suggested Sarah. "I mean, once it's just the kings that's it. They can't get close to each other because they'd be moving into check, so there's no way they can kill each other." They couldn't, and Clem suddenly realized that was her key to victory. She took her hand off her pawn and moved her king towards Sarah's instead.
"What are you doing?" asked Sarah.
"Playing," said Clem with a smile.
"Clem, it's late, let's—"
"I can win," insisted Clem. "Really."
Sarah looked Clem in the eyes. "Okay."
Sarah moved her own king closer to Clem's. Clem couldn't move her king right next to Sarah's because it would be moving into check like Sarah said. What she could do was move a space beneath Sarah's king. Come Sarah's turn, Sarah could only move her king up or towards the sides; she chose the side. Clem's king followed until Sarah's was on the edge of the board. That's when Clem finally moved her pawn forward.
This seemed to actually catch Sarah off-guard, who moved her king a space to the side to try to get in front of it. But Clem kept shadowing Sarah's king with her own, using it to repeal the enemy king until there was enough space to safely move her pawn forward. By the time the pawn was close enough for Sarah's king to attack it, she couldn't because it was next to Clem's king, and taking the pawn would mean moving into check.
The match played out must faster now, with Sarah forced to repeat only a couple of moves while Clem alternated between using her king to push Sarah's away and moving her pawn towards the end of the board on turns it would be safe. Clem couldn't believe what she was seeing, she felt her stomach drop as her pawn finally reached the end of the board. She hastily swapped it for a queen, immediately checking Sarah's king, and on her next turn, she moved her own king, completing the trap.
"Checkmate," declared Clem as she released her king. "I… I won?"
Sarah looked at the board, moved her fingers to her king, then smiled. "You won."
"I did?"
"Yeah." Sarah knocked over her king, signaling its defeat.
"I can't believe I did it," spoke Clem, utterly mystified at her victory.
"I can," said Sarah with a warm smile as she started putting the pieces away. "You're amazing Clem, you can do anything."
Sarah's words touched Clem. She was always saying nice things to her, but something about this made her feel better than she had felt in a long time. The feeling didn't last for long though. As Sarah undressed, Clem couldn't help staring at her stomach. It was very small, but Clem could see a slight bulge. They never really discussed her pregnancy anymore, it was just some distant horrible thing they had quietly accepted as inevitable.
"It's late," yawned Sarah as she climbed under the covers. "Why don't you come to bed?"
Clem was reluctant to get undressed, still finding living in the bunker unnerving. Eventually, she worked up the courage and hastily tossed off her clothes before climbing into bed. It was comfortable, and so were the covers, and so was Sarah as Clem snuggled up close to her. Clem sat there in the near darkness for a time, watching fake stars from a small toy float across the ceiling for longer than she ever would have guessed.
"Sarah?" whispered Clem. "Are you still up?" Sarah didn't answer. "I love you," said Clem. "So much more than you know." Clem took a breath, nervous Sarah could still hear her. "I wish I could tell when you were awake, tell you how I'm in love with you, tell you how good you make me feel… I'm just always afraid of what you would say if I did."
Clem turned her head to get a better look at Sarah's face. She was so beautiful, like an angel bathed in the heavens themselves as interpreted by the small plastic toy sitting on the cabinet. Clem wanted nothing more to kiss her on the lips. She leaned in close, gently brushing some of Sarah's lush hair aside, moved her lips towards Sarah's, but didn't kiss her; it didn't feel right. Clem sighed and just rested her head on Sarah's shoulder instead.
"I'm gonna take care of you," promised Clem in a whisper. "I'm not gonna wait around and make you figure everything out for the both of us. You're always doing that, worrying about the stuff I don't think about and trying to fix it for the both of us. But, I'm gonna do it for you this time.
"I'll find bookstore out there in Cheyenne, or I'll go all the way back to Denver if I have to, and I'll find us new books on how to grow stuff, and how to build stuff, and… what to do when someone's pregnant." Clem took a breath. "One way or the other, you're gonna be okay. Christa was okay after Omid was born, and you're gonna be okay too. I'll read every book ever written about being pregnant if I have to, but you're gonna be okay.
"And I'm gonna find us some seeds, and I'll find us tools, and everything we're gonna need. I'll fix up that farmhouse, I'll get water to that field even if I have to carry it out of the creek every day, and we're gonna have ourselves a big garden, and we'll grow enough food that we can put some of it in jars to eat in the winter. That's what I'm gonna do for you Sarah, no matter how hard it is, because… I love you."
Clem turned her head to look at Sarah again, and again had to resist the urge to kiss her. "And… maybe one day, you'll tell me you love me… more than I know, and we can be in love together. If I could just have that, just that, and Omid, I think that would be all I ever need. Even if I never went anywhere again, never met anyone again, and just spent the rest of my life doing farm work, I think I'd be happy with that. If I… if we had that."
Leaning forward, Clem planted a kiss on Sarah's cheek. "Someday," muttered Clem as she shut her eyes. "Someday…"