Clementine was sitting next to Christa on a log. Christa hadn't talked since they started the fire they were sitting across from. Growing concerned over Christa, Clementine decided to start up a conversation with her.
"Christa, talk to me." Clementine said
Christa sighed then stood up, walking over to the fire and tending it.
"This'll never work." Christa sighed. "Look at this, it's pathetic. The wood's too wet to burn.
There's more smoke than flame. At this rate we'll be eating this for breakfast"
"It's okay. I can wait." Clementine said, trying to reassure Christa.
"All we do is wait, and for what?" Christa replied
"You should be doing this, not me." Christa commented. "Tending a fire so you can cook and stay warm. It's something you have to be able to do, Clementine. Otherwise..." Christa added before looking down.
"We need to find a group. People we can trust." Clementine suggested. "We've been on our own for too long."
"Trust" Christa said with disbelief . "You think you can trust someone out here? Not now. Not anymore."
Clementine looked at the ground sadly. Just then a gust of wind flew by.
"I'm freezing." Clementine complained while wrapping her arms around herself.
"You think this is bad, wait 'til we get up to Wellington, then talk to me about cold. If we make it. We still have a couple hard months ahead of us. This rain will turn to sleet, then ice, then snow. It won't be easy." Christa said
"Is it safe there?" Clementine asked.
"Safer than here because of the cold, or so they say." Christa replied "We just need to keep moving north."
Clementine didn't respond and just stared down at the ground. She thought about Omid and how he wanted to teach her how to tend to a fire. She didn't say anything though as she didn't want to upset Christa by mentioning him. Anytime Clementine mentioned Omid Christa would shut down the conversation. She thought back to Lee and how long it had been since he had died. Thinking back to him saddened Clementine as she was guilty for getting him killed.
"I miss Lee." Clementine said sadly.
"I'm sure you do." Christa replied "I'm gonna go look for more wood." Christa said as she stood up from the fire and walked away. "You just keep the fire lit."
Once Christa left Clementine stared at the weasel cooking on the campfire. She noticed how low the flames of the fire were getting. Remembering what Christa had said to her about keeping the fire lit she decided to go and check her backpack inside the log she was sitting on. Searching through her backpack she picked up a photo of Lee she kept with her. Sighing she put it back in and continued to look through her backpack. She then took out a photo of a drawing she made of Kenny's family. She thought back to Kenny and his family. She missed the time she had spent with them. Clementine decided to put the drawing back and pulled out a lighter with a pink butterfly on it.
She kneeled next to the fire and lit a piece of paper before throwing it into the fire.
"Better. But still not enough. The flames are too low." she said aloud to herself
Looking over she saw a log next to the campfire. Deciding this would be good to burn she picked it up and threw it into the fire. After she threw the log in she stood up to examine the fire and heard yelling coming from the woods. Scared and concerned for Christa's safety, she decided to go into the woods to see where the voices were coming from.
Exploring through the woods Clementine is able to make out what the voices are saying. Assuming this means she is getting closer she follows the voices to the best of her ability. After some time she discovers Christa surrounded by a gang of men.
"Where's the rest of your group!?" one of the men asked aggressively.
"I'm by myself!" Christa replied.
"Bullshit!" the man holding the spear exclaimed.
"Cut the shit, lady!" the hooded man demanded while aiming his gun at Christa.
"It's… it's just me." Christa said, trying to defuse the situation.
"Come on, guys!" One of the men exclaims as he aims his gun directly at Christa "She's not saying!"
"You expect us to believe you're out here all alone?!" the man in the hood scoffed, not lowering his gun.
Hoping to save Christa Clementine throws a rock at the men and ends up hitting the one holding the spear in the face.
"CHRISTA, RUN!" Clementine yelled as loud as she could at Christa
"Hey!" The man with the spear yelled as he ran after Clementine.
As Clementine is running away she hears a shot go off in the distance. Not having time to check what happened she continues running through the woods as fast as her legs can take her. Hearing the man approach, she decides to quickly hide behind a tree.
"Get the fuck over here! Now!" the man with the spear yelled out.
Unsure of what to do, Clementine runs out of cover hoping to get away from her attacker.
"Shit! Get the fuck over here!" The man exclaimed as he began to chase after Clementine.
Quickly Clementine jumped down and crawled under a tree and continued running. While she is running she just barely dodges a walker that was approaching her.
"Fuck!" The man said as he killed the walker.
As the man is stomping on the walker's head Clementine uses this as an opportunity to grab a branch off of a fallen tree to use as a weapon. The man then charges forwards towards her and as he does Clementine steps aside and stabs him in the shoulder with the branch.
"Jesus, are you fuckin' kidding me?!" the man yelled in pain.
Clementine continues running until she is stopped at the edge of a riverbank. With nowhere to go the man is able to grab on to Clem and start to carry her away.
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Clementine yelled while squirming in his hands.
"Then stop fucking running!" the man replied angrily.
Clementine was squirming around in his arms trying to break free from his arms. Unfortunately the man was stronger than Clementine and she couldn't break free. Out of options Clementine decides to bite down on the man's thumb as hard as she could.
"Ah! Fuck! Ah! Ow, let go you little bitch! Jesus Christ!" the man yelled.
Not stopping, Clementine continued to bite down until she broke free from the man's arm. Not wasting her opportunity she runs and crawls into a hollow log to hide.
"Come out of there!" the man barked at Clementine while grabbing her leg poking through the hole in the log.
Since the man was stronger than Clementine and she couldn't break free she started kicking the man in the hands with her free leg. Unfortunately it wasn't enough as the man dragged her out of the log and onto the ground dragging her away. As he is dragging her Clementine grabs onto a tree next to her with both of her hands
"Come on, girl!" the man exclaimed as he pulled Clementine away from the tree.
The man then stands over Clementine and grabs her by the wrists. While Clementine is trying to kick the man off she spots a walker to her right walking over to both of them. Clementine gets the idea to kick the man back into the walker. As such the walker grabs the man and devours him. Her celebration is short lived however as a walker stuck between two trees grabs Clementine by the arm. She struggles to break free but manages to while the walker's arm gets ripped off.
Clementine ran through the woods as fast as she could while dodging walkers left and right. She then trips and falls to the ground. As she turns around and looks she sees a horde of walkers approaching. Beginning to move backwards she grabs a walk off the ground and uses it to throw at one of the walkers before she falls backwards and into the river below.
The next morning Clementine woke up next to the riverbank. Coughing up water she got up and investigated the area around her. Just then a gust of wind flew by causing her to wrap her arms around herself in response. Looking around she didn't see anyone so she decided to call out.
"Christa, are you there?" Clementine yelled out
Getting no response Clementine looked around and saw an unpaved gravel road. Deciding it would be safer than walking in the middle of the woods she decided to walk near the edge of the road near the bushes just in case she needed to hide from anything.
After walking for a few minutes she sees a truck driving down the road.
"Oh shoot" she said out loud and she hid in the overgrown bushes next to her
The truck drove by and slowed down next to the bushes until it made a complete stop. Clementine could make out a man with a blue and white baseball cap.
"I see you hiding down there." the man in the truck called out.
Clementine didn't move. She stayed there frozen hoping the man would just go away.
"Look unless you're out here playing hide and seek with someone I'd recommend you go ahead and get up." the man called out.
Without having much of a choice Clementine crawled out of the bush and stood on the side of the road next to the truck.
"See now, was that hard?" the man asked in a joking manner.
"What's your name?" Clementine asked the man while not breaking eye contact with him.
"It's Nate, how about you? What's your name kid?" Nate asked.
"Mine's Clementine." Clementine responded
"Well Clementine, come on and get in the car. You look pretty lost and I'm bored. So hop in." Nate said to her while pointing to the seat.
"Uhh..sure." Clementine said hesitantly while opening the door and getting in the car."
"You got anywhere you need to go?" Nate asked while reaching into his glove department and pulling out a bottle of whiskey.
"Nate…are you sure it's a good idea to drink and drive the car?" Clementine asked nervously.
"Yeah well it's the fucking apocalypse, I've done it before and haven't crashed." Nate said while taking a swig out of the bottle. "Although you talking might distract me so I can't promise anything." Nate said before starting to laugh and taking another swig out of his bottle.
Hearing this Clementine looked at the ground anxiously. She was starting to regret getting into the car with Nate.
Seeing the girl looking down Nate looked at the girl and said "Look kid I'm just joking. That's something you'll have to get used to about me." Nate said in a self deprecating way."
"Well I was trying to get to Wellington." Clementine said. "Have you seen anyone named Christa?"
"Well I haven't seen anyone by the name of Christa." Nate answered. "What the hell is Wellington though?"
"It's supposed to be some big camp up near Michigan that has a lot of people in it."
"Michigan?" Nate said in surprise.
"Yeah," Clementine answered. "Apparently the cold slows down the walkers in the winter".
"I don't know man." Nate said while shaking his head no. 'I don't think it's worth it, those dumbasses are already pretty slow." Nate said before putting the keys in the ignition and starting the car.
"Hey kid, you want a drink of this" Nate asked while handing the bottle of whiskey to Clementine.
"Uhh… sure." Clementine answered hesitantly while taking the bottle out of his hands.
Clementine took the bottle and drank a mouthful of it before coughing. Seeing this Nate begins to laugh before taking the bottle from her hands.
"Good shit isn't it?" Nate asked. "
Clementine finally stops coughing and looks over to Nate.
"No, not really." Clementine said while wiping her mouth
"Yeah, I figured you wouldn't like it." Nate said putting the bottle in the glove department and pressing on the gas pedal to start driving.
"Well, I guess I'll drive us up to Wellington. I don't have anything else to do." Nate said to Clementine.
"Clementine smiled and looked at Nate.
"Thanks." Clementine said to Nate
Ignoring this Nate went ahead and asked the girl a question.
"So where are you from?" Nate asked. "I mean I really doubt you have survived this long out here. Or maybe you did and you'll make me look like a dumbass." Nate said in a sarcastic manner.
"Well, I was with a group when it all started but it didn't work out." Clementine said before looking to the ground. "I survived for a while with this woman named Christa, the one I mentioned. But then these guys attacked us and we got separated."
"Well I hate to break it to you, but I doubt we're gonna find that Christa girl." Nate said coldly.
After hearing this Clementine looked out the window sadly. Even though she knew there was a good chance she wasn't going to find Christa she didn't want to completely give up hope.
"Well I can't stop trying to look for her" Clementine said before looking over to Nate glaring at him.
"Well, it's your call." Nate said seriously.
After a few minutes of silence Clementine decides to start up another conversation with Nate.
"Have you been with any groups since this started?" Clementine asked while looking over to Nate
"Well I was with this one guy named Russell. I picked him up on the side of the road and drove around with him for a bit. We really didn't get along though." Nate says then chuckles.
"I can't imagine why." Clementine says sarcastically while rolling her eyes.
"Well we stopped at this gas station hoping to find supplies and food for my truck. Well this asshole started shooting at us so we had to sneak into the building he was in and held him at gunpoint. Well I killed them and Russell got pissed and left." Nate said and sighed.
A few hours had passed since Clementine had first met with Nate. It consisted of just Nate driving and them making small talk from time to time. Around this time they drove past a mall.
"Well this looks like a good spot to look for some supplies." Nate said as he drove into the parking lot of the mall.
"Yeah I'm fine with it." Clementine replied as she unbuckled her seatbelt.
Whenever Nate and Clementine stepped out of the car and were outside Nate opened Clementine's door and opened the glove department and grabbed 2 pistols out of it.
"Here kid, take one." Nate said while handing one to Clementine.
As they walked into the mall Nate offered to split up and explore the store separately, which Clementine agreed to do.
Clementine went to explore the clothing store to see if she could find any warm clothes for winter. Not finding much as most of it was looted she decided to explore around the mall until she found Nate looting through the sports store.
She walked up to Nate and saw him grab a metal baseball bat and swing it around.
"I was pretty shit at baseball growing up so I don't have much faith in myself." Nate commented jokingly.
"I found this." Nate said as he handed Clementine a hunting knife.
"Thanks." Clementine said.
"Don't mention it." Nate said.
Clementine wandered off into a different section of the mall while Nate stayed behind the sports store. After a few minutes of exploring around she heard a gunshot off in the distance.
Author's Notes
Thanks for reading the first chapter of this story. Sorry if the writing seems off or not that good. This is the first story I've ever written so I can't exactly promise how good it will be but I'll try to make it as enjoyable as possible. Expect a new chapter in the next few days. Since this is my first story feel free to review and leave any criticism or any thoughts you have. Any criticism is welcome.