Author's notes:

Hey! So, finally, I finished chapter three! This chapter is where the changes from the game are gonna really start. I kept some of the dialogue pretty close to the game, but I made some pretty significant changes that will affect the characters' relationships and dynamics, which will, in turn, affect the trajectory of the story as a whole. So, that's all I'm gonna give away here. This chapter isn't super long, so I'll see you at the bottom in a couple minutes! Enjoy!

Chapter Three: Not Alone

A loud blast echoed through the forest, Clementine's eyes wide as she frantically searched for its source atop her treehouse.

She searched and searched, but shot after shot, she failed to pinpoint exactly where the sound was coming from.

After about six shots, she finally heard a man's scream pierce through the tree line. There was another shot, then the screams continued, slowly fading. They weren't getting farther, they were just growing quiet. Clementine knew what that meant.

They got him.

Once the silence of the forest finally returned, she knew for sure, he was dead. There was nothing that she could do to help.

Her face fell, a knot forming in her throat as she slowly laid down on her back, staring blankly at the ceiling. She sighed, frustrated that she was so helpless.

Worse than that, she wasn't the only one. It seemed like everyone else was in just as much danger as herself.

She was only a child. She was hungry. She was thirsty. She was sick.

A thousand different factors were fighting against her in this terrible world she found herself in, and yet she was expected to survive.

How? How would she even begin to go about surviving?
She didn't know how to kill the monsters. She wasn't even sure that they could be killed.

Her head ached as the terrible realities of her situation only continued to make themselves more apparent.

She was doomed, even more thoroughly than she thought before.

She couldn't survive alone. She didn't have food, water, or even a bed to sleep in, nor did she know how to come about any of them.

She was just a kid. She wasn't strong enough to defend herself. She wasn't fast enough to run. She wasn't even smart enough to know where to look for food. How? How was she supposed to fend for herself? How, in this cruel, terrible, dangerous world, would she ever be able to survive?

She needed to find somebody. She needed someone strong. She needed someone that would care about her. She needed someone she could trust. She needed… her parents.

Her face fell as she stared at her walkie-talkie, the knot in her throat only growing.

She had to find them. She knew her parents were alive. They had to be. Her father was too strong and her mother was too smart.

But where were they? Two days had passed since the monsters had shown up at her house. She was sure that Sandra would have called her parents, but what if they didn't even know?

What if they were still in Savannah? What if they were still enjoying their vacation? What if the monsters were there too? What if they were stuck?

What if they weren't even coming?

She felt her heart skip a beat, her eyes widening as she stared at the walkie-talkie, holding down her button with wary eyes.

"Mom? Dad," she called, her voice desperate.

She let go of the button, staring at the walkie for several seconds before lifting it again.

"Mom," she called, her voice cracking, "Dad!"

Again, she released the button, the static silence tormenting her.
She groaned, throwing the walkie-talkie across the treehouse and crossing her arms with frustration.

Minutes passed before her tense expression began to fade, and finally, she crawled out of the treehouse, sitting at the platform's ledge with her arms still crossed.

Slowly, she let them fall, her face following suit.

She sighed, lifting her head and staring off at the distant, Atlanta horizon, the Northern Georgia mountains peaking behind the tall buildings.

She pulled her knees to her chest, tilting her head to let her cheek rest against her lower thigh. She was tired. Two consecutive sleepless nights left her yearning for the comfort of her bed—the ability to lay her head down and drift off into a deep dream, knowing that she would awaken the next day and have every one of her needs fulfilled—that she could hug her mother and father. That she could hand her father the hat that she borrowed and have him tell her how proud he was that she kept it in such excellent condition. That she could tell her mother about all of the stupid drama at her school. That she could taste her mother's food, so full of love and care.

She dug her face into her knees, the reality that she may never see her parents again plastered so cruelly at the forefront of her mind.

A tear streamed down her cheek, then another, and another.

She sobbed, pulling on her long, curly hair for minutes and minutes until, finally…

BANG

Another gunshot blasted through the forest. Clementine's eyes quickly shot open, her gaze snapping toward the treeline—the same direction that the last shot had come from.

Without hesitation, she wiped her tears and climbed down from the ladder, running to the corner of her yard and lifting a loose board.

She crawled through the slender space and sprinted into the forest, frantically scanning from side to side until, finally, she made it to the top of a small hill.

In the distance, she could see a smashed police car with a man sat leaning against it. In front of the man was another, a policeman… a dead one.

She couldn't see him well enough to know for sure, but she thought that maybe the policeman wasn't a policeman—that he might've been… one of them.

She took another step forward, watching as the man leaning against the car turned to her with wide eyes and a panicked expression.
Suddenly, the man broke the silence.

"Help," he shouted, "There's been a shooting! Go get someone!"

Clementine tilted her head with confusion, glancing from side to side.

She opened her mouth, ready to question the man, but as her eyes drifted past him, the words died in her mouth.

Limping through the forest were more monsters than she'd ever seen together before. She tried to count them, but with every second their numbers only grew.
Clementine cringed, meeting the man's eyes before quickly turning away and running as quickly as she could back to her home.

Within a minute, she made it back to her fence and pushed through the loose board.

She ran to her ladder with unsteady breaths, climbing to the top and staring into the forest for several seconds. She heard rustling in the distance, but the man was nowhere to be found. She groaned before finally crawling back into her treehouse, pulling her hammer to her chest and holding her breath to the best of her ability.

Her head ached and her nose leaked, but as the sounds from the forest grew near, she knew she had to keep herself quiet.

Worried that she might have been followed, she crawled to the edge of her platform, pulling her roped ladder inside with her.

As the rustling in the forest grew louder and louder, it became apparent that both the man and the monsters were getting close, and sure enough, after roughly half a minute, she heard the man thrust himself over her fence, crashing harshly into the rough ground in her yard.

He winced in pain and she watched through cracks in her floor as he crawled away, the monsters pounding against the wooden planks of the fence. Her grip tightened on her hammer as her mind raced.

BANG BANG BANG

Distant bursts of gunfire pierced through the air coming from the end of the neighborhood.

Clementine watched with bated breath as the monsters slowly pivoted toward the gunshots, a small, relieved smile creeping onto her face, slowly fading as her eyes fell on the man in her yard through her cracked floor.

She held her hammer close to her chest as the man struggled to his feet. She watched him glance from side to side, wearing the same shocked face as before.

He limped forward, wincing in pain with every step as he examined just about every aspect of the backyard.

He stared at the covered pool for a moment before muttering something to himself that Clementine couldn't hear, then turned toward the fence, remarking that he couldn't possibly go back "out there."

The man groaned before turning toward the tree. He glanced up at the treehouse and Clementine swore she felt the man's eyes meet her own through the floor, but the man didn't say a word, instead turning to the scattered tea set just beneath her.

"I'd fill one of those tea cups with some bourbon if I could," he remarked with a deep, gruff voice.

Before long, the man turned toward the house.

Memories flashed through Clementine's mind from the night before. She remembered watching the bad man try to break into her house. She remembered how badly she wanted to stop him, but she was so helpless then.

Fear had gotten the better of her that night, but as she stared at the tall man's head from above, her hammer gripped firmly in her hands, she knew that she could stop him.

All she would have to do is drop the hammer on his head, then he'd go away.

He wouldn't try to break in. He wouldn't try to steal her things. He wouldn't get the chance to hurt Sandra.

For a moment, her mind was made, but just as she crawled to the door of the treehouse, he glanced back up at her.

Her eyes widened, her mind completely fooled when she saw the man's face.

"Daddy," she muttered to herself with a twinge in her voice.

She blinked, frantically covering her mouth and quickly realizing her mistake.

The man looked so much like her father. His face was shaped the same, he had the same beard, and he even had almost the exact same haircut.

The lone difference was the man's eyes. They were nothing like her father's. They couldn't even compare. Almost golden, her father's eyes shone, always providing her boundless comfort and care. She was grateful to have inherited such an amazing feature.

Her grip on the hammer loosened for a short moment, just long enough for the man to turn to her house once more, finally limping in its direction.

Clementine crawled to her treehouse door, peering through as the man walked up the porch and finally walked to the door, his fingers carefully wrapping around the door handle.

He hesitated for a moment, moving his hand away. He knocked three times with about a second between each knock before peering through the glass.

"Hello," he called, knocking again, "Anybody home? I need a little help."

Clementine held her breath when the man finally pulled the door open.

"Coming in," he shouted, "Don't shoot, okay?"

He stepped inside carefully and closed the door behind him.

Clementine trembled as she watched the man glance from side to side.

Where was Sandra? Was she safe? What if that man really was up to no good?

He bent down, grasping at his leg. He muttered something, but with the door closed, it was impossible to tell what he was saying.

Clementine's body shook as the man wandered. He checked nearly every corner downstairs, but for some reason didn't check the second floor. Eventually, he turned to the kitchen. He took a single step inside, then slipped, his back slamming harshly on the hard, tiled floor.

Before long, he opened the fridge. He reached forward, but hesitated, eventually pulling his hand away.

After that, he turned to the cabinets.

Clementine's eyes widened as the man pulled out her father's walkie-talkie. Without warning, he lifted it to his mouth and she finally heard his voice.

"Hello?"

It was innocent enough. Through the kitchen window, she watched him. He only held the walkie in front of him for a couple of seconds, walking to the sink and chugging down a cup of water that sat beside it.

He must've thought that he was alone, and that should have been enough, but for some reason, she couldn't control herself.

Without thinking, she activated her walkie-talkie, quickly releasing the button as she hesitated.

Still, the man rushed back to the counter, raising the walkie-talkie and pressing down his button with wide eyes.

"Hello," he shouted with a hint of excitement, "Is someone there? I heard you!"

Clementine cringed, staring at her walkie-talkie, then glancing at the man through the kitchen window.

She was hungry. She was tired. She was sick.

She couldn't handle being alone anymore. She knew there was a chance he was bad, but more than that, she knew she needed his help. She…

Once again, she unconsciously pressed her button, but this time she didn't let it go. She watched the man holding the walkie to his ear, and finally, she spoke up.

"Hello," Clementine finally muttered, her voice quivering with nervousness.

The man's eyes were even wider than before, complete shock on his face.

"Wh- Who is this," he asked, panic in his eyes as he glanced from side to side.

"I- I'm Clementine," she answered reluctantly, "This is my house."

The man leaned against the counter. He was quiet for a couple of seconds, his voice much calmer than before.

"Well," he let out with a sigh, "Hi, Clementine. I'm Lee."

He walked back to the sink, leaning against the counter before finally continuing.

"Where're your parents," he questioned, glancing into the empty living room.

Clementine sighed, "They took a trip and left me with Sandra. They're in Savannah, I think… Where the boats are."

Lee went silent for several seconds, visibly contemplating until finally moving forward.

"Does that mean that- Are you alone?"

Clementine sighed.

"I- Sandra was with me, but I don't know where she went. She was in the house, but-"

She heard a scream and quickly glanced to her kitchen window, her eyes widening when she saw an unbelievable sight.

It was Sandra! But she wasn't herself. Her cheek was ripped open, her skin painted with her own blood. Her eyes were bloodshot and a sickly yellow. Lee tried to push her back, but with his injured leg, he couldn't even keep himself standing.

He collapsed, his neck slamming against the kitchen counter as he tumbled to the ground. He held his head as Sandra quickly lunged to the ground, wildly swinging her arms in his direction.

Just like the monsters that attacked the burglar, Sandra chomped and chomped, but each time, Lee managed to deflect her.

Clementine trembled, crawling down from her treehouse as quickly as she could with her hammer in her hand.

She watched as Lee struggled to his feet before once again slipping out of the kitchen on what Clementine could now tell was a puddle of dried blood.

She cringed, reaching for the door handle before she could distract herself.

"Here," she shouted, her body shaking as she held out her hammer.

Lee pushed Sandra away before turning to the girl, quickly swiping the hammer away and slamming it against the babysitter's head.

She groaned angrily as her body crashed against a wall, but before she could get back to her feet, Lee swung the hammer once more, bashing her skull with a disgusting, squelchy crack.

He swung again and again, blood splashing onto every nearby surface. With each blow, she grew visibly weakened, but she only continued to persist until, finally, with a final, harsh smash, her brain was completely destroyed.

She moaned one final time, reaching out as her body slowly thudded to the tiled ground, blood pouring from her shattered cranium, oozing toward Clementine's feet.

She stepped back, watching as the puddle grew near, her breaths uncontrollable until she felt Lee grasp her shoulders.

Her wide-eyed gaze snapped in her direction and she couldn't manage a word.

"I-" Lee stammered, "I think I killed it."

Clementine's eyes lingered on Sandra's smashed skull, her eyes bulging from their sockets and her beautiful hair matted with blood and grime.

She was dead, and she had been for some time.

All this time, she had been worrying about whether she was safe, wishing that she could get back into her house, but not only was it unlocked, it was a trap that would have sprung the second she walked inside.

"Clementine," Lee called with confusion, tilting his head.

She met his eyes slowly, her mouth agape as words continued to escape her.

"Wh- What should we do now," she asked with a sniffle, wiping her nose.

Lee's eyes narrowed as they fell on his cut-open leg. He was quiet for a moment but came to a decision quickly.

"Well," he started with a sigh, "What do you think?"

Clementine's eyes widened with surprise.

"What do I think," she asked, gripping her walkie-talkie as Lee nodded.

"I-" she stammered before meeting his eyes, "I need to find my parents."

Lee's face softened as he turned away from her, sighing.

"What is it," she questioned, walking into his view with a confused expression.

He met her eyes with sadness. He opened his mouth and looked like he was going to explain, but as seconds passed, his words seemed to die in his throat.

He put on a smile.

"Okay," he said, "We'll find your parents."

"Really," Clementine shouted with excitement.

Again, Lee nodded, cutting back in before she could further voice her jubilation.

"But," he said, "We can't go anywhere tonight. I- I don't know what's going on out there, but with my leg as banged up as it is and with you being sick, I think it would be best if we spent the night resting."

Clementine's joy faded slightly, but seconds later, Lee continued.

"We can get going tomorrow morning if we're both feeling better."

She smiled and nodded as she stepped forward. Lee stepped past her, carrying Sandra's body into the backyard, which left Clementine alone, even if it was just a short moment.

Her smile faded quickly as she let her eyes wander, memories of her childhood playing through her head only to be tarnished by what remained. The TV buzzed in the corner of the living room, the screen covered with blue. The walls and floors were canvased with flecks of Sandra's blood, the stench she created only worsening with every second.

A surprising chill ran up her spine. It wasn't like it was cold. It wasn't like she was scared. She was just… there. She wasn't at home, even inside her house.
Her face fell as she sauntered to the couch, falling silent as Lee limped through the back door, sliding it closed and making sure to lock it behind him.

She watched his every step with both curiosity and caution, her eyes narrowing as he sat down in her father's chair.

Not even she was allowed to do that!
Instinctively, she opened her mouth, ready to tell him off, but as she watched him reach for his bloody leg, the words died in her mouth.

He winced in pain as he tried to wipe away the blood, but with every wipe, the small puddle only seemed to grow.

It looked bad. It was the kind of thing that her father would have made her or her mother go to the hospital for, but Lee didn't have that choice. Nor did he even seem to have the thought of using proper medical supplies.

Clementine got up and walked to the kitchen without a word, opening a cabinet and pulling out a small first aid kit.

She lifted it to the counter and stood on her toes to peer inside. Carefully, she pulled out a single bandage. She smiled, jogging over to where Lee sat. She held out the bandage with enthusiasm, her face tilting with confusion when Lee began to chuckle.

"Clementine, I do appreciate that you brought me this, but…" he pointed to the first aid kit on the counter with a smile on his face, "I think I'll need a little bit more than just one little band-aid."

Clementine's eyes narrowed as she stared at the bandage, then down to his cut.

"Oh," she muttered as she turned around, carrying the first aid kit and handing it over.

"Thank you," Lee said with a smile, earning a nod from the girl, who stood and watched from a short distance as he disinfected and bandaged his leg, cringing as Lee winced in pain.

She turned away, walking to the bottom of the house's staircase, which was covered by mounds of debris, including a bookshelf and several chairs.

That must've been Sandra's doing. She must not have known that Clementine had escaped through the window and thought that she would protect her by covering the stairs.

In fact, it might have been her final act.

Clementine's face fell as the thought passed through her mind.
She let out a deep sigh, her throat tied in knots as she dispaired in the endless silence of the abandoned house.

Without warning, Lee limped to her side, his hands on his hips as he stared at the mess that blocked her path.

She turned to him, meeting his eyes as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Lee's smile faded slightly, and seconds later he walked to the pile of debris and lifted it out of her way, remarking that "It's only fair" that he would help her after she saved him and helped him cover his wound.

She nodded, but couldn't force herself to smile, and without another word, she sauntered up the stairs, her hat in her hand as she stared at her closed bedroom door.

Of course, it wasn't locked and she knew that, but for some reason or another, it seemed different. She opened the door and everything was exactly as she left it, but there was something different about the air.

Even as she laid her head carefully on the same pillow she'd used for years, she felt almost no comfort. She felt no safer than she had in the treehouse. She didn't even feel like she was at home. She lifted her head and took off her hat, laying it down on her bedside table and staring at it for several minutes.

She pulled her comforter to her neck, embracing the warmth as mucus oozed from her nose. She sniffled as she once again let her mind wander, her imagination continuing to paint terrible pictures of her parents.

She didn't want to believe it. No, she refused to believe it. They were alive. They had to be. They were out there somewhere. She was sure of it. So much so, in fact, that she managed to ease her mind with the thought that there was a chance that her parents would arrive by morning.

She managed a small smile, her eyes growing wet as she stared at her hat, her room dimly lit by what little sun still lingered in the sky.

She tucked her head into her pillow, letting out a deep sigh as, finally, she felt at peace.

Author's Note:

So, there it is. I know, things are different than how they were in the game, even if only slightly, and the mood between Clem and Lee is intentionally awkward. This chapter was incredibly difficult to write because I wanted to stay loyal to the original source material, but I knew that I needed their dynamic at first to be a little more testy for what is coming to make the most sense.

This is the last chapter that I plan on completely sticking to what happened in the game. Of course, a lot of the same events will happen, but as you guys will quickly realize, there will be some very significant differences in who is involved and why. I can't explain now because that would ruin the entire point of the story, but believe me, as soon as the next chapter, things are gonna start coming together and the real story will begin.

As always, I appreciate that you took the time to read my story and I hope that you're as excited as I am for the next chapter. Any follows, favorites, kudos, reviews, etc. are greatly appreciated, but most of all, I hope that you continue to read. I post updates fairly often on my Instagram page ( lucashtwd) so if you want to stay in the loop, that is the best place to be.

That's all I've got for now, so I guess I'll see you guys soon!

~lucash21