Thanks to gaara king of the sand for the help.
And thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing! I know it's been a long time, but I'm back and hopefully I will be able to keep the updates coming.
It wasn't the first time she had felt like this. Clementine groaned as a sharp wave of nausea hit her and the next minute, she found herself leaned over the boat, throwing up.
She was already tired of this. She hated being sick. And she worried, that if she felt this bad right now, how bad would she feel as her pregnancy progressed.
She, Carley, and Danielle had gotten over sea sickness after the first week of their watery journey, but morning sickness for Clementine was another story. It had been about a month since they left Savannah and so far, their trip had been anything but smooth sailing.
Clementine didn't know how to feel about the pregnancy. She hadn't had a test to absolutely confirm it, so some days she would go back and forth with herself, thinking perhaps she was just sick with a bug. Not pregnant.
Though she knew that wasn't the case. She was showing symptoms of pregnancy.
That truly scared her. She didn't know how to be a parent. She didn't know what to expect from a pregnancy. She had read books in health class but that felt like centuries ago, and it had only touched on the basics of pregnancies.
Clementine had never expected to have a child. Especially when the dead started walking, the idea of having a baby never crossed her mind. Raising a little child in a world like that, willingly bringing a child into a world like that felt insane. And she worried it would be impossible to properly care for the baby.
"You okay, kid?" Carley asked.
"I will be…" Clementine said.
"You should… try to get some rest." Carley suggested to the teen.
That was easier said than done. Resting on a moving boat was anything but fun. Clementine was floored that Danielle was fast asleep at the moment. "I wish I could…"
"You should try…" Carley said again.
"Yeah… I guess… But what about you…?" Clementine asked.
"Don't worry about me, Clem… I'm supposed to be looking after you two." Carley replied.
"But you gotta take care of yourself too…" Clementine said.
"I know…" Carley said.
"Don't worry about taking care of me… We'll look out for each other. And Danielle." Clementine said.
"It's impossible for me not to worry about you, Clem."
Before Clementine had the chance to answer she noticed Danielle stirring a bit.
"Is it morning already?" Danielle gave a tiny yawn as she cracked her eyes open.
"Yeah, kiddo. But you can go back to sleep…" Clementine said. "It's still super early."
"Are you gonna go back to sleep too…?" Danielle asked.
"Not right now?" Clementine shrugged.
"Oh… Are you okay? You're not sick again, are you?" Danielle asked, looking concerned.
"I'm fine, Dani. Don't worry about me." Clementine said. That seemed to be all they ever did, worry about her. She really wished they didn't.
"Is the baby making you sick…?" Danielle asked.
"We don't know for sure there is a baby, Dani." Clementine said.
"But Carley said—"
"We don't know for sure." Clementine quickly repeated.
Carley sent the young girl a look while biting back a sigh.
Clementine knew she was probably acting unrealistic. She was sure she was pregnant, but it was a scary thing to admit.
Since the start of the walkers, she didn't ever think she'd ever have a child. With how things are as she didn't see herself settling down anywhere anytime soon. And when she did have that hope, that maybe one she and Shawn could be together, that was all taken away by a single bullet. It hurt to think about, made her sick to her stomach.
Part of her wondered if she would ever get over it. If she decided to have the child, would it be hard to look at them and remember their father? Could she handle that? She didn't know, but the thought of NOT having the child hurt even more. At least with this baby she would have a piece of him…
The young girl also worried what her parents would think. Would they have been disappointed with her? Would they have been angry? She could only imagine how they would take the news of their newly turned sixteen-year-old being pregnant. She was sure her father would have a heart attack if he had heard she was even sexually active.
Not only that, but they already had a child to look after. A child that had been traumatized by the world around her. And Clementine and Carley both vowed to do their best to protect little Danielle.
They were still actively searching for Wellington, hoping it would truly be a safe place. They spent their days navigating through the water as they felt it was safer than travelling on land. Their biggest concern was food, they knew it would be harder to get on the water when they were running low.
Clementine was drawn out of her thought by Danielle's little voice speaking. "I'm hungry… Can I have something to eat…?"
"Sure, kiddo. But we don't have much…" Carley dug into their supply bag offering the child some crackers sticks with cheese. They were running severely low… If they didn't find food soon, they would surely starve. "What about you, Clem? Are you hungry?"
"I'm fine…." Clementine said.
"You know the baby needs food…." Carley sighed.
"We don't know for sure that I'm pregnant." Clementine firmly said. She didn't want to think about the pregnancy. Not right now… Every time she did, she felt too many emotions to handle.
Carley did sigh at this. The girl was being stubborn, and she didn't know what to do about it.
Their boat continued forward as Danielle munched on her crackers and Clementine stared out to sea.
A few hours had passed, Danielle was playing with Flopsie while Clementine and Carley were chatting amongst one another.
They were all surprised when the boat motor suddenly began to sputter as the boat rolls forward and to their dread, they realize they were about to run out of fuel. They needed to get to the shore, one of the worst things that could happen is they run out of fuel while they're miles away from shore.
They managed to get continue sailing for another hour or so, before Danielle caught sight of something in the distance.
"Look!"
Clementine and Carley turned their attention to what the child was point at and they noticed a large boat coming their way. Their boat was nearly out of gas, and it was just their luck to see that ship in the distance, coming their way.
However, realization dawned on Carley as the ship continued approaching and the boat neared E. The approaching ship wasn't slowing down, it was going to crash right into them.
"Oh shit!" Carley tried to move their boat, but the motor only sputtered again. "Please don't let us run out of gas!"
That phrase seemed to jinx them as the boat stopped moving, the gas showing the empty sign.
"Shit, shit, shit!" The large boat that was approaching clearly didn't see them. Seeing an incoming collision on course, Carley fought the urge to panic. "We have to jump."
"Wh-What?" Clementine and Danielle both gasped.
"Into the water, we have to jump!" Carley said.
"I- I don't know how to swim..." Danielle stammered.
"It's okay, I'll keep you afloat. Jump!" Carley said.
They braced themselves before jumping.
Upon resurfacing, they coughed a little, catching their breath. Carley held onto Danielle to keep the child afloat. "Are you okay?"
Danielle gave a tiny nod, coughing a bit.
"What about you, Clem?"
"I'm fine…" Clementine called back.
Forced to jump into the water, they watch as the boat continues, forward, abruptly crashing into and destroying their ship.
They were grateful they hadn't been in the ship at the time, as there was no way they would have survived that.
The crash, however, caused the aircraft carrier to stop.
"Holy shit!" A voice calls out as a panicked young man looks overboard. "Are you guys okay?"
"We're okay!" Carley calls back before muttering under her breath, "Barely…"
"Our boat's sure not…" Clementine huffed.
"We're gonna send some folks down to help you!" The young man called to them.
It wasn't too long before a few members from the boat had sent ropes down to rescue the trio from the water. And soon they were on the aircraft carrier.
"I'm so sorry about that! We- We didn't see you guys until we had already made impact." The young man said, once they had been taken upon the aircraft carrier.
"I figured…" Carley said.
"None of you are hurt, right?" He asked, clearly concerned.
"We're not hurt… We jumped just in time…" Carley said.
"We can have our medic check you out… If that's okay… Even if you're not hurt, we usually have newcomers get checked for bites." The young man said.
"We don't plan on staying long…" Clementine spoke up.
"I understand… But… with your ship's condition, I don't see you guys leaving anytime soon…" He replied. "We can get you to shore though, which way were you guys heading…"
"North actually… Hoping to get to a place called Wellington…" Carley said.
"Wellington… I've heard of it… We didn't know if it was a fairytale or not." The young man said.
"Well, we figured it's worth finding out." Carley responded.
"For the time being, you guys should get check out by the medic." The young man said.
Both Clementine and Danielle seemed hesitant.
"It's okay, girls…" Carley reassured. "Alright, we'll get checked out…"
"Before we go, we're going to need to take your weapons." The young man said.
"Can I ask why you?" Carley asked.
"They're not necessary. Only our trained soldiers carry weapons on this ship." Was the response.
"Do you really think that's a smart idea?" Carley said.
"Captain's rules. I just enforce them. The captain hasn't led us astray yet. So, I see no reason to question him."
Carley hummed at that.
"I'd feel more comfortable keeping my weapons with me..." Clementine said.
"I can't allow that. I assure you, you're safe here. You don't need the guns..." The young man said.
Clementine and Carley exchanged looks. Clementine started to protest but Carley spoke first. "Put your gun down, Clem."
Clementine frowned ready to protest. "But—"
"Your gun... Put your gun down." Carley said, emphasizing the word "gun".
Realizing what she was doing Clementine nodded and placed her gun down, making sure to keep any other weapons hidden away.
"Perfect. Follow me... I'll have our medic check you all for bites."
With that they were led to the medical bay where they were checked for wounds, specifically bites. Both Carley and Danielle were declared clean. However, the medic froze upon spotting a wound on Clementine. "Yo-You're bit… You've been bit."
"I- It's old. I promise." Clementine said, unable to stop herself from stuttering.
The medic could see that the bite was in fact old, but it still rose concern.
"I… I think the captain should see this…" The medic said.
"It's not fresh. This happened a long time ago, I swear…" Clementine told him, hoping her would listen.
The medic didn't know how to respond. "The captain should see this." He simply repeated, clearly shaken up by this.
The medic left to alert the captain of his findings.
Clementine found her heart pounding in her chest. "C-Carley, what if they—"
"They won't do anything. We'll explain the situation to them." Carley said.
"What if they don't believe us…?" Clementine asked.
"The bite's old. It looks old. That's the truth… And they can take it as it is… We're gonna be okay. Just calm down." Carley said.
Clementine nodded, taking a few breaths to calm herself.
Before long the captain had entered the room to speak with Clementine and Carley.
"You can call me Captain Harvie. And who do I have the pleasure of speaking to?" He introduced himself before asking their names.
"I'm Carley… This is Clementine and the little one is Danielle…" Carley introduced as well.
Danielle seemed nervous being around these unknown men.
"Sorry… They can be cautious around people." Carley said.
"Understandable… But I'll assure you, you're safe here. I'd like to apologize for crashing into your ship." Captain Harvie.
"You nearly killed us." Clementine huffed.
"And I truly apologize. From the bottom of my heart. If we had saw you sooner, we would have turned the ship away, but by time we did spot you, it was already too late." Captain Harvie said.
"It's fine… Fortunately, no one got hurt… Our boat happened to run out of gas right when you guys were heading our way… And seeing your ship wasn't slowing down, our best option was to jump." Carley said.
"I see… We'll I'm glad you're all okay… And once again, I apologize…" The captain said, his tone quickly lowered, more serious. "I heard the medic checked you all over…"
"Yes…" Clementine said.
"But he mentioned to me, that… one of you has a bite…" Captain Harvie continued.
Clementine flinched at that.
"Is that true, young lady?" Captain Harvie asked, noticing her reaction.
"I- It's old. I got it a long time ago, and- and I haven't turned yet or had any symptoms… It's been over a month." Clementine nervously explained to the man.
"A month, you say?" The captain rose a brow.
Clementine gave a nervous nod.
"May I see it?" Captain Harvie asked.
Clementine hesitantly allowed him to look at the bite.
The captain looked at the wound and was surprised to see that it was indeed old. "This is… This is amazing…"
That was the last thing Clementine expected to hear out of the man's mouth.
"You're immune?"
"I… I guess so…" Clementine answered.
"That's incredible… Would- Would you allow our medic to test your blood… You don't have to, but… if you're willing." Captain Harvie asked. "Of course, I don't want you to feel forced. This is your choice. It would just be something very interesting for our doctors to study into…"
"Like a science project?" Clementine frowned at the thought.
"No… No, not like that… While it would be helpful for research, I don't want you to feel like a science project or anything of that sort… It's just… unexpectable. You're the first person I have ever heard of being immune." The captain said. "If you don't feel comfortable, I fully understand. I have children of my own. A son a few years older than you, actually and I couldn't imagine anyone trying to use one of my kids for science… You can take time to make a decision… Whatever you decide is okay…"
"So… you wouldn't try to treat me like some… science experiment." Clementine asked.
"No way… I don't believe in taking away a person's freedom or treating anyone inhumane. I have morals... My wife and children are on board, and I wouldn't want to treat anyone how I wouldn't want to see my family treated." Captain Harvie said.
"That's good…" Clementine said, feeling relieved. Clearly this man was simply trying to do his best by his people. And it seemed his morals were higher than most who would be in command, probably because he still had a family, he had people who he loved and cared about.
"Yeah… Not many people have morals nowadays…" Carley said.
"I could agree with that statement…" The captain said.
"I… I guess I'm okay with you taking some of my blood…" Clementine muttered. "But… Could we have some food first? We haven't had much to eat for days… And the last thing I want is to pass out." Beyond making sure Danielle was fed, both Clementine and Carley were doing their best to reserve food as they had been starting to run low. They probably only had enough for a few more days.
"Of course." The captain agreed. "We have plenty of food."
"Can I ask how you have plenty of food? Especially with the way things are now." Carley asked.
"Some of my crewmates used to be fishermen, before the dead… So, we offer them protection and a home, and they catch food in return for that. It works well, since not everyone here is solider. People here have different roles, and they carry them out well. One of my officers, for example, has a brother who was a chef before the Dead Started Walking and he made a deal to cook in exchange for his family to live on the ship." Captain Harvie said.
"That seemed like a good compromise." Carley said.
"If I do say so, myself." The captain nodded. "Come on, I'll take you guys to the dining area."
The group was led out of the medical bay, Danielle clutching close to Clementine as the left the area.
"It's okay, Dani…" Clementine said, keeping the girl close to her. "We're okay…"
As they headed out, they noticed many civilians on the ship. In fact, there were more civilians than soldiers. And as they were led toward the dining area, they realized there had to be at least a couple hundred people on the ship. Carley wondered how such a huge group was thriving so well on a boat.
The place seemed like a nice community. It was amazing to see how they had turned in aircraft carrier into a home for so many people. Perhaps it had been just their luck to find the carrier, right when their ship was starting to fail on their travels.
"A lot of us were military… But we turned the aircraft carrier into a community where people could live. We figured it would be a lot safer staying on the water than the land." Captain Harvie explained.
"We figured the same, we've been navigating through the water, hoping to find Wellington…" Carley said.
"Well, you're welcome to stay here, if that's what you want. We have plenty of space… Families, kids…" The captain said.
"That all… sounds really nice…" Carley said. "We'll definitely consider it…"
Clementine didn't know about that, however. If she was truly pregnant, she didn't think she'd want to raise her child on a boat. She would much more prefer land.
"I've noticed a few people carrying weapons, but ours were taken when we entered the ship? I take it you prohibit them from certain people?" Carley asked.
"Well, it depends...You folks are newcomers, so for our protection, we prefer to have you unarmed. At least until we get to know you more." Captain Harvie said.
"Makes sense, but what about the other people on the ship?" Carley questioned.
"I think weapons should only be used when needed, and only by people who have been properly taught how to use them..." Captain Harvie replied.
"I understand your intentions, but with the world the way it is now... I don't know if that's the best way of thinking. I think everyone should be able to defend themselves..." Carley said.
"There's no need for you to worry. We rarely deal with attacks and anything we've faced we always easily handled." Captain Harvie replied.
"But you can't assume that will always be the case. Sometimes the unexpected can happen." Carley sighed.
"It hasn't happened yet... And I wouldn't want people to worry about that. Life is too short to worry all the time." The captain said. "Come on, this way."
As they got to the dining area, they noticed some people eating fried fish. The captain urged them to take a seat and dig in.
"Do… you have any canned food?" Clementine asked.
"Not a fan of fish?" Captain Harvie asked.
"Not… Not exactly…" Clementine said with a tiny shrug. She didn't want to seem picky, but she knew that women shouldn't eat much seafood when pregnant. And if indeed she was, she wanted to take precautions.
"Allergies…?" Captain Harvie asked.
"Something like that…" Clementine replied.
"I understand… "Captain Harvie gave a nod. "We do keep canned food and other sort for people who can't tolerate fish. Any preferences?"
"Anything is okay…" Clementine said.
"Alright then." Captain Harvie said.
After seating themselves they were soon served their food.
Clementine noticed Danielle seemed hesitant to eat. "You okay, Dani?"
The child just gave a tiny nod.
"You can eat… It's alright…" Clementine said.
Danielle still seemed hesitant.
"The food's safe, kiddo. I'm sure." Carley assured her.
With that assurance, Danielle slowly took a bite.
The three began eating a meal, finally able to feel full after what had seemed like forever.
"So how long have you guys been on the sea?" Captain Harvie asked.
"About a month… we were coming from Savannah…" Carley replied.
"What do you think of sea travel so far?" Captain Harvie wondered.
"It's not the best… Though… we're mostly past the sea-sickness." Clementine said.
"It's been decent…" Carley said. "It's definitely a different way to travel."
"The faster we get to Wellington, the better…" Clementine said.
"If you're set on that… But if you wanna stick around here, you're welcome. Who knows, you folks might change your mind about Wellington." Captain Harvie said.
"I don't know about that. We've been set on it." Carley said.
"Well, at least you know this place is real. Wellington, isn't a guarantee…" The captain said. "But whatever you decide to do, regardless, I support your decision."
"We appreciate the offer." Carley said.
The group continued to eat before the captain had someone lead them back to the medical bay while he checked on his crew.
As they sat in the medical bay the medic gathered what he needed to take and test Clementine's blood.
"Before you get started, I have a question…" Carley spoke.
"I might have an answer…" The medic said.
"Would you be able to… test if someone was pregnant?" Carley asked.
Clementine face flushed with slight embarrassment at Carley's question.
The medic rose a brow at Carley and asked, "Are you…?"
"Not me…" Carley said.
The medic's eyes widened as he looked to the young teen. "We… can test… How old are you…?"
"It doesn't matter… We just need a test… Please… We're pretty certain, but… we'd like confirmation." Carley spoke for Clementine.
"I understand… Easiest way to confirm this is with a pregnancy test…" The medic said.
"I just… pee on it, right…?" Clementine asked.
"You would… But unfortunately, we don't have one…" The medic sighed.
"Then… What? How will you tell…?" Clementine asked.
"There are… certain signs that can point to pregnancy… And you can… tell me if you've experienced any of these…" The medic said.
"…Okay…" Clementine said. "Like a questionary…"
"That's right." The medic nodded.
"How... accurate is just questioning...?" Carley asked.
"It's the best we can get… Urine pregnancy tests are about ninety-nine percent accurate. Blood tests are even more accurate." The medic replied. "I could ask some questions and then take a blood test to be sure…"
"...Okay..." Carley said. "It's gonna be okay, Clem."
Clementine wanted to believe that, but she didn't.
"I have to say, I'm surprised... You look so young." The medic said.
"Sixteen... I just turned sixteen..." Clementine sighed.
"My point exactly. You're young..." The medic commented.
"Yeah... But... stuff happens..." Clementine said.
"Fair enough..." The medic said.
Clementine waited anxiously for his questions. She hoped to herself that she had nothing more than a virus. That she wasn't in fact pregnant. She knew after this she would no longer be able to deny it. This would confirm if she truly was pregnant or not.
She was beyond nervous; she didn't feel ready to be a mother. Her heart was racing, and she could feel the palms of her hands sweating. She couldn't bring herself to look at the man.
"What symptoms have you been experiencing…?" The medic asked.
"I've been… getting sick a lot…" Clementine said. "And throwing up…"
"Sick like nausea?"
Clementine nodded.
"And vomiting…" The medic muttered. "Do you usually vomit during a certain time…?"
"In… In the mornings mostly… But other times as well…" Clementine answered.
I see…" The medic hummed. "Have you been having any smell sensitivity? Any fatigue?"
"I have been… more tired lately…" Clementine replied.
"When do the symptoms start? When was your last menstrual period?" The medic asked.
"It's been a long time… That was the first concern we had…" Clementine said. "I was getting sick a lot… I hadn't had my period and… every once in a while, I would get… a weird cramping… Like a mild period cramp…"
"What about your mood, how has that been?" The medic questioned.
"It's been fine…" Clementine quickly claimed.
Carley shook her head. "She has mood swings."
"Carley!" Clementine exclaimed with a huff.
"I can tell…" The medic gave a tiny chuckle.
Clementine rolled her eyes at that.
The questions continued, "Have you noticed any changes in your breast, any aching or pain?"
"They… do feel tender at time…" Clementine said, face flushing with embarrassment…"
"What about visual changes… Have you noticed any?" The medic asked.
"I… kind of…" Clementine muttered.
"Can you elaborate…?" The medic urged her to clarify.
"My… My nipples… they… seem different… darker…" Clementine said.
"…Would you mind if I—"
Clementine quickly cut him off. "If you what?"
"Examine you?" The medic finished.
"I do mind…" Clementine huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Clem, it's okay… I won't let anything bad happen to you…" Carley assured the girl.
Clementine looked to the woman, fear clear in her eyes. "But- But Carley…"
"A breast exam is normal, Clem…" Carley said.
"I know…. But… But he… I—"
"I'm right here… I won't let anything happen… You have to know..." Carley said.
"I... I know... I'm just nervous..." Clementine said.
"You'll be okay..." Carley said.
Clementine shakily gave a nod. "O-Okay…" She still felt nervous, she wished that this had been a female doctor or nurse, but she knew Carley wouldn't allow her to be hurt.
The medic allowed her to disrobe, removing her shirt and bra…
He had the teen take a seat and he then began to conduct his exam. The medic visually inspects her breasts. Clementine felt like she would die from embarrassment.
Eventually the medic spoke, "Darkened areolas are a normal sign of early pregnancy…"
"So… what are you saying…?" Clementine asked, picking up her shirt and bra to redress herself. Upon doing so, she lowered her head and trembled a bit. She knew exactly what he was going to say.
"Well..." He began to say.
Clementine looked to her then Carley. Carley took the young girl's hand, sensing how nervous she was.
"With all the symptoms you're experiencing, I can confirm that you are indeed pregnant." The medic said.
Clementine felt her heart sink and she fought back tears. "A-Are you sure...?"
"That's what everything points to, kid..." The medic replied.
Clementine didn't know how to feel. "I- I'm pregnant... Carley... I'm pregnant..."
"I know, sweetie... We're gonna get through this, okay..." Carley said.
She wondered how Shawn would have felt if he had been here... Would he be excited or... disappointed?
Aside from that how would her parents feel? That felt like a more important question. One that was hard to think about.
"There's a slim chance that I could be wrong... A blood test could be given to double check." The medic told the girl.
"You're not wrong..." Somehow, she just knew. "I'm an idiot." Clementine muttered, her voice thin.
"No, you're not." Carley said.
"Yes, I am!" Clementine said, a wave of dizziness cresting over her. "How am I supposed to raise a child in a world like this...?"
"We'll figure this out. You're not alone Clem..." Carley said.
At this moment, Clementine felt like an awful person. There were people who couldn't have children. People always said babies were a gift. So why did she feel this way. Shouldn't she be grateful? Instead, she felt like she was going through a phase of grief. Which honestly made sense, she had lost so many people and now, she was going to have a baby. How was she going to raise a baby?
"I'm not ready to have a baby..." Clementine said.
She barely knew who she was... She wasn't ready to be responsible for a baby. And although she had decided to take on a role of caring for Danielle, it was different. This was a new life, and a baby would drastically change everything.
"There are options... You can do what's been for you..." The medic said.
"I could never even consider that other option..." Clementine said.
"It's going to be okay, Clem… We're gonna get through this together…" Carley said.
The girl gave a small nod, be tears began to flow. Carley pulled the teen into a hug to comfort her.
As the young girl finally calmed the captain had returned, curious to find out what they could learn from Clementine's blood. Noticing the mood of the room he asked, "Is... everything okay?"
"Everything's fine." Carley quickly said.
"Okay then..." Captain Harvie sent Clementine a serious look. "Are you okay with us... testing your blood? Like I said before... we don't want to push you into it, but it could be a useful study..."
"I... I guess so..." Clementine sighed.
"I could also test your blood for... pregnancy if you'd like... Just to double test." The medic said.
"I already know the results... I know what you said is right..." Clementine said.
"Y-You're pregnant...?" Captain Harvie was surprised.
"Yeah... Yeah, I am..." Clementine muttered her confirmation.
"Oh…Well, congratulations."
"…Thanks…" Clementine said, though she clearly didn't seem thrilled.
"Okay, let's do this…" The medic said, grabbing his needed equipment.
As the medic readied to take the girl's blood, the ship gave a sudden jerk.
"Wh-What the hell was that?" Carley asked.
The captain perked up, looking worried.
"What's going on?" Carley asked.
Before the man could answer, an urgent voice was heard over the loudspeakers. "This is a code Red! I repeat! This is a code Red! We are under attack!"
"What the hell?" Clementine gasped.
Another loud blast of gunfire was heard, so loud that the whole ship was alarmed.
They barely had time to realize what was happening. The captain quickly jumped into action upon hearing that. He rushed out of the medical bay to order people to take cover. He knew they were vulnerable. Their ship wasn't full of fighters. Beyond the few soldiers on the ship, the boat was full of members who were not trained to defend themselves.
Knowing this, the captain wanted anything but to put his people at risk, especially knowing his family was on board. He hoped he'd be able to strike up a deal with their attackers, by offering them supplies. Yet he worried his offer would be ignored. As if they really wanted supplies, if they did, they could simply take it.
Fear filled the ship as sudden gunfire rang out and the people started to panic, they all run in a disorderly fashion and tried to hide in or behind something and some stayed trying to surrender not knowing how fucked they were.
They could hear the chaos from the outside from the medical bay and feeling concerned about what was going on they decide to aid captain and the ship.
"We gotta do something." Clementine said. "We have to go out there and help."
"You can't just go out there, it's not safe!" The medic argued.
"We have to do something! We can't just sit back and wait around to be killed." Clementine said.
"If you go out there, you're as good as dead. Let the captain and the soldiers handle this and stay where it's safe!" The medic said.
"It's not safe in here either. We can help them. We can fight back." Clementine said.
"What can you do? You're a little girl!" The medic said.
Clementine shot him a look. "...Don't underestimate me."
"Don't be stupid, kid. Look, we... we have a safety bunker. It'll be safer for you three there. I'll take you to it! Come on!" The medic said.
The medic attempted to open the door, but it was forced open before he had the chance.
"The boss said not to kill the women or girls. They could be "Useful"." A voice reached their ears just before the door had opened.
The medic was shoved back by one of the attackers and before they knew what was happening, the doctor was shot by the attacker.
A few more men forced their way into the infirmary attempting to grab them, Clementine shielding Danielle behind her.
Clementine and Carley fought against their captors, Clementine drawing her knife and stabbing the man holding her in the knee before quickly withdrawing and using the weapon to stab him in the neck.
Carley quickly drew her gun, shooting each remaining man.
"O-Oh my Gosh. Th-they killed him..." Clementine stammered.
"We don't have time for this. We need to find the captain! It sounds like they need some help." Carley said.
Clementine nodded, her and Danielle sticking close to Carley as they ran from the medical bay.
Their attackers were hurling bullets, all over the aircraft killing person after person. It was a total massacre; the people inside can only hear gunshots and screams of terror.
Ropes with hooks had been attached to the ship as attackers climbed their way aboard, the crew was doing their best to hold them off, but it was proving to be a struggle.
The captain quickly took cover and called out to the attackers, demanding what they wanted, but his inquiries were ignored. As he tried to speak again, he was cut off by a bullet whizzed passed him, forcing him to once again duck behind cover.
Makeshift grenades made from empty tin cans and Molotov cocktails were thrown throughout their ship.
Knowing there were children on the ship they knew they needed to protect them. As the civilians continued to run for cover, more gunshot and explosions were heard.
The young soldiers that had the ability started to put their skills and training to good use they then armed their guns and shot back with immense force and aimed for nothing but headshots killing half a dozen of them instantly also giving the passengers time to escape.
Clementine, Carley, and Danielle quickly had left the medical bay, Clementine keeping Danielle close, while sticking by Carley's side.
They quickly spotted the captain hiding behind cover with a few more soldiers. Cautiously, they joined them behind their wall of cover.
"What the hell is going on?" Carley inquired.
"We're under attack." Captain Harvie said.
"Clearly. Who are these people?" Carley questioned.
"Bandits… We've never faced an attack like this… This is bad…" One of the soldiers muttered.
"Okay... We gotta do something. We need a plan..." The captain said.
"Right, a plan would be good…" Clementine said.
Seeing the soldiers look to the captain for guidance, only for him to hesitate, Clementine and Carley tried to think of something themselves.
The ship hadn't faced attacks like this. The people had all thought they were safe. And Clementine and Carley could tell they didn't know what to do in this situation.
"They have to fight back…" Clementine said.
"We are fighting back." One of the soldiers said.
"Not just the soldiers. The whole community has to fight back. Any abled bodied person needs to fight if we're going make it through this." Clementine said.
"It's impossible. None of them are trained, they're not fighters." Captain Harvie said.
"That doesn't mean anything. You can't underestimate them. This is their home, and they have to help defend it." Clementine replied.
"It's not safe…" The captain tried to protest.
"This isn't safe! They have to fight. They have to." Clementine said. "Where are the weapons?"
The captain took a moment to answer, but hearing screams from his fallen comrades made his decide to give in. "…We have an armory… That's where the weapons are…"
"Where…?" Clementine asked.
The captain paused for a moment.
"Where?" Clementine pressed, in a stern tone.
"Take them to the armory." Captain Harvie said.
"Captain, are you sure this will work…?" One of the soldiers questioned.
"We're going to have to find out…" The captain said. "Be careful, we'll distract them…"
"Clem, you and Danielle go to armory, I'll stay here and watch his back." Carley said.
"Okay… Be careful…" Clementine said.
"I'm supposed to say that to you…" Carley said to the girl.
Clementine looked to Danielle. "Come on, Dani… Stay close to me."
Danielle gave a tiny nod.
As they went of Carley looked to the captain.
"What's the plan…?" Carley asked.
The captain thought for a moment. "I…"
"Where's your damn captain when you need him?!" A voice interrupted as more gunshots were heard.
"Captain! What's the plan?" Carley asked again, sounding more urgent.
A soldier spoke before the captain could. "What else can we do? We fight back as long as we c—"
Suddenly a loud scream was heard, causing them to flinch. The captain's eyes widened in horror. "Anna! That's my wife!"
"Wait—"
"We have to surrender." Captain Harvie said.
"You can't be serious, Captain!" One of the soldiers exclaimed.
"What choice do I have? They have my family! My wife, my kids!" Captain Harvie said.
"He's right… We have to give up, or make it look like we do…" Carley said.
The crew members were hesitant to comply, but knew they had no choice. They followed their captain's lead.
"This way! The armory is here!" A soldier called as he led them along.
"Come on, Dani!" Clementine held the child's hand while she ran along with the soldiers.
They were led to the armory while was located by the safety bunker. Clementine headed into the armory and noticed several weapons, more than enough for them to fight back. She just needed to convince the people to do so.
The armory was close to the safety bunker, where the civilians were hiding out. Clementine just hoped she could convince them to fight back.
As she entered the bunker, she could see many people were in an absolute panic. She tried to gain their attention, but it was a struggle with them all speaking over one another. Taking a deep breath she yelled, "LISTEN!"
Attention turned to her, and though the people were still frightened they looked to her expectantly, listening for what she had to say.
"We have to do something! We're not gonna win this unless we fight." Clementine told them.
"Fight? Are you out of your mind?!" One of the people exclaimed.
"That's what the guards are for!" Someone else said.
Clementine shook her head. "The guards are doing the best they can! We have to fight too!"
"What do you know, you're a damn kid!" Someone scoffed.
"I know more than you think! We have to fight. We can't just sit back and let them destroy this ship! This is your home, and you have to defend it!" Clementine said.
The people exchanged looks. As Clementine continued trying to convince them some of them seemed to give in, but others refused.
An argument began among the group as they debated on if they should fight back to help defend their home or abandon ship.
"We don't have time for this! If we're gonna do something, we have to do it NOW! Whoever's with me, come on!" Clementine ordered. "I've been through this type of thing before. I've seen cannibals, bandits, rapist... I've had to fight to protect myself... And if we don't do that now... If we don't fight back...we're all gone die or worse...become slaves to those bandits. We have to fight back. It's now or never."
As she ordered them to follow a few of the civilians did, but others decided to stay hidden.
Clementine decided to take what she got. She couldn't convince them all and she didn't have time to try. And though she was disappointed that not many of them were willing to fight, but she couldn't complain. This would have to do. She and the guards passed out weapons to all the civilians that were willing to fight back before they rushed back towards the main deck.
"Where's your captain? Think he's going to come help you folks now?" A man taunted his captives with a chuckle. One being Anna, the captain's wife.
"I'm right here!" The captain spoke. "Let them go."
"Finally decided to show your face?" The man said.
"What do you want? Is it supplies?" The captain asked. "If it is we have plenty. Just let my people go and they're yours."
"Not gonna happen…" The man said.
"What is it you want?" Captain Harvie asked.
"This isn't a deal we're making. Anything we want we're gonna take. Meaning your supplies, the lives of all your men, and the freedom of all your ladies." The man replied.
"Fuck this shit…" One of the soldiers angrily started to raise his gun, but he was quickly stopped by Carley.
"I'll give you all the supplies you want…" The captain said. "Just please… Don't do this, no one else has to die."
"Like I said before, this isn't a deal we're making." The man said.
The captain slowly inched his way closer to his young son who was sobbing fearfully. Once he was close enough, he scooped the child up, tossing him to a nearby soldier before, shooting two of the men.
The captain yelled in pain as he was suddenly shot in the leg, causing him to fall to the ground. The captain of the opposing group grabbed him and forced him to his knees. Before the man could react, he was suddenly shot through the head.
"NOOO!" The captain's wife screamed out in horror.
"CAPTAIN!"
The soldiers quickly drew their guns and gunfire was quickly exchanged. The captain's wife was hit and the shooting continued.
Several of the soldiers were killed by the opposing crew. The enemies captain smirked. "You folks done fighting now? Your leader can't protect you anymore." The man said with a chuckle. "I guess that means, this ship is mine now… Unless someone here wants to protest."
"We do!" Clementine snapped.
Gunfire began to ring out from the civilians, Clementine managing to hit that captain, killing him.
As gunfire came from both side some of the civilians attempted to back out, however, many of them went through with the attack. Blood had been shed on both sides but eventually a victor was seen. The opposing side was no more, though the group was faced with another issue the bodies of the fighters began to reanimate.
Carley, Clementine and the civilians began killing and pushing the walkers off the ship. More than have of the ship was full of walkers and it proved to be a lengthy and difficult task.
Clementine who had been focused on other walkers barely noticed a walker which happened to be the captain, approached her until she was already grabbed.
"Clementine!" Danielle gasped.
Carley quickly aimed her gun, shooting the captain before her could do any damage to the girl.
With that they continued to clear the ship of as many walkers as they could. Once everything had calmed down, they went to check in on the survivors in the bunker. Upon checking the safety bunker, many of the civilians began to ask, "Where's the captain?"
"He…. He's gone. I'm in charge now…" They were approached by the captain's eldest son, the same young man who had taken their weapon when they first got on the ship.
The survivors were all sadden to hear of the captain's demise, but they were willing to look to his son as their new leader.
Once the group had calmed, and things seemed safe again, the captain's son had approached Carley, Clementine, and Danielle.
"Thank you… For helping us…." The captain's son said.
"You lost a lot of people." Clementine frowned.
"We would have lost more without your help." The captain's son said.
"I guess…" Clementine sighed.
"I know you guys don't plan on sticking around, but is there anything I can help you with…?" The captain's son asked.
"A boat, if you can give us one. And gas…" Carley said. "Food and water too… We could use as much as you can give."
"Of course…" The captain's son said. "Whatever we can give to help."
"Thank you…" Carley said.
"No… thank you." The captain's son replied.
After giving them their requested equipment the captain's son spoke. "You three be careful out there. The world's not as safe as it used to be. People aren't so nice anymore."
"Trust me, we know…" Carley said.
"You guys be safe too." Clementine said to the captain's son.
"We will." The captain's son said.
With that the trio headed off, the captain's son waving them goodbye. The trio sailed off with the realization that bandits were even on the sea. They were starting to think that sea travel wasn't any safer than the land…
They just hoped they could get to Wellington soon.