Chapter 10: No Going Back
Noah's narration
After staying for two days in the gift shop on the torn down observation deck, we decided to move up on the road. Snow fell out of the sky as it covered the ground, leaving the sleet making the road feel wet with melted permafrost. Kenny and Lee took point while Luke and me followed behind them. Before we left, I went back to Carver's Camp to search for anything useful. Carley and Clementine were behind me with Sarah beside them. Everyone else followed us through. Rebecca was not looking so good though, almost falling out of rest. Even though we press onward to the road, Kenny and Luke still argue. Hell, I even told them they weren't helping the group but arguing. After Luke said I was the one that agreed with him, I just countered back by saying he was supposed to be on watch for walkers a couple of days ago at Parker's Run. We all came to a stop after Rebecca collapsed when Stephanie and Bonnie set her to sit on a rock while she held her baby. Kenny knew she was getting worse too. Right up until Kenny and Luke started arguing again, I swear this two. That's when we found out someone was heading toward us. Clem said this guy, Arvo was who she and the group I sent over to follow Jane met before she left. Clementine mentioned him having a sick sister, but I kept my gun just in case this was a trap; and it was. We were surrounded by a group of people, six plus Arvo speaking in what I understood was probably Russian. It made me wonder if they were Russian mafia. Maybe, probably not. Who knows really?
Apparently, they surrounded because Arvo said we robbed him. Clem, Russell, Shel, and Becca told us they didn't. That left me to think of one person that did steal their supplies: Jane. Now I knew why she left two days ago. She stole their supplies and let us take the fall for it. As for things couldn't get any worse, what remaining people of Carver's camp found us too. There was this guy Nate, someone Russell knew and never trusted since he met him. That would explain why Russell never trusted anyone new because of Nate. We did not NEED a fucking Mexican standoff, especially not with Rebecca in her condition and her baby boy. However, our luck went south when... when Rebecca turned to a walker while everyone argued. I was left with no choice. I... I shot her in the head and that's when everything went today.
End narration
The sound of gunfire going on came into Noah's ears as he was down on the ground, Clementine laying beside him. One of them had a shotgun with a tattoo on the right side of his face shooting. Luke and Lee were taking cover from a stone hedge while Carley jumped in and took cover. With them was Shel, Becca, Russell, and Eddie. Wyatt went to help Vince get Mike who was with Bonnie during the shooting. Kenny was in a gunfight with one of the russian taking cover from a boulder, a few dead bodies that came from Carver's laid dead along with one of the russians. Noah and Clementine could hear the baby still crying as they saw Stephanie dead with a gunshot through the eye. Noah looked away from her corpse, spotting Arvo giving off CPR to the downed russian woman who was possibly his sister.
Nate on the other hand already left with half a dozen people in his group. Noah then saw a dead Tavia shot in the head and neck, a pool of blood laying everywhere. Although, seven from Carver's camp remained to settle a score between the group that escaped and the Russian mafia. Doug was dead with a pump full of lead inside his stomach. Reggie was killed at a shot to the face, bullet dead center into his eye. Nick moved Bonnie away so they could get to cover. Nick got hit in the shoulder as he felt, with Bonnie and Vince pulling him close to cover. Noah was taken aback by Clementine almost being when she crawled to save the baby. He snapped out of it and brought out his desert eagle. Noah fired off six shots at the russian covering by the boulder using an AK-47.
"Clem, go! I got the baby!" he shouted only for Clementine herself to run toward the baby, grabbing as she now ran to Lee and Luke while Noah ran to behind her and took cover beside them. "Nice one, Clementine!"
"Ah, shit! I didn't even see him." Luke said realizing was left behind. "Good work, Clem."
"Good job, sweet pea. Right now, we need to end this slaughter." Lee declared as Clementine handing the baby over to him
"My thoughts exactly." Noah agreed while he gazed at Clementine. "Clem, stay here with Carley and the others. Just give us some cover."
"Okay. we'll cover you." she said leaving her and Carley to give Noah and Luke covering fire
"Go!" Lee yelled as Noah and Luke ran, only for Luke to get shot in the leg
"Luke, no!" Bonnie screamed
"Russell, cover us!" Noah ordered as Russell gave them some covering fire again as he dragged Luke back into cover, shooting the russian with the shotgun in the process
"You two okay?" Carley asked
"Aside from my leg being shot, I'm fine." Luke replied. "I think it went straight through." a russian with the dead one's shotgun aimed at it Noah, only for a certain dog to bite his shoulder as Noah shot the russian in the eye and took his shotgun
Clementine smiled when she saw a familiar siberian husky. "Milly!" the dog named Milly ran and licked Clementine's face
"Good to see you, girl!" Noah exclaimed sctratching the dog's head
"Now there's only one to deal-" Lee was cut off when he saw Kenny holding Arvo hostage
"Come out now or I'll blow this kid's fuckin' brains out!" he shouted holding the gun to Arvo's head
"Kenny, what the hell are you doing?!" Noah yelled
"I'm ending this!" he exclaimed keeping Arvo hostage. "Get out here! Right fuckin' now!"
"Kenny, you're making things worse by doing this! We need to-" Noah paused when he saw one of the russian, female as a walker started to crawl toward Clementine. "shit!" Russell shot the female russian walker before Noah could
"NO!" Arvo shouted as he broke free from Kenny, running toward his dead sister. "Natasha! Natasha!" he glared at Russell, only for Arvo to be rifle butted him in the forehead
Noah raised a quirked eyebrow at Russell. "A little excessive, don't you think?"
"I wouldn't call it excessive." Russell muttered glaring at Arvo. "Especially not up to this point either."
The russian with the assault rifle was about to kill, until suddenly he started gurgling. Blood came from his mouth, turning around as a knife was stuck in the back of his neck. The cause will directed to a thing that stabbed him: Jane. Her expression was filled with shock and sudden horror at what she did. The man continued to gurgling violently in blood until Kenny shot him in the back of his head. Noah got up from the cover, seeing the gunfight was over and the coast to be clear.
"It's over. Everyone out." he said as the group did the same while Bonnie walked over to Clementine
"Here... I got him." she said as Clementine gave her the baby while Noah walked toward Jane with a blank stare
"I'm still mad at you, but thanks for coming back at least." Noah admitted folding his arms and showing a small grin
"I didn't know this man..." Jane trailed off looking down. "I've never killed someone that didn't wrong me in some way that didn't deserve it."
"Bastard deserved it. He was trying to kill us." Noah replied. "You can't always change what happens next."
Jane folded her arms. "Yeah that's why I did it, but... it felt wrong."
"Are you leaving or do you want to stick with us?" Noah asked crossing his arms, quirking his eyebrow
"I've been alone all my life. I'm tired of it." Jane answered. "I'm staying with you guys."
"Good. Come on, then." Noah and Jane walked over to the group who stared at the dead bodies of Rebecca, Stephanie, Reggie, and Doug
"I can't believe she turned like that." Shel said in a sad tone staring at Rebecca, then looking away from Stephanie's dead body
"Jesus Christ. She must've lost too much blood or something." Eddie stated. "Now we lost three more. Doug, Reggie, Stephanie..."
Carley looked away at Doug and Stephanie's corpse. "They're gone."
"You become a walker no matter how you die. If you don't destroy the brain, that's what will happen. It'll keep happening to all of us." Noah stated remembering what Ben and Travis when the group first met them, leaving him to look away
"Don't you go blamin' yourself, Noah. You did what you had to... to protect the boy." Bonnie looked down at Rebecca's corpse. "Don't worry, Rebecca. We'll take good care of him."
"At least she's with Alvin now." Lee said when Kenny punched Arvo in the gut all of a sudden
"Whoa, whoa! Dude!" Eddie and Wyatt broke Kenny away from Arvo. "What the fuck?!" Eddie said
"You piece of shit!" Kenny spatted at Arvo with him pointing a gun at the young russian when Mike and Luke sat in front of Arvo
"Calm down, Kenny!" Lee said, still shocked of Kenny's current action
"Kenny, that's enough!" Carley exclaimed. "He's lost enough already!"
"And whose fault that is!" Kenny retorted aiming the gun still at Arvo
Lee glanced at Arvo and walked toward him. "Do you have a place? Somewhere with food and shelter?" he asked
"Yes, yes!" he exclaimed
"Bullshit!" Kenny snarled
"Kenny, enough! This is not the time for this shit." Noah growled
Becca folded her arms and gave Arvo a scowl. "What are you even telling us this anyway?"
"Becca." Shel gave her sister a cold stare
Becca scoffed. "No. I wanna know why."
"I don't want to see more people dead." Arvo pleaded as tears streamed down his eyes
"Then close you eyes, and I make it quick." Kenny growled in a threatening tone
"Kenny, we need the food." Clementine told him
"It doesn't matter." Jane said. "Trust him, don't trust him. It's still worth the risk. All we have to do is be careful."
Kenny glared at Jane. "You stay out of this! This is your fault these fuckers got after us in the first place!" he growled
"Don't go pinning this on me." Jane said defending herself
"Whose fault is it that they came after in the first place, huh?" Eddie folded his arms in agreement with Kenny
"She came back for us, Eddie." Luke said
"Look what the fuck happened, man!" Russell snapped. "Doug, Stephanie, and Rebecca. Even Reggie got killed because of this lone wolf bitch!"
"We know that. But she came back anyway." Lee replied. "She wouldn't even came back here if she abandoned us."
Noah looked at the group when were shocked at Kenny, like it was with Katjaa and Duck. Worse when Ben told him he was responsible for what happened to Katjaa, and Duck. Plus losing Sarita. Noah took a rope from the supply bag and tied Arvo's arms together. He gave Arvo one strong glare.
"Do you know where this place?" Noah asked Arvo
"Yes. It's not fair." he answered before Noah gave the tied Arvo to Russell
"Take us there." he ordered. "A word of advice: don't try to escape or otherwise..." Noah trailed off glancing at Kenny to Arvo. "he'll happened."
The group grabbed the weapons off the dead russians and a few from Nate's group as they pressed on the road. Arvo led them to the direction of the woods, with Russell and Kenny on point hot on his trail in case he thought of escaping. Noah looked back to see Clementine and Jane talking. Bonnie still held the baby while Shel and Becca moved up to Lee. Vince and Wyatt looked left and right while they walked to make sure no walkers were near, with Milly the dog following Carley and Eddie. Luke and Mike were behind Noah, seeing him quiet since Stephanie died along with Doug and Rebecca.
"Noah." Noah turned to look at Luke. "It's not your fault."
"As soon as I saw Rebecca turned..." Noah looked away for a short moment. "I put her down. Just like that. That was fucking unexcepted."
"Yeah. That was pretty unexpected." Mike replied
"Where you and her close?" Luke inquired
Noah quirked his eyebrow in confusion. "Rebecca? Not on a first day basics, no." he said to Luke
"I meant Stephanie." he stated
Noah looked down. "I think there was something. I don't know."
"She always liked you when you first met." Luke clarified. "Stef was one of us they didn't believe you were bitten."
Mike raised an eyebrow as he stared at both of them. "Bitten?"
"Long story short, they put me in a shed when they thought I was bit by a walker." Noah explained to Mike. "It was a damn laborder."
"Really?" Mike asked incrediously
"Yeah, really." Noah agreed. "Almost bit my ass off." the group were now in the woods, coming to a stop when Luke to wince in pain
"You alright?" Noah inquired
"My leg." Luke replied
"Let's all stop for a few minutes." Mike suggested
"Sounds good to me." Russell agreed
Kenny side glanced at the group. "Alright." he shift his gaze at Arvo. "Wait here." Arvo continued to walk, which seem to irritate Kenny as he knock Arvo over. "I said wait! When I tell you somethin' you fucking listen!"
Mike helped Noah set Luke down on a log before sending a cold look of disbelief directly at Kenny. "Kenny, come on! That's enough!"
"He understands." Noah said giving Kenny a hard glare
Kenny glared at the downed Arvo. "Just stay there." he said moving away from Arvo while Russell kept an eye on him
"I'm gonna go talk to him." Mike said as Bonnie gave him the baby. "He doesn't have to treat the kid like that."
"Go ahead." Noah said back as him and Bonnie went to tend Luke's leg wound. "Hand me that hydrogen peroxide, would you Bonnie?"
"Sure thing." Bonnie gave Noah the hydrogen peroxide as he splashed it on Luke's wounded leg, with Luke hissing in short pain from the sting. "What is it with you men?" she suddenly asked the two men
Luke and Noah looked at Bonnie confused. "What?" they said in unison while Mike and Kenny began to argue, leaving Clementine to take care of Kenny's bandages on his eye wound
"Every man I've met has to always show everyone how tough they are. Put 'em in their place." Bonnie explained. "Buncha alpha male dominant horseshit."
"Don't look at me. I'm not that guy." Luke said
Bonnie shook her head in disbelief. "Come on. You and Nick are known to get in your pissin' matches."
"Not all men are assholes." Noah replied tying a knot on Luke's wounded leg. "Everyone gets like that a lot. There's good people too. For starters, there's me and Lee."
"I always wondered if Lee took charge." Bonnie said glancing at Lee who was speaking to Carley. "Probably do a better job than Kenny."
"Lee does lead us sometimes." Noah added. "It has gotten us in better terms. Even when I led the group at one point."
"I look to see where I am. All of my friends, just gone." Luke mentioned. "Alvin, Pete, Boyd, Rebecca, Carlos, Sarah, and now Stephanie."
"There still those three." Noah pointed at Nick, Vince, and Eddie with his thumb
"And they're probably thinking the same thing. Except maybe Vince."
Luke looked to see Jane talking with Kenny and Mike. "Guess it took a woman to talk some sense into 'em. Looks like Jane broke it up."
"Good thing." Noah stood up giving Lee a nod
"All right, everyone. Let's get a move on."
`0`
It was sundown as the group found a power station down below the hill. They decided to make camp as everyone got settled in for camp. A fire is started where Noah is keeping first watch. Jane was standing beside a fence left of Noah while Russell tied Arvo to a grid line. Everyone else was talking about something he could not make out. He saw Kenny with the baby, AJ. Alvin jr for short. Russell want back to the others as Noah walked over to Kenny, carrying AJ in his hands.
"What are you doing?" Noah questioned Kenny as he raised an eyebrow
"Takin' watch." he stated. "Go on and join the others by the fire."
"Then let me take AJ and I will." Noah insisted
Kenny paused for a brief moment. "Allright, then." he gave Noah AJ as the 23 year old held the baby boy in his arms. "Go on. I got this."
Noah walked over to Jane before heading the group. Shifting a quick glance at each other while Noah held AJ in his arms.
"You not joining them?" he asked raising an eyebrow
"I'm good." Jane said hesistantly
"Sure you are." Noah said nonchalent
"I'm fine." she said again in hesistation as he glanced at Luke, then back at Jane
A wide grin suddenly formed on Noah's face. "You love him don't you?"
Jane's eyes popped up at what Noah said. "What?"
Noah flashed a grin on his face at Jane. "You heard me."
"No, no. Not like that!" she exclaimed. "It was only a fling."
"Yet it seems more like love than just your booty call a few days ago to me." Noah trolled. "So, are you going to join in with your boyfriend or do I have to bring him over here?"
"Fine, fine. I'll join only if you'll shut up." Jane said showing a small smirk
"Deal." Noah accepted as him and Jane walked toward the group. "What's up? You guys talking about something?"
"Luke's birthday's today." Clementine said
"Good on you, birthday boy." Noah congradulated patting Luke on the shoulder. "How old are you, now? 26? 27?"
"27." Luke stated. "Majored in art history plus a minor in agriculture to make the old man happy. Nick majored a little bit in business."
"I had engineering, and a little bit of computers on the side." Noah hinted
"So, what was it with you and Jane?" Noah asked Luke. "How long did it take for you two to be boning each other after you were alone?"
"Noah!" Bonnie exclaimed at what he said
Noah shrugged his shoulders at Bonnie's exclamation. "What?"
"I don't know. I guess I wanted to forget about this shit just for ten minutes." Luke said smiling as he looked at Jane
Mike scoffed. "Ten minutes? Man, that's longer than I'd last at this point."
"Guys!" Shel exclaimed
"All right, all right. It wasn't ten minutes." Luke admitted
Carley pinched her eyebrow at Luke, Mike, and Noah. "May I remind you three we have two young girls present here?"
Clem and Becca gave the three a hard glance. "We know what you guys are talking about." Becca said
Lee chuckled. "I certain hope not, girls."
Clementine narrowed her eyes at the group. "You're talking about kiss stuff."
"Nope. We're talking about sex." Noah said transparent
"Noah, Jesus!" Carley said in disbelief
Noah put his arm in mock surrender. "It's the apocalypse. Who really gives a shit?" he said as he gave AJ to Shel
"Still though. Don't." Lee said as him and Carley got Noah a serious look
"Okay, fine." Noah suddenly grinned at Lee and Carley. "You two can tell Clem when she hits puberty."
"What's puberty?" Clementine asked looking at Carley and Lee
"We'll talk about it when you're thirteen." Carley said
"But..." Clementine trailed off slowly
"When you're thirteen." Lee and Carley said in unison, ending the discussion before giving Noah a hard look who only shrug his shoulders in mock surrender
Noah shift his gaze at Luke. "So was there any kissing involved or was it just premature screwing on a daily basis?" he asked with a smile before Mike, Wyatt, Nick, and Eddie chuckled
"You shut your dirty little mouth." Bonnie side glanced at Luke with a small grin. "The rest of you."
"Lee, can you remind me who you were with before Carley?" Noah asked
"You don't want to know." Carley insisted as she gave the bottle of rum to Noah
"Try me." he replied taking a chug
"Lily." Lee answered as Noah spit the rum out of his mouth
Carley sighed wiping the rum off her pants as her, Vince, and everyone else wiping the spill from their clothes. "Jesus, Noah." Luke sighed wiping his shirt off
"Lily?! You fucked Lily!?" Noah inquired in disbelief. "Why man? Why?!"
"Who's Lily?" Luke asked
"Long short story, Lily was this woman we had in our group who had a bitch fit when her and Kenny got in an argument." Noah stated to the group except for Lee, Carley, and Clementine as he looked away. "She had this asshole and shithead of a father named Larry that turned to a walker when we were held hostage by a farm family name the St. Johns."
"Farmers? You guys got held up by farmers?" Vince inquired
"When you meet a family of cannibals that own a dairy, you tend to get the fuck out of dodge." Noah said as their eyes went wide except for three people plus Kenny. "Lucky to get the hell out of there."
"Christ. Were they really..." Shel trailed off when Noah nodded his head. "Oh god."
"That's fucked up. They were probably corked too." Eddie said
"That they were. Sick in the damn head too. But, let's not dwell way in the past. Anyway..." Noah shifted his gaze at Lee. "When did that start? With you and Lily."
"Since we went to the motor-inn back in Georgia after we left my family's pharmacy. You already know who Carley was with." Lee explained when Carley looked away. "When she was with Doug at the time."
Noah sighed. "I shouldn't have said anything."
"No, it's alright." Carley assured
"Besides, I thought you and Molly were an item back in Savannah." Carley mentioned
"Molly?" a smile formed on Noah's face. "Blonde hair, blue eyes, carries a ice climber name Hilda? Oh yeah, I remember her. I kind of had a appealing quality whenever it came to Molly. All I got from her was a kiss."
"Yeah? Well, Luke here is a regular cassanova." Nick added pointing his thumb at the recently 27 year old
Luke shook his head. "Hey, shut up."
"Please. Your moves have always worked on the ladies." Mike replied
Carley rested her head on Lee's shoulder. "His moves didn't work on me." she said giving Lee a peck on the cheek
"It worked on us." Bonnie admitted taking a sip, only to stop what she just said as her and Shel put their hand on their forehead. "Shit."
"What do you know? A drunk man's talk is a sober man's thoughts." Noah joked
"Well I ain't a man and they can take that shit elsewhere." Bonnie replied
"Oh, we'll see country girl." Noah joked which got the group laughing
"Good to see we're having a good time joking around tonight." Vince said with Mike glancing at Arvo
"Not all of us." he said
Russell shook his head. "No. I already know what you're thinking."
Mike glanced at Russell. "He could use it."
"Hell. No." Russell said
"Come on, Russell. Just because you haven't trusted anyone since Nate, doesn't mean he's a bad person." Shel implied
Russell huffed. "I already said what I needed to say." he retorted folding his arms. "Don't say I didn't warn you when he decides to shot one of us." he concluded as Mike walked over to Arvo with the bottle of rum
"I don't know about him." Noah admitted
Vince glanced at Noah. "You mean Arvo?"
"Yeah. I don't know if we can trust that shitbird."
Lee sighed. "Now you're starting to sound like Kenny."
Noah slowly glanced at Lee with wide eyes. "That's the worst thing you could ever say to me, Lee." he said
"I'm not saying that you act like-" Lee was suddenly cut off
"Leave me alone!" the group turned to see the voice came from Arvo
"I'm sorry I just-" Arvo cut off Mike
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" he shouted with tears in his eyes as Kenny was about to walk over to Arvo with a angered look
"Kenny." Noah called as Kenny gazed at him, with Noah shaking his head in a no. "Don't do it, man."
"Did that guy's sister turn to a walker back on the road?" Becca asked Russell
"She did." he stated. "Had to shoot her ass off before she got Clem and AJ."
"I forgot to thank you for that, Russell." Lee said in gratitude
Russell waved his hand at Lee. "Don't mention it, Lee."
"Maybe we all should crash for tonight." Eddie said heading to sleep. "It'll be a long walk for tomorrow."
Kenny moved away from the group. "I'll take first watch." he hollered
"Thanks, Kenny." Lee said
"He's right." Bonnie said agreeing with Eddie. "We should turn in."
"Night, dude and dudettes." Wyatt waved off heading to sleep along with everyone else except Kenny
`0`
The next day, the group headed north when they continued to follow Arvo to the russian's safehouse used to store food and shelter. They came to a stop as they reached a frozen lake, with a house ahead of it. A house that was in construction and barely complete. Noah took out a pair of binoclaurs to scope the area out as he saw a small herd of walkers to the right. On the left, there were only a few on the far end of the left. Unknown to him, Kenny had forced Arvo to go first in case it was a trap.
"Everyone start walking on the ice." Noah ordered
"Could we just go around?" Shel asked
"Walkers on both sides." Noah stated giving the binoclaurs to Vince and Lee. "You got some in the left, but it would take to long. On the right is a herd of them."
"He's right." Vince said giving them to Lee after he checked for himself
"All we have to do is walk slow and not apply extra weight to the ice." Lee added
"Don't panic and walk slowly. Look out for any cracks in the lake too." Noah instructed as he and the group walk toward the frozen lake
"Slowly. Slowly now..." Eddie trailed off taking steps in the frozen lake
"Just walk slowly, Becca." Shel instructed as they followed the others
"Stay beside me, Clem." Lee said as him, Carley, and Clementine continued following the group
The group move through the frozen lake, being extremely careful not to make any cracks or break off part of the ice. They walked slowly and carefully in order to get across the lake, and over the nearly built house. Noah looked back to see a few walkers behind them as they pressed on ahead through the lake. A couple of walkers fall trap in the frozen lake, falling into the cold waters of the lake. Then all of a sudden, Arvo started to make a run for it as Kenny chased after him leaving Mike to go after them. Arvo's leg fell in the lake as Mike along with Lee and Carley saw Kenny get him out and pushed off to the snow covered ground.
"Well, they make it." Jane said nonchalently
Noah, Clementine, Russell and Bonnie stopped when they heard ice cracking behind the four of them. They turned around to see it was coming from Luke, leaving a trail of cracks in the icy lake. Bonnie slowly walked to help Luke before he spotted her.
"Get back!"
"Luke, toss the AK! You're applying too much weight on the ice!" Noah exclaimed
"I'm fine. I just need to-" Luke was cut off after he took a step, only for his limp leg to fall in the lake as Noah, Clem, Russell, and Bonnie. "Stop, stop! I just... I need a minute here to get free.
"You got walkers behind you, Luke!" Noah yelled. "Get the hell out of there, damn it!"
"I know that, Noah!" Luke shouted back. "I'm workin' on it!"
Bonnie looked at Clementine with a worried look for Luke "You gotta go help him."
"What? No!" Luke denied
"Clem, go!" Bonnie told her
"That's crazy!" Russell outbursted. "They'll both fall in!"
"You can do it Clem, you're light! You can-" Nick cut Bonnie off
Nick shot off a quick glare at Bonnie. "Stop telling her that shit! She ain't even light!" he exclaimed. "If she goes toward him, they're both dead!"
"Clem look at me." Luke said to Clementine. "Just shoot those walkers so I could get outta here!"
"What do I do?" Clementine asked looking at Noah. "Noah?"
"Do what Luke says." Noah pulled out his desert eagle as he shot a walker in the eye, which lead to the head. "Cover him so he could free! Do NOT go near him!"
"He's right, Clem. Do what he says." Russell agreed taking in more. "If Luke says he got it, then he's got it!"
Doing what Luke told her, Clementine began shooting at the walkers in order to give more time to break himself free. Things started to go worse when Bonnie walked toward slowly, ignoring what Noah and Luke told her to do. Nick even started shouting for Bonnie to get away, with even Luke telling her not to come near him. Luke tossed the AK-47 to Noah before him and Bonnie were swallowed down below the lake. Clem and Noah ran toward the ice hole, until they heard banging left of them as they saw Luke. Clementine hit the frozen section of the lake using the butt of the pistol she used. She hit it again and again until Noah grabbed her, stopping her from joining Luke and Bonnie.
"Clem, Clem!" Noah exclaimed. "We can't help them. They're already gone." him and Clementine saw Luke's now lifeless body floating down below the lake
"Guys." Noah and Clementine looked up to see Russell. "We should get back to the others."
Noah, Clementine, Russell, and Nick made it stepping out of the frozen lake. Everyone made it inside, as Wyatt closed the door behind them. While everyone else came in, Jane went further to look for food just like Arvo mentioned when he was captured by the group. They were just stomped that they lost Luke and Bonnie. Most of all Nick since he and Luke knew each other since first grade. What kept going on in Russell's head was that why Bonnie tried to save Luke when he told her not to in the first place.
"How the fuck did that happen?!" Kenny outbursted
Shel gasped. "Oh my god, they're gone."
"It happened too fast." Clementine said looking away
Mike placed AJ in a small box, placing a pile of newspaper on it for the baby. "Once that ice started to go down, it wasn't much for any of us to do." he stated sadly
Nick furiously punched a wall. "I told her not to go toward him! Why the hell didn't she listen to me?!"
Kenny glared at Arvo. "You son of a bitch. This is all your fucking fault!"
"We need a fire here." Lee said trying to find some matches
"Just look at this place. Just a stack of fuckin' toothpicks." Kenny groused, giving Arvo a push in the process. "What? No speak-de-english?!"
Arvo glared straight at Kenny. "Fuck you."
Kenny's fists suddenly balled up. "You fuckin' commie piece of shit!" he roared, punching Arvo in the face again and again
"Kenny!" Mike shouted in shock
Noah rushed to Kenny and slammed him toward a wall. "Enough, goddamit!"
Jane walked back in when she saw a bloodied Arvo on the floor as she glared at Kenny. "What are you doing?" she tossed Noah a can of chili. "There's another just like this. He WASN'T lying. He was telling the truth." she said
Noah let Kenny go of when he took the can from Noah's hand. "You wanna tell me how a can of fucking chili is going to help a baby?"
"How is beating a kid going to help anyone?!" Jane shouted, giving a strong glare at Kenny
"Shut up!" Noah shouted glaring at Kenny and Jane. "Both of you! Just... start a fire and tie him up."
"I got it." Vince said tying Arvo to a support beam under the stairs. "Stay." he said leaving the teenage russian to glare at Noah suddenly, with Noah giving him a death glare as Arvo looked away
Mike looked at Arvo with a concerned look. "Hey, are you okay? He's hurt really-" Noah cut him off
"Mike, do you have a match?"
"What?" Mike inquired in confusion. "Uh... no, I don't."
Clementine crouched down and gave Jane a nail file. "You kept it." Jane took the nail file and a piece of flint to make a homemade fire
Noah looked at the can of chili as he opened it, giving it the Siberian husky Milly instead
"Here, girl." he said petting her head
"You didn't want any of this, dude?" Noah looked up to see Wyatt offering a can of chili to him
"No, not really." he replied to Wyatt. "That stuff will make you shit. Maybe even give you dirarrhea."
Wyatt took a quick look at the can of chili before setting it down on the table. "You might be right, and I probably shouldn't have ate it."
"I'll see if there's anything else to eat besides that." Noah declared
`0`
After finding a bag of canned soups and beans, carrots, apples, and peaches Noah give the others something to eat beside chili. Noah went up the stairs and made sure that him, and the group were alone. The coast was clear as Noah pulled out his sleeping bag and laid down, closing his eyes to rest. He tossed and turned, still seeing the dead faces of those he met. He saw Beatrice, a woman from the group Noah and Doug had found in the town of Macon while she was being chased by walkers. At that time, Noah, Kenny, Lee, Clementine, and Carley where with their original group at the motor-inn. Doug had swooned her in like he was a superhero and got her away from the walker herd. Beatric was just a nurse and one-time temporary waitress working in a diner over east of Macon. Noah also remembered her and Mark being an item when they met. That changed when she was trapped by walkers after she went with Noah and Mark to scavenge a house away from the motor-inn. She died before Mark could get her out of the walker hold. Speaking of Mark, he was next as Noah remembered the painful memory of Mark's legs chomped off by the St. John brothers.
Then there was Larry, Lily's asshole of a father who died from a heart attack at the St. John's meat locker. Travis being shot in cold blood by Lily, leaving the group to let Lily stay behind. Katjaa when her and Kenny found out Duck was bitten, shooting herself in the head so she would not have to see her son being shot. Duck when Lee put him out of his misery, which was weird for Noah, but at least right with decency. Chuck after he saved Clementine and told the group to go without him, leaving Noah to remember seeing his guts out when he was in the sewers. Boyd being killed after Carver pushed him on the roof back at Howe's. Sarita when Ben and Clementine were forced to chop her arm off in order to save her. Ben, Stephanie, Noah's mother Tessa, Sarah, Doug, Pete, and Rebecca all joining in with the rest of the dead people they met ever since the outbreak started.
Noah's eyes opened wide as he was being licked by Milly. He patted the siberian husky's head as he heard a knock on the wall. He turned to see it was Lee.
"Hey, Lee."
"Hey. You mind if I talk with you?" Lee asked
Noah sighed. "It's about Kenny, isn't it?" he inquired
"That. And there's something I need to give to you." Lee replied. "But first..." he trailed off sitting down crossing his legs. "Kenny."
"Yeah, he went wailing on that kid." Noah pinched the bridge of his nose. "Almost beat him to death."
Noah sighed deeply. "We've seen him like this before, but what happened... that was different."
"That it was." Noah agreed. "And he's still set on Wellington."
"What do you think?" Lee inquired
Noah sighed. "I don't think it exists. I don't even KNOW if it does."
"Me neither." Lee took out a letter from inside Noah's old survival guide journal in his coat pocket. "This is for you. It was from your mother, and she told me to give it to you whenever I thought you were ready."
Noah took the letter. "Mom..." he glanced at Lee as he looked at the handwriting. "This is her handwriting." he said as he took a look at it
"Noah, If you are reading this, it means that I am dead. I told Lee to give you this letter until you finished mourning. When all of this started, I kept praying and wondering if you were still alive out of this madness. My prayers were answered after I saw you in Savannah, alive and still the son I raised you to be. I even forgot to tell you that I was going to get married before the outbreak had ever started. His name is Peter, and I think you would have liked him. I know you would probably be unsure what to think, especially since you never had a father before. Now here I am, bitten and trapped inside a morgue. When I die, promise me that you'll stay who are you. You are my son, Noah Kane and I love you so much. If you ever meet Peter, tell him I love him and I will miss him for those days we cherise together. This is goodbye... for both of you. Goodbye, love mom."
Noah looked down as a tears slowly streamed down his eyes, seeing his mother's letter for himself. The letter she wrote for him, her only son before she died. He looked at his survival journal and remebered the things he wrote to survive the apocalypse. Noah wiped the tears off his face, removing the drop marks from his face after he sprayed water from his bottle. Then all of a sudden, a car engine was heard as Lee and Noah saw Kenny gotten the truck started. Kenny, along with Vince, Wyatt, and Eddie had got a white painting van and an RV started outside. Noah and Lee went downstairs and outside, making sure toward Kenny and the others.
"You guys got them working!" Lee said. "Nice job."
"Yeah, we did." Vince admitted. "The van and RV were good to go, but that truck took a little longer than we thought."
"Since we got these cars working, we should talk about going back south." Jane stated. "I was thinking back to Howe's."
"Wait, what?! Fuck that." Mike disagreed. "I was thinking more like Texas."
"Las Vegas." Noah said smirking
"I say we go to Miami, head to South Beach." Russell said
Kenny folded his arms. "We already talked about this!" he snarled
Russell quirked his eyebrow at Kenny as it changed to a glare. "Did we?"
"We're goin' to find Wellington." Kenny declared, now glancing at Lee, Clem, Carley, and Noah. "Right, guys?"
"Look, we'll just sleep on it." Noah replied
"That sounds sensible." Shel agreed
"Dammit, we don't have time!" Kenny outbursted in disagreement
"Yes, we do." Lee said. "We have plenty of time to decide, Kenny."
Nick folded his arms. "I don't know who put you in charge, old man." he retorted
"Look, I don't give two shits what you people think. I got this truck and the rest of those started, I say we go north." Kenny declared. "It's the best chance we got of helping AJ."
Nick scoffed. "Or to help yourself." he muttered to himself
"What about Arvo?" Mike asked the group
"Oh, the Russkie? Yeah, he ain't comin' with us."
Mike looked at him with disbelief. "You're just gonna leave him here."
"I don't give a goddamn reason where he goes. He's done." Kenny growled folding his arms together
"He could die, man." Eddie inserted
Kenny scoffed. "Better him than one of us."
"We should ask him what he wants." Noah said, ignoring the look Kenny was giving him right now
"There's a concept." Lee suggested
"He knows the area. He can help us." Mike interjected
"Oh yeah, some help he's been." Kenny said in sarcasm with hate in his voice. "He got Luke and Bonnie killed."
"That wasn't anyone's fault. And if he hadn't been beaten anyone to a pulp, he probably wouldn't run in the first place." Nick growled throwing a hateful look at Kenny
"Either way, we can't go anywhere in the middle of the night." Carley stated
"There could be a herd out there for all we know." Nick retorted
Kenny walked a step close to Nick. "You want that child's blood on your hands, dumbass?"
"We're all gonna have blood on our hands if you don't calm the hell down, old man." Nick snapped
"Haven't we been through enough for today?" Becca said annoyed and irritated. "Can everyone just shut up?"
"Jesus fucking Christ." Kenny swore. "You four remember the last time we sat on our asses and waited around?"
Nick scoffed as he moved away. "Fuck it. I'm going inside."
"So am I." Jane said going with Nick
Kenny had a furious look at Nick and Jane as he opened the truck door. "Goddamn it!" he yelled slamming the door shut
"You can't just walk away from this, Kenny!" Lee yelled out with everyone else going inside, only for Mike to stop and glanced at Noah and Lee
"You two better talk some sense into him." he groused frowning as it faded with him concern and near sympathy. "For his sake." he finished heading back inside
"I don't think we can." Noah said with uncertainity
"I'll try to talk to him." Lee replied. "You go inside with the others." Noah went back inside the house while Lee talked to Kenny, hoping he would at least convice him to head somewhere else besides Wellington
`0`
Everyone was sound asleep. Clementine slept near Lee and Carley downstairs with Kenny, Nick, and Jane while Shel, Becca, Vince, and Wyatt were sleeping upstairs. Russell and Eddie laid asleep on a wall where Arvo was since they were keeping an eye on him. Noah on the other hand was outside taking Milly for a walk. He wanted to go out for some air after everyone went to sleep. Noah did not want to admit it, but Kenny was starting to lose it. He was fixiated on finding Wellington, even near to starting a fight with Nick and anyone else who would disagree. And if Kenny ever lose it, either Noah or at least Lee would have no choice but to put him down. However, his thoughts were interrupted when he heard a gunshot noise coming from the house. Milly barked suspciously, sensing something wrong happening with the others. Noah and Milly rushed back to find out what happened, or what was the leading cost. Once he make it, he was frozen at what he saw. It was Clementine bleeding out in the snow covered ground, with a bullet wound in her shoulder as Carley and Lee were trying to keep her alive. Eddie was shot in the eye, leaving a pool of blood laying on his head and poured out on the ground.
"What... what happen-" Russell cut him off
"Mike and Arvo ditched us. They took everything. All of our food!"
"I can't believe they would do this." Wyatt said in shock over the death of his best friend
"Arvo should've stay dead." Becca retorted when she noticed Shel giving her a look. "Don't even give me that look. Look at what he did to Clem and Eddie."
"I don't think if they even knew what they were doing." Shel said in disbelief
Noah looked down at a wounded Clementine, with his hands balled into fists. "Where's Kenny?"
"He want after Arvo." Vince told him. "Never seen him like this before."
"We're leaving. Jane, get Clem inside the truck! Turn the heater on to keep her warm." Noah looked at Lee and Carley. "I'll make sure she comes out of it okay."
Lee lead Carley to the van as did Wyatt and Eddie while Nick, Russell, Shel, Becca, and Vince got in the RV. "Carley, come on. Noah will make sure she's okay."
"Noah!" he and turned as Carley tossed him a walkie-talkie. "Promise me you make sure she's okay and safe."
Noah nodded his head as he held AJ in his hands. "I will." he told Carley while Jane put Clementine in the back, as she got in the passenger seat with Noah driving off. "Now to find Kenny." he said giving AJ to Jane after turning the heat in the truck
"Are you sure about that?" Jane asked Noah
"I know what to do if he goes crazy." he growled
"I know. I'm just being sure." she said to him
Noah drove off until he could spot Kenny, who at the moment was chasing after Arvo for shooting Clementine and Mike for taking their food. He stopped the truck when he saw a gunshot go off right of him, putting the truck in park as Noah got out and ran toward the direction of the gunshot that went off. He ran at the top speed he could, coming to a stop when he saw three bodies on the ground. One of them was Mike with a gunshot wound in his neck which led him to bleed immensely to death. The second body was Arvo who was bleeding to death from whose eyes were twitching to exhaled his last breath. Which left the last corpse to be Kenny as his bandage and hat was on the floor. Noah only picked up the hat as he glanced at Kenny's lifeless form one last time before heading the truck.
"At least you're with Katjaa and Duck now." Noah said as he got inside the truck and drove back on the road, taking one glance at Clementine. "Please be alive, Clem."