Double update time! I bet nobody expected this, but what can I say, I had this one ready so here you go. Hope you enjoy it.
~ Chapter 6 : Raid on the Travelier ~
"What the-!?"
"How? How can this be?"
"But he was shot by Danny St. John! We all saw the hole in his chest!"
"I… I don't know, I was just about to take the bullet out and when I removed the bandage..."
There was a long, deafening silence that settled over the group of adults, none of them able to come up with a proper theory that'd have served to explain the impossible sight they were all witnessing first hand.
Naruto Uzumaki laid unconscious on a bed, his bare torso not sporting any wound, injury or even scratch, much less a bullet hole. It was as shocking as it was unbelievable. They'd just brought him back from the dairy, and by some sort of miracle he was now fully healed. And that wasn't even the most incredible part; no, the fact that Katjaa was showing them the bloody bullet that had once been inside Naruto's body had the whole group agape.
Naruto had yet to wake up, but that didn't stop Kenny or Lilly from making their incredulity visible in their faces. The two stared at Naruto as if he was some sort of freak, an alien of some kind disguised as a ten-year-old kid with goggles on the forehead.
"So, am I supposed to believe that this… this… kid can magically heal himself?"
"Well, in case you haven't noticed, that's exactly what it looks like, Kenny."
"Holy fuck… Naruto, just who are you?"
"What is he, should be the question here, don't you think?"
Of all them, Carley was the only one who didn't know what had transpired back at the St. John's property, but even then, she was completely astonished.
"This would make for an awesome story for my station…"
None of the others seemed to acknowledge Carley's words, however, as everyone was too caught up in their own thoughts to even dare to tear their eyes away from the unconscious blond. A blond child who was as mysterious to them as the virus bringing the dead back to life.
One thing was for sure, though… things around would definitely change. And not exactly for the better.
Naruto stood right at the very edge of the rooftop he was currently conducting his daily training on, his eyes closed in deep focus as the wind gently swayed his golden locks to the left. It was early in the morning, and yet, the Sun had been prevented from casting its yellow rays upon the land below by cumulonimbus that darkened the sky. The young shinobi apprentice could smell the humidity in the air, and he knew rain was very likely to pour that day.
That wasn't enough to deter his concentration. On the contrary. He was actually hoping it'd rain soon so that his training could get more challenging. The water would reduce his visibility and make him focus even harder than usual.
He sighed. As useful as that'd be, he didn't plan to wait until that happened.
The blond took four shuriken from his holster and held them tight in his hands, crossing his arms in front of his chest in an 'x' shape. He then eyed the target. It was a wide log, filled with multiple marks and cuts from previous training sessions. He'd found it one day in the forest near the motel, and since then he'd been using it to practice his accuracy and reflexes, without much improvement to feel proud about.
Training alone with no one that could give him a good exercise routine and help him with his chakra control and basic jutsus was hard, but he didn't let it phase him. He'd come up with his own routine, which included a two-hour workout session consisting of push-ups, sit-ups, running around the city dodging walkers, and many other exercises that kept him fit and fast. After that was done, Naruto would take a break and eat something for breakfast, which wasn't a lot as finding supplies was getting harder and harder each and every day. Finally, he'd continue with some chakra control exercises he remembered Iruka and the other senseis showing them in several occasions, or just practice throwing kunais and shurikens at specific targets from different angles.
Above all, Naruto hated those exercises designed specifically to help him get a hold of his massive reserves of chakra, though he still made sure to practice on a daily basis. He knew it was very important that he mastered them, as it meant he'd be more efficient at using chakra for jutsus or combat and last much longer in a fight.
The boy was getting faster, stronger with each training session he undertook. His progress was a bit slower than he'd liked, but considering his circumstances, every bit he improved meant less chances of losing against a bandit or any of the sick bastards that plagued that world.
Naruto felt the wind blowing a bit harder and used the chance to throw his shuriken forward with as much strength as he could muster. As soon as they left his hands, the Uzumaki enhanced his legs with plenty of chakra and dashed in the same direction; anyone watching would have seen him becoming an orange blur as he moved at inhuman speed.
The shuriken flew towards the log on the other side of the empty rooftop, but right before they could hit the wood, Naruto caught them in midair with his fingers. They kept on spinning around his fingers even as he pulled to a stop by the side, slowing down after a few seconds. The blond couldn't help but eye the weapons with a silent look, and then shake his head. "Not fast enough", he told himself. "I have to be able to catch them sooner."
His ultimate goal was to be able to dodge bullets, or even intercept them before they could hit one of his friends. Naruto felt more than capable of achieving this on his own, though it was going to take plenty of time before he could reach that level. If only he had someone that could train with him...
Taking a good look around, Naruto decided to give it a few more tries before calling it a day. He'd promised Clem they would resume English lessons as soon as he got back, but he guessed he had some time to spare before she got up, an hour or two at least.
Besides... he still needed to make sure her birthday presents were ready.
"Ah, you're back. Open the gate, Ben."
"R-Right."
Naruto scratched his head as he waited for Ben to get up from his chair to give him access. He could have simply jumped down from a nearby roof, but he'd been avoiding doing so those days, especially with how on edge Lilly and the others were. As he waited, his azure eyes took a quick look at the state the fence protecting the motel had been left in: multiple arrows lined the walls, wood planks, broken cars and other stuff they'd used a few months ago to build the improvised barrier.
Raider attacks had become part of their weekly routine. After the St. Johns became unable to provide them with the food the bandits needed to feed their own, they had shifted their attention to the group at the motel, although never to the point of bringing a full army at their gates. Naruto, Lee and the others had managed to deal with those assaults so far, but the boy feared this would sooner or later end up in war.
He didn't know when, yet he had this feeling the bandits would show up one day and try to raid their settlement by bringing everyone at their disposal. Naruto wanted to see them try, they would have to face him first.
The young shinobi apprentice had actually scouted many bandits' settlements in the region, watching over them as much as he could. They were all part of the same gang, but split into smaller camps for some reason. One thing Naruto quickly learned was that they were very well organized for a bunch of idiots, which explained the frequent incursions on the motor inn.
Those days, he was seriously considering heading out on his own and find a way to disrupt the gang's activities, maybe even disband them somehow. Maybe bring a ton of walkers to their position. That way, he wouldn't have to get his hands dirty.
"Hey, Naruto."
The blond was broken out of his daze by a smiling Ben, who was now standing by the door. Naruto returned the smile with one of his own and bumped fists with him, before the older teen let him in. Naruto stretched his aching muscles as he stepped inside, glancing around. The motel had seen better days, and without Mark or Larry around it'd quieted down a lot in comparison to what it used to be before.
Naruto sighed. A few weeks had gone by since that fateful day at the dairy, and many things had definitely changed for the worse. After being shot and later treated by Katjaa, the boy had been up on his feet in no time. He was unconscious through the whole thing so he didn't really remember much after being shot by Danny St. John, but he was still grateful.
According to Lee, the bullet hadn't hit any organ, but even then, he had healed so fast it'd only taken a few hours for him to be as good as new, no scars left or anything that would have reminded him of the bullet wound that was once visible on his chest. Everyone had been shocked when they found out, and the blond noticed how that only served to increase some of the adults' wariness around him.
One of them was Lilly, who would rarely speak to him or anyone else unless she had to, and her arguments with Kenny had only worsened as time went by. Their relationship was like a time bomb, ready to blow up at any moment's notice.
"Where were you?", he heard her question from her sitting place on top of the RV. Naruto raised his eyes and noticed she looked suspicious, as she normally did around him.
"Training", he simply said, making her narrow her orbs for a moment, analyzing what he'd just said, before she shrugged.
"Whatever."
Naruto gave her a curt nod and made his way towards his room. On the way there he saw Carley loading a mag, her face calm. He knew that to be one of her favorite hobbies those days where all they did was sit around and watch the days go by. Sometimes she and the other adults watched over the motel instead of Lilly, or tagged along to do the weekly supply run to downtown Macon.
Naruto had been to one of those with Lee, but never with Kenny. The man had been avoiding him ever since they got back from the dairy, though the blond understood why. Lee had told him what happened, with plenty of detail. Naruto had been shocked at learning he'd become so scary out of anger, so he could see why Kenny and Katjaa, to a lesser degree, had distanced themselves from him.
Duck and him didn't play anymore either. Like those kids in Konoha, every time Naruto tried to approach his friend so as to have some fun, Duck would be called away by Kenny who clearly didn't want his son around him. It pained Naruto, even more so at knowing he would never hurt any of them, but he'd long ago stopped trying to convince them of that matter.
At least Clem, Lee, Carley and Ben treated him like always. The last two had learned the truth from Lee, who had told them everything that had happened. It'd taken some convincing for them to believe it, but ultimately, Carley had been the one to get over her shock first and say she'd keep on trusting Naruto like she always had, and that she felt safe around him. Ben had agreed quickly, saying he didn't think Naruto was a monster, but rather a good person.
Just knowing they had his back made Naruto feel less bad about the way Kenny and his family reacted around him.
The blond stopped as he reached his room, planning to clean himself up and wake Clem if she wasn't already. He hadn't seen her around, which meant she was still asleep or just being lazy. After all, she liked to sleep in on cloudy days, and last night they had been up playing 'Shinobis and Warrior Princesses' until well past their bed time.
Naruto grinned his usual grin and was about to open the door when the muffled sound of voices coming from inside made him stop. He frowned in confusion and decided to put an ear against the wood, trying to hear what Clem was doing before deciding to get in.
"...Today is my tenth birthday! I'm a bit sad Lee doesn't know about it, but it's fine because my best friend, Naruto, promised to get me a really nice present."
The blond couldn't help but smile. He wasn't sure what was going on, though he felt like she was just 'talking to her parents' on that broken walkie-talkie of hers. Of course he knew about it. Sometimes she'd even invite him to talk to them and tell them more about him, with Clem imitating her parents' voices and making Naruto laugh. It was a way for her to feel better whenever a sad memory would cross her mind, so Naruto only encouraged her to keep on doing whatever was it that made her happy.
He was about to pull his ear away from the door and knock on it when he heard a second voice coming from the walkie-talkie that made him freeze in place.
"Oh, I can't believe it Clementine. You're growing up so fast! I bet your parents would be so proud of you."
Naruto widened his eyes at what he was hearing. That voice belonged to a man, someone he'd never heard in his life. His tone seemed friendly, but there was something underneath it that put the blond on edge. His first impulse was to barge in and find out what was going on, but he decided to stand back for the moment and listen. He didn't like it, but he felt like he could get more information that way before jumping to conclusions.
"Yeah, I hope they are okay", he heard her tell the stranger. "Have you seen them?"
"Not yet, but I have been looking all around Savannah and I'm sure I'll find them soon enough."
"Really!?"
Naruto couldn't help but scowl. That guy was getting her hopes up and making her think he was actually looking for her parents in Savannah, the place they had gone to before all those monsters showed up. There was no way that could be true in a million years. Given all they've gone through, the blond knew that guy must have been another weirdo, like the cannibal brothers at the dairy.
"Uh-huh. I'll let you know as soon as I get them", the man told her reassuringly, and Naruto's face saddened at knowing his friend was actually believing him. "Then maybe you could come to Savannah and have a nice family meeting!"
"Can Lee and Naruto come too?", she asked innocently.
To which the man grew silent for a moment before saying, "of course they can. The more the merrier. I have to go now. I'll talk to you later."
"Okay, bye!"
The moment the conversation was over, Naruto decided he'd had enough of hiding and carefully opened the door, noticing as Clem tensed up and turned her head his way as he stepped in. She looked like a deer caught in the headlights for a moment, but then visibly relaxed at seeing her best friend there. "Hi Naruto!", she waved her hand at him, throwing her walkie over the bed and walking up to him. She was already dressed in her yellow dress and long-sleeved shirt she wore underneath, which told the boy she must have been awake for a while now.
Naruto decided to put that thought aside for the moment when she threw her arms around him, engulfing the boy in a hug. He patted her head like he always did before she pulled away, her nose scrunching.
"Eww, you stink!"
The blond scratched his cheek for a moment, looking mildly embarrassed. "Hehe, I was training", he explained with a soft chuckle.
"Your English is getting better", she nodded to herself. There was a proud look on her features as he stared at him.
"Thank you!"
"That doesn't mean you get to slack off", Clem smiled as she wiggled her finger in front of his face from left to right. "We still need to practice. Remember that book Lee found?"
Naruto groaned aloud. He hated that textbook, he really did. It was hard and boring and there weren't many pictures. "Aww, I don't like that book."
"I know it's a bit boring, but it helps! Look how much you've learned since then!"
The blond couldn't find any reason to argue with her claim, but still attempted to persuade her. "Yes, but Cleeeem..."
"Nope!", she avoided his eyes as he gave her 'the look', a very efficient way for Naruto to get what he wanted or, in this case, to avoid having to study from the infamous text book. It wasn't going to work this time; Clem wouldn't allow him to pull that one on her again. "Now go freshen up. I'll wait for you here."
"Ok!"
Regaining his usual energy, the blond made haste for the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom both children shared with Lee and closed the door behind him, leaving Clem alone. The little girl had a smile on her face as she proceeded to sit down on the bed and place her hands on her lap.
That day was her birthday. Every November, on the 3rd, her parents would have a birthday party just for her, Alfred -her childhood friend- and some of the kids from her school. She loved those. She got to eat her mum's delicious apple cake and play all day, and there would be lots of presents waiting for her after the party was over. Her dad would then help her unwrap every single box, to which she'd sometimes get a bit sad because he tended to break the pretty paper that had been used to envelop the presents.
Clem's face fell at the memories. It was really hard to believe those days and that everyone she knew from before people raised from the dead were long gone now. Her friend on the radio had told her he'd seen her parents around Savannah once, and he would do everything in his power to find them for her. Clementine was hopeful she could see them again soon.
She knew they were going to like Lee, and especially Naruto. Given the fact her best friend was an orphan and had nowhere to go, she liked the idea of her parents adopting him, giving them a new life maybe away from all the monsters and bad people. She hoped Naruto would like the idea too, though the man on the radio had asked her not to mention any of what was going on to anyone, at least for the time being.
Clementine blinked at the sound of the boy moving around in the bathroom, and she decided to get ready for when he got back. She hoped he hadn't forgotten about her birthday. She'd told him a few days earlier, and he'd promised to bring her a present. And even though she didn't need anything, Clem merely wanted someone to remember about it, to feel happy she was growing up.
The other adults were so engrossed in their own problems and the frequent attacks with the bandits that she decided not to say a word. Not even to Lee.
Naruto left the bathroom a few moments later, a towel in his hands as he dried the water off his wet hair and face. He'd left his orange jacket and blue pants inside to wash them off later, and was now wearing a plain blue sweater and a pair of dark pants Lee had found for him at a store. Naruto didn't like not wearing his favorite clothes, but Lee had made a good point when he'd told him he needed to make sure he washed them every now and then or he'd start to smell really bad.
He mostly did it for Clem, though, who would openly complain if he went too long with the same clothes. It was hard without a washing machine, but with a bar of soap and some water he managed to keep them clean.
Under the expectant stare of his friend, Naruto hummed a soft tune as he walked up to his backpack, pretended to rummage through it for a minute, and then exclaim 'oh no!' to attract Clem's attention onto himself. He couldn't help but grin at hearing Clem gasping on the bed, and then making as though she wasn't staring at him. 'Hehe. She's so obvious', an amused smile made its way to his face, but he managed to conceal it behind a worried look.
"Is something wrong?", he heard Clem ask him, and the Uzumaki had to bit his lower lip to prevent himself from laughing.
"I can't find it!", Naruto made an exaggerated gesture with his hands, waving them around as though someone had stolen from him. "It's gone!"
He was happy to see her widening her eyes and stand up in a blur. "What's gone?", she hurriedly asked.
"Present for Clem", the blond pretended he was angry for a moment, and then sad. "In the bag."
"Oh no...", she seemed to buy it as there was a dejected look on her face at the news. "Did you lose it?"
Naruto shrugged. "I don't know", he gave her the most gullible expression he could think of before looking down in apparent sadness. "I'm sorry, Clem."
Despite what she'd just heard, Clementine managed to get over her sudden state of disappointment and walked up to the downcast boy, taking his hand into hers'. "It's fine, Naruto, don't be sad. At least you remembered..."
The Uzumaki raised his head and gave her a short nod, before his eyes seemingly caught sight of something on her face. "What's that on your ear?", he then asked, looking as she brought a hand to said place with confusion written all over her visage.
"Huh? Do I have something here...?"
"Wait, don't touch...", Naruto slowly and carefully stretched his appendage and tickled her ear, making her giggle, before he pulled his hand back. A pair of big hazel eyes followed his every movement and widened the moment they saw what the blond had on his open palm. "Look, Clem's present!"
"My birthday present?", at seeing her friend nod, Clem frowned in mock annoyance. "You lied! Meanie."
"Hehehe", the blond chuckled at seeing her pout for a moment, before an excited smile took its place. She finally decided to take a good look at what the boy was offering her. It was one of his famous kunais plus a small, round shaped orange pendant with a clock inside. The letter 'C' had been rudely carved on the metal, and although it looked like whoever had made it was far from being an expert on the field, Clementine couldn't care less. She was clearly happy about getting presents.
"Naruto... You did this for me?"
"Yep!", the Uzumaki grew nervous all of a sudden and he proceeded to awkwardly rub the back of his head. "Sorry it's bad."
"No! It's great. I love it so much, thank you. You're the best friend in the world", she gave him a tight hug which he quickly reciprocated. "I love you."
"Me too Clem", Naruto told her, blushing a little. It was embarrassing whenever she said those words aloud, but the blond knew she meant them. They were best friends, and best friends loved one another. Luckily there wasn't any other adult around, or he'd never hear the end of it. Especially from Carley. Ever since they'd gotten back from the dairy, she'd tease him about how cute the two of them were every time she got the chance.
He didn't get why she'd say that. Adults were weird sometimes, he guessed, putting that thought aside as she saw her pulling away from him to inspect the pendant and kunai on her hand. "So, are you teaching me to use your... your... ku... kunbai?"
"Kunai", the blond grinned at the way she struggled with the word. "Yeah. It's a good weapon. To kill walkers."
"I bet it is. I can use it to help you, or protect myself", she told him, putting it away for the moment. She was going to need something to store it, like a holster or something, similar to the one Naruto carried around all the time. She thought about asking Carley or Lee for help. They'd know how to make one. "Naruto, will you help me with the pendant? I want to try it on."
The girl turned around and gave him her back, taking her hat off her head just in case it got in the way. The pendant had a chain attached to it, so that she could wear it around her neck. Naruto didn't really know what to do, but with a little help from Clem who explained how to open the lock that held it together he was finally able to put it in place.
She then ran up to the mirror and grinned at seeing it on her chest. "It's so pretty", she mumbled, checking the time on the watch. It was half past ten, which meant Lee would soon come back from hunting with Kenny. That reminded her she hadn't had anything to eat ever since waking up, and the idea of a tasty chocolate bar Naruto kept hidden just for them sounded delightful at the moment.
Clem was about to suggest eating one to her silent friend when he spoke from the bedroom. "Clem. Who...", the blond struggled a bit as he tried to find the right words. He had learned past tense some time ago, but sometimes it was hard to come up with the right structure. Specially for questions. "Who... was the man?"
"The man?", the girl repeated, turning his way with an innocent look.
He gave her a cautious nod. "The man on walkie-talkie. That one", she allowed her eyes to follow his finger as he pointed at the radio on her bed, and it was then when her eyes widened slightly.
"You heard him?"
"Yes", he said, lowering his head. "Who is he?"
Clem hesitated for a moment. She'd planned to tell him about him, though not on her birthday. She knew Naruto would get worried regardless of the fact said man had seen her parents alive in Savannah, and didn't want him to feel that way. Still, there was no point delaying it any longer as her best friend already knew something was going on.
"He said he's a friend", the little girl admitted. "He's from Savannah, where my mum and dad are."
"..."
She seemed to notice his silence and took a step towards him, smiling. "It's okay! He's nice to me and lets me talk about my parents, you and Lee all I want. Besides, he told me he can help me find them."
"Parents?"
"They are alive", she looked happy as she opened up to her best friend. It felt good sharing her secret with him, of all people. "He's seen them on the street! In Savannah!"
Just like she'd initially expected would happen, Naruto didn't seem so sure about the news and his face twisted into worry. "Clem...", he began, not really wanting to crush her hopes that fast. He didn't think that was possible, and was more inclined to believe that man was just a liar trying to get her to lower her guard.
"It's true, I trust him", as if sensing what her friend was going to say, she shook her head and walked up to him, looking for support. "Please, he's my only chance at finding my parents. Don't you want to meet them?"
Naruto nodded carefully. "Yes, but...", he paused. Could he really tell her what was going through his mind and make her sad? What if for some reason the man was telling the truth and her parents were alive? He doubted it, he really did, but he guessed it wouldn't matter anyway. He didn't know where Savannah was, but it couldn't be that close to Macon, and even though Kenny always talked about heading for the water and get on a boat, he didn't think it'd happen any time soon.
"Please... You have to believe me. I know they are alive and looking for me."
The Uzumaki let out a long sigh and finally decided to let it slide for now, much to Clem's joy. As she proceeded to tell him how happy her parents would be to finally meet him, Naruto couldn't shake the feeling that he'd need to keep a close eye on that radio from now on. He didn't feel the need to tell Lee or anyone else about it for the time being, but that didn't mean he'd just let that guy fill her head with lies or false hope.
Not if he could stop it, anyway.
A few days had gone by since Clem's birthday, and not much had happened in that short period of time. Bandits had stopped attacking a while ago, which was a bit strange considering how abruptly the situation had changed from one day to another. Nobody in the group could really tell why, but at least now they were at peace. Relatively speaking. Naruto himself found it weird the raiders would just give up like that, since he knew they were still camping in the areas he'd found them, but still kept his guard up.
He'd already resolved to go kick their asses if they ever showed their faces again.
Lee had asked Clementine about the pendant she now carried everywhere she went, though she failed to mention it'd been a present for her birthday. Just 'something' Naruto had found on one of his trips to Macon, which Lee believed. It was not a lie, but Naruto would have preferred if she hadn't omitted any information with the intention of not making him worry about something other than keeping them well fed, healthy and alive, above everything else.
The kunai the boy had given her now had a special place by her hip, where she had tied a special holster Carley had made her out of an old utility belt. It had been modified so that she could take the blade out whenever she needed to, though the Uzumaki had yet to teach her how to effectively handle it. He was just thinking about it as they silently drew leaves on a paper, a technique Clem was patiently explaining to him as they worked.
"...The trick is to keep it steady as you move the crayon", he heard her say, before she showed Naruto her own drawing. "See? It's nice, right?"
She looked expectant as the Uzumaki pulled his tongue out in concentration and pressed the paper harder to his leaf, moving his orange crayon over the parts that didn't look so good. A minute later, he stopped to admire his work and nodded to himself proudly. "Here!", he showed her the paper, and saw her clap her hands.
"You did great! Maybe we can hang these in our room?"
Naruto nodded with a big grin. "Sure!", he was about to say something else when he heard a big commotion by Lilly's room, and couldn't help but move his eyes until he was staring at Kenny, Lee, Carley, Katjaa and even Ben standing by the door. The latter looked tense as the adults argued, something about a 'trip' to somewhere else.
"Oh no, they are fighting again...", Clem said sadly. She hated seeing them like that. Why couldn't all of them just be friends, like she and Naruto were?
The blond kept his eyes fixed at the group. His curiosity got the best out of him and he stood up, turning to Clementine with a serious look. "Wait here."
When she saw her agree and turn back to her drawings, Naruto walked away from his friend and slowly made his way to the group, hoping to remain unnoticed until he got there. As he approached the adults, he couldn't help but narrow his eyes at what he was hearing.
"...I'm telling you, this place isn't safe anymore! Me and Lee almost died getting what was left of that drugstore", Kenny spat, looking seriously mad. By his side, Katjaa tried to calm him down, to no avail. "Macon and its people are doomed. Walkers fill the streets, and those that are still alive are dying in that shithole. Worse, we have bandits shooting arrows at our doors and you want to spend the winter here!?"
Lilly didn't even flinch at the way Kenny spoke to her, or the things he mentioned. "The raids have stopped", she tried to reason with him, but Katjaa's husband was having none of that.
"Yeah, for now. But what will we do when they come back to kill our children, rape our women and steal our supplies? Just hand them all on a silver plate!?"
"Kenny..."
"No, Lee, you know I'm right! It's only a matter of time before this place falls, I'm just saying what's best for all of us!"
Lee tried to interject, but Lilly beat him to it. "It's not going to be easier out on the street!", she screamed, turning away from everyone. She was at the verge of breaking down in tears. It was all too much for her to bear with.
"Hmph. What would you know?"
"What do I know...?", she furiously glanced at Kenny over her shoulder after hearing him doubt her judgement again, like he'd always done ever since they settled down at the 'Travelier'. "I know you are not above murder! I know there is a little boy out there who slaughtered a guy as if that was nothing, and looked like a... like a demon while doing it! Do you really think I'd ever feel comfortable being in the same vehicle as you two?"
Kenny growled, but didn't speak another word to her. He just turned around and stormed away, not wanting to keep on wasting his breath. He'd tried to explain the obvious about having to shot Larry before he turned multiple times in the past, and instead of being grateful that he'd saved her life, she just kept on blaming him for what'd happened.
Katjaa gave Lee and Lilly one last, worried look, before she decided to go after him, leaving Carley and Ben alone with them.
"How could you say that about Naruto!?", Carley folded her arms over her chest. "He's just a kid! Probably one of the nicest kids I know!"
"I stand by what I said. That 'kid' is not trustworthy. I, for one, don't feel safe around him."
Lee's eyebrow twitched at what he was hearing. "I can't believe it! Naruto has had our backs this whole time! He tried to save Larry when he had that heart attack and protected Clementine when she got grabbed. Hell, he's the only reason we were able to find out what was going on at the dairy and you still have trust issues with him!?", all the while, Lee's tone had been raising more and more, and he didn't realise he was now shouting, much to Lilly's surprise. Carley was smiling silently at seeing him so worked up about Naruto. She liked the fact he wasn't going to let Lilly say whatever she wanted.
"Yeah, Naruto's pretty cool. He's nice to everyone here", Ben added, shrugging. "Besides, don't you think that if he wanted to hurt us, he'd have done so already?"
Lee and Carley couldn't help but appreciate Ben's support. It was clear the only two people that thought badly about Naruto didn't even have a reason to, as he had proven his good intentions infinite times in the three months the whole group had been together.
Yet Lilly didn't want to admit they had a point and shrugged her shoulders. "You know what? It doesn't even matter, because someone has been stealing our supplies."
Immediately, the looks on Lee and Carley's visages shifted to one of confusion. "What...?"
"That's right. Stealing! And I know the list of people I can trust gets smaller every day!", a tense silence fell on them all as Lilly shut her eyes, trying to calm down and failing miserably. "Now everyone get out. I need to be alone."
Lilly slammed the door to her bedroom right in their faces, leaving no room for argument. Lee let out a long and tired sigh and rubbed his temples, disappointed things had to reach this point. Ben eyed him for a moment before he left to get back to watching over things from the top of the RV.
Carley seemed to notice his frustration and placed a hand on his shoulder. "She'll be all right, she just needs some time to think things through", she offered, albeit she wasn't so sure of that herself. She had seen Lilly going through some serious stuff not so long ago, and losing her father had just broken her. "You did good back there though. Defending Naruto, I mean. He doesn't deserve to be called a monster for protecting the people he loves."
"I'm glad you think that way", Lee nodded, smiling appreciatively at the woman by his side. He could always count with her backing him up. "Still, Kenny has a point though. I'm not sure how much longer we can last here with food running short and those bandits out there."
"I guess... But suppose we get into that RV with the kids, and leave. Where would we go then? It'd be very hard to find a place as protected as this one."
"I don't know", he couldn't help but admit. "Anywhere. Preferably without any bandits around."
Carley chuckled at his comment. "Amen to that. Those pricks are really starting to get on my nerves", she shook her head. "Anyway, you should probably check on Lilly later. She seemed pretty stressed about that whole 'stolen supplies' deal, whatever..."
At seeing the woman trailing off and looking distracted for a second as she turned her head Clementine's way, Lee scrunched his face in confusion. "Carley, what...?", his eyes moved in the direction she was now staring and then saw Clem looking around in a hurry, under the table she used to draw, inside an empty room, the RV, everywhere. She was about to run for the gate when Lee stopped her.
"Clementine! What's wrong?"
He noticed the look of panic in her face and immediately tensed. "It's Naruto, he's gone!", she exclaimed, going back to searching around.
Carley and Lee exchanged a look before the man knelt down by her side and tried to calm her down. "Don't worry Clem, I'm sure he's fine. He goes off all the time on his own, no?", he offered, but this didn't appease her.
"No, he never leaves at this time!", she gestured towards the sunset that was partially visible through the trees of the forest in front of the motel. Nightfall would soon be upon them. "And he promised never to leave before letting me know first unless he-!"
"Slow down, sweet pea", Lee managed to get her to breathe, while also trying to find a logical explanation for his sudden disappearance. "When was the last time you saw him?"
Clem took the chance to check the time on the clock on her pendant. "A few minutes ago, I think", she said, rubbing her arm. "We were drawing leaves on paper when we heard you guys fighting. Naruto said he wanted to find out what was going on, and then...", her face turned sad as she said, "I got distracted, I never saw him leave! Do you think he got sad at something you said?"
It was then that Lee put two and two together and sudden realization hit his brain. Carley seemed to have reached to the same conclusion, because the look on her face was similar to the man s one. "Oh no...", Lee stood up and ran to the front gate, though not before glancing around in search of the boy. Kenny watched him go by and raised an eyebrow, deciding to follow him.
"Lee, what's going on?"
The aforementioned grunted as he pushed the gate open and went outside, looking everywhere. "Naruto! Naruto, are you here? Come out, let's talk!", he put his hands around his mouth, ignoring the noise he was making, and kept shouting his name for a few moments. Carley, Kenny and Katjaa walked outside, flanked by Duck and Clementine.
"Hey! What are you doing!? You're being too loud!"
Lee squinted his eyes in the direction of the forest, trying to see if he'd find any trace of the whiskered blond around. But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't see anything out there. Worse, it was getting pretty late. "It's Naruto", he finally turned to the audience behind him, and saw Kenny folding his arms. "He ran away after hearing Lilly calling him... a..."
He couldn't even bring himself to repeat what she'd said. He knew she probably didn't mean it, but that didn't excuse her for it. Naruto was just a kid, and like that, they should be very careful not to call him names. Especially one that didn't describe him in the slightest.
"Oh", Katjaa lowered her face, knowing full well of the word Lilly had used. She hadn't even seen Naruto standing there in the first place, and neither did she think the others had.
Duck seemed confused as he asked his mother about it, though she refused to repeat it. She didn't want her son thinking the poor blond was that.
"Hmm, well, if you ask me we should all head back inside and stop worrying about Naruto. He'll be fine."
Lee turned to Kenny with an angry scowl on his face at what he'd said. "Are you serious? What if someone happens to him while he's out there?"
"I said it before, that kid has some serious skills. He would never let himself get cornered by walkers or bandits", Kenny shrugged, raising his head to look at the sunset for a moment. "Besides, he knows how to take care of himself. I think he just needs a while to cool off his head and come back to us. And then, Lilly can apologize for being a bitch."
Clem frowned at the swear he'd just used, but remained silent, just like Duck. "He's right Lee", Carley said. "Maybe we shouldn't worry about him for now. Kids can be sensitive."
"Yeah, I guess", Lee sighed. He didn't like just walking away and put Naruto in the back of his mind. But what else could he do? Go tromping around the woods or Macon at night? That would be stupid, considering he'd put himself and anyone else who wanted to come with in danger. "I just hope he comes back soon, I'm worried about him."
"Me too", Clem couldn't help but look down in worry, with Carley trying to comfort her by placing her hands on her shoulders and telling her he was really strong and that walkers would never be able to get his hands on him.
"All right, that's settled then. Duck, don't wander off too far. You too, Clementine."
Both children nodded at Kenny's remark and went back in, with Carley and Katjaa following a moment later. Lee and Kenny stood back, silently admiring the way the Sun casted its orange-reddish beams over the extensive forest ahead.
"We should head to the coast soon, whether Lilly wants us to go or not", was all Kenny said before he left Lee to his thoughts.
"Talked to Lilly yet?"
Lee shrugged, seeing no harm in telling Carley what was going on. "I did. She thinks our supplies have been walking away. She went over her own, personal count and it's off."
The revelation had no visible effect on the ex-reporter other than make her pull herself away from the railing she'd been leaning onto. "She really thinks so, huh?", she shook her head in mild disbelief, before another question popped in her mind. "Did she find anything concrete?"
"No. But I'm about to go have a look around, in case what she says is true."
"I hope not", Carley fixated her chocolate eyes on Lee's figure. "We certainly have enough drama to last for a couple months without having to worry about a traitor in the group."
Lee shuddered at that. He didn't want to even consider the possibility of one of them stealing supplies when they were so short on everything. Things were already falling apart, but if they started running out of essential stuff like food, water or medicine…
Things seemed ready to explode at any second. Between Lilly's and Kenny's little power struggle and Naruto's mysterious abilities, there was only so much more the others could take before everything went to shit.
"You're still worried about Naruto?"
The aforementioned was slightly taken aback at her question. It sometimes surprised him just how easy she could read him like an open book. "Yeah, I am", he admitted, raising a hand to his neck, which he rubbed tiredly. "I don't like the way Kenny and Lilly treat him. It's like… he's a freak in their eyes. I mean, I get they're on edge, frankly I am too, but Naruto is just a kid. Even if he's different, we shouldn't just push him aside and be on guard whenever he's around."
Carley could see this was eating away at Lee, so she walked up to him and placed a comforting hand on his arm. "I understand how you feel, Lee. Even I can't get my head around Naruto sometimes and what you told me he did back at the dairy, but I'm fairly certain he's not going to turn on us. Kenny and Lilly just need to pull their heads out their asses and accept Naruto is special, not a demon."
Lee actually cracked a smile at the way Carley imitated Lilly. It felt almost alien to do so, with all the trouble that kept surfacing when he least expected it. "Thanks, Carley", he said sincerely. "It's good to know I have someone to talk to."
"Anytime, Lee. Whenever you need an ear, I'll lend you mine", her lips curled into a smile on her own, one she graced Lee with. Carley's hand lingered a bit longer on his arm before she eventually retracted it. "Anyway, I'm glad you're here. I've been thinking about you, a lot."
The man's eyebrows shot up at what he'd just heard. Of all things he'd been expecting to hear, this was not one of them. But it was something that made his heart skip a beat and fixate his eyes on her silent figure, inwardly looking for another signal that could determine whether he wasn't reading things correctly or not.
"I think about you too."
Lee found himself smiling once again. He would be lying if he said he didn't find her attractive. Because he did. But he'd not indulged in such thoughts out of respect for what Carley used to feel about Doug, a man who was no longer amongst the world of living.
The once news reporter met Lee's stare and the latter thought he could see her cheeks growing slightly red. But it was soon gone before he could confirm having seen it.
"Our group is small."
"You are small."
A cheeky grin found its way to Lee's lips, noticing the way she flinched at the comment.
"What I mean is… You're a convicted killer and…"
"Jesus, Carley!", Lee interjected before she could finish her sentence, his previous expression twisting into an open frown. He looked around to see if anyone had heard them, before turning back to the woman before him. "Said it louder for the others to hear, will you?"
"That's the point", Carley's remark had him widening his eyes, "I think they should know. Not because they deserve to or because you're a bad man, just the opposite, really."
Lee opened his mouth to retort, but opted not to in the end. This was a secret he'd been purposely hiding from the others all that time. Clementine already had an idea he'd killed someone before the dead rose from the grave, just not that he'd murdered his cheating wife and lover upon finding them on his own bed.
He hadn't really thought about ever revealing the truth to everybody else since they'd formed that little group of theirs, mostly because he didn't really see a reason to do it.
"…People need to know because we're hanging by a thread here and I can't see Lilly talking about you without thinking it's the next thing she's going to say."
The only one who knew his secret other than Carley was Larry, and it was highly likely he'd told his daughter before dying. Lilly hadn't outright confronted him about it, but now that Carley pointed it out, she could do so at any time. Or worse, tell the others before he mustered up the courage to do so.
"You don't need to tell everyone, but think about who you trust and take the opportunity while you have it."
"Hah…", Lee let out a sigh, looking away from Carley for a moment. His dark eyes moved around all the silent members of their group in contemplation, as Lee pondered over what the woman before him said. "Well, you're probably right."
"Of course I'm probably right!", Carley didn't show it on the outside, but she was glad Lee was willing to listen to her and actually take her words into consideration. "People might be pissed. And telling them might end up causing more trouble, but it'll be a far cry from what will happen if they don't hear it from you."
Lee folded his arms over his chest, swiveling his eyes back in the direction of Carley. "Yeah", he was now starting to see why she worried so much over this. In a world where you needed good people by your side, trust was of the essence. If you didn't have folks you could rely upon or that trusted you with their lives, your chances of survival drastically decreased.
"So you'll do it then?"
By that point, the answer was pretty much clear to him.
"I'll tell people about it", he resolved, nodding his head solemnly. "You're absolutely right, Carley."
His response immediately proved to be the one Carley was hoping for if the smile she then flashed his way was of any indication. "Good. I really think it's for the best", she said softly, visibly relieved. She then caught Lee by surprise and before he could even realize what was going on, stood on her tiptoes and planted a chaste kiss on his cheek. "Don't ever call me small."
Ever since the world had ended and people continued to struggle for survival, Macon and especially the forest that surrounded it had grown very quiet. Apart from the sound of some insects and a few animals that were getting ready to go hunting as soon as daylight was gone, only the occasional whistling of the wind that blew through the trees and gently swayed their leaves could be heard around. No walkers moaning or growling, no arguing, no talking, nothing.
It was as if nobody else existed but Naruto. Peace and quiet were very hard to come by those days, even when he went out for training - he'd still hear the distant noise of walkers roaming around mindlessly, or people screaming in horror or agony. But there, right at the very heart of the forest, all of that seemed so far away that Naruto couldn't help but be reminded of the forest surrounding Konoha.
Back at the village, the Uzumaki would sometimes seek refuge outside the village, being mindful not be caught by the door guards, Kotetsu and Izumo, on his way out. Those two were okay guys, they didn't treat him like he was scum and they liked ramen, which was a plus in his book. They'd even let him go whenever he got caught pranking people, making up an excuse if someone came looking for him that way. He'd hide out until things calmed down and then head back to his old, decrepit apartment, ignoring the stares and whispers of the people he passed by.
'Look! It's the little demon.'
'What could he be up to this time? Nothing good, I'm sure.'
'I wish he'd just go away and disappear! My father died because of that demon.'
'I don't know what Sandaime-sama was thinking, letting that demon live among us after all the pain he's caused!'
'...I know there is a little boy out there who slaughtered a guy as if that was nothing, and looked like a... like a demon while doing it!'
Naruto's expression turned painful as his mind gave him images of a past that was not so distant, in which the word demon would be used on him for no reason. Why? Why did everyone think he was a monster? He didn't remember killing civilians and shinobi alike when he was born, he didn't remember causing any harm to anyone unless his pranks counted, then why was he a demon?
The boy knew this place was different, it had no apparent connection to the Elemental Nations and yet, Lilly was starting to think of him that way too. It was as if he was cursed, doomed to be called a demon wherever he went. It made him feel as though all those people, including Larry's daughter, were right about him. What if he really was a monster that could go on a rampage one day and kill everything on its path, innocents and enemies alike?
'Maybe I should just leave. Stay away from people, that way I wouldn't be able to hurt them, right?', Naruto mused, bringing his knees up to his chin before placing his arms around them. He thought about Lee, Carley, Duck, Ben, Clementine. If something were to happen to them because of him... he'd never be able to forgive himself.
Clem would be so sad if he were to go. He knew that to be a fact. She could even go out and try to look for him, which made the blond feel more guilty about the idea of leaving. He didn't really want to run away, forget about the people he cared about and just go somewhere else. But he couldn't stop thinking about what would happen if that incident at the St. John's dairy were to take place again.
He didn't remember much about it, just some bits and pieces. He recalled feeling very angry and scared that something bad could happen to Clem and the others, but then... nothing. He'd woken up back at the motel with Clementine and Lee by his side after all had come to an end, and even though Lee seemed unsure about telling him what had transpired at the farm, Naruto had ultimately learned the hard truth.
Just thinking about what Lee said of the... transformation he'd gone through after seeing Andy St. John hurting Clem made Naruto feel even more desolated. He'd looked like a demon, that's what Lilly thought, and although it hurt, he felt she wasn't far from the truth. After all, what kind of kid turns into-?
Naruto was suddenly broken out of his daze by the sound of branches creaking a bit to the left from his position. He quickly stood and hid behind the trunk of the tree he was on, his eyes squinting in the direction he had heard it come from. The blond didn't have to wait for long to find out who had made that noise.
'Bandits', he frowned, pulling out a kunai. He could hear them talking under their breath as they walked, all of them carrying guns. He did a headcount while they passed by. There were around two dozens of them, but where could they be...?
The Uzumaki couldn't help but widen his eyes as he realized the direction they were headed for.
'Oh no... I have to go warn Lee and the others!'
With that thought in mind, Naruto decided to take a shortcut through the forest and hurry back to the motel, hoping to get there in time.
"So, did you come up with anything?"
Lee nodded grimly, showing Lilly a brown bag. "I came up with this", he let her take the bag in her hands and examine it. Inside there was food, medicine and other stuff that was invaluable to them. "I found it outside the fence, hidden away in a grate in the wall. There's a sign on the other side, to the right. A cross someone drew with pink chalk."
When he'd first started investigating the disappearance of supplies, Lee had been more inclined to believe Lilly was just being paranoid, and that the count was fine. It made the most sense back then, seeing the state her father's death had left her in. But after going through the clues with Duck's help, and finding more and more evidence that something was wrong, those previous doubts had soon turned to suspicion and ultimately to shock.
Someone was definitely going behind their backs, giving away their already scarce food and meds. The question was, why? Was it because of how tense things were? Lee couldn't think of any reason one of their own would do that to them.
"I knew it. I fucking knew it!", Lilly spat, her face contorting into a look of betrayal.
Lee folded his arms, feeling very tense. He'd just had to deal with telling everyone, Clementine included, about his past as a convicted murderer. Carley had talked him into opening up because it was the right thing to do according to her, and she'd been very... persuasive back then.
But that was nothing compared to finding out there was a traitor among them. It was a clear sign that the group was starting to break down, which could only mean nothing but trouble.
"What are we going to do about this?", Lee couldn't help but cautiously ask, sitting down on the chair right in front of Lilly.
She let out a long sigh, and took a moment to rub her temples in frustration, before she raised her eyes and met Lee's. "There's no choice. We have to line everybody up. Everybody."
Lee didn't like this, but felt there was no point in delaying it. His thoughts then shifted to Naruto, who had yet to come back, and said, "what about Naruto?"
"The way I see it, if he's not here when we confront the rest about this that'd put him on top of the suspect list", Lilly argued. She looked absolutely serious about it, much to the man's contempt. "And he's already plenty suspicious to me."
Lee was about to open his mouth to retort, to call her off on her accusation when suddenly the door to the room flew open, making both adults jump from their seats. Their widened eyes then caught sight of Naruto Uzumaki, looking very alarmed about something.
"Naruto, what-?"
"Bandits!", he screamed. "They come from forest!"
"Oh shit!"
Lilly had no time to even think about what to do, much less to tell them to get the rest ready for a fight, because the people she saw at the entrance made her freeze. "What the hell...?", Lee and Naruto followed her line of sight and were shocked to see four masked guys, pointing crossbows and handguns at the others.
Clementine, Duck, Kenny, Katjaa, Carley and Ben were walking towards the intruders with their hands in the air. They were forced to kneel down before them and look the other way.
"YOU DON'T FUCKING STEAL FROM US!"
As the bandit behind Carley screamed around, making threats and demands, it was clear to everyone present he was the leader of the bunch. Lee was furious at seeing they had managed to get past their defenses as if they weren't even there in the first place, and even more so at the way Clementine closed her eyes and trembled in fear. Unbeknownst to him, Naruto was having similar thoughts as he narrowed his eyes and pulled a kunai out.
"Too late", he mumbled, getting ready to fight.
"Wait, Naruto", Lee told him, before he addressed Lilly. She was fetching her rifle and checking how much ammo she had left. "What do we do about them?"
Lilly shot Naruto a glare which he seemed to ignore for the time being and then said, "stall them."
"What?"
"Just keep them busy. I'll go around and try to find a good shooting spot."
Before any of them had any chance to retort, Lilly went to the only window in her room, opened it and jumped through it to the other side. Naruto faced Lee with an expectant look as the bandit leader kept on yelling and threatening to kick down every door in the motel. Lee closed his eyes for a second and nodded to the boy. "Keep an eye out and only intervene if things go wrong. Don't let them see you."
Naruto inclined his head with a smirk. "Gotcha."
Time to see how much progress he'd made in the past few weeks.
Lee didn't really know how on earth had bandits sneaked out in their settlement, just that things had gone south very fast. Lilly had shot the bandit leader on the head right when his buddies were distracted and convinced they were going to make a good deal with the group in exchange for not killing anyone. Amidst the confusion, Carley had grabbed the fallen man's gun and fired a barrage of bullets at the others, running out of ammo before she could take out all of them.
The last bandit had tried to make a run for it, but right before he could get too far, he'd been intercepted by Naruto, who appeared right from the shadows and stabbed him on the back, and a second time on the head. As soon as everyone thought they could catch a break, a large group came running and yelling from the forest after seeing their last comrade falling to the ground.
That was when all hell broke loose.
Lee had shouted at Naruto to get to cover, which he did, though not before dodging an arrow fired his way and throwing a kitchen knife at a bandit, killing her instantly.
Seeing the blond do what he'd just done had left Lee stupefied for a moment, before the cries of rage and promises of retaliation from the bandits snapped him out of his stupor. Although Lee didn't want this to be resolved with violence, he was slightly worried about how Lilly would want to handle things. They had been forced to take cover behind the RV and some tables Katjaa used to hide with Clementine and Duck.
"Shit Lee, we have to get out of here!"
Lee pulled himself back to cover as a bullet flew past him, missing his head by a narrow margin. Kenny, Carley and Ben were crouching behind a rather sturdy wooden board on the opposite side Katjaa and the kids were, with the two adults blindly shooting over their cover in an attempt to take some pressure off them. "Go, I'll cover you!", he told them, clutching his rifle on his hands.
He waited for a moment until the bandits had to reload before aiming his rifle at the ones on the left side, always making sure to go for the head. Through the scope, Lee managed to take three clueless enemies out, with Naruto sneaking through their lines and killing the rest that had made it past the fence. When the man noticed more bandits running at them from the forest, he gestured at Kenny and the others to come to his side.
They were there a moment after.
"Naruto! Right side!", Lee shouted, moving in the opposite direction to provide some cover for Clem, Katjaa and Duck to escape.
"Okay!"
As he prepared to kill a random bandit that was reloading his gun, Naruto was slightly alarmed at seeing walkers coming their way. One of them got close to the oblivious bandit and chomped on his neck, making him scream in horror and agony. Naruto shook his head and quickly dispatched the walkers near his position.
Though no matter how many he took out, more of them kept coming from both sides of the road and into the motel, attracted by the sound of gunshots. Soon, both sides were swarming with monsters, yet the bandits gave the group no respite as they kept firing at them from the forest. It was clear the intruders thought the walkers would do their job for them, so they just needed to keep bringing more of them until nobody was left alive.
Lee scowled as he shot more and more walkers down, making sure to cover both sides this time. Naruto was helping too, swinging his kunai around in a flurry of attacks as one by one they fell. He moved around in a blur, showing great reflexes and speed as he went from cover to cover without being hit any single time. It was mesmerizing to watch. He'd gotten more efficient at killing walkers too, as he now only needed a quick stab before he was moving onto another one.
Too bad they just kept coming and coming.
When the right side was cleared for a moment, Clementine took the chance and ran into the waiting arms of Lee, who hugged her with clear relief written on his face. "Clementine, get inside the RV!"
"Wait, what about Naruto?", she asked, trying to take a peek over the RV's side to see if she could spot her friend.
Though Lee didn't let her do that. "He'll be fine, I'll keep him safe. Now go!", he gave her a gentle push towards the door and went back to provide cover for Katjaa and Duck, who were now standing up.
They were about to run Lee's way when a walker showed up from nowhere and pushed them forward, making Katjaa hit her head against the ground. The walker was on them a moment later.
"Katjaa! Duck!"
Lee raised his rifle, aimed it at the monster's head, but never got to pull the trigger as Naruto beat him to it, taking care of it himself. A second later, the blond was helping Duck and his mother get back on their feet just as Kenny ran out of the RV looking for his family.
"Kat, get over here!"
Kenny waited until his bleeding wife and son got there with Naruto and guided them in, before turning to Lee. "Ok, that's everyone, let's go!"
"Lilly's still there!"
"We leave her behind, we have to go now!"
As Kenny ran inside with Naruto in tow, who gave Lee a hurried look, the latter shut his eyes for a mere second and then glanced Lilly's way, who was still shooting her rifle at their attackers. "Lilly, it's now or never! Get down here!", was all he told her before going in, climbing the small steps into the RV and heading for the front, where Katjaa and her family sat.
"Go go go!"
The man behind the wheel promptly turned the key and started the engine, though right before he could drive away Lilly jumped in, closing the door behind her. Kenny drove over a pair of walkers in his way and through the gates, leaving the bandits and most of their stuff behind as he took the path out the city.
It was time to head for the coast.
To be continued...
Next chapter may take a bit longer than usual to come out. I'm currently working on chapter 15 (all the others up to that point are done), but there are lots of edits and changes I need to make on earlier installments before I'm satisfied. Among these, I always end up adding more scenes just for the sake of it.
Anyhow, as always, please let me know what you think in the review section.
Take care everyone! Luke out.