AN: Two chapters in one month? The world must be ending. Anyways, this contains a lot of action scenes which some might find it a bit graphic, you can skim over a bunch but this chapter also contains a huge plot point at the end so don't miss out on that. Please enjoy reading :3.
Chapter 13 – The Messenger
Derek tightened the restraints of his armor, securing each individual strap tight. He cast a doubtful glance at the sight before him.
"I can't believe we agreed to this." He muttered under his breathe.
Clementine, busy sharpening her knife in preparation, responded without looking up. "It's better than the alternative, at least."
Derek, still wrestling with the straps, couldn't help but let out a sardonic chuckle. "Guess you're right." He turned to face them, "Alright everybody knows the plan? Know what to do?" he inquired, seeking reassurance.
"We split the horde into two groups. Keep our distance and don't get overwhelmed. Run if you have to." Clementine replied, her gaze focused on the blade she was honing.
"I stay on top of the tree to keep watch for any changes and keep uberwatch." AJ chimed in.
"Overwatch, AJ." Derek corrected with a grin.
"Oh… Okay." AJ sheepishly acknowledged.
Just ahead of them lurked a horde of walkers, a daunting assembly of twenty or more. According to Marlon's briefing, this particular horde was a menace to their day-to-day tasks. It turned hunting and foraging a challenging task and if they would grow any larger, they would prove to be a significant threat to the school and its inhabitants. The task was simple: if they could successfully clear this formidable threat, Marlon would be more than willing to provide them a map and some essential supplies. Given their skills and experience, the task was within manageable bounds.
If things would go according to plan, that is.
Derek was armed with his signature trusty machete, clad in protective gear to fend off walker bites. Clementine, on the other hand, wielded a makeshift wooden spear, with three more neatly secured on her back as backup. AJ was their lookout, his young eyes scanning the field for any sudden changes or threats, making sure no walkers would sneak up on either of them. Since he won't be seeing any fighting, he was only armed with his trusty pocket knife. They did carry their firearms with them for emergencies, except for the rifle, it had no ammo and lugging it around was just a liability.
Clementine signaled her readiness to Derek with a subtle nod. AJ, with Derek's assistance, climbed to the top of the tree. The boy flashed a thumbs-up, in which Derek reciprocated the gesture with his own. With the trio poised for action, Derek nodded in silent reassurance and made his move.
"Hey! Over here!" Derek bellowed, his voice cutting through the low moans of the hungry undead. The walkers stopped what they were doing then turned their rotting heads towards him. They slowly shifted their path towards the trio, stumbling and limping as they did.
"Split them up! Go!" Derek ordered.
Clementine darted past him, heading to the opposite side and waving her hands frantically at the approaching undead. "Hey!" she whistled sharply, aiming to divert their attention.
It worked like a charm, with almost half of the horde diverting towards her. Clementine lured as many as she could before strategically retreating to a safe spot, ensuring AJ still had a clear view. On the other side, Derek stood his ground, letting the walker's approach, machete poised. AJ's sharp eyes caught a rustle in the bushes near Derek, spotting a walker sneakily closing in. Fear gripped his heart, but it didn't hinder his instincts.
"Watch out!" he yelled, urgency coloring his voice.
Derek twisted his body just in time from the walker's lunge. The nimble move sent the undead creature sprawling on the ground. Seizing the moment, he swiftly thrust his machete deep into the walker's skull. He turned to look at AJ and gave him a nod of approval, eternally grateful for him. However, there was no time to dwell over a small victory as the bulk of the horde was now converging on Derek.
They came after him in groups of threes, one after another. Derek danced on the thin line between life and death, evading their clumsy strikes by dodging left and right. In a stroke of luck, two of the advancing walkers stumbled over each other, collapsing to the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Derek swiftly decapitated the remaining standing threat with a single, fluid motion of his machete. He then ruthlessly crushed the heads of the ones flailing on the dirt ground with the heel of his boot, their soft heads only made it easier.
However, it was still far from over, as dozens more of the ravenous undead were still closing on him.
"Shit," he huffed, realizing the magnitude of the challenge ahead.
Tightening the grip on his machete, he assessed the situation. There was a considerable gap between each walker, offering a window of opportunity for quick takedowns. However, he needed to be swift and agile. A momentary lapse in judgment would lead him being overwhelmed in a matter of seconds. Every move had to be calculated and executed with precision.
In other words, there was no room for mistakes.
He sprang into action, closing the distance with the nearest walker. He executed a swift swipe of his machete on the side of its head, killing it on the spot. A quick kick dispatched the lifeless corpse, making room for his next target. One of them got close enough and attempted to grab one of his arms but he was faster than them. Dodging to the right with practiced agility, he narrowly avoided the grasp of the second walker. Seizing the opportune moment, he delivered a decisive strike to the back of its head, the blade effortlessly slicing through the decayed flesh and bone, neutralizing the threat.
He was suddenly thrown off balance as a relentless walker tackled him by surprise. its decaying jaws gnawing against his armor. He could faintly feel its teeth attempting to crush through his armor but it was in vain, as his armor held on as best as it could. Struggling against the undead assailant, Derek grappled to push it away. He tried to search for his machete but he found it was knocked out from his hands at the moment of impact. In a desperate maneuver, he kicked the walker's knee, throwing it off balance. Seizing the opportunity, he swiftly unsheathed his knife, driving it into the walker's eye socket. A moment of tense resistance, and then, finally, it stilled to a halt. He dislodged the corpse off him, his pulse racing from the close encounter.
"Watch out! There's more incoming!" AJ's urgent warning cut through the air.
Derek's eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, identifying another group of walkers emerging from the dense trees. Determination etched across his face, he swiftly moved to retrieve his fallen machete. With a practiced twirl, he readied the weapon in his hands.
"Come on, you bastards..." Derek muttered under his breath, preparing for yet another round against the relentless onslaught of the undead.
Clementine skillfully led the group of walkers on a winding trail away from the main horde, ensuring a safe distance between the two. The makeshift spears strapped to her back weighed her down, but she knew they would be crucial later. With her eyes scanning the surroundings, she positioned herself strategically—far enough from the main horde, yet close enough for AJ to maintain a vigilant watch over her.
She unstrapped the spears from her back, placing the extra set on the ground. Twirling the spear in her hand with a practiced ease, she readied herself for the approaching walkers. As the undead closed in, her grip tightened on the wooden shaft, feeling the rough wood against her palms.
Then, with precision and speed, she struck.
Her movements were swift and precise, akin to a snake striking its prey. The spear pierced through the skull of the approaching walker, killing it instantly. She shoved the lifeless body aside without a second thought then poised herself for the next one.
The second walker attempted to close the distance between them, but a swift thrust of Clementine's spear to its head halted its advance. In the heat of the moment, she pushed the spear a bit further than intended. She attempted to retrieve her weapon but it was a futile effort as the spear was lodged deeply into the walker's skull. With more flesh-eating undead closing in, she had no choice but to retreat.
She reached for the backup spears she brought, swiftly grabbing a replacement. Twirling it in her hands with practiced skill, she thrust the spear into an incoming undead rapidly closing in on her, dispatching it effortlessly. Another who followed closely attempted to lunge at her, but a well-aimed kick kept it at bay. She reclaimed her spear from the one she killed earlier and impaled it to the other walker, twisting it mercilessly before withdrawing it, blood spraying in its wake. She huffed in exhaustion, backing away to catch her breath.
She could feel herself breathing heavily, beads of sweat streaming down her forehead as fatigue began to set in. Her eyes stung as sweat passed through them, mild irritation crossed her face as she blinked to clear the perspiration that had found its way into her eyes.
"Clementine, behind –" Before AJ could finish his sentence, she was already aware of the walker attempting to sneak up behind her. Swiftly dodging to the right, she skillfully made the unsuspecting walker collide with another one. The two collapsed to the ground with a thud. In a seamless motion, she positioned her spear and thrust it deep, hitting both of their heads with a single, precise move.
AJ could only watch in surprise as she skillfully dealt with the threat before he completed his warning. However, the undead assault was not over yet, their numbers only kept growing as they came from the dense forest.
AJ snapped out of his silent admiration, and warned her about it. "There's more incoming! Be careful!" his concerned voice urgently rang out.
She exhaled in exasperation, the air mingling with tension that hung thick around her. The incoming walkers pressed forward, their decaying limbs moving with an unsettling determination. Yet, she wasn't deterred. Her eyes glimmered with silent determination, daring the walkers to come after her.
For she has duty to fulfill, and she will see to it until the end.
Clementine, AJ, and Derek stood in a small clearing, their bodies covered with blood, sweat, and bits of rotten flesh. AJ, having observed most of the battle from the treetops, remained relatively clean. The midday sun cast a warm glow, indicating that several hours had passed since they started. Their progress was slower than they anticipated; having to resort to tactical retreats to ensure they don't over exert themselves, plus the mysterious increase in the number of walkers didn't exactly help as each battle became even more weary and time-consuming. Despite the challenges, they had fulfilled their end of the deal, and now they hoped Marlon would uphold his.
Yet, this victory came at a cost. Clementine bore minor cuts and bruises, mostly from struggling against walkers when they come too close, while Derek, had a deep gash on his right arm. He winced in pain as Clementine skillfully sewed up the wound with the best of her abilities, her expression stern.
Derek couldn't help but recoiled with a hiss, her actions unintentionally brought a sharp pain on his wounds. "AHH! Son of a- "
"Ehem!" Clementine cleared her throat, giving him a warning glare at him.
Derek bit the tip of his tongue, reigning in the profanity threatening to spill. Instead, he released a disgruntled grunt of pain as he let Clementine continue to work on his injured arm. Despite the protective armor, there are still sections which didn't protect his body mainly his upper arms and upper legs. According to Derek, he tripped down whilst fighting a walker and hit a sharp edge of a branch as he fell.
Clementine finished stitching up Derek's wound and carefully applied a bandage for extra protection. A slight sting lingered, but the pain had considerably subsided. Derek tested his arm with repetitive, small circles, evaluating its flexibility. He hissed in pain but at least he can still fight.
"Thanks." He expressed his gratitude with a warm smile. Clementine playfully responded, "What would you do without me?" she replied, giving him a sarcastic roll of her eyes.
He chuckled, giving her a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Probably running around with an injured arm." Rising to his feet, he proposed a plan. "We should clear off the remaining stragglers. I'll take AJ this time. You clear off the east side while I clear the west. We then meet up in the middle before heading back to the school. Sounds good?"
Clementine nodded in agreement. "Just be careful," she advised, concern evident in her eyes.
He acknowledged her concern, reciprocating her nod. "You too," he replied. He then hesitated, silently contemplating. He turned to look at her with a serious look in his eyes. "If anything happens, just run. You don't stop for anything else. If you can't make it back to the school, double back and head straight to the train station where we left the car. If all else fails, fire a shot and we'll come running. Understood?"
Clementine nodded, her gaze unwavering. "And you take care of AJ, alright?"
"I will," Derek assured her, a sense of responsibility etched across his features.
Clementine moved through the aftermath of their battle, the once ominous forest path now littered with the remnants of the undead. Dozens of fallen corpses lay strewn across the ground, each one a testament to their fight for survival. Some had missing heads, while others had their limbs cleanly cut-off, courtesy from Derek. The eerie silence that settled over the clearing was a stark contrast to the chaos just moments before.
How many were there? Twenty? Thirty? The exact count escaped her, but it didn't matter. Dwelling on it wouldn't change a thing. She clenched her hands, feeling a bit sore from the battle. She couldn't wait to get back.
A sudden snap of a twig cut through the quiet atmosphere, the ominous sound made Clementine instinctively drop to the ground. Seeking cover behind the nearest tree, she held her breath, eyes scanning the surroundings. After a few tense moments, a small group of walkers stumbled into view. Just four of them, oblivious to her presence.
Silent as a cat, she moved from cover to cover. Two walkers unknowingly moved past her, and with practiced ease, she swiftly kicked the back of the knee followed by a lethal stab to its face. The second, turning its attention towards her, didn't have a chance to fight back as Clementine sweep its legs, making the walker crash to the ground with a heavy thud. Flipping her knife into a reverse grip, she delivered a devastating strike right between its eyes.
The two remaining walkers turned towards her, finally noticing her presence. The first one hobbled in her direction, Clementine poised her knife for a decisive strike. Yet, in an unexpected turn, the 'walker' grabbed her hand mid-swing whilst simultaneously put a hand clamped over her mouth.
"Shhhh. Too loud." It spoke, a distinctly male tone. It spoke softly, almost a whisper.
A wave of shock and bewilderment washed over Clementine as the walker before her spoke. Before she could fully process the bizarre situation, the unexpected stranger bent down, seized a rock, and skillfully hurled it in the opposite direction. The walker, lured by the sudden noise, staggered away from their vicinity.
With a cautious glance, the mysterious figure released Clementine's hand wielding the knife, allowing her to step back, her eyes fixed on the person who just saved her from a potential threat.
As she stepped back, Clementine got a clearer view of the individual before her. Clad in a worn-out cotton long-sleeved shirt, a ragged denim vest, torn grey pants and a pair of old-fashioned work boots. However, what really set this individual apart was the mask and gloves crafted from human skin. A shudder ran down her spine, remembering the feeling of that same hand on her mouth, she instinctively wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, her features crossed with disgust.
Raising his hands in surrender, the mysterious figure spoke in a hushed tone, "I'm not here to hurt you." His attention then shifted to the lone walker still ambling away. "But you don't need to hurt them," he added, emphasizing the unnecessary violence.
Clementine maintained her defensive stance, eyeing the mysterious figure cautiously. When she didn't speak, he continued. "You should leave while there's still time, take the child and go. You can't trust him," His words hung in the air, a cryptic warning.
Her curiosity piqued, she pressed him for answers. "Him? Who's him?" She narrowed her eyes at him. Before the stranger could provide any clarification, Derek's voice rang out.
"Clementine? Clementine!" His voice echoed.
In that brief moment of distraction, the mysterious figure seized the opportunity to slip away.
"Wait! Come back here!" she called out, but the stranger was fast, catching only a glimpse of his silhouette before disappearing completely deep into the forest. Derek emerged from the thicket, his machete at the ready.
"What happened? Are you okay? I heard you screaming." he asked, glancing around the area. AJ trailed closely, his knife at the ready, mirroring the same concern for her.
A sense of frustration lingered in Clementine's gaze as she stared down the path the mysterious figure had taken. Sighing, she turned towards Derek, disappointment etched across her features. "We'll talk about it when we get back. I'm starting to not like this place. Not one bit."
Derek observed a lone walker shambling mindlessly in the distance. "You missed one," he remarked, unsheathing his machete and closed the distance between him and the walker. A swift strike at the side of the walker's head ended its eternal life.
Clementine involuntarily flinched at the action, the stranger's words echoing in her mind. Conflicted emotions stirred within her, an internal struggle of morality. Shaking her head, she tried to clear the unsettling thoughts and refocus on the task at hand.
'I must be going crazy,' she thought to herself. Did she mourn for the walker's death? Or was it the realization that the stranger's intervention was all for nothing? The questions lingered in her mind, adding to the dozens more already circulating in her mind.
"Come on." Derek urged. "Let's get back to the school and report our progress to Marlon. Hopefully, he's got our map ready." He let Clementine and AJ go ahead, taking the nearest path leading to the school. Just as he was about to follow, he paused, turning back toward the dense trees he caught sight of a pair of eyes observing them cautiously. He glared at the figure but made no move towards it. Tension lingered in the air until Derek broke it, huffing and turning away as he joined the other two.
Unbeknownst by the trio, the figure tightened his fists, trembling in suppressed anger.
AN: James has finally showed himself! Now you must be wondering, why is he here a little bit earlier than usual? Since this is an AU, a lot of things would change. We're turning hard from the canon event by now and won't be soon until it becomes totally different yet similar all the same. I hope you don't mind.
Now you might wonder, will there be anymore OC's? I like to keep relevant and plot-important OC's at the minimum. I can throw a few in by name but no one too important. I don't want it to be confusing to the point there's too many OC's that it's hard to keep track who's who anymore. So in future chapters where I would add some plot relevant OC's, I'll do my best to keep them at the minimum or at the very least not too confusing.
Please leave add it to your favorites if you're enjoying the story. It would mean a lot to me, and if you want, you can also leave a review. I read them all the time but I don't really reply so I apologize for that.