Disclaimer: The Walking Dead Series is NOT my work. It is owned by TellTale, all rights, commendation and acknowledgement goes to them.
However, "Derek Brooks" is my own fictional character and apparently the only thing I own in this story.
AN: Sorry for the delay! This was supposed to be a 10k chapter but due to some complications with some of the story parts, i had to break it up so that i can upload a part of it atleast. Expect another chapter within a week or so. In any case, i hope you guys would enjoy this slice of life chapter!
Chapter 14 – A Mistake Done Twice
The trio made their way back to the school, their steps heavy with exhaustion. However, one look at themselves made them reconsider their decision as blood, dirt, and sweat marred their appearance. It wouldn't be proper (nor hygienic) to return in such a disheveled state. Spotting a nearby creek, they detoured without hesitation, eager to wash themselves. The cool water offered a brief respite from their skirmish from earlier this morning. Unfortunately, they didn't linger for long as the threat of raiders still plagued the area. As soon as they finished scrubbing off the remaining blood stain from their clothing, they gathered their gear and left towards the safety of the school.
Louis stood watch in the tower, his eyes scanning the horizon with a hint of boredom. He could think of dozens of things he could be doing but even he knew better than leaving the gate unmanned. Suddenly, a movement in the distance caught his attention, sparking a glimmer of excitement within him. As the figures drew nearer, his expression lit up with recognition, and a welcoming smile spread across his face at the sight of Derek, Clementine, and AJ.
"Hey!" he called out eagerly, waving to them as they approached the gate.
Descending from the watchtower with brisk steps, Louis greeted them at the entrance, swiftly unlocking the gate and ushering them inside with a welcoming gesture.
Louis observed their worn-out appearance with a mix of concern and curiosity. "You guys look worse for wear," he remarked, his tone tinged with sympathy. "So…. did you manage to clear it out?"
Derek nodded wearily, exhaustion evident in his expression. "It wasn't easy I can tell you that but we managed to clear them out." Turning his attention to Louis, his brow furrowed with curiosity. "Seriously though, where did all those walkers come from?" he questioned, his voice laced with a mixture of bewilderment and curiosity.
Louis scratched his head in embarrassment. "Yeah, it's been getting worse lately," he admitted. "Marlon didn't want to risk it so we usually sneak past them most of the time." He explained.
Derek mulled over the decision, but ultimately agreed it was probably the best for them. Despite the presence of capable fighters within the school, fighting walkers isn't solely about skill but also endurance, qualities that were sure to be tested at their limits against a drawn-out fight against walkers.
And the latter are restless beings that can fight night and day.
"Well," Derek began, his voice carrying a weight of exhaustion. "In any case, you don't have to worry about them anymore. We're going to head back to our room. We'll talk to Marlon later." With a tired but reassuring smile, Derek waved a goodbye at the teen, signaling their departure.
Back in their room, Clementine eased herself onto the bed with a heavy sigh, feeling the weight of exhaustion fully settling on her entire body. AJ, ever helpful, had already taken charge on cleaning up their gear without needing to be asked. Derek followed suit, methodically unclasping the straps of his armor one by one until he was finally free of its weight. With a weary exhale, he collapsed onto the other bed, the soft mattress offering a welcome respite from the day's trials.
If there was one thing Derek appreciated about the school, it was the beds. Though a tad dusty, they were a luxury compared to the hard ground they often slept on. As he settled onto the mattress, he relished the softness of the bed against his weary body. With a contented sigh, he stretched his aching muscles, finding some relief in the simple act. Glancing over at Clementine, he considered striking up some small talk, but her steady breathing signaled that she had already fallen asleep.
A soft chuckle escaped Derek's lips as he admired Clementine's peaceful slumber, her features softened by the dim light filtering through the room. With a gentle smile playing on his lips, he leaned back onto his own bed, feeling a sense of calm wash over him.
"Hey, AJ," Derek called out, his voice soft but firm.
The boy turned towards him, his gaze curious yet attentive.
"You should rest too, buddy," Derek suggested, concern lacing his words.
AJ paused for a moment, considering Derek's advice, but then shook his head. "I'm not tired," he simply replied, diligently cleaning the excess blood from Derek's machete with focused determination.
Derek shrugged inwardly. If AJ didn't want to rest, there wasn't much he could do to dissuade him. Besides, their gear wouldn't clean itself. With a contented sigh, he closed his eyes and surrendered to the embrace of sleep.
As the hours passed, AJ diligently cleaned all their gear, removing every trace of blood and dirt. Derek's age-old advice echoed in his mind, reminding him of the importance of maintenance. Keeping their gear clean and well-maintained could make all the difference in their survival, giving them an edge against their enemies.
Once he was done and secured all their gear in their rightful places, he proceeded to preoccupy himself by the table on creating various artworks (doodles). He drew inspiration from today's events and poured it all onto the paper. He captured the valor of Derek and the finesse of Clementine amidst the chaos of battle. He sketched (doodled) on the paper with utmost focus, seemingly lost in his creative artistic fervor. However, his focus was disrupted from an unknown sound. It sounded like electrical static, similar to the one he hears every time he tried to turn on the car's radio. One quick look-around and he was certain that it came from Derek's backpack. He pried himself away from his work and approached the sound with curiosity.
However, AJ hesitated, his gaze shifting between Derek's and Clementine's peaceful sleeping forms. Part of him felt compelled to wake them and inform them about it, yet another part hesitated, not wanting to disturb their well-deserved rest. They had worked tirelessly throughout the day, the least he could do is let them rest. With that thought in mind, he decided to let it go. After all, it might not be nothing. With a resigned sigh, he went back to his drawings, letting the matter slip from his mind.
3…
2…
1…
His curiosity got the better of him, overpowering his better judgment. He ignored the voice of reason on the back of his head, telling him that it was not a good idea. Turning his attention back to the Derek's bag, AJ found himself irresistibly drawn towards the source of the strange sounds. With careful, deliberate movements, he rummaged through the bag, his small frame struggling against the bulky, oversized pack. After a brief struggle, he managed to fish out the source of the strange sounds: the radio they had 'retrieved' from the raiders the day before. To his surprise, it appeared to still be operational, its screen emanating a faint glow, illuminating his features in the dimly lit room.
With a furrowed brow, AJ fiddled with the knobs and buttons on the radio, his small fingers navigating the device with a mixture of excitement and cluelessness. Each twist and turn sent crackling static through the room until, suddenly, voices emerged amidst the static distortion. It was garbled and fragmented but it was there. AJ's heart raced as he strained himself to decipher their words, but the static remained stubbornly resistant, thwarting his attempts to make sense of the transmission.
His features crossed with frustration as he wrestled with the stubborn device, but then a memory stirred in his mind, a lesson imparted by Derek about the basics of radios.
If he were to recall correctly, he mentioned something about the importance of open space for a better signal. Things like thick walls can adversely affect the signal, resulting in the garbled transmission like the one he is hearing right now. His eyes wandered left and right, his mind thinking what could he possibly mean. Should he walk around the room? Was that what he meant of an open space? He gripped the radio on hand and started moving around the small room, hoping to find an optimal signal.
"….sh…. lon….. row." A garbled voice spoke.
'There it is!' AJ thought. With newfound hope, he continued closing in on the signal, extending his arms as far as he could. He wandered in the small bedroom until he found himself drawn towards the window, where the signal seemed to be stronger. Clutching the radio tightly in his hands, he climbed on top of the dresser, the wood creaking beneath his weight and positioned himself by the barricaded window, feeling the cool breeze brushing against his skin. Holding the radio aloft, he tilted it upright, aiming to maximize its reach.
"…. bring…. tomorrow..… woods…." A woman's voice emerged from the crackling static.
Before AJ could continue fiddling with the radio, Clementine's voice broke through his concentration, startling him in the process. He nearly dropped the radio in his surprise but managed to catch it just in time. Clementine, now wide-awake, thinking he almost fell, looked at him with concern. "AJ, what are you doing!? Get down from there," she ordered, her voice carrying a soft yet unmistakably authoritative tone.
"I…." AJ hesitated, his mind racing through a number of excuses. But in the end, he couldn't bring himself to lie to her. With a heavy sigh, he relented and presented the radio to her.
"I heard some voices on the radio," he confessed softly, his gaze fixed on the floor. "I just wanted to hear them more clearly."
"What?" Clementine's voice rose in alarm as she sprung up from her bed, seizing the radio from AJ's hands. She fiddled with the device for a moment, her fingers deftly manipulating the device with purpose, but all that answered her was the relentless hiss of static.
Turning her gaze back to him, her eyes bore into his with an intensity that demanded nothing but the truth. "Tell me everything," she demanded, her tone leaving no room for debates.
"I-I was cleaning our stuff when I-I heard something in Derek's bag…" AJ mumbled, his eyes darting away from hers, unable to bear the weight of her scrutiny. "I wanted to see what it was s-s-so I-I-I…." he trailed off, stumbling over his words as anxiety tightened its grip on his throat. Fiddling with the hem of his shirt, he sought refuge in the action, his heart pounding with apprehension.
Summoning a small reserve of courage, he clutched the edge of his shirt tighter, his eyes squeezed shut as he raised his voice. "I promise I didn't say anything!" The words rushed out in a torrent, an earnest plea for understanding amidst the silence that followed.
After a tense moment, he asked shyly, his voice barely audible. "Are you mad?"
As Clementine scrutinized at the boy standing before her, a pang of familiarity washed over her. She was reminded of how Lee would scold her for taking risks without consulting him first, but in the end, he always did praise her for her initiative and bravery. To scold AJ for his actions would be hypocritical of her as she did similar things when she was younger. Her mind felt conflicted. Was this what Lee felt? After further internally debating with herself, she realized she couldn't fully blame AJ for his actions. He may be more mature than most kids at his age, but he is still a kid at heart.
She sighed heavily and sat down on the bed. "No, I'm not," she replied, her voice softer than before.
The boy shifted with uncertainty until Clementine patted the empty space beside the bed. AJ was hesitant at first, but he eventually relented and joined her.
"I'm glad you told me, AJ," Clementine said, offering a reassuring smile to the boy. Her tone was a mix of forgiveness and acceptance, letting him know that she didn't blame him.
However, AJ merely nodded in reply, his gaze fixed on the floor, finding interest on the patterns of the wooden floor beneath his feet. A heavy silence descended upon the room, like a thick fog suffocating the air. After what felt like an eternity, Clementine broke the silence, her voice gentle yet tinged with solemnity, cutting through the weighty atmosphere.
"It's okay to make mistakes, AJ," Clementine began, her tone soft and reassuring. "Nobody's perfect, not even me." She reached out and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, offering comfort in her touch. When he remained silent, she pressed on, her voice unwavering.
"I had a radio once too, you know?" Clementine's voice held a hint of wistfulness, laced with the bittersweet nostalgia of days long gone. "I was still a little girl back then when all of this just started. It was the only thing I brought with me from home." Memories of a bygone era flashed into her mind, untouched and pristine. A time when her biggest concern was missing her favorite radio show, not dodging walkers or fighting off raiders.
AJ turned to her, his eyes and ears perking up with curiosity. He had always been intrigued by his guardian's past, but he learned the hard way that her stories often don't end in happy endings. And a part of him somehow felt this one seemed no different.
"One day, a stranger talked to me over the radio," she continued, her voice tinged with bitterness as she recalled the memory. "He told me that he knew where my parents were and that I shouldn't tell anyone if I wanted to see them again. And I believed him," she admitted, her gaze distant with a touch of regret. "But Lee... the one who took care of me, fought through the city to find me."
"And did he?" AJ asked, his voice barely a whisper, fully immersed in her story.
Clementine sighed heavily, the weight of her words carrying a heavy burden. "He did, but at a price," she confessed, her voice thick with emotion. "He got bit while searching for me." The revelation left AJ stunned, his mind grappling with the gravity of her words. "If I hadn't trusted people so blindly," she continued, her tone filled with remorse, "he wouldn't have risked himself for me, and I blame myself for that." She paused, briefly clenching her fists before forcing herself to relax. Turning to face AJ directly, she spoke with a mixture of warmth and firmness. "I'm not telling you this to make you feel guilty, AJ, but for you to understand how dangerous it is to act alone. We're a team, and teams watch each other's backs and take care of one another."
AJ nervously fiddled with the hem of his shirt, his gaze fixed on the floor. Despite his apprehension, he nodded in acknowledgment of Clementine's words. "I'm sorry that I took the radio," he apologized again.
She offered him a small smile, reaching out to tousle the top of his head affectionately. "It's okay goofball. I'm just glad nothing serious happened," she reassured him, her warmth evident in her tone. Clementine pulled AJ into a comforting hug, a gesture he easily reciprocated, finally glad that they have settled the issue behind them.
After they pulled away, Clementine looked at the boy before her. "There's still some time until dinner. Do you want to play for a bit?" she asked, her tone warm and playful.
AJ's face lit up with excitement as he nodded eagerly in response.