Stepping Away: TWDG (Book Three, Clementine x Fem!Oc)

Ties That Bind Pt.2 (Part 4) | "Come on, cowboy."

𝗧𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗕𝗜𝗡𝗗 𝗣𝗧.2 | 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗜𝗩

❝𝖢𝖮𝖬𝖤 𝖮𝖭, 𝖢𝖮𝖶𝖡𝖮𝖸.❞

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗦 𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗦 my face as I held onto Clementine’s hand, holding AJ in the other as he cried into my shoulder. We were running as far away from the walkers as possible, through the bushes, through the trees, through the forest. It had been a few weeks since my dad’s death and since then, I had been quieter, but his words constantly ran through my mind. I now had to be here for Clementine and AJ, no matter what.

I felt a tug on my wrist, Clementine pointing to an abandoned bus in a clearing.

Clementine: We can hide in here.

Emma: Okay. Come on, cowboy. We’re gonna be okay.

Clementine ran ahead, kicking open the door and letting us in as the walkers chased after us. I placed AJ on a seat as Clem closed the door forcefully, the walkers surrounding us. My breath was catching in my throat as I looked around for anything in the bus to shove in front of the door.

Emma: Fuck, fuck…

Clementine: Oh, come on.

I found a shelf, pushing it over as Clementine backed away from the door. It kept the door from being pushed in, but ever so often it would bounce open with impact. Me and Clementine stood side by side, breathing heavily as AJ started to whimper behind us.

I turned around, kneeling in front of him, Clem doing the same.

Clementine: Shh. AJ, it’s alright.

The walkers continued to pound on the door behind us, making AJ cry louder.

Emma: Hey, we know you’re hungry.

I felt the girl beside me tap my shoulder. I looked at her and she gave me a pointed look, and I knew exactly what she meant. The only thing that got AJ to be quiet. I picked up a rhythm, humming a song in my head, Clementine joining in. AJ’s eyes widened at the sound, his hands bouncing up and down in time, a smile reaching his lips, the tears stopping. We stopped when we knew he wouldn’t cry again.

Emma: We’re gonna have to wait for them to leave to get some food. I don’t how much longer we can keep doing this, Clem.

Clementine: I know, I know. But once this herd clears, we can go find… something. Anything. We have to try.

Emma: Yeah, alright.

Down the bus from us, the other door was being shoved in harshly, making us all jump. I furrowed my eyebrows, bringing my gun out of its holster carefully.

Person: Son of a bitch! Hey! I can hear you in there! Let me in! Please! Oh, God, there’s so many… Please, don’t leave me out here.

I glanced back, giving Clementine a shake of my head, both of us stepping backwards, in front of AJ. A few seconds later, the door burst open, a woman appearing and closing the door behind her. I pointed my gun at her, Clementine now doing the same.

Person: Oh, shit. Hey there.

Clementine: Hello.

I didn’t speak, only raising an eyebrow at her.

Person: Pretty big group of ‘em out there. But it’ll pass… eventually.

Emma: We got that. Thanks.

Clementine: Are you hurt? Any bites?

Person: No. No bites.

The door she was leaning on kept getting pushed back behind her, walkers arms being seen pounding on it from outside.

Person: Shit…

I ran over, Clementine sticking beside AJ, trying to keep him from crying again. I pushed my shoulder against the door, letting the woman pick up a plank and barricade it.

Person: Goddamn it! Well. I’d say we make a pretty good team.

She sat down on a seat across from us, me crossing back over to sit down with Clementine and AJ.

Person: The three of us… The four of us, I mean.

Clementine: Thanks… I guess.

Person: No problem, kiddo. Anytime you two need an oversized doorstep, you know who to call. He’s a cute kid. You guys live in here? You two seem kinda young to be a mom. What are you? Fifteen or sixteen? Damn. You’re both children yourselves.

Emma: We knew his parents. But… Well, we look after him now.

Person: Then he’s cute and lucky. He has two people looking after him. Not much of that anymore. We were out there scouting… nothing out of the ordinary, and then– chaos in– shit. Those bastards are slow, but goddamn it, when there’s enough of them… I got separated from the others. God, I hope they all made it. Thought we were ready for anything. But they were all around us before we saw them.

Clementine: We’re sorry… about your friends…

Ava: We’ve been in hotter spots than this, for sure. My people are probably at the rendezvous by now. What’s left of them, at least… By the way, I’m Ava. And my group… we call ourselves the New Frontier.

She rolled up the sleeve of her jacket, showing us a brand on her arm, the skin healing. Behind us, AJ’s cries began to start up again, making me sigh and hold his hand.

Clementine: He’s hungry…

Ava: Hey, why don’t you guys come with me, meet my people? We have food, blankets, bottled water… C’mon, dinner’s on me. I owe you one.

Before I could even intervene, Clementine nodded with certainty.

Clementine: That sounds good. Sounds great, actually.

I looked at Clem who just shrugged and sent me a look that said ‘we don’t have a choice’.

Ava: Once the herd is gone, my people will find us.

And we sat there, waiting, not knowing that these people would soon turn out to be our enemies.