Young and Young at Heart (The Rewrite of The Walking Dead Game: S2) [TWDG/TWD]

86. Springfield Elementary

Clementine marched forward, her tomahawk tightly gripped in her hands. She kept eyeing the street for signs of Matt or anyone still alive, but all she saw were more walkers wandering about. She turned to Christa, who just walked along silently, a resigned look in her eyes. Between them was Sarah, tenderly gripping Omid Jr as they moved down Laurel Street.

Clem's mind was spinning and every step was nerve-racking. Another attack seemed inevitable, they still didn't know how far this truck was, or how long Christa had to live, and all the while she was trying to remember everything Christa had just told her about raising a baby. Everything from when he can start eating solid foods to how newborns have to be kept warm.

As the group walked forward, Clementine noticed a larger building coming up on the right. Reaching the intersection bordering the building, Clem noticed there was only another block or so before the road started cutting through a forest devoid of further signs of civilization. Looking at the building to her right, Clem could read the words 'Springfield Elementary' just above the main entrance.

"Look," whispered Clem as she pointed to the sign. "It's the elementary school." Christa and Sarah looked up at the sign.

"We're almost there," whispered Sarah.

"And that must be the road out of town." Clementine pointed to where the highway moved into a wooded area.

Christa looked down the highway, then back to the school. "Turn right when you reach the school." Christa turned and looked down the road running in front of the school. "House at the end of the street, in the backyard, under the tree."

"How far do you think that is?" whispered Clem.

"It'll be a lot closer if we keep moving." Christa started walking down the street, Sarah and Clementine following behind her. Clementine looked over at the school as they passed in front of it, before turning her attention back to the road. There were more walkers roaming about the area just about everywhere she searched. Clem looked ahead, trying to see if there was an end to the road in sight, when she heard Omid Jr whining softly.

"Shh, it's okay, it's okay," whispered Sarah as she tried gently rocking the newborn. Clem watched anxiously as Omid Jr seemed to grow more upset.

"Here, let me see him," spoke Christa in a hushed voice. "Maybe I..." Clem watched as Christa rubbed her forehead, almost as if she was dizzy.

"Christa?"

"I..." Christa moaned softly as she stumbled a few feet towards the side of the road, before collapsing onto the grass.

"Christa!" Clem's call went unanswered.

"Clementine!" Clem turned to see Omid Jr was crying louder. Looking about she saw walkers gravitating towards the bleating newborn and the older girl desperately trying to calm him. "Please, please," begged Sarah as she tried gently rubbing Omid's back through the jacket wrapped around him. Clementine saw a walker moving right behind Sarah and sprung into action. She ran past Sarah and slashed the walker's ankle. It fell forward, nearly colliding with Sarah, who stumbled back in surprise. Clementine flipped the tomahawk around and quickly stabbed the downed walker's head.

Clementine heard Sarah yelp and looked up to see another walker approaching her. Sarah ran from the living corpse as it grabbed at her while Clem ran towards it. She toppled it with ease, but before she finished it she noticed several more walkers closing in. Clem turned around and noticed Sarah dodging away from yet even more of them.

Clem ran after Sarah, joining the older girl by the front door. Clem saw walkers coming from all directions. She searched desperately for an opening big enough for Sarah and Omid Jr to slip by, but found none. There were too many walkers and they were grouped far too close together.