Hope - A Louisentine Story

Chapter 11

Description: Louis must take risks to get information on Clementine's whereabouts. His trip might prove to be a double-edged sword, however.

Wordcount: 3196

A/N: I hope you guys have been enjoying the series so far as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Shit is about to go down for Louis and the gang so be ready! I love and appreciate every one of you for sticking by this story. Enjoy!

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"How much farther do you reckon?"

Lizzie's question broke through Louis's thoughts. They were walking down the main avenue of an abandoned town a few miles from the Hilltop. Luckily, they still had Javi's car, so it had been a short ride. He looked up from the map, pursing his lips.

"We should be getting there in a couple blocks," he assured her. He stashed the map into his back pocket, looking around.

The street was deserted. Rusted cars were strewn around. A few lamp posts had been torn down, their cables wrapped around the poles. They saw corpses littering the streets, most of them mangled or mutilated in one way or another. This must have been one of the first towns to fall, Louis thought ruefully, imagining the chaos that must have spread through the major cities.

As they got to a crossroads, he stopped in his tracks. He held out an arm for Lizzie to stop. He looked around, examining the storefronts. On one of the corners was a Laundromat that advertised lowered prices in the summer. Some of the other stores included clothes shops and a small supermarket. The signs on the corner read 'Lawrence Street' and 'Lincoln Avenue.'

"We're here," he announced, checking the map once again and nodding. "This was the last place Maggie heard from these guys."

"They last checked in about three hours ago," Lizzie said, her hands on her hips. "They could have gone anywhere within a forty-block radius, even with walkers blocking their way."

"Well, I don't see any walkers right now," he replied, shrugging. "I suggest we spread out and search for clues in these stores. Jesus said they were looking mainly for electrical supplies, so the Laundromat and that hardware store are our best bet."

"You take the hardware store," she suggested, offering the man a soft smile. "Holler if you need anything."

"Right back at you," he said, making his way to the store with his trusty chair leg at his side. As he pushed the door open, a little bell announced his arrival. He looked back at Lizzie, whose back was turned to him. Taking a deep breath, he ventured in.

Inside, the shelves that occupied most of the space were picked clean. Dust covered their surfaces. He deduced that no one had been here in years, let alone the last day. He paced the narrow aisles, carefully inspecting whatever anomaly his eyes could pick up.

The shelves themselves contained nothing out of the ordinary aside from the occasional splatter of dried old blood. When he got to the back office, it was pitch black. He used the flashlight provided by Maggie to shine into the room, 'Chairles' at the ready. He almost jumped when he heard a low growl to his left.

A walker was lying against a wall, both its legs trapped underneath an old-timey television. Its boney arms flailed weakly in his direction, "Poor guy must have bled out," he breathed, shaking his head solemnly.

With a well-placed swing of the chair leg, he crushed its skull and put it out of its misery. No matter how many times he did it, he never got used to the feeling. He did a quick sweep of the rest of the room, cursing under his breath when he came up empty of clues or supplies.